In the quest for spiritual growth, the quest for truth does not seek conclusions but rather opens the path to deeper questions. In today’s episode, I explore the vertical imagination of the French philosopher Henry Corbin. Using his book The Man of Light in Iranian Sufism, I explore his understanding of what it means to be human and to walk the spiritual path.

This exploration happens through the mythology of the Exile, as seen through Sohravardī’s Recital of the Occidental Exile. The Exile represents the soul's journey trapped in a well, constrained by oppressive forces, yet seeking light and liberation through spiritual ascension. The Exile is a metaphor for the soul's struggle against the forces of conformity and forgetfulness, ultimately striving for reunion with the Divine, symbolized by the quest for the "Emerald City" or “the Cosmic North”. Corbin illustrates this as a battle of consciousness, where mystic awareness resists the secular forces that try to reduce the individual to madness or heresy. On the other hand, the Seeker is portrayed as a fragment of divine light, searching to reunite with the source of all light. This mystical journey leads to a profound cosmic salvation where the individual, transcending geographical boundaries and personal limitations, reaches a direct relationship with the divine. In this transformation, the "man of light," or the subtle body, emerges—an essential aspect of spiritual development that allows one to perceive and experience the spiritual realms. Through these narratives, Corbin emphasizes that the spiritual path is not a collective journey, but a deeply personal one, where the seeker must confront their inner darkness and strive to manifest their light. In the end, the seeker’s relationship with the divine is intimate, unique, and unshareable, a relationship defined by love, the highest expression of being.

For more information on Rick Alexander, check out wwww.rickalexander.com

You can find today's intro and outro music here: https://open.spotify.com/track/1b5jf2kJ73trBAbME4eSSq?si=b6283c50a12f47a7

In today’s episode, I am joined by Tom Cheetham, an author, teacher, biologist, and poet whose work delves into the role of creative imagination in human life and culture. During our conversation, we explore Henry Corbin’s concept of the Imaginal realm, discussing its profound implications for how we perceive and engage with reality. We also examine the necessity of moving beyond consensus reality in spiritual life, as well as the limitations of both religious and scientific fundamentalism.

The best way to stay in touch with Tom's work is by subscribing to his Substack @ https://www.tomcheetham.com/blog, or you can check out his books by clicking here

To engage with Rick Alexander's work, check out www.rickalexander.com

The intro and outro music for today's show is the song Divide by Odesza featuring Kelsey Bulkin

Today's episode is a talk given by Rick Alexander for the Myth Salon on September 30th 2023.

See the full description here:

In 1932, C.G. Jung first put analytical psychology in dialogue with Tantra through his lectures on Kundalini Yoga. Tantra and the Path of Individuation is an attempt to dream that conversation forward, asking essential questions about how the Tantric worldview might inform our models of psychic development and the unfolding of our personal myth. In this lecture, we will look at and contemplate the psychological and spiritual path in light of these two philosophies. As Tantra and Jungian Psychology come together, the seeker is given new images to see by and imagine their individuation. This new way of seeing includes a reorientation of one’s relationship to the body, to one’s own desire—which can be seen here as the fuel for individuation—as well as a reorientation of the ego’s relationship to the Soul.

Use this link to watch the original video version: https://youtu.be/Uth-_u4PTjo?si=Ti6t7Pxjlj6FRS8Q

Intro and Outro music is Royals by The Vitamin String Quartet