Perennial Meditations
Perennial Meditations is a podcast for seekers and curious minds. Each episode offers a quote, a meditation, and a practice inspired by the writings of Stoics, Saints, and Sages. It explores timeless wisdom and contemplative traditions. Listeners can learn more at perennial.substack.com.
Episodes
St. Thomas Aquinas: "The Things We Love" | Perennial Meditations
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe“The things that we love tell us what we are.”— Thomas Aquinas, Summa TheologicaWe are very good at describing the person we intend to be. Generous—just waiting for the right moment. Present—once things settle down. Disciplined—starting Monday.We carry these self-descriptions with considerable confid
Dostoevsky: "Beauty Will Save the World" | Perennial Meditations
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe“Beauty will save the world.”— Fyodor Dostoevsky, The IdiotHe meant it literally. Fyodor Dostoevsky stood before a firing squad at twenty-eight, heard the order, and was reprieved at the last possible moment in a calculated act of cruelty.He survived years of imprisonment in Siberia, epilepsy, gambli
St. Teresa of Ávila on the Interior Castle | Perennial Meditations
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe“The important thing is not to think much, but to love much.”— St. Teresa of Ávila, The Interior CastleMost of us are more familiar with wisdom than we are changed by it.We read carefully, reflect sincerely, and, over years of honest effort, gather a considerable understanding of what the interior li
Montaigne on the Human Condition | Perennial Meditations
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe“Every man carries the whole stamp of the human condition within him.”— Montaigne, The EssaysThis is either deeply humbling or quietly liberating, depending on the day.We spend considerable energy maintaining the impression that we have things more or less together—that the anxiety, the pettiness, th
Confucius on Two Kinds of Lost | Perennial Meditations
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe“Learning without reflection is labor lost. Reflection without learning is perilous.” — Confucius, AnalectsThe first type consumes everything—self-help, philosophy, psychology, spiritual wisdom. They can quote books, explain concepts, and pinpoint what needs to change in their lives. Yet, despite all
St. Francis and the open hand | Perennial Meditations
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe“It is in giving that we receive.” — St. Francis of AssisiThis sounds like a pleasantry, but it is actually a provocation.Most of us are wired to assume that receiving comes first, that we give from surplus, and that generosity is what happens after our own needs have been sufficiently met. Put plain
Plato on Conquering Oneself | Perennial Meditations
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe“For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.” — Plato, The LawsEvery tradition has a version of this. The Stoics called it discipline. The Buddhists called it renunciation. The Christian mystics called it mortification of the self. The language changes. The diagnosis is th
Socrates on the Examined Life | Perennial Meditations
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe“The unexamined life is not worth living.” — Socrates, Plato’s ApologyHe said these words at his trial. Not in a lecture hall or a private dialogue with friends, but standing before a jury of five hundred Athenians who were deciding whether he should live or die. He had been charged with corrupting t
Heraclitus on the Only Constant | Perennial Meditations
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe“The only constant is change.” — Heraclitus, FragmentsWe have all heard this. We nod when we encounter it, the way you nod at something that sounds true without quite landing. Then life changes in a way we didn’t choose—a loss, a door closing, a season ending before we were ready—and we discover that
Ep. 260: Monastic Wisdom for the Rhythms of Life | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeYou’ve likely experienced the optimistic reset: a fresh note, a new week, and a well-crafted routine. It includes things like reading, prayer, or exercise. Then life happens. A late night. A tough conversation. A sick day. A looming deadline. One miss becomes two, and suddenly the whole “system” feel
Ep. 259: How to Quit - A Philosophical Guide | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeToday’s essay is about something most of us rarely talk about.Quitting.From the time we’re young, we’re taught to admire perseverance.“Finish what you start.”“Never give up.”“Stay the course.”“Push through.”And often, that advice is wise.But not always.Sometimes the bravest, clearest, most honest act
Ep. 258: Stop Fixing Yourself. Try This Instead. | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeMany of us treat our inner life like a home renovation project.If I could just fix my overthinking, my consistency issues, my need for approval, and my procrastination, I could finally become “the person I’m supposed to be.” Yet often, the more we try to fix ourselves, the more tense and self-doubtin
Ep. 257: A Meditation on the "Present" of Christmas | 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 w
Ep. 256: Sinner and Saint - The Paradox of Human Development | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeBefore we begin, it may help to name the kind of territory we’re entering—because this essay (or episode) is all about paradoxes and polarities.A paradox is two things that seem to oppose each other but are both true. Similarly, a polarity is a pair of truths that don’t cancel each other out—they bal
Ep. 255: The Saint's Guide to Happiness | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we explore the profound and surprising vision of happiness taught by the 13th-century theologian and philosopher St. Thomas Aquinas. Long before modern self-help, Aquinas argued that most of our suffering comes not from pain itself, but from aiming our deepest des
