Heretics by Woven Energy

08/12/2023

This is our special 100th episode which covers both part 16 of our narrative on the origins of Xing Yi, plus an extra hour of Q&A about Xing Yi and some of the controversies that surround it.

This is our special 100th episode which covers both part 16 of our narrative on the origins of Xing Yi, plus an extra hour of Q&A about Xing Yi and some of the controversies that surround it.

25/11/2023

Xi Wangmu - The Queen Mother of the West In this one we pick up our story of Xing Yi, examining the influence of Yue Fei and the great Song generals on the people who were inspired to challenge the increasingly degenerate late Yuan Dynasty. We also look at the influence of the "mythology of the West" in China and of Central Asian religious and spiritual traditions on the White Lotus Society, of which the leaders of the rebellions were members.

Xi Wangmu – The Queen Mother of the West In this one we pick up our story of Xing Yi, examining the influence of Yue Fei and the great Song generals on the people who were inspired to challen…

25/11/2023

Our special guest this time is Dr. Marc Reid who heads up a world-leading academic research team in the field of Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde, as well as being an in-demand public speaker in several other areas, including safety and the theme of this episode, the so-called Imposter Syndrome. Marc has written a book on the subject of what he prefers to call the Imposter Phenomenon, "You are Not a Fraud: A Scientist's Guide to the Imposter Phenomenon". You can find out more about Dr Reid's work online.

25/11/2023

This episode follows on from Episode 26 of Graham's Tai Chi Notebook Podcast in which he interviews Woven Energy patrons Rikard Elofsson and Miika Wikberg about the little-known martial art of Baji. We discuss the possibility that the Baji Xiaojia is the most perfectly balanced form from any martial art - "Xiaojia is more Tai Chi than Tai Chi", and look in a bit more detail at the history, technique, strategy and background to this subtle and robust martial arts style. Graham, Miika and Rikard's original episode can be found here.

This episode follows on from Episode 26 of Graham’s Tai Chi Notebook Podcast in which he interviews Woven Energy patrons Rikard Elofsson and Miika Wikberg about the little-known martial art o…

21/07/2023

Where do hierarchies come from and why can they be so destructive? This is part one of a special 2 part episode to mark the re-launch of the Pigs and Chickens Podcast. Part 2 is immediately available over on Pigs and Chickens at the following link:

21/07/2023

Did Western movies and TV lead to the creation of the Shaolin Warrior monks? Did the modern Shaolin fake something that had already been reinvented anyway? Did the Qing Dynasty really destroy the Shaolin temple, or did they instead create it? What influence did three subsequent phases of communism have on Shaolin? Was there a Southern Shaolin Temple, and what about the modern stuff at Wudang Mountain? These questions and more answered in our new episode on the infamous temple and its monks.

23/03/2023

Is there any evidence that King Arthur was a real person? Why was Tintagel so important in the Dark Ages? Why does Tintagel Castle look so organic? What have Arthur and Tintagel got to do with the Crusades? These questions and more examined in our new episode. Tintagel. Photo by Kiran on Pexels.com

https://www.hereticspodcast.com/2023/03/23/94-king-arthur-part-1-tintagel/

Is there any evidence that King Arthur was a real person? Why was Tintagel so important in the Dark Ages? Why does Tintagel Castle look so organic? What have Arthur and Tintagel got to do with the …

15/03/2023

At long last, and now armed with our recent episodes on alchemy, we again pick up the story of Christian Rosenkreutz and the Chymical Wedding. What is Day 2 all about? How does the "Language of the Birds" appear in Day 2? How does it relate to Amsghar? What does Christian make of his newfound escape from the Miasma, and what are the four paths that a shaman can follow? All these and more examined in this new episode.

