Heavy Things Lightly

Sports! Well chariot racing anyways. And a large riot. And can this kind of thing happen today? It's story time with John and his daughters as we discuss sports, identity and if modern culture is all that different from the ancient ones. For a deep dive into WAWTAR, register for our weekly "WAWTAR Podcourse" with John Heers. This semester's title is "Are you a Communist, a...

Welcome back to WAWTAR and episode 28. Today Heers takes a look at the stories we tell and the truths therein.  Can fiction be truthful? Why wasn't writing fiction a thing back in the day (pre-1600's)? And what does all of this have to do with the Nashville bomb? Come find out on todays episode of Why Are We Talking About Rabbits. Links: Notes on the History of Fiction The New Middle Age...

He's back! And this time we have some questions for him that a few of you, our listeners, wanted to ask. Join Heers and Seth for a hilarious episode where things are kept very light. For a deep dive into WAWTAR, register for our weekly "WAWTAR Podcourse" with John Heers. This semester's title is "Are you a Communist, a Capitalist, or a Christian?" Find out more about...

Welcome to Part 2 of our discussion on Freedom. Last week we took a look at the idea of "outside" freedom (government, politics, economy etc.). This week we are turning inwards to explore more the idea of inner freedom. And to help us along our way is Fyodor Dostoevsky - novelist and Russian visionary who will act as our guide.  Links: The Russian Soul and the Toxic West The Idiot and th...

Freedom. One of the hot button topics in modern American culture today. But what do we mean by it? And aren't there different aspects to freedom? Like inner and outer? What about individual freedoms? Welcome to part one of a two part episode where we trace the ideas of freedom, inner and outer going all the way back 4,000 years to do so. Links: The Vedas Plato's Allegory of the Cave Inte...

Sit down and pay attention! Today we are learning about...wait...what are we learning today? That's the question Heers poses to modern education. We explore the ancient roots of education, it's transformation, and final destination (which may surprise some of you). Welcome to episode 24 of WAWTAR! Class is in session! Links: Education in Athens Thomas Aquinas on Education Jefferson Bible...

This week John is talking to Joe Obidiegwu: author, teacher, and philosopher. He was born in Nigeria, moved to the US at 17 on a tennis scholarship and then moved to Sweden in 2012. John and Joe talk about how we can reframe some of the old world wisdom in a way that resonates with all of us new-worlders. Links: Healing of a Nation, Joe Obidiegwu (YouTube) Finding Your Way to Heaven Without a Cell...

What is a vote? What is that thing we all just did recently in the US? Where does it come from? And what does it mean today? We go back to ancient Greece and Athens to explore the roots of democracy. We also take a contemporary psychological look at what voting means for the modern mind. With both perspectives in hand, Heers offers historical insight into our modern government. Links: Short Video...

It's election day! That means everything is feeling a little heavy. It also means we get to introduce Uncle Seth and make this episode something light. Who is Uncle Seth you might ask? He is many things: a teacher, father, and pragmatist, but also a perfect foil to our resident podcast host John Heers. It's the election day special and episode 21 of WAWTAR! Gagimargos! Wait, what is that...

This week sees John talking about the economy. We take a close look at the Greek origins of the word: oikonomia. Is our modern economy related to this ancient understanding? Where does capitalism fit in? Or communism for that matter? It's episode 20 here on WAWTAR! Gagimargos! Wait, what is that in reference to? Learn more about the supra and it's symbolic importance here: https://thesym...

This week is a brief look at the symbology behind the mask and how people are actually dying from loneliness in some places. And the fact that we probably have all been idiots at some point. At least according to Aristotle. Welcome to episode 19 of WAWTAR! Gagimargos! Wait, what is that in reference to? Learn more about the supra and it's symbolic importance here: https://thesymbolicworld.com...

We're back from Sierra Leone and it's time for episode 18! Today Heers is examining change. What is change? To start scratching at the surface of a question as broad as this, Heers takes us back to 50's and 60's China in a case study of the Red Guard. It's a mix of old and new as change puts everything into turmoil. Links / Further Reading: Wikipedia article on the Red Gua...

