Perennial Wisdom

📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeChristmas invites us to reflect on gifts, but the most meaningful one is the hardest to give. It isn’t bought or wrapped; it has nothing to do with ribbons or receipts. The true “present” of Christmas is presence itself—the quiet courage to be here, fully, without rushing past your own life. Before we offer anything to others, Christmas calls us to accept this moment as a gift. But that’s not usually how the season feels. The roads are jammed, inboxes fill with sales and invitations, and there’s always one more thing to buy, one more event to attend. Outwardly, everything speeds up. Inwardly, many of us feel scattered and thin. Precisely here, in the busyness and noise, the Christmas season can become a school for the inner life.---  🖇️ Stay Connected: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perennialmeditations/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerennialMeditations---  🦉 Additional Resources: Perennial Meditations archive: https://perennial.substack.com/archiveListen to more podcasts: https://www.perennialleader.com/podcasts

Explore the fascinating dance between paradoxes and polarities in human experience. Discover how good and evil coexist within each individual, as discussed through the lens of thinkers like Solzhenitsyn and Augustine. Unpack the idea of sainthood as a journey toward wholeness, moving beyond perfection. Delve into the scapegoat mechanism that communities use to deflect blame and achieve false unity. Ultimately, embrace the complexities of adulthood by holding contradictions and resisting the urge to simplify human nature.

Discover the surprising vision of happiness from 13th-century philosopher St. Thomas Aquinas. Learn why traditional pursuits like wealth and power fall short in satisfying our deepest desires. Explore how virtue isn't mere moralism but a reordering of desires towards the divine. Delve into the contrast between frantic achievement and the peace of contemplative knowing, revealing that true happiness is rooted in truth. Finally, understand how aligning with virtue leads to a serene and joyful life.

Dive into the fascinating world of boredom and its powerful insights. Explore ancient philosophies and modern thinkers, revealing how stillness can reveal our true selves. Discover the transformative potential of boredom to spark creativity and highlight what we genuinely desire. From desert traditions to neuroscience, learn how distractions rob us of self-reflection. With practical tips on embracing quiet moments, this discussion uncovers the art of being present and attentive in our fast-paced lives.

Dive into a journey from ancient Athens to deep introspection as Socrates prompts us to question our lives. Explore Augustine's inward search for truth and self-knowledge. Discover how Aristotle’s rhetoric aids in aligning beliefs with actions, leading to inner freedom. Reflect on how questioning and active listening cultivate authenticity and moral courage. This contemplative discussion offers valuable insights for anyone seeking to escape societal pressures and reconnect with their true selves.

📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we enter the world of Arthur Schopenhauer—the philosopher of pessimism, and, unexpectedly, a teacher of compassion. Schopenhauer believed that happiness cannot be found by escaping suffering but by understanding it. Life, he wrote, “swings like a pendulum backward and forward between pain and boredom,” yet within that rhythm lies a quiet freedom—the freedom of acceptance.Drawing from The World as Will and Representation and On the Basis of Morality, this reflection examines how pessimism, properly understood, becomes a form of wisdom: an art of seeing clearly without illusion, feeling without resentment, and living without denial.---  🖇️ Stay Connected: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perennialmeditations/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerennialMeditations---  🦉 Additional Resources: Explore the Perennial Meditations archive: https://perennial.substack.com/archiveListen to more podcasts: https://www.perennialleader.com/podcasts

📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we sit down with Søren Kierkegaard, the 19th-century Danish philosopher often considered the father of existentialism. Specifically, we explore insights from his book Either/Or, which addresses one of life’s toughest questions: How do we live when every choice feels like a loss?Kierkegaard believed that to live at all is to make a choice. And every choice—whether we act or remain still—shapes who we become.---  🖇️ Stay Connected: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perennialmeditations/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerennialMeditations---  🦉 Additional Resources: Explore the Perennial Meditations archive: https://perennial.substack.com/archiveListen to more podcasts: https://www.perennialleader.com/podcasts

Dive into the profound insights of Fyodor Dostoevsky, exploring how freedom without responsibility spirals into despair. Discover how suffering can lead to self-knowledge and personal redemption. Uncover the transformative power of love as a response to the problem of evil. This discussion interweaves Dostoevsky's life experiences with timeless lessons, urging listeners to embrace responsibility, find meaning in their struggles, and act with compassion.

📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we explore the life and thought of Immanuel Kant through the lens of three enduring philosophical questions: “What can I know?” “What should I do?” “What may I hope?” Drawing on Kant’s groundbreaking ideas from The Critique of Pure Reason and The Critique of Practical Reason, we walk through his views on knowledge, morality, and hope.Kant’s philosophy offers us tools for navigating uncertainty, making ethical decisions, and sustaining hope in a complex world.---  🖇️ Stay Connected: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perennialmeditations/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PerennialMeditations---  🦉 Additional Resources: Explore the Perennial Meditations archive: https://perennial.substack.com/archiveListen to more podcasts: https://www.perennialleader.com/podcasts

Delve into the profound thoughts of Nietzsche as he challenges us to confront the fear of change. Explore how shedding outdated identities can ignite personal transformation and why this process feels terrifying. Discover that our deepest fear isn't failure, but rather the discomfort of embracing growth. As we mourn our past selves, we also unlock newfound freedom. This discussion weaves the insights of Socrates and Maslow, emphasizing that the journey of becoming one’s true self is a struggle worth undertaking.