Lady Anne Conway - Early Theosophy and Kabbalah vs Mechanism, Atheism and Pantheism

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Make Sure to Subscribe & Consider supporting Esoterica by becoming a monthly Patron - www.patreon.com/esotericachannel or a one time donation - www.paypal.me/esotericachannel

[@haydenheffernan2396]

Congrats on that silver play button! Love your content.

[@sandra.helianthus]

Thank you for speaking up for women and also for disabled so clearly and kind at the same time 🌻

[@jwrush]

Nietzsche struggled with debilitating headaches as well, and we should use this fact to categorize him among women philosophers to irritate him as punishment.

[@olggbot]

never gonna get tired of the light humour that Justin serves in the most delightfully dry way. Also, thank you for yet another interesting lesson in history.

[@alasdairthanisch8951]

Cue the harpsichords 😂

[@courtneybrown6204]

Thank you for defending women. The kind of silence you mentioned, of the men having a knack for just not mentioning us, is true for so many fields. Fine art has been lousy with it forever. So I just like to shout out and say thank you to those who include us! Thanks

[@vampiricagorist6979]

One thing I’ve noticed in my study of history, and just through observing others generally, is that there is brilliance in all social castes/classes. It’s a shame technology has only allowed us to read the works of wealthy and powerful people. Technology like the internet is slowly changing that though, since anyone with access to it can publish stuff if they want. That’s still a big barrier for a lot of humanity at the moment, but we’re building the infrastructure necessary for the brilliant minds of the lower castes to recieve the recognition they deserve. Thanks for the work you’re doing. This has quickly become one of my favorite youtube channels.

[@darkartsbyadrienne]

Fascinating! Thank you for sharing these more obscure voices. Pain in Conway's life gave her motivation to find meaning in or behind it. This was super inspiring! Thank you 😊

[@middleburyastrology]

Agree. Nothing can be as transformative or enlightening.

[@CindyBallreich]

That poor woman. I woke up last night with the knife in my head, but I have meds that actually work. Thank you so much for this episode. I need to watch it a couple more times and do a deeper dig into her writings.

[@Annavae1111]

The moment Dr. Sledge explains the answers to every question you couldn’t formulate 😄. Absolutely brilliant! I appreciate the respect and light you shed on the unheard voices throughout history. And then you add that humor… Love your work!!

[@disciple1119]

I have had a number of mystical experiences which would support this view. I have stood at a gate of a high dimension of creation and watches the fragments of living light flow as gifts from the ONE FATHER to created beings and watched the the gold dust suspended to endlessly feed that life form. Her understanding of these principles are most likely from direct experience in a higher realm. The Master Held a great respect foe the feminine energy and has used women frequently for the most important and sensitive assignments. We have entered into an age in which the lights of women will shine brightly. Thank you for your continuing efforts in this battle to defeat ignorance and lies propagated intentionally through fear and domination

[@fraterzigmund]

Dr Justin appeared to me in a dream last night. I was back in high school and he was a visiting teacher. I snuck out of class to see him. He wore red wizard robes and I got to tell him that I enjoyed his presentation on Sherlock Holmes. He was very appreciative and then I had to sneak back to class. There was way more to this dream but this was the part with him in it. He looked absolutely fabulous in those robes, let me tell you.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Need to get some robes sounds like

[@bloglivethehighve]

Principia femela , of course,a tormented one … I m glad I have modern medicine for my migraines ! Beautiful depiction, dr. Thk u ! 🙏🏼💞

[@brookechang4942]

As a woman who follows this channel and suffers migraines (not big on trepanation or mercury, but that ancient Israelite bowl to trap the splitting-headache demon sounds promising), I would watch the hell out of a video on esotericism and headaches.

[@andrews.1857]

You're truly appreciated in my house, thank you so much for your hard work!

