The Symbolic World

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/6oS5NYXut0c

SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS
Join 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

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/MfXxQW77cQA

SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS
Join 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/

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/6wYPgrniyWo

Join 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-masterclass

SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS
Join 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 Masterclass
02:45 Fractal Symbolism and Hierarchies
06:05 The Nebuchadnezzar Statue and False Hierarchies
09:02 The Role of Gold in Symbolism
11:51 Understanding Context in Symbolism
15:10 The Tabernacle and Hierarchical Structures
18:01 The Wheel as a Symbol of Unity
20:58 Dante's Representation of Heaven and Earth
23:50 The Spiral Structure of Reality
26:56 The Cosmic Wheel and Its Implications
29:54 The Interconnectedness of All Things
33:08 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

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-NU6Rw
Part 1, The Voyage of St. Brendan: https://youtu.be/nlzEUV5sV2o?si=lsPwB1EmXLBIfs0w

SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS
Join 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-history

Timestamps:
00:00 - Coming up
01:06 - Intro music
01:37 - Introduction
03:41 - Pascha on the back of a monster
06:29 - A whale
14:06 - The giant mermaid
22:10 - The sequence of events
26:48 - Until the Last Judgement
33:00 - Don't worry about it
40:49 - Baptism
43:42 - Garments of skin
51:34 - Confronting demonic forces
58:08 - Brendan in paradise
01:09:00 - Brendan comes to Britain
01:26:49 - 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/

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_PWSOgK5w

The study in question: https://networkcontagion.us/reports/3-13-25-thy-name-in-vain-how-online-extremists-hijacked-christ-is-king/

SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS
Join 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/

This is a talk I did a few years ago for the Jung Society of Montreal. In it I explore the creation story in Genesis not just as myth, but as a fractal map of how identity, being, and purpose function. In breaking down the symbolism I also make a case for why intelligence isn’t an accident, why rituals matter, and why participation of intelligent beings is foundational to reality. In the Q&A section we touch on group identity, exclusion, dreams, and the meaning of the Last Judgment among other topics. I hope this lecture gives you a sense of the tone and depth of our upcoming Symbolism Masterclass. If you want to learn more, register today.
https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass

SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS
Join 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)

Join us for the ORTHODOX ARTS FESTIVAL, learn more here: https://www.orthodoxartsfestivaldfw.com/

YouTube version: https://youtu.be/YArpxigY5xY?si=QrMqUuJixHQ3DnXy
Original video published by Jordan Peterson: https://youtu.be/ZQ43i5nKuZk?si=XB-bgj9VMc0NxBdT

Timestamps: 
00:00 - Introduction
02:01 - Intro  music
02:26 - Observing the observer
08:06 - Ritual and a return to ancient thinking
13:58 - Ritual in groups
21:34 - The argument
27:49 - The start of Genesis
36:39 - And God said
42:06 - Vegetation
44:30 - The sun, moon, and stars
45:49 - Creatures of the sea
49:32 - Animals
51:57 - The creation of man
56:28 - Genesis 2
59:43 - The center of the world
06:42 - Iconographic examples
12:39 - Questions from JBP
18:22 - Q: Elaborate on what you mean with "above" and "below"
20:15 - Q: Are people who try to tame wild animals violating the pattern you pointed out?
21:51 - Q: How sure are you of the heaven and earth distinction?
25:36 - Q: What's the meaning of when God says man is very good and everything else good?
30:03 - Comment about Jung
31:24 - Q: How did Darwin bring Plato back?
37:03 - Q: How would you work with exclusion / inclusion patterns in these times?
48:51 - Q: What's the intelligence of dreams?
51:45 - Q: If the teleological patterns of being constitute heaven, what is the abode of the human soul?

