In the Footsteps of an Ancient Athenian
Author: Manjula NanavatiAugust 20, 2019
This article is the result of a trip I recently made to Athens, Epidaurus, Olympia and Delphi. Walking through its stunning archeology, pausing at monuments, and gazing spellbound at its sacred temples, I couldn’t help but ponder what might have inspired such a civilization. Nursing at her bosom, Greece nurtured such an altitude of knowledge and amplitude of wisdom that it came to be called [...]
Philosophy and Religion: What is the Difference?
Author: Pierre PoulainAugust 20, 2019
When I write an article for this magazine, I usually pick an event from the daily news to comment on. Today I will not fail in this habit, but I have chosen to comment not on an event, but a personal experience which had occurred in a class, at the New Acropolis center in Tel Aviv. We had a one day seminar, with theoretical and practical exercises about philosophy and the path to wisdom, and [...]
Monkey – Journey to the West
Author: Jim PangJune 10, 2019
Those of you from a vintage era may remember the 1970's Japanese TV show Monkey. It was the first time this Chinese novel from the Ming dynasty was brought to a mass Western audience and gathered a cult following. It provided a glimpse into a foreign land where you could enter a world of fantasy, fiction and esotericism. The original Chinese novel, Journey to the West or Xiyou Ji (Chinese: [...]
Should the Focus of Education Shift from Knowledge to Wisdom?
Author: Sabine LeitnerMay 27, 2019
The concept of wisdom is deeply rooted in human history. It has been considered a virtue in all the great philosophical and religious traditions, from Pythagoras to Plato, Aristotle and Confucius, and from Christianity to Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism. But although the literature on wisdom goes back to the early days of humanity, it seems that it was only in the mid-eighties that [...]
Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasion
Author: Istvan OrbanMay 26, 2019
“I have a dream...”, “In this grave hour...”, “I do not come here as an advocate…” – the first lines of some of the greatest speeches that shaped the history of the 20th century. Rhetoric as the art of persuasion has always played an important role within societies. It is the main tool in all kinds of debates and the key technique for persuading a large audience. It is used by [...]
Bill Viola / Michelangelo: Life, Death, Rebirth
Author: Miha KosirMay 26, 2019
What is life, what is death, is there a rebirth? These are the big questions arising with the first spark of self-awareness. But what are the answers? A recent exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts entitled Bill Viola / Michelangelo: Life, Death, Rebirth displayed some of the finest drawings by versatile renaissance artist Michelangelo together with video installations of contemporary video [...]
Health for the soul
Author: Delia Steinberg GuzmánMay 15, 2019
Concerns about all sorts of issues are increasing around the world, survival is becoming more and more difficult in many countries, and confrontations for the most absurd reasons are on the rise, however important they may seem to those involved. Yet, in spite of all of this, there is a growing desire to achieve a better level of health. Of course, this is not the case everywhere in the world. [...]
Know your Face – Interview with Morphopsychology Specialist Catherine Guillerme
Author: Gilad SommerMay 10, 2019
To those of us who are not familiar with morphopsychology, what can you tell us as a sort of a simple introduction? Catherine Guillerme : Morphopsychology is a method that helps us know more about the human being in a new way. It is about knowing how to observe the face. It is a method that helps us know things about the person they probably don’t know about themselves. It allows us to [...]
Ashurbanipal and his Library
Author: Pinar AkhanMarch 27, 2019
There is an exhibition currently running at the British Museum about Ashurbanipal, King of Assyria. It would not be not surprising if you have never heard of his name, as neither the king nor the Assyrian culture is familiar to most of us in the West. Ashurbanipal was the last king of the Assyrian Empire, which was the largest of its age (7th century BCE). He is known for his victories in [...]
The Kalevala
Author: Nataliya PetlevychMarch 27, 2019
A truly beautiful Finnish epic, in which words weave ancient stories of the world, its cycles of life and its heroes. Sung and passed on by word of mouth for centuries, it was recorded only in the 19th century by Elias Lönnrot. The word “Kalevala” means ‘land of heroes’, the abode of Kaleva, a mythical ancestor. The Kalevala’s picturesque verses are full of adventures, mostly of [...]
Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms – Art & Sacred Work in the English Middle Ages
Author: Siobhan Cait FarrarMarch 27, 2019
Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms: Art, Word, War is an exhibition currently running at the British Library and represents a comprehensive exhibit of significant Anglo-Saxon books and precious artefacts. It opens with an extraordinary funerary artefact from the 5th century, the Loveden Hill Urn. Upon the lid of the urn sits an ancient figure, known as the Spong Man, with elbows on knees and holding his head [...]
Dunkirk – To live or to survive?
Author: Gilad SommerMarch 27, 2019
"Those men who, in war, seek to preserve their lives at any rate commonly die with shame and ignominy, while those who look upon death as common to all, and unavoidable, and are only solicitous to die with honour, oftener arrive at old age and, while they live, live happier." (from Xenophon’s Anabasis) As production values go up, both in TV and cinema, it almost seems that content is getting [...]