greek philosophy

“Distracted from distraction by distraction”

Look around: we’re in an inescapable loop of distraction.  

How do we liberate ourselves from this endless cycle? 

Borrowing from the great poet TS Eliot, this episode offers some advice. 

I hope that it’s helpful! 

Check out my sister channel Finneran’s Wake for profound, long-form conversations. 

Like, subscribe, and share with friends!

Following in the footsteps of the Greek philosopher Epicurus, Nikos Patedakis works with individuals, groups, and organizations, bringing to bear the most powerful and holistic teachings of the wisdom traditions in relation to our most daunting personal and global challenges. Nikos works with the unity of nature and culture, drawing from the sciences, the arts, and the wisdom traditions. His educational and consulting practice offers a genuinely holistic approach to creativity and critical thinking, ecoliteracy and true sustainability, achievement and excellence, mindfulness and attention, wellness and stress reduction, burnout recovery and prevention, and more. 

https://dangerouswisdom.org/

“As I in hoary winter night stood shivering in the snow, 

Surprised was I with sudden heat which made my heart to glow;

And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near

A Pretty Babe all burning bright did in the air appear.” 

Robert Southwell

I hope that you enjoy this bite-sized Pneuma Nugget! 

Please consider sharing this episode with a friend and subscribing to this channel for more sleep stories, meditations, and soothing content! 

Visit my YouTube page @pneumabydanielfinneran. 

Email me at pneuma.finneran@gmail.com

Instagram: @danielethanfinneran

X: @DanielEFinneran

“A man travels the world in search of what he needs and returns home to find it”. 

- George Moore 

I hope that you enjoy this bite-sized Pneuma Nugget! 

Please consider sharing this episode with a friend and subscribing to the channel for more sleep stories, meditations, and soothing content! 

Visit my YouTube page @pneumabydanielfinneran. 

Email me at pneuma.finneran@gmail.com

Instagram: @danielethanfinneran

X: @DanielEFinneran

And visit my sister project on YouTube/Podcast platforms, @finneranswake, where you’ll find endless great conversations.

“We do not content ourselves with the life we have in ourselves and in our own being; we desire to live an imaginary life in the mind of others…” 

Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, inventor, and philosopher, came to this realization about humankind in the 17th century. 

It remains as true today as it was back then. 

In this episode, we discuss living an “imaginary life” in the mind of others, as opposed to embracing our real existence in the pursuit of truth. 

I hope that you enjoy this meditation! 

Please consider subscribing to this channel for more sleep stories, meditations, and soothing content! 

Visit my YouTube page @pneumabydanielfinneran. 

Email me at pneuma.finneran@gmail.com

Instagram: @danielethanfinneran

X: @DanielEFinneran

And visit my sister project, @finneranswake, where you’ll find endless great conversations.

The weight of grief descends upon us all at some point in life. It arises from loss, whether of people or parts of ourselves we can no longer recognize. 

When it comes to the unbearableness of grief, our primal instincts may be to swallow the feelings and push forward. But it is only when we allow the feelings of mourning and embrace what loss means that we can unmask the transformative nature it holds.

Through his extensive body of work teaching philosophy, practicing psychoanalysis, and publishing a series of books on the topic, Jonathan Lear has taken all he has come to know and study about grief and used it to analyze his own deeply personal confrontation with the mourning process.

In this episode of the Art of Listening, Jonathan will take us on a historical journey from ancient times to modern day as he discusses his studies that tie together the practices of philosophy and psychoanalysis, the importance of dialogue in thoughtful discovery.  We’ll also learn how these studies provided Jonathan with the foundation to form his own philosophical findings on the process of grief and mourning.

Chapters

1 - Jonathan’s international philosophy studies (3:24)

2 - How philosophy led Jonathan to psychoanalysis (6:19)

3 - Where ancient philosophy and modern psychoanalysis intersect (8:59)

4 - The role narratives play in the psychoanalytic setting (14:01)

5 - Grief and mourning, and maintaining hope in human life (25:22)

Links

• Jonathan Lear
• Jonathan’s Books
• The Art of Listening
• Eileendunnpsyd.com

“How interesting (it is) to trace the history of a single raindrop!” 