[@shantalynn]

Thank you so much for this wonderful lecture on Lady Anne Conway! A close reading of one of her poems (which I read to be a hidden dialogue with Shakespeare, regarding female agency and power as opposed to feminine roles and places along the lines men like Shakespeare cast and map them) comprised the second chapter of my dissertation, a long time ago. She caught my interest then as a major intellect that had gone unremarked due to her gender and now I am humbled to see how much I also missed about her work and thought because of all that I did not know myself. Your series of talks is among the most thoughtful and valuable resources for study online at present. Your gesture of inclusion and contextualization of Anne Finch is the last straw that is going to send me trudging to Patreon below, which I rarely do as one of modest income. I would not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain in a field. The laborer is worthy of his wages.

[@jonphilo5487]

I think you might be mixing up Anne (Finch) Conway, the philosopher (1631-1679), and Anne (Kingsmill) Finch, the poet (1661-1720). They were distantly related by marriage.

[@Bildgesmythe]

Thank you for this channel. It's wonderful to learn of people and philosophy I never knew existed.

[@anthonyarcanumsanctumregnu9551]

This is Amazing. This is The best channel on KZbin on these topics, I said it before and I'll say it again. He puts well known subjects up if you study the occult but then episodes like this which very few of us have head of.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Thank you kindly!

[@SeekersofUnity]

This is brilliant. We need more like it. Thank you Dr Sledge.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Thanks brother! Glad to have the opportunity to to let me these genius women shine!

[@jcortese3300]

Thanks to this video, I found Conway's text and she really, really, really should have taken advanced math and physics training. She's knocking on the door of things like number theory, cosmology, and calculus, in an idea-driven sense. Her definition of time as that which comes to an end when everything stops moving is pretty interesting. Should you do a video on Elisabeth, I would not complain. :-)

[@kendallkirkham238]

I had the same thought, in respect to physics. Some of her observations on "small particles" were weirdly consistent with 19th century atomic theory... maybe there's something to that mercury cure.

[@ohaidenny9852]

Your Work lifts all ships! Thank you! Much love from Mohawk country

[@logo2462]

I really enjoy that Conway is so bold as to propose a solid mechanism of emanation. I love all of your videos that cover this era of philosophy: Descartes, Spinoza, Liebniz, etc.

[@jbaquinones]

Great episode. Now I know what Santa is going to give my daughter for Christmas. Thank you.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Fun!

[@yoweath157]

I love your channel so much, i look forwards with a big yessssss when i get a notification.

[@artkoenig9434]

Beautifully done, sir! Thank you for your sense of humor and your delightful erudition.

[@christianrokicki]

Most enlivening! Thank you for this introduction.

[@jamal2070]

Enjoyed this one! Hope there will be more episodes on women philosophers / theosophers

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yep for sure!

[@xenocrates2559]

Thanks for presenting this video on Conway. I discovered Conway when I learned that there is a strong historical connection between the Cambridge Platonists and the emerging Quaker movement. I was amazed by her brief, but dense, treatise. Personally, I believe that her views on Universalism had a direct impact on the development of early Quaker thought and the idea of religious toleration. // Thanks again for posting on this little known philosopher.

[@Ricca_Day]

Thank you, Dr. Sledge. I think you just helped me find my "spirit animal" in Lady Anne. If there's anything that doesn't resonate with me later on, I might add an addendum, but from your initial summarization, it certainly sounds like she's hit upon many of the same issues as I've figured out.. only it's taken considerably long, it seems, from the look of her portrait, but the minds of the era seemed somehow broader for many diligent students of every discipline. Thanks so much for sharing your insights and information. You're definitely the best resource I've found with regard to these topics. Many thanks 🙏.

[@Ricca_Day]

Yep.. she's my Protestant Patron Saint.. migraines and all. Gotta be something to that migraine thing..🤔

[@Nivloc317]

DUDE, I am dying from laughing so hard. THIS is your best video yet. Bravo! "Queue harpsichords" Love it!