Ep. 254: How to Be Bored - An Ancient Guide to Being Where You Are | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we explore the art of boredom: a journey through ancient philosophy, psychology, and modern thinkers like David Foster Wallace. From the desert monks who believed stillness revealed the soul, to Pascal’s warning that our fear of silence shapes our entire lives, to
Ep. 253: The Art of Thinking - From Socrates to St. Augustine | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we trace a journey from the streets of ancient Athens to the inner life of a restless bishop. Socrates challenges us with the idea of the unexamined life, while Augustine encourages us to look inward and seek truth within the depths of our own souls. Along the way
Ep. 252: The Surprising Wisdom of Schopenhauer's Pessimism | Perennial Wisdom
📮 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
Ep. 251: Kierkegaard on the courage to choose | Perennial Wisdom
📮 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 fee
Ep. 250: Dostoevsky - Freedom, Suffering, and Love
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we explore the moral and psychological depth of Fyodor Dostoevsky, one of the greatest novelists and spiritual thinkers in history. From his near-execution in 1849 to his rebirth in the prisons of Siberia, Dostoevsky’s life became a living parable of human sufferi
Ep. 249: Immanuel Kant - The Three Fundamental Questions | Perennial Wisdom
📮 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 Pract
Ep. 248: Nietzsche on the Fear of Change | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we turn to the provocative thoughts of Friedrich Nietzsche (1844—1900) to explore one of the most overlooked yet essential inner struggles: the fear of change.Building on the previous episodes—Socrates on the Fear of Death and Maslow on the Fear of Greatness—we no
Ep. 247: Abraham Maslow on the Fear of Greatness | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we explore a hidden but deeply human struggle: the fear not of failure—but of greatness. Drawing from Abraham Maslow's insights, we consider what it means to avoid our potential and why many of us unconsciously choose comfort over potential. --- 🖇️ Stay Connected
Ep. 246: Socrates on the Fear of Death | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we turn to Plato’s Apology and the final words of Socrates to explore how philosophy can liberate us from the fear of death. Socrates stood trial, was sentenced to die, and yet he remained calm, unshaken, and grounded in virtue. For Socrates, living an unexamined
Ep. 245: St. Francis on the Paradox of Joy | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we turn to the life and teachings of St. Francis of Assisi to uncover a countercultural and liberating truth: true joy is not found in comfort, success, or status—but in humility, simplicity, and love.--- 🖇️ Stay Connected: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pe
Ep. 244: How to "Look Again" at Life
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we discuss why we often struggle to see ourselves or life clearly, and how to calm restless minds while examining our perceptions and our place in the cosmos. We focus on what it means to “look again” at life—to pause, to notice, and to practice humility and wonde
Ep. 243 — The Philosophy of Desire | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we examine an essay from the “Know Thyself” series on The Philosophy of Desire. You can expect to learn about the influence of desire in our daily lives. Why desire often shapes our decisions, self-image, and emotional states. This is volume one of a 10-part serie
Heraclitus on the Wisdom of Change
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeToday, on this Sunday edition of Perennial Wisdom, we are turning to the pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus, who famously said,No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man. — FragmentsHeraclitus believed that everything and everyone is in a const
The Timeless Art of Leading a Life | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we discuss the timeless truths shared across cultures and traditions that guide us in cultivating a life well-lived. Rather than chasing life hacks, quick fixes, or fleeting trends, expect to learn why perennial wisdom invites us to slow down and return to what tr
St. Benedict on the Ladder of Humility | Perennial Meditation
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeToday, on this Sunday edition of Perennial Wisdom, we reflect on humility—not as weakness or self-negation, but as wisdom—through the voice of one of the great spiritual teachers: St. Benedict of Nursia.St. Benedict lived in the sixth century, during a period of political chaos and moral confusion. F
Plato on Seeking the Good | Perennial Meditation
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeToday, on this Sunday edition of Perennial Wisdom, we turn to one of the great pillars of Western philosophy—Plato—and his vision of the Good. Not just goodness in the moral sense but the ultimate source of truth, beauty, and being.Plato held that each human soul is inherently attracted to something
Philosophy as Therapy for the Soul | Perennial Wisdom
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we delve into how philosophy offers healing, not by curing mental illness, but by guiding us to live with clarity, freedom, and meaning. By drawing insights from ancient philosophy, theology, and Therapy for the Saneby Lou Marinoff, this episode explores philosoph
Think Like a Monk: A Monastic Guide to Life
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we turn to monks and the monastic life for wisdom. In this video essay, we explore how to “Think like a Monk” by drawing from The Wandering Mind by historian (and previous podcast guest) Jamie Kreiner, as well as the wisdom of early Church Fathers. Expect to learn