In this guided meditation, we’ll join the American outdoorsman, conservationist, and writer John Muir as we contemplate the dramatic life story of a single raindrop. 

Muir was a man of extraordinary depth. 

In this episode, we’ll accompany him to lofty poetic heights–high, in fact, as the craggy summits atop which he made his home–before following him and his raindrop down to the oceans, rivers, puddles, and flower cups in which they came to rest.

I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing I enjoy better than watching the rain fall. It’s a divine spectacle of nature, a beautiful production of sound and movement than which there’s simply none more wondrous in all the world.  

Hopefully this mediation enhances what is, quite without my meager contribution, a transcendent experience.  

If I succeed, please give this episode a “thumbs-up” or a “five-star” rating. 

Share it with friends, colleagues, and loved ones. 

Return to it any time you’re stuck inside on a rainy day. 

And subscribe to this channel! 

You can now watch this episode on my YouTube channel. Just search, “Pneuma by Daniel Finneran” and immerse yourself in the stunning images. 

With affection,

Daniel

Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888 - 1965) was an Anglo-American poet. 

A devout Christian, Eliot was an important figure in the Modernist movement that sprang to life in the first quarter of the 20th century.

"Four Quartets", a uniquely sublime work by which all his other poems are eclipsed, addresses the theme of time. 

It's a theme on which, as you doubtless know, so many of our meditations here on Pneuma are based. 

I think that you'll enjoy it. 

Subscribe, like, leave a five-star rating, and share this with friends. Send me poem recommendations at pneuma.finneran@gmail.com

Thank you! 

Daniel

Time Stamps: 

0:00 - Burnt Norton

11:35 - East Coker

29:52 - The Dry Salvages

46:45 - Little Gidding

Footfalls echo in the memory

Down the passage which we did not take

Toward the door we never opened

Into the rose-garden.

This is an excerpt from the first poem of TS Eliot’s masterpiece, “Four Quartets”. 

It is, in my opinion, the most memorable part of “Burnt Norton”.

In this episode, we’re going to meditate on the theme that Eliot presents: Regret. 

Be sure to listen to my prior episode about remorse. 

What is the one thing you regret most? 

If you care to divulge, send me an email at pneuma.finneran@gmail.com or comment below. 

Be sure to visit my sister project, @finneranswake on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. I think you’ll really enjoy it; Finneran’s Wake is where I have deep, probing, provocative conversations with a multitude of extraordinary people from all walks of life. 

-Daniel

“Dread remorse when you are tempted to err, Miss Eyre; remorse is the poison of life.”

In Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 masterpiece, “Jane Eyre”, Mr. Rochester issues this stark warning to young Jane, the novel’s titular character and heroine. 

In this episode, we’ll focus on remorse, contrast it with regret, and implement techniques to relieve us of its heavy burden. 

I ask you, dear friend and listener, which of the two do you think is worse: 

Remorse? Or regret? 

Share your thoughts in the comments section below, or send me an email at pneuma.finneran@gmail.com 

If you do, I’ll dedicate an entire episode to your thoughts. 

Be sure to visit my sister project, @finneranswake on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. I think you’ll really enjoy it; Finneran's Wake is where I have deep, probing, provocative conversations with a multitude of extraordinary people from all walks of life. 

-Daniel

In this episode the lads discuss the history of Arsenic, including a family of professional poisoners in Itlay in the mid 17th century who would kill anyone who got in their way at becoming top dogs around the place. Also the Arsenic eaters of Austria. 

In this episode, The Yank tells the story of Angel Makers Of Nagyrev a large group of female villagers in Hungary who between 1914 & 1929 systematically poisoned to death anywhere from 100 -300 people. Why? Listen to find out. 

Featuring original music from Danish/Taiwanese artist Broken Bench

The question asked by Socrates gets to the heart of how we think about who or what God is. Many of the arguments regarding God falter over childish descriptions, evoking imaginary characters, judgemental shirtless men, and an abundance of the word "empathy." So when Socrates asks about the relationship between the gods and goodness or holiness or piety, he forces the reader to sort out whether their idea of God is bound by some other force, and the consequences of such ideas. 

And how we think about God impacts how we think about goodness, and in turn, morality, which, when it comes to potentially taking life, is something to take very seriously. 