[@TranscendentBird]

This was incredible. I’ve never heard of her before and recently I was wondering what were some other voices that stood out against Descartes and mechanism. Amazing. I can’t wait to look more into her thoughts. The thing about pain is also fascinating. There is a through line there to explore for sure.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Glad you enjoyed it - I was so thrilled to make this episode. Voices like her's just don't get any representation and I'm just grateful to be able to platform them here. Though, tbh, it shouldn't only be on a channel about Esoterica that voices like this get lifted up.

[@genjitsunokami]

Wonderful! One of my favorite episodes thus far!

[@naomiseraphina9718]

Thank you so much, Dr. Sledge, for your fascinating and respectful video highlighting the life and work of Anne Conway. It is refreshing beyond words to hear somebody, (a man, no less, -gasp!-) taking time to experience and praise a female philosopher, especially a wonderful genius like Anne Conway! Your tribute to her was as moving and inspiring as it was beautiful and informative. I myself am a bit of a philosopher, (in the sense that every sincere and diligent seeker of the truth must needs become a philosopher of sorts, if only for oneself,) yet this is the first time I've ever dared refer to myself as such, and I think that this comes from an ingrained subconscious belief that I could never be taken seriously as a philosopher simply because I am a woman. I am no Anne Conway, however, and I wouldn't attempt any comparison of my own footling work to hers- I only mention my own path in order to highlight how much your video touched my heart and lifted my spirits. I love all of your other videos as well, and I think that it is truly admirable that you are making your work available to such a wide audience, free of charge. You are truly one of the most wonderful voices on KZbin. I can't thank you enough! Blessed be all of your loves and endeavors! Go n-eiri leat! --N

[@aaax77]

It was extremely interesting to learn about this, because when developing my theological views I coincidentally toyed with a lot of ideas, and apparently it had already been thought through by Lady Anne Conway, like the Tsimtsum, the Adam Kadmon-Jesus link, the role of pain, the idea that because time was infinite, every soul would be finally redeemed ... Of course none of these ideas are unique to me and I already tried learning a bit about Kaballah and had heard about Origen before, but still I found it crazy that a philosopher I had never heard of in my life shared so much in common with my worldview. This has convinced me to start reading her works to learn more. I think you recently spoke about an idea for an Origen episode ? It would be very interesting. Thanks a lot for all your hard work !

[@jackpayne4658]

Absolutely fascinating - many thanks.

[@London-Lad]

Another brilliant video and your channel is growing by the thousand, by the day. Wonderful 🙏

[@jesseglass5674]

Thank you so much for this! There is an anecdote concerning the after-life of Lady Anne Conway, and that is that her body was kept on view, immersed in alcohol in a special casket, by her grieving husband. It doesn't say for how long. Also, toward the end of her life, it is written that one of her eyes was noticeably sunken in its socket, which maybe gives a us hint about the pathology behind the headaches.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Interesting!

[@highlonesomed]

I like her a lot. Some of her stuff is so psychedelic and almost animist (tho pretty much every thing I've read that has a vitalist element makes me think of animism which i've been obsessed with lately).

[@Rodclutcher]

Another great, and awesome video! Keep up the hard work brother, we all appreciate it.

[@ripgeegee6275]

Thank you for creating these videos

[@mironalexandra4602]

thank you so much for this wonderful video, we get to learn so much from you!

[@BeverlyAcupuncture]

Thanks for an interesting lecture and great sense of humor.

[@DrJones-vz7qx]

“Checkmate Stoicism.” Awesome!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Jk I love stoicism - nothing beats a strong assent to a kataleptic impression !