That's right, this episode is coming at you live from Sierra Leone. While dropping off two new Field Workers for First Things Foundation, John took some time to sit down with a couple of locals from Freetown to talk about the different aspects of their culture. For more information on the topics covered in this episode check out episode 15 where we go more in depth. Links: Integems Environmen...

Nicholas Kotar is an author, translator (Russian / English) and teacher who's writing is inspired by Russian fairy tales. Perhaps his best known work is the Raven Son series of epic fantasy based on the Russian fairy tale Prince Ivan and the Grey Wolf . He has been featured on podcasts such as Ancient Faith Radio and the Symbolic World and is a father, deacon, and home school teacher.  Join H...

Often times in the "Old World," where First Things Foundation sends its Field Directors, you will encounter magic. Be it voodoo, or Mayan rituals, or any of the myriad types they have a common flavor. As "New Worlders" it's easy for us to hear about this and scoff, yet, what happens when you come face to face with it? With something you don't understand or can't...

V. Rev. Igumen Silouan Justiniano is an iconographer and a Deputy Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Dionysios the Areopagite in New York. He has written for various publications around the world and is also an editor and contributor to the Orthodox Arts Journal. John and Fr. Silouan talk about icons, images, and art all from a really distinct perspective. Links: Fr. Silouan's Website On the Gif...

Toxic masculinity. What is it? How can we understand it and where does it come from? Is it a universal trait across the world and cultures? Perhaps most importantly for this podcast, how is viewed through that "Old World" lens? Join John Heers and the WAWTAR crew as we attempt to understand: toxic masculinity. Links: Is Toxic Masculinity Islamic? Learning to Be a Man Without Masculinity...

This week we are excited to bring on the show Fr. Peter Heers, Orthodox priest and author currently living in Greece. He also happens to be the brother of our host John Heers. Fr. Peter brings a lot of "Old World" into this episode from talking about life in Greek villages to Orthodox Christianity and how it pertains to culture and life. We also dive into thoughts on self esteem, history...

No but really, what's a human right? Have we always had them? Where and when did they appear on the scene? And how do they relate to what's going on all around the world? Links: Human Nature: Indian Perspective Revisited Al Islam Org Daoism: Anthropology Fr. Silouan, art If you like this podcast, please consider leaving a review with your comments. Your support keeps this podcast alive a...

Teenage rebellion, the most angsty of times on our way to adulthood. And it happens to all of us...or does it? Come explore what adolescence and the road to adulthood looks like for us Enlightened folk and for those Old World cultures. Links: Can teenage defiance be used for good? - New York Times The Myth of the Teen Brain - Scientific American Teenagers, Why do They Rebel - Web MD Yes Your Teen...

In this episode we explore Truth. But that's a super heavy topic so we decided to come at it from a couple of different angles including juju from Africa, what it means to "take an oath," (do we even do that anymore?), and of course what the term "fake news" hints at. Welcome to episode 8! Links: Format.com Pics of local juju doctors John Tillotson, Archbishop of Cantebury...

In this episode Heers brings on his daughters to see what their understanding of history is, what the midnight removal of the Columbus statue indicates, and how our perception, really our understanding, of history fundamentally changed after the Enlightenment. If you like this podcast, please consider leaving a review with your comments. Your support keeps this podcast alive and allows us to broad...

Kanye has been saying some very interesting things of late. Comments on Planned Parenthood and Margaret Sanger open the door to exploring the world view of Sanger: was she a racist as Kanye claims? Or is she something else? To answer this question we go back and take a look at her speech, "My Way To Peace" (link below), examine it and use it to explore the roots of her world view ( lig )...

Heers dives deep into an "old world" description that includes the physical aspects in addition to the cultural and philosophical bits. We also bring on a special guest, Georgia, to test out the latest and greatest in technological gadgetry: the Light-O-Meter. To take the Light-O-Meter test click here . For a deep dive into WAWTAR, register for our weekly "WAWTAR Podcourse" wit...

In this episode John takes a deeper look at the symbolic manifestations of man and woman in architecture, how it relates to the Old World understanding of marriage, and how the love match began to change all that. It's a fascinating ride from ancient Egypt, through the Victorian age with Jane Austin, up until the present where we get to all the confusion surrounding gay marriage. Further Read...