The Symbolic World

In this talk at St. Michael’s Church in Charleston, I walk through the seven days of creation as presented in Genesis, exploring creation as a divine song: a rhythm of heaven and earth, light and darkness, above and below. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/p2kb9ggwrp0=============NEW COURSE: The Art of Imitating Heaven: Structure and Meaning in Ancient Cosmology By Joshua SturgillWhat is heaven? Where is it? For ancient people, the answer was obvious: simply look up at the night sky. For them, to see the stars and planets was to see the face of the divine. Christianity, too, understood the visible sky as the realm of unfallen creation. What does this belief mean, and why was it lost?🗓 Live classes are on Sundays at 5-6:30pm Eastern Time, starting February 1st through March 8th, 2026.💰 Price: $150 USD (Involved patrons qualify for a 10% discount)⏰ Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-art-of-imitating-heaven===============Timestamps:00:00 - Coming up00:57 - Intro music01:22 - Introduction05:18 - Day 115:20 - Day 221:53 - Day 333:34 - Day 438:31 - Day 545:51 - Day 6🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive montly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau  Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Many are called. Not all are chosen.There is a widespread idea that Christianity is about being “nice,” endlessly tolerant, and endlessly open. But that idea does not survive a careful reading of the Gospel.In this video, I look at the parable of the Wedding Feast and explain why Christ’s invitation to everyone does not mean the acceptance of everything. Using this parable, I explore how compassion can become weaponized, how inclusion without a standard of conformity leads to chaos, and why both churches and nations must have limits if they are to remain what they are. This is not a political argument, but a symbolic and theological one—about how bodies, communities, and kingdoms actually function.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/YRMlQiNkSpE=============NEW COURSE: The Art of Imitating Heaven: Structure and Meaning in Ancient Cosmology By Joshua SturgillWhat is heaven? Where is it? For ancient people, the answer was obvious: simply look up at the night sky. For them, to see the stars and planets was to see the face of the divine. Christianity, too, understood the visible sky as the realm of unfallen creation. What does this belief mean, and why was it lost?🗓 Live classes are on Sundays at 5-6:30pm Eastern Time, starting February 1st through March 8th, 2026.💰 Price: $150 USD (Involved patrons qualify for a 10% discount)⏰ Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-art-of-imitating-heaven===============💻 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/

I explore the Mandela Effect from a symbolic perspective. The Mandela Effect is a psychological phenomenon where a large group of people collectively share the same false memory of an event, detail, or pop culture fact. It has stirred up conspiracy theories about parallel timelines and simulation theory. In this video I suggest the possibility that it's a strength, rather than a weakness, of human cognition - a sign of how consciousness forms coherence, how legends accumulate, and how symbols shape the way we see and remember the world.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/B-x5Ze04YEI=============NEW COURSE: The Art of Imitating Heaven: Structure and Meaning in Ancient Cosmology By Joshua SturgillWhat is heaven? Where is it? For ancient people, the answer was obvious: simply look up at the night sky. For them, to see the stars and planets was to see the face of the divine. Christianity, too, understood the visible sky as the realm of unfallen creation. What does this belief mean, and why was it lost?🗓 Live classes are on Sundays at 5-6:30pm Eastern Time, starting February 1st through March 8th, 2026.💰 Price: $150 USD⏰🐥 DON'T MISS OUT! UNTIL FEBRUARY 1ST YOU CAN GET THE EARLY BIRD SPECIAL OF 15% OFF! Discount automatically applied at checkout.Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-art-of-imitating-heaven===============💻 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/