[@MarcelaBellyDance]

Another great episode!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Thank you so much and I think it will be great if you can do an episode of headaches and mysticism as you suggested in the video. Thank you

[@gen1exe]

Fascinating! I had never even heard of Lady Anne Conway before. What a great philosophy! Against mind/body dualism, interposing Christ/Adam Kadmon (I think also of "Adam of Light") between Ein Sof! and creation, monadology, and Platonic/Lurianic transmutation! Amazing. I'm glad Conway's ideas influenced later philosophers even she herself had gone overlooked for so long. (Not anymore, for me at least)

[@SheDMontford]

Thank you for drawing attention to her, her work and her salons - Blessings!

[@Aquasliph]

Really enjoyed this video, as well as most all your content, thank you for you amazing work Justin. I am very much interested in hearing more about Theosophy, particularly the societies and groups that sprung up in the late 19th century. This is a bit of a sudden interest of mine, brought about by a recent discovery that I am related to one of its founders. I know years back you mentioned in a livestream that eventually you will get to the more modern subjects of philosophy and esotericism once you’ve established a solid foundation in the history of it, so I very much look forward to those topics. Thank you again. ❤️

[@angehavok]

Not even going to pretend that I understand half of what you present, but I never miss an episode. Also, you're super funny for a smart guy! 😁

[@cbaci]

Again I'm struck with how metaphysical thought and writings can often be directly overlaid on theories of quantum physics. Conway's "fields of spirit particles contracting" to create matter and Schrödinger's quantum field theory where wave functions collapse temporarily to pinch off particles of matter ( admittedly high levels of reductionism for both examples ). There's even an unboxed cat in that painting of her, up on the stairs. I'd love to see a conversation between Dr. Sledge and someone like Dr. Sean Caroll on the topic of Ontology. Am I wrong about the seeming similarities here? I'll go back to dancing with the Wu Li masters now.

[@cbaci]

@@TheWorldTeacher I know, I listen to his podcast. I'd be interested to hear a shared discussion of the ontologies of each discipline and where they overlap.

[@welkanektd5554]

twice on the pipe ( 2 times two times)

[@Yordleton]

Congrats on 100k subs! I love your vids so much, you da man.

[@sktrid]

Hi, new to your videos but when you talked about the strange theme of religious thinkers experiencing migraine it instantly reminded that Oliver Sacks wrote very interestingly about this, it's worth checking out! (but, typing this I'm expecting you definitely have...) Anyways, thanks for the awesome content!

[@goodearthmedicine9917]

This was one of the most fascinating videos I’ve seen on your channel. As a mystic with chronic headaches I would be very interested in a video about mystics and headaches. Although I think I’m good on trying some of the cures she went through 😅

[@joejackson2102]

Fractal ontology! That is a gem

[@BojoPigeon]

I'd give thumbs up for the harpsichord music, but I already hit the thumbs up.

[@fredranzalot4849]

Trepanning can actually help alleviate certain conditions which cause severe headaches, specifically if there's too much pressure on the brain which causes it to be crushed (which can manifest as an incredibly severe headache), though I'm a little skeptical if it actually would've helped in this case.

[@SheDMontford]

Yes the headache thing happens to me too!

[@evans808274mc9la]

112k subscribers now. Well done!

[@DNBon.an808]

I love your channel and insight into these fascinating people. Have you considered spotlighting Pamela Colman Smith? Thank you for the information and humour! :)

[@big.word.energy8569]

she has the most excellent portrait in the history of philosophy as well tbh and I will not be taking criticism at this time

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

I think she was all of 19 in that painting

[@vrixphillips]

wow. What an incredible woman :O looking forward to that "mystic women and their interminable physical headaches" episode tho

[@fallingdream]

It sounds possible the headaches she suffered may have been migraines. Migraines, including those associated with hormonal fluctuations, are more than pain; they're a disorganised carnival of neurological disruption to which a devastating headache may (but not necessarily) be invited. Before, during, and after a migraine there's a lot of activity over several days that can include things like aphasia, intrusive thoughts, altered mood and thought patterns, visual and perceptive distortion, dissociation or derealisation, euphoria or mania, and so on. This is not to medicalise the mystical or mysticalise the medical, I'm not a fan of doing either, however deriving mystical insight through a medical phenomenon wouldn't be unexpected if your brain activity regularly goes full clowncar every month or so. Just a thought for the headaches and mysticism connection.

