Inner Life, Talks and Thoughts

A conversation with Jonas Atlas, host of Revisioning Religion about spiritual development. Mark Vernon's latest book takes a deep dive into Dante's Divine Comedy, a classic masterpiece, which, after many centuries, still provides many helpful insights for those who find themselves on a spiritual journey. We place Dante's work in a longer lineage that can be traced to the philosophers of Ancient Greece. Often, those philosophers are presented as purely 'rational' thinkers who's thinking was repressed by early Christianity because it would conflict with a religious outlook on life. Yet, the historical facts paint a different picture. The ideas of the Greek philosophers were not merely precursors of modern science, but were fully embedded in a general search for spiritual development. Even more so, according to Mark, their personal spiritual journeys were connected to larger spiritual developments of human consciousness, in which the emergence of Christianity also played an important role. This leads us to discuss whether or not the spiritual journey of humankind can truly be seen as a form of 'progression', and how Mark assesses contemporary "New Age" ideas about the spiritual growth of humanity.

Witnessing so many Ukrainians responding courageously to the Russian invasion is moving and impressive. There is violence and suffering and death. And yet, in the midst of the undoubted tragedy, there can be detected the distinct presence of hope. Points of light outshine the darkness. What is the source of this faith and powerful resilience?I think it must be the deepest type of liberty, to align yourself with what is good, beautiful and true - a freedom that cannot be taken away from you. It is the freedom of Jesus before the Grand Inquisitor, the freedom of Socrates drinking the hemlock. It is the gateway to the divine within us.It's a fearsome freedom, frightening and awesome. It's the source of the light that can be detected in the darkness descended on Ukraine.

Perception is cleansed in the struggles of life, William Blake realised, as his own life was lived between heaven and hell, innocence and experience, vision and labour. Opposites are the energy that bring the power to see through surfaces to Eternity. Blake offers maps that chart the transformation from the narrow sight of Ulro to the full embrace of divine vision.In this talk I consider Blake's use of verse and imagery to awaken our consciousness; the critique he developed of the mechanical philosophy and the dynamics of the human psyche; erotic love and the androgenous mind; and the way he linked forgiveness, imagination and transformation - witnessed by the presence of Jesus.This event is part of a series looking at dualities running through February 2022. More info here - https://paricenter.com/event/dualities/2022-02-05/

The recent work of the psychiatrist and philosopher, Iain McGilchrist, allows us to bring the role of dualities in spiritual perception right up to date. He has shown how brain lateralisation facilitates two types of perception. They are asymmetric, both required in right relation for the fullest awareness of the world, which is so often lacking in our times. In this session we will weave in insights on relationally and suffering, limits and embodiment, panentheism and trinitarianism, as well as from Nicholas of Cusa and process theology too.This event is part of a series looking at dualities. See https://paricenter.com/event/dualities/2022-02-05/

Much is now known about Stonehenge. Wonderful artefacts have been recovered, a welter on display at the British Museum's gobsmacking 2022 show. But much mystery remains. How to interpret the past? Why do stone circles still draw us? What did our ancestors know? They participated in life differently. They weren't waiting to be us, though we yearn to hear from them, via the sciences of archeology and the brilliance of exhibitions. And the insights of the rites, rituals, trances and treasures that shine with the light of the sun and knowledge of the gods. As the great friend of CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien put it, we long to participate once more with the inside of the whole world. It is no surprise that ancient riches draw us.For more about Owen Barfield and the evolution of consciousness - https://www.markvernon.com/consciousnessFor more about the exhibition - https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/world-stonehenge