I speak with filmmaker Yelena Popovic, who viewers may recognize as the director of the stunning film of the life of St. Nektarios of Aegina, Man of God (2021). In this interview we discuss her upcoming film, Moses the Black, releasing January 30th of this year. We talk about film making, her inspiration for the film, the people involved, the life story of St. Moses the Black, and repentance in general in the Orthodox faith.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/rzDVfbhaaGUFilm synopsis: Released from prison, a feared Chicago gang leader returns home to avenge the murder of his closest friend. As rival gangs and a corrupt cop close in, he must confront a past that refuses to let go.Release date: 30 January 2026 (USA)Director: Yelena PopovicProducers: Yelena Popovic, Alexandros Potter, Jelena Popović, Brett HaysExecutive producers: Omar Epps, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa et al.Production companies: G-Unit Films and Television Inc., Simeon Entertainment, LLC, BrooklynWorks FilmsRunning time: 1h 50mTheatres Showtimes Ticket Link: https://hubs.la/Q03Znnjy0Stay up to date about the film:Trailer: https://youtu.be/iZzpiu8L21Y?si=ZxXRxWuiL_yosuEY Website: https://simeonfaith.com/films/moses-the-black-2024 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mosestheblackmovie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mosestheblackmovie/ IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32542065/ Timestamps:00:00 - Coming up01:14 - Intro music01:39 - Start02:32 - Introducing St. Moses the Black08:50 - St. Moses' death13:32 - The movie vs the hagiography31:29 - A harsh redemption35:13 - Sorry is not enough37:36 - See the whole story42:32 - Stories of St. Moses44:24 - Fr. Turbo49:45 - How can we watch this?51:43 - Other projects====================NEW COURSE: The Art of Imitating Heaven: Structure and Meaning in Ancient Cosmology By Joshua SturgillWhat is heaven? Where is it? For ancient people, the answer was obvious: simply look up at the night sky. For them, to see the stars and planets was to see the face of the divine. Christianity, too, understood the visible sky as the realm of unfallen creation. What does this belief mean, and why was it lost?🗓 Live classes are on Sundays at 5-6:30pm Eastern Time, starting February 1st through March 8th, 2026.💰 Price: $150 USD⏰🐥 DON'T MISS OUT! UNTIL FEBRUARY 1ST YOU CAN GET THE EARLY BIRD SPECIAL OF 15% OFF! Discount automatically applied at checkout.Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-art-of-imitating-heaven====================💻 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/

"Ancient people knew the sky the way that we know the highways around our cities."Today's podcast is a bit different. Deacon Seraphim Rohlin is here to introduce you to our new Symbolic World Course presenter, Joshua Sturgill. Together they discuss ancient cosmology, symbolism, and the meaning, power, and dangers of observing the night sky. They discuss pagan views on this, Biblical astronomy, the reservations of the church fathers, and modernity's determinism on the one hand, and confusion on the other hand. I hope you enjoy this conversation and will join us for Joshua's course.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/fQY6AyE1n1cNEW COURSE: The Art of Imitating Heaven: Structure and Meaning in Ancient Cosmology By Joshua SturgillWhat is heaven? Where is it? For ancient people, the answer was obvious: simply look up at the night sky. For them, to see the stars and planets was to see the face of the divine. Christianity, too, understood the visible sky as the realm of unfallen creation. What does this belief mean, and why was it lost?🗓 Live classes are on Sundays at 5-6:30pm Eastern Time, starting February 1st through March 8th, 2026.💰 Price: $150 USD⏰🐥 DON'T MISS OUT! UNTIL FEBRUARY 1ST YOU CAN GET THE EARLY BIRD SPECIAL OF 15% OFF! Discount automatically applied at checkout.Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-art-of-imitating-heavenTimestamps:00:00 - Coming up01:00 - Intro music01:24 - Introduction04:15 - Recover cosmology08:32 - Symbolism and cosmology12:43 - The Greeks: Pythagoras and Plato14:39 - Other traditions16:07 - Criticisms against astronomy21:28 - How astrology worked25:24 - A concrete example26:57 - What does spring mean?30:47 - Christmas33:43 - The Orthodox position37:22 - Governed by natural laws45:55 - For the ancients59:30 - Architectural astronomy01:01:43 - Technology and teaching01:05:41 - Course info💻 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/

