In this interview I am joined by Dr Thomas Clough Daffern, philosopher, educator, peace activist, and peace officer for the Council of British Druid Orders.

Dr Daffern explains the meaning of Christmas and the Winter Solstice, reflects on cyclic time and indigenous wisdom, and shares his own recent reckonings with death and loss.

Dr Daffern reveals the esoteric and mythic symbolism of the Christmas tree, mistletoe, gift giving, and even Father Christmas himself.

Dr Daffern also shares his thoughts on the current world situation, why he is an optimist about the future of civilisation, and why he believes it is the moral duty of those with knowledge and power to share it with the world.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep339-christmas-the-winter-solstice-dr-thomas-clough-daffern

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro

00:50 - How Thomas spends this time of year

03:02 - The worst year of Thomas’ life

04:19 - Death of Thomas’ daughter

07:30 - Reckoning with death

10:14 - What the traditions say about the current world situation

12:14 - Druids and cyclical time

12:52 - Increasing wisdom in the world

13:18 - Sophia-phobia

15:11 - Why Thomas is an optimist about the future

18:07 - The meaning of Winter Solstice

18:12 - Christmas and Mithraism

19:34 - Megalithic civilisations and prehistorical religion

25:39 - The Golden Bough and indigenous European wisdom

26:54 - Death and rebirth

29:21 - Rituals and symbols of Christmas

31:23 - Symbolism of the Christmas tree

33:34 - The meaning of “Christmas”

34:31 - Symbolism of mistletoe

35:40 - Symbolism of present giving

36:37 - Thomas comments on peace in the Middle East

37:59 - Is symbolism and the esoteric only for an elite minority?

41:29 - The aristocratic hippy and sharing wisdom

42:37 - The moral duty to share knowledge and power

44:52 - Symbolism of Father Christmas / Santa Claus

46:15 - Concluding thoughts

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Previous episodes with Dr Thomas Clough Daffern:

- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=daffern

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To find our more about Dr Thomas Clough Daffern, visit:

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-clough-daffern-phd-6a3463a

- https://interfaithpeacetreaty.wordpress.com/

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For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James