Jonathan Pageau looks at symbolism in all its forms, from its source in sacred stories and images to contemporary culture and ultimately how it shapes the world we encounter.

In this episode, Richard Rohlin and I continue our discussion of The Voyage of St. Brendan, focusing on some of the stranger episodes in the story. We look at encounters with sea creatures, a sea giantess, and the figure of a Hermit in paradise. Along the way, we reflect on what these images might reveal about death, resurrection, the role of the saints, and how the spiritual world connects to our own. It's a conversation that opens up layers of meaning in a text that’s easy to overlook. Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/2vxMu-NU6Rw Part 1, The Voyage of St. Brendan: https://youtu.be/nlzEUV5sV2o?si=lsPwB1EmXLBIfs0w SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS Join me this April for the Symbolism Masterclass, a 6-week deep dive into the essentials of symbolic thinking. Over 18 immersive hours, I'll guide you through the framework behind everything I've explored in 500+ videos—from heaven and earth to dragons, fairies, kings, conspiracies, Darwin, the Bible, and beyond.  Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass 🗓 Dates: Live classes every Wednesday at 1-4 PM Central /  2-5 PM Eastern time: 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28 ⏰ Class Length: 3 hours each session 💰 Cost: $175 (Patrons at the Involved tier or higher qualify for 10% off) While Richard's course on Tolkien and Universal History is over, you can still buy the course and get access to all the lecture recordings and resources here: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/tolkien-and-universal-history Timestamps: 00:00 - Coming up 01:06 - Intro music 01:37 - Introduction 03:41 - Pascha on the back of a monster 06:29 - A whale 14:06 - The giant mermaid 22:10 - The sequence of events 26:48 - Until the Last Judgement 33:00 - Don't worry about it 40:49 - Baptism 43:42 - Garments of skin 51:34 - Confronting demonic forces 58:08 - Brendan in paradise 01:09:00 - Brendan comes to Britain 01:26:49 - The death of St Brendan 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau  🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe  Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/  My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

The Symbolic World

392 - Richard Rohlin - Universal History: Symbols From the Edge of the World

A few weeks ago, a study came out criticizing the use of the phrase "Christ is King"—and it stirred up a lot of strong reactions, including my own. In this video, I take you through the symbolism, history, and deeper meaning behind this expression, and I share why I believe its resurgence today is both important and complicated. I’ll also reflect on how identity naturally includes and excludes—and why that's not something we should fear. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/_9_PWSOgK5w The study in question: https://networkcontagion.us/reports/3-13-25-thy-name-in-vain-how-online-extremists-hijacked-christ-is-king/ SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS Join me this April for the Symbolism Masterclass, a 6-week deep dive into the essentials of symbolic thinking. Over 18 immersive hours, I'll guide you through the framework behind everything I've explored in 500+ videos—from heaven and earth to dragons, fairies, kings, conspiracies, Darwin, the Bible, and beyond.  Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass 🗓 Dates: Live classes every Wednesday at 1-4 PM Central /  2-5 PM Eastern time: 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28 ⏰ Class Length: 3 hours each session 💰 Cost: $175 (Patrons at the Involved tier or higher qualify for 10% off) Join us for the ORTHODOX ARTS FESTIVAL, learn more here: https://www.orthodoxartsfestivaldfw.com/  Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau  🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe  Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/  My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

391 - The Controversy over "Christ is King"