In this interview, I sat down with Jean-Philippe Marceau—author of Post-Reductionist Christianity, our very first theory book at Symbolic World Press—to discuss his surprising and widely praised new Symbolic World article on the emerging global demographic crisis.We discuss the falling birth rates and all its symbolic, scriptural, political, economic, and technological implications and causes. JP’s article likens today’s demographic collapse to the biblical Flood, looking at the dangers of both progressive dissolution and a reactionary overcorrection, proving the fact that the future belongs to those who build families grounded in meaning and tradition.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/SBrTYadO3kECheck out JP’s article, ‘Is This the Flood? Is Babel Next?’: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/content/is-this-the-flood-is-babel-nextJP's book: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/products/post-reductionist-christianity-a-way-out-of-the-meaning-crisis===================================COURSE: The Quest for the Holy Grail, with Dr. Martin ShawRegister now and get a FREE ebook of Dr. Martin Shaw's Snowy Tower: Parzival and the Wet Black Branch of Language!In the dark heart of January, when the nights are long and the world draws close, Dr. Martin Shaw returns to the Symbolic World to tell one of the greatest stories of the Medieval imagination: Parzival and the Holy Grail.From Monday through Friday, January 12–16, 2026, one of the world's great living storytellers will unspool the medieval epic that Joseph Campbell called the epicenter of Western myth. He’ll be lighting his fire, puffing a cigar, sipping on a whisky, and letting one of the greatest stories of all time lead us where it must.Clear your evenings. Put another log on the fire. This is the storytelling event of the year.🗓 Live classes will be over 5 consecutive days, January 12th-16th at 12pm-2pm EST💰 Price: $160 USD (Involved patrons qualify for 10% off, apply code at checkout.)All recordings will be made available on the same day.Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-quest-for-the-holy-grail ===================================Timestamps:00:00 - Coming up00:53 - Intro music02:20 - Introduction to Demography and Its Significance05:15 - Genetics and Political Ideologies08:26 - Biblical Parallels: The Flood and Modern Society11:24 - The Consequences of the Sexual Revolution14:34 - Historical Patterns: Rome and Its Decline17:56 - The Watchers20:18 - Population and the WW2 Consensus22:25 - The Impact of Cultural and Religious Practices25:29 - The Challenge of Economic Systems29:49 - The Only Way Out💻 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/

In this conversation, I sit down with storyteller and mythologist Martin Shaw to explore the Holy Grail. We talk about desire and longing, failure and mercy, chivalry and the feminine, and why the Grail stories continue to be relevant across centuries.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/3qDkPUsle3MCOURSE: The Quest for the Holy Grail with Dr. Martin ShawIn the dark heart of January, when the nights are long and the world draws close, Dr. Martin Shaw returns to Symbolic World Courses for an intensive week-long journey to tell one of the greatest stories of the Medieval imagination: Parzival and the Holy Grail.Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-quest-for-the-holy-grail Cost: $160 USDDates of live course: January 12-16, 2026Time: 12 PM-2 PM EST, except for Lecture 3 (January 14) which will be at 4PM-6PM ESTLinks:-Pre-order Martin Shaw’s upcoming book, Liturgies of the Wild, to get an exclusive chapter: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/741189/liturgies-of-the-wild-by-martin-shaw/ -Martin’s other books, including Snowy Tower: https://drmartinshaw.com/books/ Events:-February 13-15, 2026, Orthodox Christian Arts Festival (Praise for the Beauty) in Texas, with speakers including Martin Shaw and Deacon Seraphim Richard Rohlin: https://www.orthodoxartsfestivaldfw.com/ -January 27, 2026, London, The Temenos Academy. Seeing the Patterned World: the Cosmos as Layered Microcosms, a talk by Jonathan Pageau with Dr. Martin Shaw in the chair. £10 General Admission. The Art Workers' Guild, 6 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AT. Doors open at 6.10 pm, lecture begins at 6.30 pm. https://www.temenosacademy.org/events-programme/seeing-the-patterned-world Some other links of things mentioned:-Jonathan and Dcn Seraphim’s recent course on Dante’s Paradiso: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso-Jonathan’s analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Part 1: https://youtu.be/Rg5RDZ7mMKo  and Part 2: https://youtu.be/1ch1T24-W7Q -The Monks and Pirates discussion with Andrew Gould: https://youtu.be/WjMadP6DScM -Universal History: The American Religion episode: https://youtu.be/0_RKBPaQAyk Timestamps:00:00 - Coming up00:32 - Intro music02:00 - The cost of conversion05:49 - What is the Grail10:05 - Other hints of the Grail15:30 - To remain veiled17:45 - Who the stories are for19:42 - The place of chivalry24:46 - The Holy Virgin29:31 - Longing34:12 - Weakness has a seat at the table36:48 - Liturgies of the wild43:42 - Christianity in publishing💻 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/