The Art of Responsibility | Shane Trotter
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, my guest is Shane Trotter (author of Setting the Bar). In our conversation, Shane and I explore the complexities of character development, focusing on themes such as responsibility, discipline, and societal context. We also discuss the challenges of balancing pers
Life is Short | Dean Rickles
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, my guest is Prof. Dean Rickles, the author of Life is Short: An Appropriately Brief Guide to Making it More Meaningful. Dean is a professor of history and philosophy of modern physics at the University of Sydney, where he is also the director of the Sydney Centre
Practical Stoicism | Brittany Polat
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, my guest is Brittany Polat (co-author of Stoic Ethics: The Basics). In the conversation, we explore the application of Stoicism in relationships, love, and ethics. You can expect to learn the importance of stepping back to gain perspective in relationships, the di
The Art of Spiritual Formation | Dr. Brian Russell
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, I welcome Dr. Brian Russell back to the show. Brian is an author, professor of biblical studies, and transformational coach. He is also the host of Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations, a podcast dedicated to spiritual and missional formation. In this conversation
The Wisdom to Know the Difference | Carl Erik Fisher
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, my guest is Dr. Carl Erik Fisher (author of The Urge: Our History of Addiction). In the conversation, Dr. Fisher, an addiction psychiatrist and bioethicist, shares insights on the multifaceted nature of addiction and its implications on human behavior. Expect to l
The Common Good with Shane Trotter | The Character Lab
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, my guest is Shane Trotter (author of Setting the Bar). In the conversation, Shane and I explore the intersection of character and the common good. We discuss the role of community in character development and the value of adopting timeless virtues. Expect to learn
Beyond Stoicism with Massimo Pigliucci
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, my guest Massimo Pigliucci (co-author of the new book Beyond Stoicism) discusses the importance of seeking wisdom beyond Stoicism. We explore the distinctions between virtue and pleasure, the nature of courage, and the interconnectedness of virtues. Prof. Pigliucc
The Way of Zen with Henry Shukman
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, my guest is Henry Shukman. Henry is a poet, author, meditation teacher, and co-founder of the single-path meditation app The Way. His most recent books are Original Love: The Four Inns on the Path of Awakening and the Zen memoir One Blade of Grass. He has taught a
Embracing Mortality: Lessons from Seneca | James Romm
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, my guest is James Romm (editor of How to Die and How to Have a Life). In the conversation, James and I discuss the importance of preparing for death, the role of virtue in achieving happiness, and the art of self-reflection. As you’ll hear in the episode, James is
How Socrates Can Change Your Life | Donald J. Robertson
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, my guest is Donald J. Robertson, author of How to Think Like Socrates. Donald is a psychotherapist, the author of several phenomenal books on Stoic philosophy, and a return guest on the podcast. In this conversation, we discuss the connections between Socrates and
The Self-Directed Life - Making Sense of Free Will with Ken Sheldon
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, my guest is Ken Sheldon, author of Freely Determined. Ken is a psychology researcher and professor; his areas of study are positive psychology, motivation, and well-being. Today, you can expect to learn the complex interplay between free will, determinism, and hap
How to Live - The Life and Philosophy of Socrates | Perennial Lives
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we search for lessons from the life and philosophy of Socrates. Expect to learn the key to simple living, the role of testing your assumptions, and much more. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNDsjS8smf0&t=337s--- 🖇️ Stay Connected: Instagr
The Philosophy of Gratitude - An Ancient Guide to a Grateful Life
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of the Perennial Wisdom podcast, we search for insights into the nature of suffering, gratitude, and the good life. Expect to learn why the Buddha said, “Life is suffering,” along with what philosophers and theologians can teach about gratitude and meditating on one’s life.📺 Watch on
The Paradox of Emotions - Why Bad Feelings Make Life Good
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we explore the paradoxical lessons on the nature of emotions. Expect to learn why “negative” emotions are not obstacles to the “good” life. The problem with psychological rigidity and the wisdom (and practice) of being open to life. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www
"How to Live to Oneself" | Bonus Contemplation with Montaigne
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, I share a short guided contemplation inspired by the Essays of Michel de Montaigne. It's part of a new series on the podcast and the Perennial Meditations YouTube Channel.📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN9pA_P38JE---💀 Subscribe to Dying Every
How to Live (and Die) Like an Epicurean - The Philosophy of Pleasure
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we explore the ancient philosophy of pleasure (Epicureanism) to find three lessons for modern living. Expect to learn what the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus thought about having enough, friendship, and the art of dying well.📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.you
