METAPHYSICS & SPIRITUALITY
The Philosophy of Prayer
Distinguished theologian George Pattison talks about the meaning of prayer in the modern world and how it brings us to awareness of our essential nothingness
‘Our starting point always has to be that we are not makers of our own being, but we are before we start doing anything for ourselves.’
Bringing Light to the World: the Vision of Ibn ‘Arabi
Dr Eric Winkel talks with Jane Clark and Richard Gault about what the wisdom of the great philosopher/mystic can offer us in these troubled time
‘At some point we have to get out of the head and out of the intellect and ask: Can we look with our hearts?’
The Cosmos in Stone: the Ascent of the Soul
Artist–Geometer Tom Bree explores the symbolism embodied in the design of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and Wells Cathedral in Southern England
‘The heavenly bodies present the soul with an image of its own inner workings. To look out into the universe becomes analogous to looking inwards.’
The Matter with Things
Dr Iain McGilchrist discusses his most recent book which brings together neuroscience, psychology and philosophy into a unified vision
‘Our relationship with the All is the one thing that matters at the end of the day. And the purpose of all our other knowing and experience is to be able to understand this.’
Faces of the Infinite
Stefan Sperl talks about Neoplatonism and the poetic traditions of the Near East and Europe
‘Diversity is an inevitable consequence of the complete transcendence of the One. There is never only one answer to anything, and nothing has only one meaning.’
Rabindranath Tagore: Participating in the Divine Playfulness
Hina Khalid explores the theological aesthetics of the great Bengali poet
‘At the heart of Tagore’s cosmology is the notion that the world is joyously sung into being. This creative sonic effusion is continually resounding through the cosmos in ever-new forms.’
Spirituality and Self Development
Dr Renee Hattar talks about an innovative course in Jordan which explores universal spiritual values with young leaders
‘The message from all religions is to have a humane value system and to spread peace on Earth. There is no such thing as a violent religion. It is true that we have violent interpretations, but that is not the same thing’
Bring Back Metaphysics
Scientist and writer Colin Tudge makes a plea for us to return to what he calls ‘The Art of the Unknowable’
‘Metaphysics contributes a shortlist of crucial ideas to our attempts to understand the universe, and these cannot be supplied simply by science or by conventional philosophy.’
Exploring the Power of Love in ‘Attar’s Conference of the Birds
Kenneth Avery explores the famous story of Shaykh San‘an
“What is important today is the view that friendship and love cut across religious or denominational horizons and connect believers and unbelievers alike.”
The Heritage of Afghanistan
Robert Darr reflects on his long relationship with the people and culture of this ancient land, and shares his insights into its present situation
“No matter how powerful you are, there is nothing you can do to counteract the effect of beauty… the Taliban ultimately can’t succeed because the Afghan people are too strongly rooted in their music and poetry.”
Father Bede Griffiths
Adrian Rance-McGregor reviews the life of a pioneering 20th century mystic, and the message of one of his most insightful books, ‘A New Vision of Reality’
“Bede discovered new scientific paradigms that created a situation in which a universal and integrated vision of the world could incorporate modern scientific thinking.”
Maintaining a Radical Edge
Dharmacharini Suryagupta, Chair of the London Buddhist Centre, talks about the transformative power of Buddhism in the contemporary world
“Compassion has wisdom at the heart of it – not only the understanding that we are not separate beings, but also the knowledge that we are tapped into a huge reservoir of love.”
Infinite Potential: The Life & Ideas of David Bohm
Director Paul Howard talks about his new film about a remarkable physicist with a radically holistic vision
“Bohm’s theories are rooted in the idea of wholeness. Everything that we see in our everyday world of space and time is in fact interconnected and not separate at a deeper level of reality.”
Dante, Erotic Love and the Path to God
Mark Vernon | On the 700-year anniversary of The Divine Comedy, Mark Vernon explores a pivotal moment of transformation in the Purgatorio in which Dante gets a glimpse of the vastness of Divine Love
Wholeness, Timelessness and Unfolding Meaning
An interview from the archives with physicist and philosopher David Bohm
“We have a tacit thought that everything that exists, exists in time and space. But this may not cohere with what we are finding now in physics and many other areas.”
The Wisdom of Time and Transformation
Dr Alison Roberts explains the ancient alchemical knowledge of Egypt
“I think of alchemy as a medicine for the soul. It’s a journey which helps us understand who we truly are, spiritually, in our deepest essence.”