In this video I discuss the persistence of the idea that Christmas was "stolen" by Christians from the pagans, or that it's secretly still pagan. Merry Christmas everyone. Christ is born!YouTube version: https://youtu.be/uh6rhiTrTnkChristmas symbolism playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVX4HUUPrIY9MeGP5IILeRzu62Q1NPT4CNEW COURSE: The Quest for the Holy Grail with Dr. Martin ShawIn the dark heart of January, when the nights are long and the world draws close, Dr. Martin Shaw returns to Symbolic World Courses for an intensive week-long journey to tell one of the greatest stories of the Medieval imagination: Parzival and the Holy Grail.Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-quest-for-the-holy-grail Cost: $160 USDDates of live course: January 12-16, 2026Time: 12 PM-2 PM EST, except for Lecture 3 (January 14) which will be at 4PM-6PM EST💻 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/

In this conversation, I speak with British psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and author Dr. Iain McGilchrist about intelligence, mental illness, and AI.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/DRtpKyKJcssGet Dr. McGilchrist’s books: https://channelmcgilchrist.com/home/ APPLICATIONS OPEN: Ralston seeks 25 students with the curiosity and courage to find light in the darkness. Our one-year MA in the Humanities begins with two months learning Ancient and Modern Greek in Greece, before moving to beautiful Savannah, GA. Full and partial scholarships are available. The deadline for priority consideration is December 18, 2025. Visit https://www.ralston.ac/humanities-maNEW COURSE: The Quest for the Holy Grail with Dr. Martin ShawIn the dark heart of January, when the nights are long and the world draws close, Dr. Martin Shaw returns to Symbolic World Courses for an intensive week-long journey to tell one of the greatest stories of the Medieval imagination: Parzival and the Holy Grail.Catch the early bird sale of 15% off if you register before midnight December 19: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-quest-for-the-holy-grail Cost: $160 USDDates of live course: January 12-16, 2026Time: 12 PM-2 PM EST, except for Lecture 3 (January 14) which will be at 4PM-6PM ESTTimestamps:00:00 Coming up00:43 Intro music01:07 Introduction to Ralston College and Its Mission10:57 The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Society21:02 Intelligence and Consciousness30:57 The Dangers of Alien Intelligence39:17 Understanding Addiction and Mental Illness46:04 Possession and Mental Health: A New Perspective52:11 The Left Hemisphere and Its Malign Influence01:03:37 AI: The Modern Sorcerer's Apprentice01:11:11 All We Can Do💻 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/

In this conversation filmed (by Deacon Seraphim Rohlin) in the Florida Keys, I sit down with my friend Andrew Gould to finally revisit a surprising claim he made years ago—that pirates and Orthodox monks share deep symbolic parallels. We discuss ships and treasure, costumes, death imagery, life on the edge of empire, all converging on how these two seemingly opposite extremes strangely mirror each other. Let me know if you like the format of this video.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/WjMadP6DScMNEW COURSE: The Quest for the Holy Grail with Dr. Martin ShawIn the dark heart of January, when the nights are long and the world draws close, Dr. Martin Shaw returns to Symbolic World Courses for an intensive week-long journey to tell one of the greatest stories of the Medieval imagination: Parzival and the Holy Grail.Catch the early bird sale of 15% off if you register before midnight December 19: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-quest-for-the-holy-grailCost: $160 USDDates of live course: January 12-16, 2026Time: 12 PM-2 PM EST, except for Lecture 3 (January 14) which will be at 4PM-6PM EST💻 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/

This is a repost of a patron video I made several years ago about decorating the Christmas tree as a family. Support us for access to more video like this.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/9y32OFyvskgNEW COURSE: The Quest for the Holy Grail with Dr. Martin ShawIn the dark heart of January, when the nights are long and the world draws close, Dr. Martin Shaw returns to Symbolic World Courses for an intensive week-long journey to tell one of the greatest stories of the Medieval imagination: Parzival and the Holy Grail.Catch the early bird sale of 15% off if you register before midnight December 19: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-quest-for-the-holy-grail Cost: $160 USDDates of live course: January 12-16, 2026Time: 12 PM-2 PM EST, except for Lecture 3 (January 14) which will be at 4PM-6PM EST🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau  Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