"Think of Yourself as Dead" | Bonus Contemplation with Marcus Aurelius
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, I share a short guided contemplation inspired by Marcus Aurelius's Meditations. It's part of a new series on the podcast and the Perennial Meditations YouTube Channel. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KNZQ5INN9A&t=2s---💀 Subscribe to Dying
"One Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy" | Bonus Contemplation with Albert Camus
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, I share a short guided contemplation inspired by Albert Camus's The Myth of Sisyphus. It's part of a new series here on the podcast and the Perennial Meditations YouTube Channel. ---💀 Subscribe to Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or
How to Find Meaning in the Mundane
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, I explore the challenges of creating meaning in the mundane aspects of life. The episode is delivered in a video essay format (Watch on YouTube here). Expect to learn the role of courage in creation, how to accept the eternal truths of life, and what it means to s
A Look Back at 2024 | Anxiety, Big Questions, and Losing Ourselves
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeWelcome back to the podcast, and happy new year to you all! Today, we’re pausing to revisit a few episodes from last year. This is not necessarily a “best of” collection; it’s just a few clips that I found particularly insightful or helpful. In the first clip, you’ll hear a portion of my conversation
Thoreau on 'Living Deliberately'
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of In Search of Wisdom, I discuss selected passages from the American essayist and philosopher Henry David Thoreau's classic Walden. As the year comes to an end, Thoreau’s wisdom offers much-needed reflection and insight into what it means to live deliberately.Key Takeaways:Learning t
The Contemplative Life with Patrick Boland
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of In Search of Wisdom, my guest is Patrick Boland, author of The Contemplative Leader. Patrick is an Executive Coach, Leadership Consultant, and Psychotherapist. Our conversation focuses on the meaning of contemplation and how we might lead a more contemplative life. Key Takeaways:Ho
How to Be 'Seriously Happy' with Ben Aldridge
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, my guest is Ben Aldridge, author of the new book Seriously Happy. Ben has spoken to audiences worldwide, encouraging others to build resilience by stepping outside their comfort zones in various ways. His writing and methods are inspired by ancient philosophy
Carl Jung, the Shadow, and Becoming Whole | Leslie Stein
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, my guest is Leslie Stein, the author of Becoming Whole: Jung’s Equation for Realizing God. Prof. Stein is a Jungian analyst and graduate of the C.G. Jung Institute of New York and is in private practice in Sydney, Australia. Today’s episode is a rebroadcast. S
The Perils of Blame | Stoic Meditation
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe The Dying Every Day series delivers guided meditations on the art of living. Each meditation provides a quote, a selected passage (from an original Stoic text), and a reflection prompt to consider. These meditations are designed to help you (and me) reflect on what it means to live a good life.---
Happiness & the Meaning of Life
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe When you look up the word happiness, it's usually defined as “the state of being happy” or “a state of well-being and contentment.” But what does it actually mean to ‘be’ happy in everyday life? Strangely, it's a more challenging question than one might think. On this episode of In Search of Wisdom,
The Art of Living with Dr. Daniel McInerny
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, my guest is Dr. Daniel McInerny, author of the new book Beauty and Imitation. Dr. McInerny is an associate professor and chair of the philosophy department at Christendom College, as well as a novelist and dramatist. In the conversation, we discuss the wisdom
The Better Angels of Our Nature
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, we explore what it means to answer the call to the “better angels of our nature,” as Abraham Lincoln put it. We discuss whether or not we have better (and worse) angels of our nature. And if so, what can we do to lead a life that’s guided by the wiser sides of
The Art of Not Knowing | Wisdom is the Way
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe What can we know for sure? A curious paradox of wisdom is the need to let go of the traditional idea of knowing (or learning). In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, we explore the art of not knowing; another meditation from our Wisdom is the Way course. Today’s episode discusses how and why we mus
The Art of Connection | Wisdom is the Way
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe If philosophical and spiritual traditions point to interconnectedness as an eternal truth, why do we ever feel disconnected? In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, we explore the art of connection, a topic from our Wisdom is the Way course. Today’s solo episode discusses how and why connection play
The Art of Impermanence | Wisdom is the Way
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, we explore impermanence, a topic from our Wisdom is the Way course. We discuss why understanding how the world works is an integral part of a philosophy of life and the various ways that philosophical and spiritual traditions think about impermanence. We also
An Epicurean Guide to Life with Emily Austin
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, my guest is Prof. Emily Austin, the author of Living for Pleasure: An Epicurean Guide to Life. Living for Pleasure is part of the Guides to the Good Life series by Oxford University Press. I’m a big fan of the series; it’s dedicated to the idea that philosophy