A talk as part of the Dualities series with the Pari Centre, running through February 2022. For more information see - https://paricenter.com/event/dualities/2022-02-06/In this talk, I discuss dualities in Plato. The ancient Greek is often accused of dualism, though the word itself didn’t exist at the time, which points to a subtler and crucial reassessment of what the philosopher was driving at. He recognised that experience is often shaped by seeming dualities, through which we can become more open to life itself. This deeper realisation is gained by fostering the capacities of discernment and love. I consider four dualities in Plato’s way of life: i. Light and darkness, ii. Love and lack, iii. Knowing and not knowing, iv. Life and death – and also look at four dialogues: Republic, Symposium, Timaeus and Phaedo.If you listen in time, do consider joining us for future talks in February 2022 on dualities in Dante, William Blake and Iain McGilchrist. More information here - https://paricenter.com/event/dualities/2022-02-06/

What might Christianity have for us today? How might it stories still speak? Where to find what’s right in the tradition?I was delighted to speak with Paul Kingsnorth, whose substack and other writings since his conversion to Christianity, are helping to galvanise a new debate about religion in our society.We explore the need for more than cultural Christianity and its moral imperatives, to ask about its almost lost mystical side, and where and how that might be found.That matters not only for us as individuals but for our culture. It might transformation our sense of being individuals, fear of death and desire for more.Christianity might be good news once again, especially for a time of wandering in the wilderness.For more on Paul Kingsnorth - https://www.paulkingsnorth.netFor more on Mark Vernon – https://www.markvernon.com

he hard problem of consciousness. Imagination as an "overheated brain". A future in the Cloud or Metaverse. William Blake was a thinker as well as poet and artist. His prophetic punch comes from seeing through the mode of living he saw developing in his times, that so powerfully shape our own.In this talk, I use five of his great sayings, as well as the insights of contemporary philosopher, David Bentley Hart, to reflect on the mental fight increasingly required to stay in touch with our personhood and resist the spectre of virtuality.- “How do you know but ev'ry Bird that cuts the airy way, Is an immense world of delight, clos'd by your senses five?” insists we are manifestations of the divine vision- If that is denied we live amongst "dark satanic mills".- So we must keep reflecting on what it means to be a person: “If it were not for the Poetic or Prophetic character. the Philosophic & Experimental would soon be at the ratio of all things. & stand still, unable to do other than repeat the same dull round over again Dull round.”- And not live in a closed up mentality, because “There is no natural religion”. All must be in the service of more.- When that more is the orientation of our lives, we discover that “He who binds to himself the joy, does the winged life destroy. He who kisses the joy as it flies, lives in Eternity’s sunrise”.The remarkable truth that Blake knew is that we don't only long for what’s good, beautiful and true. When you think about it, as he assists us in doing, it becomes clear that can only be the case because the good, beautiful and true longs to be known by us too.For more see my YouTube channel or www.markvernon.com.

How can we find a way through conflicts in and around science? What about experts and simplifications, uncertainties and advice, control and its consequences? Tensions are only going to get worse as the fallout and impact of Covid becomes clearer.In this talk, I consider two notions of power, as explored in the New Testament: dunamis, which might be thought of grace and space power or the power of love; and exousia, which is the power exercised by authorities and might be thought of as command and control power.This sense of the dynamics of love and power can illuminate the communication of science, across five areas:- reductive science and the bigger picture- scientists as provocateurs and experts- issues of cause and correlation- science, impact and hidden agendas- the status of science and conspiracy theoriesFor an academic article on some of the issues raised, have a look at my piece in Rethinking Biology (Eds Michael Reiss, Fraser Watts & Harris Wiseman), "The Public Understanding of Biology: a journalist’s perspective", online here - https://www.markvernon.com/rethinking-biology

William Blake died in the apartment he shared with Catherine Blake on Sunday 12 August 1827.A contemporary letter reports: "He died ... in a most glorious manner. He said He was going to that Country he had all His life wished to see & expressed Himself Happy, hoping for Salvation through Jesus Christ – Just before he died His Countenance became fair. His eyes Brighten'd and he burst out Singing of the things he saw in Heaven."3 Fountain Court is now part of the Savoy complex, which I visited to contemplate how Blake can help us see death through the eyes of Ulro, Generation, Beulah and Eternity.For more about the work of Mark Vernon see www.markvernon.com