"Americans who think they are Christians, truly are something else; intensely religious, but devout in the American Religion."In this episode of Universal History, I sit down again with Deacon Seraphim Rohlin to explore the roots and characteristics of the true "American religion". We trace how movements in American history shaped the spiritual landscape that eventually gave rise to Mormonism, Adventism, spiritualism, and perhaps even your own journey back to traditional Christianity.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/0_RKBPaQAykPrevious episode: https://youtu.be/o9rMy6lde0c?si=b8d-6tbkuIgAbl4KParadiso live course details:The Symbolic World Enters ParadiseJoin me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin in our course on Dante's Paradiso.-Course length: 5 weeks, 15 hours-Dates of live classes: Wednesdays, November 5th to December 10th, 2025-Time: 2-5 pm Eastern Time-Cost: 190 USD (Involved patrons get 10% off, apply discount code at checkout)-Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso💻 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/

This is a repost of an interview I did a few months ago on the Catholic Unscripted Podcast after the Charlie Kirk assassination. We discuss the topic of violence, the end of the World War 2 consensus, Israel, enchantment, science and technology, sex and gender, architecture, the structure of a normal vs a crumbling society, and more. Enjoy.YouTube version on my channel: https://youtu.be/TeCjedp6dJAOriginal interview on Catholic Unscripted YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/SSn_q-HQeFg?si=K7RkdByVEFDnoP4jThe Catholic Unscripted Podcast is a UK online apostolate founded by Katherine Bennett, and Mark Lambert. Subscribe at https://www.catholicunscripted.com/BLACK FRIDAY SALE. Get 30% off courses, 20% off books, and 25% off the Tales For Once & Ever bundle. Use code: BLACKFRIDAY2025 for courses, other discounts are applied automatically. Valid through Dec 3. Don't miss out: https://store.thesymbolicworld.comParadiso live course details:The Symbolic World Enters ParadiseJoin me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin this November in our course on Dante's Paradiso.-Course length: 5 weeks, 15 hours-Dates of live classes: Wednesdays, November 5th to December 3rd, 2025-Time: 2-5 pm Eastern Time-Cost: 190 USD (Involved patrons get 10% off, apply discount code at checkout)-Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso💻 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/

Given we're still in the fall season, I watched The Conjuring and it got me thinking about how real events can become exaggerated in story form. In this video, I look at how legends are created, and that exaggeration of certain elements of an event can help amplify the meaning and purpose of why we're paying attention to it in the first place.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/fA2cKrvYyTkParadiso live course details:The Symbolic World Enters ParadiseJoin me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin this November in our course on Dante's Paradiso.-Course length: 5 weeks, 15 hours-Dates of live classes: Wednesdays, November 5th to December 3rd, 2025-Time: 2-5 pm Eastern Time-Cost: 190 USD (Involved patrons get 10% off, apply discount code at checkout)-Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso💻 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/

I’m excited to share this powerful talk by Deacon Seraphim Rohlin, my collaborator at the Symbolic World Press and co-host of the Universal History Podcast. In this talk from the 2025 Touchstone Conference, he explores how we can recover our heritage and live an enchanted Christian life. The title of his talk originally was "The Deep Pattern: Re-Enchanting Time through Medieval Universal History".YouTube version: https://youtu.be/EtvIpApaSrEhttps://www.touchstonemag.com/Universal History podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVX4HUUPrIY_M2uZP3yW6EEiod3fGD6FD&si=iYKlCCZJSt_ob2oi Paradiso live course details:The Symbolic World Enters ParadiseJoin me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin this November in our course on Dante's Paradiso.-Course length: 5 weeks, 15 hours-Dates of live classes: Wednesdays, November 5th to December 3rd, 2025-Time: 2-5 pm Eastern Time-Cost: 190 USD (Involved patrons get 10% off, apply discount code at checkout)-Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Timestamps:00:00 - Intro by Jonathan01:15 - Intro music01:40 - Introducing Dcn Seraphim Rohlin03:34 - Start of talk15:20 - Paradiso class17:08 - Resume talkOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

