S3E48 - Parmenides the Shaman

In this episode we explore the fragments of the works of Parmenides that survive to modern times, with a focus on the mystical, shamanistic tradition expressed in them. In Parmenides, like Pythagoras before him, we find a mystic seeking a personal experience of the divine; we also find an honest-to-God Shaman, who visits the divine realm, speaks to "the Goddess" and brings mystical insight back to the living. It is fascinating to see just how closely linked the classical world and Western philosophy are with the pre-historic religious ideas of traditional shamanism. Enjoy ;)