The Symbolic World

• 395 - Beauty First: Envisioning a Civilization Worth Restoring (ARC Roundtable)

  This is an informal roundtable discussion among friends and artists at the 2025 London ARC Conference that includes myself, Andrew Gould, Aidan Hart, Heather Pollington, Neil and Kate DeGraide from Dirt Poor Robins, Ben and Vesper Stamper, Martin Shaw, and John Heers. Amidst thousands of voices focused on policy and economics, we stepped aside to ask a deeper question: what does it mean to renew civilization through beauty?Together, we explore how architecture, music, and the arts shape our perception of the world—and how the recovery of beauty might be essential for healing both culture and soul. There are no scripts here, just a shared sense of wonder, frustration, and conviction. We speak of cities and forests, temples and toasts, tradition and imagination… and what it truly means to see rightly again.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/6oS5NYXut0cSYMBOLISM MASTERCLASSJoin me this April for the Symbolism Masterclass, a 6-week deep dive into the essentials of symbolic thinking. Over 18 immersive hours, I'll guide you through the framework behind everything I've explored in 500+ videos—from heaven and earth to dragons, fairies, kings, conspiracies, Darwin, the Bible, and beyond. 🗓 Dates: Live classes every Wednesday at 1-4 PM Central /  2-5 PM Eastern time: 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28⏰ Class Length: 3 hours each session💰 Cost: $175 (Patrons at the Involved tier or higher qualify for 10% off)Register now:  https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/keywords:ARC Conference, art, architecture, civilization, beauty, human experience, Christian culture, symbolism, design, architecture, music, art, beauty, creativity, orthodoxy, healing, abstraction, civic engagement, human experience

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• 394 - The World War II Consensus is Breaking Down

  Several years ago, I coined the phrase “watch the fool,” because in a world turned upside down, the fool can strangely point to what’s coming and in some ways play a role in restoring order —for good or for ill. For April 2025’s patron video, now opened up to the public, I reflect on how Kanye West has continued to play this role. He is not a prophet in the traditional sense, but a kind of tuning fork, embodying the contradictions and transformations unfolding in our culture before they happen. This becomes increasingly disturbing as the post–World War II consensus buckles beneath our feet…Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/MfXxQW77cQASYMBOLISM MASTERCLASSJoin me this April for the Symbolism Masterclass, a 6-week deep dive into the essentials of symbolic thinking. Over 18 immersive hours, I'll guide you through the framework behind everything I've explored in 500+ videos—from heaven and earth to dragons, fairies, kings, conspiracies, Darwin, the Bible, and beyond. 🗓 Dates: Live classes every Wednesday at 1-4 PM Central /  2-5 PM Eastern time: 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28⏰ Class Length: 3 hours each session💰 Cost: $175 (Patrons at the Involved tier or higher qualify for 10% off)Register now:  https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

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• 393 - Wheels Within Wheels: The Universe as a Symbol

  In this excerpt from the second lecture of the Symbolism Masterclass, I take you deeper than ever into one of the most powerful and mysterious patterns that underlies the cosmos. We explore the strange vision of Ezekiel, the meaning of the cosmic wheel, and how seemingly distant symbols—from pyramids to Christmas trees—are revealing the same fundamental structure.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/6wYPgrniyWoJoin us live for the rest of the Symbolism Masterclass. You will get access to all the lectures that have already taken place, including downloadable audio. https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclassSYMBOLISM MASTERCLASSJoin me this April for the Symbolism Masterclass, a 6-week deep dive into the essentials of symbolic thinking. Over 18 immersive hours, I'll guide you through the framework behind everything I've explored in 500+ videos—from heaven and earth to dragons, fairies, kings, conspiracies, Darwin, the Bible, and beyond. 🗓 Dates: Live classes every Wednesday at 1-4 PM Central /  2-5 PM Eastern time: 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28⏰ Class Length: 3 hours each session💰 Cost: $175 (Patrons at the Involved tier or higher qualify for 10% off)Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Symbolism Masterclass02:45 Fractal Symbolism and Hierarchies06:05 The Nebuchadnezzar Statue and False Hierarchies09:02 The Role of Gold in Symbolism11:51 Understanding Context in Symbolism15:10 The Tabernacle and Hierarchical Structures18:01 The Wheel as a Symbol of Unity20:58 Dante's Representation of Heaven and Earth23:50 The Spiral Structure of Reality26:56 The Cosmic Wheel and Its Implications29:54 The Interconnectedness of All Things33:08 Ezekiel's Vision and the Infinite Structure💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🗣 Join The Symbolic World Community for discussions about symbolism: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/Keywords:symbolism, fractal, hierarchy, Nebuchadnezzar, gold, context, tabernacle, wheel, Dante, spiral, cosmic structure, interconnectedness, Ezekiel's vision, the Bible, idol, idolatry, religion, Orthodox Christianity