At long last, and now armed with our recent episodes on alchemy, we again pick up the story of Christian Rosenkreutz and the Chymical Wedding. What is Day 2 all about? How does the “Language …

26/01/2023

This time we move into the second part of the nigredo or black phase of alchemy, dissolution, looking at the world of elixirs as well as spiritual dissolution technique. We discuss the alchemical symbolism of dissolution and some of the context of the famous Voynich Manuscript. Dissolution in the Voynich Manuscript

10/01/2023

According to the 2021 census, the number of people who identify with Shamanism has grown ten-fold since 2011. We talk about whether or not this is true, and its implications, as well as reviewing the state of Shamanism in the UK today. Metro article that we discuss.

According to the 2021 census, the number of people who identify with Shamanism has grown ten-fold since 2011. We talk about whether or not this is true, and its implications, as well as reviewing t…

07/12/2022

Was Jesus a shaman? What is and isn't shamanic about the New Testament? In this episode we review "Jesus the Ultimate Shaman", a new book by Stephen Bull and Sally Denny.

Was Jesus a shaman? What is and isn’t shamanic about the New Testament? In this episode we review “Jesus the Ultimate Shaman”, a new book by Stephen Bull and Sally Denny.

23/11/2022

We continue our Heretics Alchemy Tutorial by taking a look at the first phase of the Great Work, Calcination. What is Calcination? What is its practical application in chemistry, martial arts and business? These topics and more in this episode.

Hollins Mine and Bank Top iron calcining kilns ( We continue our Heretics Alchemy Tutorial by taking a look at the first phase of the Great Work, Calcination. What is Calcination? What is its pract…

23/11/2022

We begin our new Heretics Alchemy Tutorial in earnest with an exploration of the Emerald Tablet, the foundational document of Alchemy. We cover concepts such as The Language of the Birds, the Seven Metals, the triumvirate of Sulphur, Mercury and Salt, the alchemical origins of the term gibberish, as well as many others. Use this unit of the tutorial to get a good understanding of basic alchemical terminology and concepts.

We begin our new Heretics Alchemy Tutorial in earnest with an exploration of the Emerald Tablet, the foundational document of Alchemy. We cover concepts such as The Language of the Birds, the Seven…

23/11/2022

In this episode we give a bit of background on our forthcoming "Heretics Alchemy Tutorial". We explore the origins of Alchemy in Egypt and its progression through to modern Europe, as well as giving hints at the kind of things that will be covered in the tutorial.

The Alchemist In this episode we give a bit of background on our forthcoming “Heretics Alchemy Tutorial”. We explore the origins of Alchemy in Egypt and its progression through to moder…

23/11/2022

Utnapishtim Utnapishtam was the ancient version of Noah in the Mesopotamian flood myth that was incorporated into Genesis about 2000 years after it was first written. In this episode we compare and contrast the older Mesopotamian and newer Genesis versions of Noah, and look at some of the social reasons for the (slight) differences between them.

Utnapishtim Utnapishtam was the ancient version of Noah in the Mesopotamian flood myth that was incorporated into Genesis about 2000 years after it was first written. In this episode we compare and…

15/08/2022

We finally discuss the figure from the Heretics logo, Girolamo Savonarola, and look at why he was burned as a heretic despite being just the opposite in many ways. We also look at his role in setting the scene for Martin Luther.

https://www.hereticspodcast.com/2022/08/15/85-the-heretic-savonarola/

We finally discuss the figure from the Heretics logo, Girolamo Savonarola, and look at why he was burned as a heretic despite being just the opposite in many ways. We also look at his role in setti…

18/07/2022

This time the Heretics have a go at a bit of a music and video review of the track Anoana by the band Heilung.

https://www.hereticspodcast.com/2022/07/18/84-music-heretics-anoana-by-heilung/

This time the Heretics have a go at a bit of a music and video review of the track Anoana by the band Heilung.

18/07/2022

In this episode we begin an extended look at what Yoga was like before westerners got their hands on it. Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash

https://www.hereticspodcast.com/2022/07/18/83-the-other-yoga-part-1/

In this episode we begin an extended look at what Yoga was like before westerners got their hands on it. Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash