Episode 100! Xing Yi part 16 – SPECIAL XL EPISODE
This is our special 100th episode which covers both part 16 of our narrative on the origins of Xing Yi, plus an extra hour of Q&A about Xing Yi and some of the controversies that surround it.
#99 Xing Yi Part 15 – The Path of Xiwangmu
In this one we pick up our story of Xing Yi, examining the influence of Yue Fei and the great Song generals on the people who were inspired to challenge the increasingly degenerate late Yuan Dynasty. We also look at the influence of the “mythology of the West” in China and of Central Asian religious and spiritual traditions on the White Lotus Society, of which the leaders of the rebellions were members.
#98 The Imposter Phenomenon with Dr Marc Reid
Our special guest this time is Dr. Marc Reid who heads up a world-leading academic research team in the field of Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde, as well as being an in-demand public speaker in several other areas, including safety and the theme of this episode, the so-called Imposter Syndrome. Marc has written a book on the subject of what he prefers to call the Imposter Phenomenon, “You are Not a Fraud: A Scientist’s Guide to the Imposter Phenomenon”. You can find out more about Dr Reid’s work online.
#97 Baji
This episode follows on from Episode 26 of Graham’s Tai Chi Notebook Podcast in which he interviews Woven Energy patrons Rikard Elofsson and Miika Wikberg about the little-known martial art of Baji. We discuss the possibility that the Baji Xiaojia is the most perfectly balanced form from any martial art – “Xiaojia is more Tai Chi than Tai Chi”, and look in a bit more detail at the history, technique, strategy and background to this subtle and robust martial arts style.
Graham, Miika and Rikard’s original episode can be found here.
#96 Hierarchy – special episode for the re-launch of the Pigs and Chickens Podcast
Where do hierarchies come from and why can they be so destructive? This is part one of a special 2 part episode to mark the re-launch of the Pigs and Chickens Podcast.
Part 2 is immediately available over on Pigs and Chickens at the following link:
#95 Shaolin
Did Western movies and TV lead to the creation of the Shaolin Warrior monks? Did the modern Shaolin fake something that had already been reinvented anyway? Did the Qing Dynasty really destroy the Shaolin temple, or did they instead create it? What influence did three subsequent phases of communism have on Shaolin? Was there a Southern Shaolin Temple, and what about the modern stuff at Wudang Mountain? These questions and more answered in our new episode on the infamous temple and its monks.
#94 King Arthur part 1 – Tintagel
Is there any evidence that King Arthur was a real person? Why was Tintagel so important in the Dark Ages? Why does Tintagel Castle look so organic? What have Arthur and Tintagel got to do with the Crusades? These questions and more examined in our new episode.
#93 The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz – Day 2 (part 1)
At long last, and now armed with our recent episodes on alchemy, we again pick up the story of Christian Rosenkreutz and the Chymical Wedding. What is Day 2 all about? How does the “Language of the Birds” appear in Day 2? How does it relate to Amsghar? What does Christian make of his newfound escape from the Miasma, and what are the four paths that a shaman can follow? All these and more examined in this new episode.
#92 Heretics Alchemy Tutorial 4 – Dissolution
This time we move into the second part of the nigredo or black phase of alchemy, dissolution, looking at the world of elixirs as well as spiritual dissolution technique. We discuss the alchemical symbolism of dissolution and some of the context of the famous Voynich Manuscript.
#91 The Growth of Shamanism in the UK
According to the 2021 census, the number of people who identify with Shamanism has grown ten-fold since 2011. We talk about whether or not this is true, and its implications, as well as reviewing the state of Shamanism in the UK today.
Metro article that we discuss.
