Heart Yoga Radio

THE DIN OF RATTLING SABRES - INTERESTING TIMES 76

In this podcast, I reflect on growing geo-political tensions around Iran's intent to retaliate against Israel's attack on its Damascus embassy in which several prominent members of Iran's military were assassinated. I include in my considerations some of the cultural effects of these developments in the UK, particularly the calls for conscription, Labour's intent to increase spending on the military should it gain power, and its full embrace of nukes. Throughout, I use some previous considerations developed on this channel of the several crucial features of historical fascism as a lens with which to gain purchase on these matters. [Free. 17 minutes.]

LOOKING BACK OVER 2023 & FORWARD TO 2024 - INTERESTING TIMES 73

In this podcast, we look aback over 2023 and offer our prognostications for 2024. Amongst themes discussed are war, environment, economy and geopolitics. [Free. 52 minutes.]

TURKEY, DEVOLUTION, GAZA - INTERESTING TIMES 72

In this podcast, we walk into the labyrinth of current affairs discourse surrounding the genocide taking place in Gaza. Considerations include: the possibility of escalation of violence into regional war, the geo-politics of Turkey and NATO, the strengths of the the Turkish army and Hezbollah, the opinions of world governments as reflected by the United Nation Security Council and the General Assembly, the opinions of the worlds' "street" and more. [Free. 43 minutes.] 

WHAT DOES THE BBC WANT YOU TO THINK TODAY? RAW THOUGHT

In this podcast, we discuss two recent propaganda offensives that the BBC is engaging in and which the rest of the MSM are parroting. They are the propositions that (1) carbon capture and storage can mitigate climate disruption and we can accordingly go on with business as usual, and that (2) the Israeli state are the good guys. Needless to say, we dispute both of those propositions. [Free. 32 minutes.]

A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR OUR FUTURE? - INTERESTING TIMES 70

In this podcast, we reflect on recent events in Gaza. We pay particular attention to huge pro-Palestine marches and demonstrations across the earth, as well as geo-political shifts that are taking place this moment. We plead for immediate ceasefire. [Free. 1 hour 6minutes.]

LAO TZU 55

This podcast considers chapter 68 of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching. In this chapter, Lao Tzu deals with the application of non-doing, wu-wei, to combat and warfare. [Free. 10 minutes.]

LAO TZU 48

In this podcast, we discuss Chapter 61 of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching. We relate the description of the power dynamics between states given in Chapter 61 to current affairs, Reich's connection of sexual repression with fascism and the consequences of an inflamed reverence for sacred books and other fetish objects. [Free. 20 minutes.]

UKRAINE & THE FOG OF WAR 2 - INTERESTING TIMES 51

In this podcast, I examine important historical antecedents to the war in Ukraine. In particular, I appraise the argument that the eastward spread of NATO bears some responsibility for what is now so catastrophically unfolding. [Free. 1 hour, 12 minutes.]

UKRAINE & THE FOG OF WAR 1 - INTERESTING TIMES 50

This episode of Interesting Times considers the war in Ukraine and the informational fog around it. I pay particular attention to the proceedings of the United Nations Security Council and the address to the European Parliament given by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. I also briefly engage with views as diverse as those of Republican  military man Col Larry Wilkerson and radical journalist Ben Norton. Further episodes to follow on the history of the region and analyses of the public discourses in circulation. [Free. 29 minutes.]

LAO TZU 40

This podcast deals with Chapter 40 of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching. We concentrate on the amazing relevance this chapter has to our current political, economic and spiritual emergencies. In a few short lines, Lao Tzu diagnoses the condition of the working people of his time as subjection to violent and militarily oriented 'robber barons' whilst they themselves are the creators of value and the necessary goods to sustain life. This is exactly our condition too. Lao Tzu offers a meditation to counter the fragmental [non-holistic, non-systemic thinking] which is the ideological counterpart to a kleptocratic economy. [Free. 29 minutes.]