Support the REDACTED Culture Cast at redactedculture.locals.com
SSP and boutique products at redactedllc.com
Follow us on Instagram at @redactedllc

Join me for an Alternate Nostril Breathing Session! 

This simple breathing technique, to which I commit a few minutes every single day, is deceptively powerful. 

Not only does it invigorate me with fresh oxygen and vital energy, but it helps to balance my body–the left side with the right. 

This episode is a simple tutorial to which anyone can follow along. 

If you like this content, be sure to subscribe to the channel! 

If you really want to stimulate your mind, check out my sister channel, @finneranswake, on which I hold conversations with a variety of interesting guests. 

George Eliot (the manly nom de plume behind which Mary Ann Evans cloaked her true identity) was an English novelist. 

She lived between 1819-1880.

Her most famous work, “Middlemarch” is also one of the finest in the English language. 

In this episode of “Fall Asleep With Me”, I read one of my favorite scenes: that in which Will Ladislaw and Dorothea Casaubon (finally) express their love—in word and deed. 

Please consider subscribing to this channel for more sleep stories and soothing content! 

Thank you. 

In his book The Quest for Character, Massimo Pigliucci asks: can good character be taught?

Through an exploration of Greek and Roman philosophy, and especially the interaction of Socrates and Alcibiades, Pigliucci helps us understand what makes a good leader, and how we can educate others, and ourselves, to be better people and citizens.

You can find us at: https://civicsforlife.org/

Follow us on:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• TikTok

Dr. Evaggelos Vallianatos, one of Claremont's many authors and resident authority on broad spectrum of topics, including zoology and the history of science, has worked on Capitol Hill and at the US Environmental Protection Agency for almost three decades.  Dr. Vallianatos took a break from his research and writing to give Claremont Speaks some insight into how the EPA started and what the early days were like, and the corruption and duplicitous research that has happened since, including how President Biden might best make the most on his pledge to rebuild and restore the EPA to being honest, transparent and effective - in short, fulfilling its original purpose.

In this episode, Dr. Vallianatos focuses on the over-use of pesticides and the deleterious effects that multi-billion dollar corporations' "EPA-Approved" neurotoxins have on bees and other animals, and human children and adults.  As a counter measure, he highlights the many advantages of consuming exclusively Certified Organic food,, including recommendations for the CUSD to help our students be as healthy and able to learn as possible.

A returning guest on Claremont Speaks, Dr. Vallianatos never fails to bring new perspectives and valuable insights on his topics, relating what one might think are only national/federal issues back to Claremont, his home of many years.  Invest in listening to this episode and taking Dr. Vallianatos' recommendations to heart, and enjoy the ROI in terms of a longer, healthier life.

Feedback, questions, comments, constructive criticism are all welcomed and encouraged.
Send to claremontspeaks@gmail.com with Feedback in the subject line, or go to the appropriate page on Claremont Speaks' website - https://www.claremontspeaks.com

Claremont Speaks is a Paradise Road Media production. PRM is dedicated to helping you create, launch and produce your own podcast, allowing you to focus on being the creator while PRM does the rest. To explore using the power of your own podcast for your self or to promote your business, charity, political group...or any other reason...email paradiseroadmedia@gmail.com.

What do virgin alligator births & Ancient Greek philosophers have to do with your worldview? 

Listen in as John Lovell, founder of Warrior Poet Society, takes us on a fun, engaging, and intellectually challenging journey of understanding the nature of truth. Using reason, logic, evidence, and facts, John masterfully shows the utter reasonableness of the Christian faith. 

If you’re a critic, a doubter, or just curious about what Christians believe and why, this message is for you.

Thanks for listening!
visit www.gracecitychurch.com for more content.

What if you had to live your life not only once, but innumerable times over? 

Would this be a blessing? A curse? 

Would you delight in the opportunity to live it again? 

Or, if you haven't lived such a good life thus far, would you bewail the prospect? 

In his work, "The Gay Science", Friedrich Nietzsche explores this idea. He does so through his doctrine of "Eternal Recurrence", of which the Pre-Socratic philosopher, Heraclitus, is acknowledged to have been the originator. 

In this meditation, we take up the doctrine of Eternal Recurrence and think about it deeply. 

Please send your comments to pneuma.finneran@gmail.com

With affection,
Daniel