💻 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/

In this conversation, I sit down with Joe Allen to dig into the strange and unsettling territory where transhumanism and politics collide. We explore how politics is shaping the trajectory of technological development—and how, in turn, emerging tech like AI begins to shape us. 
We talk about the deeper philosophical and spiritual undercurrents of transhumanism: the ego behind the machines, the myth of the disembodied mind, and the subtle seductions that come with promises of power and control. From AI warfare to Elon Musk, from Project Stargate to the eerie direction our culture is headed, we raise some uncomfortable but necessary questions. What happens when our tools stop serving us and begin to define us? 

Get Joe Allen's book: Dark Aeon: Transhumanism and the War Against Humanity: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Aeon-Transhumanism-Against-Humanity-ebook/dp/B0C9FJQD4V

SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS
Join 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
👉 Register Today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass

ORTHODOX ARTS FESTIVAL - Learn more here: https://www.orthodoxartsfestivaldfw.com/

🔗 Links: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 
🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 

Timestamps:
00:00 - Coming up
00:44 - Intro music
02:03 - The conservative transhumanist
09:11 - Why more than human?
14:49 - Bringing myths alive
18:41 - Revolution and an image of sin
25:47 - International competition
34:07 - As soon as a power exists
44:39 - Project StarGate
50:29 - The power of AI
Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ 
My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

In this conversation with Mary Harrington, we explore how identity has evolved from the ancient idea of the soul to the concept of self and today how we talk and think about identity. We dive into how technology and AI shape this shift and why bringing back the soul might help us tackle modern challenges. We argue that purpose and hierarchy clarify identity in today’s mess of competing selves. We explore how swapping deep reading for digital scrolling shifts consciousness, how memes steer thought, and the nature of AI and its affects on culture.

Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/TJnGDEAka7I

Our conversation at ARC that prompted this: A philosophy of human identity in a digital age | Jordan Peterson, Jonathan Pageau, Mary Harrington:  https://youtu.be/oa-MK6l_hgE?si=86TQRbbDCrQdqb60

SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS
Join 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
👉 Register Today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass
‼️EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT: Use code MASTERCLASS1 at checkout to get 15% off from March 31 until April 7 - only valid for once-off purchases (cannot be combined with any other discount)‼️

ORTHODOX ARTS FESTIVAL: Learn more here: https://www.orthodoxartsfestivaldfw.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/

In this episode I break down the meaning and symbolism in the 2022 show Severance starring Adam Scott. Let me know in the comments on YouTube if you want more content like this.

YouTube version: https://youtu.be/4RgQ0Q4pgHA

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SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASS
Join 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 EST: 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28
⏰ Class Length: 3 hours each session
💰 Cost: $175
👉 Register Today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass
‼️EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT: Use code MASTERCLASS1 at checkout to get 15% off from March 31 until April 7 - only valid for once-off purchases (cannot be combined with any other discount)‼️

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💻 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 

📱 SOCIAL MEDIA  
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSymbolicWorld 
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pageaujonathan 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.pageau

Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ 
My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

This is my review of Disney's recent Snow White live-action remake. 

YouTube version: https://youtu.be/gk2koS8Eomg

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With all this attention on Snow White right now, we want to make sure that we're mostly celebrating this powerful story in our culture. So to do so, we're offering for the very last time a limited edition box set of our own Snow White story, Snow White and the Widow Queen. It's a leather bound book signed by me, in a beautifully designed and bejeweled box with a free sticker and bookmark included. This is the last time you will ever see this product, it's very special, so don't miss out while stocks last.

We're also offering 10% off on select Snow White products if you use SNOW25 at checkout. Just go to https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=text+link&utm_campaign=SNOW25

As a classic fairy tale and timeless piece of our inheritance it's important to remember Snow White and keep celebrating it - that wonder and beauty and strangeness we find in those original tales that have been passed down to us, are exactly what our books at Symbolic World Press hope to reawaken - with of course some symbolism bread crumbs dropped in for those who want to discover the deeper meaning. So, don't miss out.

💻 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 

📱 SOCIAL MEDIA  
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSymbolicWorld 
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pageaujonathan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.pageau

Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ 
My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/