Where did Stoicism start, and how was its founder different from later Stoics? What were the shamanistic aspects of early Stoicism? What is Tyrian Purple? How did Alexander the Great influence the development of Stoicism? How does the life of Zeno of Kition parallel the life of Yang Luchan? This and more discussed in the latest episode of Heretics.
What ways are there to be religious, and what constitutes a religion in the first place? Is Tai Chi a better religion than Christianity? Is there any difference between the New and Old Testaments? Why do so few people understand esotericism and its purpose, and why are organised religions afraid of it? These questions and more are examined in our latest episode.
Following on from the recent episode on Atlantis we pick up where we left off back in episode 35 with Thales and do a rapid survey of the development of the Ancient and Classical Greek miasma through to the time of Zeno.
Was Atlantis an ancient utopia or an evil empire? Why is the Atlantean Myth close to the heart of Western Civilisation? Could it really have existed? In this episode we head beneath the waves to discover the birth of the western experience with Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
In the middle to late part of the Yuan Dynasty the former Confucian ruling class came back with a vengeance and started a downward spiral that would ultimately lead to the fall of the dynasty. In this episode we examine how and why this happened, which will set the context for the important events at the end of the dynasty in the next episode.
Following on from last year’s Merry Mithrasmas episode, this year we turn our attention to the early origins of word “Christmas” itself: in ancient Greek philosophy, Roman mystery religions and cannibalistic rites. Merry Yule!
Are the hill figures of Britain really ancient? What do they mean? In this episode we look at the symbolism of these enigmatic figures that have been preserved for centuries, and, in one exceptional case, for millennia by countless generations of people.
Was Aleister Crowley really the most wicked man in the world? What was the relationship between Aleister Crowley and Wicca? How did the events of his life shape the religious and spiritual traditions that he gave rise to? All these questions and more answered in this episode.
What has Norse Mythology got to do with Shamanism? Were Odin and Thor usurpers of a more ancient tradition? Did the Vikings know they had Norse Mythology? Who were the Norns? These questions and more examined in this episode.
Shuai Jiao is a popular modern Chinese martial art, but is it related to other arts and if so, which ones? In this episode we also look at the Chinese cosmological concept of Qinglong, or the Azure Dragon.