Meditation & Neurological Conditions
Consultant Neuropsychologist Niels Detert explains how meditation can alleviate the suffering of people with long-term illnesses
“Human nature is both aware and compassionate, and it is there to be discovered by anyone, whether they think of themselves as engaging in a ‘spiritual’ activity or not.”
Calligraphy – A Sacred Tradition
Distinguished calligrapher Ann Hechle talks about her lifelong quest to understand the underlying unity of the world
“As I grapple with putting letters, words and drawings together, I am using strategies that belong to a much bigger and grander world, which are part of universal law.”
A Thought at Christmas…
What is the universal significance of this festival celebrated at a pivotal moment of the year?
“What would it be to experience time, once more as the moving image of eternity, the continual incarnation of the divine…?”
Bewildered by Love and Longing
Michael Sells and Simone Fattal talk about a new translation of Ibn ‘Arabi’s famous cycle of love poems Translation of Desires
“For Ibn ‘Arabi longing or desire is a cosmic force. It goes beyond all boundaries, and it is the closest taste of the infinite that people can have in their own experience.”
The Zoroastrian Flame
Khojeste Mistree talks about one of the world’s oldest surviving religions and what we can learn from it in the present day
“One of the principles of the Zoroastrian way of life is to promote harmony in this world, and we believe that harmony begins by being happy within ourselves.”
A New Architectural Language for Islam
The inclusive vision of Glenn Murcutt’s Australian Islamic Centre
“The building sets out to be physically and psychologically inclusive. It speaks eloquently of both its current Australian context and ancient Islamic culture.”
Solitude in the Modern World
The spiritual foundations of our contemporary desire for private space
“…the notion of solitude was essential to the development of concepts we now see as foundational for western society: individualism, freedom, social and political equality, democracy.”
Yoga: a spiritual practice for our time
An interview with Judith Hanson Lasater
“This is the freedom that yoga offers: it allows us to find that moment when we can choose the empathetic response, the compassionate response.”
A ‘Quite Interesting’ Approach to Education
John Lloyd talks to Jane Clark and Hilary Papworth about the philosophy behind the QI project
“Nothing is as simple or obvious as it seems. Everything has an underside – something hidden deep inside it which is completely astonishing.”
Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche
Vin Harris talks about the life of a remarkable man
“The purpose is not to preserve traditions for their own sake, but because they are of value to a world which desperately needs to be reminded of the vital importance of kindness and compassion.”
Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
Dr. Sunil Joshi talks to Elizabeth Roberts
“There is a natural intelligence that is flowing through each tissue, each cell of the body, making a beautiful connection between your mind, your soul, your senses and your physical body.”
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
Etel Adnan in conversation with David Hornsby and Jane Clark
“What we call ‘love’ is a relationship that never ends; it is like a wave that keeps bringing you back to it, so we are like surfers who run after the perfect experience.”
The Engaged Contemplative Spirituality of Thomas Merton
Jim Griffin surveys the life and work of the great 20th century visionary who pioneered a new understanding of Christian meditation and interfaith dialogue
‘There is in all things an inexhaustible sweetness and purity, a silence that is a fount of action and joy.’
Mysticism in Comparative Perspective
A Conversation with Prof. George Pattison
“Mysticism is not necessarily something weird or wonderful: it consists of a certain kind of attention to reality in all its facets.”
A Thing of Beauty…
Barbara Vellacott contemplates the indescribability of beauty in Dante’s Paradiso
“Beauty is a divine vibration which sings in poet, poem, reader and listener. But its essence is nevertheless indescribable.”
A Caravan on a Spiritual Silk Road
Warren Kenton
“Kabbalah is the Jewish version of the eternal teaching that you find in all the spiritual traditions.”
Understanding Strangers
Inspire Dialogue 2016
“Conversation is an existential ‘turning-towards’ the other in recognition of what it means to be human.”
d-r-a-w-n-i-n-w-a-r-d
Nicola Simpson on Dom Sylvester Houédard
“How do we hear the inaudible sound of dust falling?”
Tell Them What We Have Learned Here…
Chronicles from World War II
“… divine faithfulness, present even in the depths of the nightmare.”
The Unity of Humanity
Todd Lawson
“Everyone has had a revelation, has been touched by a divine message… all the prophets share the same source, the same light.”
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