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• 392 - Richard Rohlin - Universal History: Symbols From the Edge of the World

  In this episode, Richard Rohlin and I continue our discussion of The Voyage of St. Brendan, focusing on some of the stranger episodes in the story. We look at encounters with sea creatures, a sea giantess, and the figure of a Hermit in paradise. Along the way, we reflect on what these images might reveal about death, resurrection, the role of the saints, and how the spiritual world connects to our own. It's a conversation that opens up layers of meaning in a text that’s easy to overlook.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/2vxMu-NU6RwPart 1, The Voyage of St. Brendan: https://youtu.be/nlzEUV5sV2o?si=lsPwB1EmXLBIfs0wSYMBOLISM MASTERCLASSJoin me this April for the Symbolism Masterclass, a 6-week deep dive into the essentials of symbolic thinking. Over 18 immersive hours, I'll guide you through the framework behind everything I've explored in 500+ videos—from heaven and earth to dragons, fairies, kings, conspiracies, Darwin, the Bible, and beyond. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass🗓 Dates: Live classes every Wednesday at 1-4 PM Central /  2-5 PM Eastern time: 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28⏰ Class Length: 3 hours each session💰 Cost: $175 (Patrons at the Involved tier or higher qualify for 10% off)While Richard's course on Tolkien and Universal History is over, you can still buy the course and get access to all the lecture recordings and resources here: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/tolkien-and-universal-historyTimestamps:00:00 - Coming up01:06 - Intro music01:37 - Introduction03:41 - Pascha on the back of a monster06:29 - A whale14:06 - The giant mermaid22:10 - The sequence of events26:48 - Until the Last Judgement33:00 - Don't worry about it40:49 - Baptism43:42 - Garments of skin51:34 - Confronting demonic forces58:08 - Brendan in paradise01:09:00 - Brendan comes to Britain01:26:49 - The death of St Brendan💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

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• 391 - The Controversy over "Christ is King"

  A few weeks ago, a study came out criticizing the use of the phrase "Christ is King"—and it stirred up a lot of strong reactions, including my own. In this video, I take you through the symbolism, history, and deeper meaning behind this expression, and I share why I believe its resurgence today is both important and complicated. I’ll also reflect on how identity naturally includes and excludes—and why that's not something we should fear.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/_9_PWSOgK5wThe study in question: https://networkcontagion.us/reports/3-13-25-thy-name-in-vain-how-online-extremists-hijacked-christ-is-king/SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASSJoin me this April for the Symbolism Masterclass, a 6-week deep dive into the essentials of symbolic thinking. Over 18 immersive hours, I'll guide you through the framework behind everything I've explored in 500+ videos—from heaven and earth to dragons, fairies, kings, conspiracies, Darwin, the Bible, and beyond. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass🗓 Dates: Live classes every Wednesday at 1-4 PM Central /  2-5 PM Eastern time: 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28⏰ Class Length: 3 hours each session💰 Cost: $175 (Patrons at the Involved tier or higher qualify for 10% off)Join us for the ORTHODOX ARTS FESTIVAL, learn more here: https://www.orthodoxartsfestivaldfw.com/ Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

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