This was September 2025's patron video that we decided to make public. Thank you to my supporters.I explore the question of free will, drawing on the insights of St. Maximus the Confessor. While thinkers like Sam Harris argue that free will is an illusion and always contingent on material circumstances, I show how the Christian understanding reframes freedom—not as arbitrary choice, but as submission to the good. True freedom is not transgression, but moving toward higher and higher goods, where life becomes more natural and effortless.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/burSzHmo4o4The Symbolic World Enters ParadiseJoin me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin this November in our course on Dante's Paradiso.-Course length: 5 weeks, 15 hours-Dates of live classes: Wednesdays, November 5th to December 3rd, 2025-Time: 2-5 pm Eastern Time-Cost: 190 USD (Involved patrons can get 10% off)-Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso💻 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/

Pre-order Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf now and get a free audiobook read by me, as well as an exclusive Q&A: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/products/the-tale-of-little-red-riding-hood-and-the-big-bad-wolf💻 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/

In this video, I read and reflect on the first canto of Dante’s Divine Comedy — the opening of Inferno. This incredible canto puts the entire poem in perspective, serving as a microcosm for Dante's journey through inferno, purgatory, and into paradise. I discuss in detail, line by line, the rich symbolism and meaning Dante conveys.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/7zzQRg0muMoIf you enjoy this kind of symbolic analysis, join me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin as we continue through Dante’s Paradiso, starting live in November. You can get the early bird sale of 15% off if you use the code: EARLYPARADISO at checkout. Our past courses on Dante's Inferno and Purgatorio are also on a 50% sale during the month of October if you use code: DANTE50.Courses:-Inferno: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-inferno-the-course -Purgatorio:https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-purgatorio -Paradise (upcoming): https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso Paradiso live course details:The Symbolic World Enters ParadiseJoin me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin this November in our course on Dante's Paradiso.-Course length: 5 weeks, 15 hours-Dates of live classes: Wednesdays, November 5th to December 3rd, 2025-Time: 2-5 pm Eastern Time-Cost: 190 USD-Get 15% off with the early bird sale through all of October with the code: EARLYPARADISO-Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso💻 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/

This talk took place at the 2025 Touchstone conference, Great and Wonderful Days: Rediscovering the Christian Life in a Post-Christian Age. The title of my talk was “This is the Day”. https://www.touchstonemag.com/Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/cnMk_GFpVbwI explore how our modern world—built on endless disruption and self-expression—has reached its breaking point. We’re witnessing the collapse of a culture that forgot its source, but that’s also at the beginnings of renewal. From art and architecture to worship and storytelling, I share how Christians can remember, celebrate, and create once again—recovering beauty, meaning, and participation in the divine order. This is a moment of opportunity: to rediscover Christ as the pattern of reality and rebuild culture on that foundation.The Symbolic World Enters ParadiseJoin me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin this November in our course on Dante's Paradiso.-Course length: 5 weeks, 15 hours-Dates of live classes: Wednesdays, November 5th to December 3rd, 2025-Time: 2-5 pm Eastern Time-Cost: 190 USD-Get 15% off with the early bird sale through all of October with the code: EARLYPARADISO-Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradisoDuring October you can also get 50% off the Inferno and Purgatorio courses with the code: DANTE50-Inferno: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-inferno-the-course-Purgatorio: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-purgatorio💻 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/

I explore how Disney’s Tangled reimagines the classic Rapunzel story and what these changes reveal about our modern world. Tangled captures a pivotal moment in Disney’s storytelling where there was a shift from the traditional fairy tale’s emphasis on a marriage union, to a more modern emphasis on personal self-realization. I also reflect on how these themes connect to our own retelling, Rapunzel and the Evil Witch.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/o8BJcX61H08Buy Rapunzel and the Evil Witch: https://rapunzelbook.com/ The Symbolic World Enters ParadiseJoin me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin this November in our course on Dante's Paradiso.-Course length: 5 weeks, 15 hours-Dates of live classes: Wednesdays, November 5th to December 3rd, 2025-Time: 2-5 pm Eastern Time-Cost: 190 USD-Get 15% off with the early bird sale through all of October with the code: EARLYPARADISO-Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradisoDuring October you can also get 50% off the Inferno and Purgatorio courses with the code: DANTE50-Inferno: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-inferno-the-course-Purgatorio: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-purgatorio💻 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/