This is a talk I did a few years ago for the Jung Society of Montreal. In it I explore the creation story in Genesis not just as myth, but as a fractal map of how identity, being, and purpose function. In breaking down the symbolism I also make a case for why intelligence isn’t an accident, why rituals matter, and why participation of intelligent beings is foundational to reality. In the Q&A section we touch on group identity, exclusion, dreams, and the meaning of the Last Judgment among other topics. I hope this lecture gives you a sense of the tone and depth of our upcoming Symbolism Masterclass. If you want to learn more, register today. https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS Join me this April for the Symbolism Masterclass, a 6-week deep dive into the essentials of symbolic thinking. Over 18 immersive hours, I'll guide you through the framework behind everything I've explored in 500+ videos—from heaven and earth to dragons, fairies, kings, conspiracies, Darwin, the Bible, and beyond. 🗓 Dates: Live classes every Wednesday at 1-4 PM Central /  2-5 PM Eastern time: 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28 ⏰ Class Length: 3 hours each session 💰 Cost: $175 (Patrons at the Involved tier or higher qualify for 10% off) Join us for the ORTHODOX ARTS FESTIVAL, learn more here: https://www.orthodoxartsfestivaldfw.com/ YouTube version: https://youtu.be/YArpxigY5xY?si=QrMqUuJixHQ3DnXy Original video published by Jordan Peterson: https://youtu.be/ZQ43i5nKuZk?si=XB-bgj9VMc0NxBdT Timestamps:  00:00 - Introduction 02:01 - Intro  music 02:26 - Observing the observer 08:06 - Ritual and a return to ancient thinking 13:58 - Ritual in groups 21:34 - The argument 27:49 - The start of Genesis 36:39 - And God said 42:06 - Vegetation 44:30 - The sun, moon, and stars 45:49 - Creatures of the sea 49:32 - Animals 51:57 - The creation of man 56:28 - Genesis 2 59:43 - The center of the world 06:42 - Iconographic examples 12:39 - Questions from JBP 18:22 - Q: Elaborate on what you mean with "above" and "below" 20:15 - Q: Are people who try to tame wild animals violating the pattern you pointed out? 21:51 - Q: How sure are you of the heaven and earth distinction? 25:36 - Q: What's the meaning of when God says man is very good and everything else good? 30:03 - Comment about Jung 31:24 - Q: How did Darwin bring Plato back? 37:03 - Q: How would you work with exclusion / inclusion patterns in these times? 48:51 - Q: What's the intelligence of dreams? 51:45 - Q: If the teleological patterns of being constitute heaven, what is the abode of the human soul? 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau  🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe \ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/  My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

390 - Genesis: Symbolism in the Creation Story

In this conversation, I sit down with Joe Allen to dig into the strange and unsettling territory where transhumanism and politics collide. We explore how politics is shaping the trajectory of technological development—and how, in turn, emerging tech like AI begins to shape us.  We talk about the deeper philosophical and spiritual undercurrents of transhumanism: the ego behind the machines, the myth of the disembodied mind, and the subtle seductions that come with promises of power and control. From AI warfare to Elon Musk, from Project Stargate to the eerie direction our culture is headed, we raise some uncomfortable but necessary questions. What happens when our tools stop serving us and begin to define us?  Get Joe Allen's book: Dark Aeon: Transhumanism and the War Against Humanity: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Aeon-Transhumanism-Against-Humanity-ebook/dp/B0C9FJQD4V SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS Join me this April for the Symbolism Masterclass, a 6-week deep dive into the essentials of symbolic thinking. Over 18 immersive hours, I'll guide you through the framework behind everything I've explored in 500+ videos—from heaven and earth to dragons, fairies, kings, conspiracies, Darwin, the Bible, and beyond. 🗓 Dates: Live classes every Wednesday at 1-4 PM Central /  2-5 PM Eastern time: 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28 ⏰ Class Length: 3 hours each session 💰 Cost: $175 👉 Register Today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass ORTHODOX ARTS FESTIVAL - Learn more here: https://www.orthodoxartsfestivaldfw.com/ 🔗 Links: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau  🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe  Timestamps: 00:00 - Coming up 00:44 - Intro music 02:03 - The conservative transhumanist 09:11 - Why more than human? 14:49 - Bringing myths alive 18:41 - Revolution and an image of sin 25:47 - International competition 34:07 - As soon as a power exists 44:39 - Project StarGate 50:29 - The power of AI Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/  My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan Pageau

The Symbolic World by Jonathan Pageau

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