Heart Yoga Radio

LAOTZU 19

In this podcast, we consider Chapter 32 of The Tao Te Ching. Here, Lao Tzu emphasises the ineffability of the Tao even whilst urging the sage/ruler to follow it if he is to be a good ruler who is able to care for the people well. The implications of the ineffability of the Tao for the nature of language, that it cannot exhaust the world with its names or propositions, is suggested in the text and we tease it out. [Free. 29 mins.]

LAO TZU 18

In this podcast we reflect on Chapter 31 of The Tao Te Ching. This Chapter deals with the pity and tragedy of war and the terrible nature of weapons and how the sage does not celebrate them. The sage, instead, loves peace and quiet and recommends it to rulers and peoples. We relate this to our current situation in which over $1.7 trillion are spent per annum globally on the weapons of war and in which many senseless and highly destructive wars are fought. We conclude that Lao Tzu's lesson in this chapter is one we urgently need to hear. [Free. 21 minutes.]

LAO TZU 17

In this podcast, we return to our long project of commenting on the Tao Te Ching. This time we comment on Chapters 29 and 30 which speak out against hubris in leaders. The character types of typical leaders is taxonomised and contrasted with that of 'the sage'. The sage, we are told, is without pride, false charm and greed and leads with a light touch. Consequently, his leading style avoids environmental destruction. Lao Tzu also speaks out against warlike behaviour in leaders and spells out the destructive consequences such as famine. We suggest that these lessons are very relevant  to our current political situation. [Free. 22 minutes.]

TIMES TURNS ON TORIES, STARMER IN THE MAIL: WHAT'S GOING ON?

In this podcast we analyse the recent story in the Sunday Times which is very critical of the government's handling of the COVID19 pandemic. In a similar vein, we also treat the publishing of an article by Labour Leader, Kier Starmer, in the Mail Online. Though we pay attention to the content of these articles, we are concerned to figure out why the billionaire-owned press are showing waning backing for the right wing Tory government. [Free. 37 minutes.]

THE POETICS OF LIGHT

And now for something completely different. This podcast outlines a poetics of light which encompasses flux, the unity of macro and microcosms, including culture and society. [Free. 13 minutes.]

IS THE PANDEMIC POLITICAL? HELL, YES.

In this podcast we argue that pleas not to 'play politics' with the COVID19 pandemic play into the hands of the far right. We identify and sketch out several political dimensions to the pandemic, amongst them the antecedents too the current responses, the ideological character of the current responses, and the possibilities that present themselves for the future as this crisis amongst many subsides. [Free. 35 minutes.]

THE ANATOMY OF A TORY

In this podcast we dissect Dominic Raab's political declaration in the light of a critical reading of the quasi-philosophical underpinnings of much right wing politics. The conceptual incoherence and ideological intent of the declaration are brought into focus. [Free. 34 minutes.]

GOVERNMENT UNPREPAREDNESS FOR COVID19 & THE CYGNUS EXERCISE

In this podcast, we outline the Cygnus exercise of 2016 which tested the NHS preparedness for emergencies, including pandemics. We proceed to question the fact that the resulting report which found gross deficiencies in the country's ability to properly manage a pandemic was suppressed by government. Further analysis reveals that the ideological commitments of the Tory government make it inevitable that they are unprepared for emergencies. [Free. 30 minutes.]

WHEN MSM TURN ON THE GOVERNMENT

In this podcast we ask what happens when the MSM turns on the government, as it appears to be so doing at the moment as the UK government mismanages the COVID19 pandemic. Is the essentially propaganda function of the press changed by this development? We analyse the way in which it isn't. [Free. 25 minutes.]

MANAGED OPPOSITION: MSM & POWER DYNAMICS

In this podcast, we examine the role played by main stream media in the power dynamics of the global economic system. We focus on the BBC and Channel 4 UK news outlets and their reportage of the COVID19 pandemic which is somewhat critical of the UK government. The contrast between this critical reportage and the unrelenting and untruthful hostility to Labour in the run up to the 2019 election indicates, we argue, that Chomsky's characterisation of MSM as 'controlled opposition' is cogent. [We call it 'managed opposition'.] [Free. 22 minutes.]