The Wisdom of Fasting with John Oakes
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, my guest is John Oakes, author of The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Promise of Doing Without. In the conversation, we explore John's spontaneous initiation into fasting and his insights from the practice. We delve into the historical prevalence a
The Perils of Anger | Stoic Meditation
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe The Dying Every Day series delivers guided meditations on the art of living. Each meditation provides a quote, a selected passage (from an original Stoic text), and a reflection prompt to consider. These meditations are designed to help you (and me) reflect on what it means to live a good life.---
On Changing Our Minds | Contemplation
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe The Way of Contemplation is a weekly series that delivers meditations, prompts, and practices on the art of living. These short guided contemplations are designed to help us think deeply about perennial ideas, questions, insights, and what it means to live an intentional life.--- 🖇️ Stay Connected:
The Art of Focus | Dying Every Day
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe The Dying Every Day series delivers guided meditations on the art of living. Each meditation provides a quote, a selected passage (from an original Stoic text), and a reflection prompt to consider. These meditations are designed to help you (and me) reflect on what it means to live a good life.---
Who is Your Socrates? with Shane Trotter | The Character Lab
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, I welcome my friend Shane Trotter (author and creator of Setting the Bar) back to show for another edition of The Character Lab. In Part Three of our series, we explore the importance of role models in character formation. We discuss the need for a standard to
What Makes Life Meaningful, Happiness, and the Art of Hope | The Muse
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe Today’s episode is an audio version of the Monday Muse on Perennial Meditations. A little about this series, for anyone not familiar. It’s a weekly collection of what I call perennial reminders, insights, and maxims on the art of living. The term muse is an ancient one; it derives from ancient Greec
On the Shortness of Life (Pt. II) | Sundays with Seneca
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe Welcome to Sundays with Seneca on In Search of Wisdom. On today’s episode, I’m sharing part II of Seneca’s essay, ‘On the Shortness of Life.’ If you would like to read these in your email each week, you can subscribe to Perennial Meditations (on Substack). You can also help support the podcast and m
The Inner Experience | Contemplation
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe The Way of Contemplation is a weekly series on In Search of Wisdom that delivers meditations, prompts, and practices on the art of living. These short guided contemplations are designed to help us think deeply about perennial ideas, questions, insights, and what it means to live an intentional life.
The Perils of Comparison | Dying Every Day
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe The Dying Every Day series delivers guided meditations on the art of living. Each meditation provides a quote, a selected passage (from an original Stoic text), and a reflection prompt to consider. These meditations are designed to help you (and me) reflect on what it means to live a good life.---
The Art of Deep Reading with Rachel B. Griffis & Julie Ooms
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, I welcome Rachel B. Griffis and Julie Ooms to discuss their new book, Deep Reading: Practices to Subvert the Vices of Our Distracted, Hostile, and Consumeristic Age. The conversation explores their formative experiences with reading and the concept of deep rea
What Makes Us Human, Thinking Well, and Authenticity | The Muse
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe Today’s episode is an audio version of the Monday Muse on Perennial Meditations. A little about this series, for anyone not familiar. It’s a weekly collection of what I call perennial reminders, insights, and maxims on the art of living. The term muse is an ancient one; it derives from ancient Greec
On the Shortness of Life | Sundays with Seneca
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe Welcome back to another episode of In Search of Wisdom. As I mentioned in yesterday’s episode, there will be a few changes to the podcast and newsletter. One change is that I’ll be sharing a few more episodes each week, one being our Sundays with Seneca series that we’ve been running exclusively for
The Way of Contemplation
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe
In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, I introduce a new series, The Way of Contemplation, and discuss a few changes to the podcast and newsletter. You can expect to learn about the wisdom of contemplation, the art of deep reading (and thinking), why the practice of contemplation is a lifelong en
Ben Franklin's Guide to a Long and Useful Life with Eric Weiner
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe
In this episode of In Search of Wisdom, my guest is Eric Weiner, author of the new book Ben & Me: In Search of a Founder's Formula for a Long and Useful Life. Eric is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and speaker. He’s a previous guest on the show; we discussed his book The Socrat
The Art of Having Enough | Stoic Meditation
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome to another episode of In Search of Wisdom. In today's episode, I share a Stoic meditation from the Dying Every Day series (from my Substack - Perennial Meditations). Each meditation provides a quote, a selected passage (from an original Stoic text), and a reflection prompt to consider. Thes
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