[@jwrush]

I already posted twice but ontotheology is my magic word. I haven't read any of her, but what I'm hearing is that she was a historically placed thinker, struggling against the forgetfulness of Being using the only tools at hand: tradition and the theories of those who had lived in an age that was slightly further back towards the source.

[@jwrush]

Could any tool/idea achieve this according to the old fat nazi? No, of course not, "tools" and "ideas" are part of the problem. But the "conservative" thinkers are living lives that are preferable to those who are pushing us down the path of Ontotheology.

[@JB-kn2zh]

Interesting you mentioned Suarez in the beginning because I've seen the school of Salamanca mentioned in some things I've been reading recently, (mostly just cursorily mentioned in regard to some early modern economic theories). But it was something I'd never heard of before at all, and it's piqued my interest.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yeah he doesn't get much coverage sadly

[@The_Navigator07]

This is some fascinating stuff. Btw i just got the Golden Dawn

[@cynthiadawn5806]

It's interesting to consider the visual impacts of migraines and other forms of intense headaches. They are quite fractal like.

[@YoelFievelBenAvram]

Migraines are associated with visual disturbances and dissociation. There might actually be something to the idea that migraines and an inclination to mysticism are associated. As I watch this video in my office with the lights off and the screen dimmed.

[@rhohoho]

Was really hoping the harpsichord would continue to keep those Baroque vibes going.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

I agree - this channel *could* use more harpsichord!

[@VOCATUS123]

It might be a stretch, but it seems like this would have also influenced Franz Brentano on his writing about intentionality.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Wow I haven't thought about Twardowski or Brentano in a hot minute - grad school flash backs ;)

[@jwrush]

I am shocked and saddened that I have never heard of her before. And she's English! Are we destined to hear of the occult significance of Leibniz, doctor?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yes most certainly

[@TheBookofBeasts]

“The immediate infinite mode of extension.” This actually sounds like what Roger Penrose describes when he talks about his physics theory on the universe as an infinitely extending process, which would mean that the universe has no beginning and no ending.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

These Modes are logical consequences of IPXX & XXI - Alison Peterman has a good article on this topic in her Spinoza on Extension, though I don't think Spinoza ever worked out a coherent idea of what this meant. Even his contemporaries were positively puzzled by the concept and his letters seemed to have only made it worse. I love Spinoza as much as the next guy but this is a serious problem in his system.

[@TheBookofBeasts]

@@TheEsotericaChannel Thank you for the information. I hope you do the video on women, philosophy, and migraines. Lol…sometimes I think it is because they are always having to engage with only lineages of male thought…..as a esoteric practitioner with migraines myself.

[@dalelane1948]

Frontal lobe epilepsy has already been linked to mystical experience.

[@veronicamendoza3909]

SUBLIME SACRED KNOWLEDGE...LOVE YOUR VIDEOS

[@edgarjones6824]

Kind of hinting at quantum physics around 19:40 mins in there. As spock would say 'fascinating '

[@jacobfschaffer]

Headaches And Mysticism episode does sound interesting!!!

[@deckarde4919]

This might come on a seemingly random ep., but you mentioned Simone Weil in passing. Have you talked about her/will you talk about her at some point? I've actually read her so it would be fun to hear your insights!

[@craymonmaples7364]

I recently purchased a copy of, "The History of Philosphy" by Thomas Stanley. Have you had a chance to check this one out? It's absolutely loaded with Esoteric content.

[@Psychedlia98]

Will you ever discuss Sufism? Or even, African spirituality, I’ve been getting more into some west African stuff

[@bonfireblu]

I noticed you mentioned Adam Cadmon, have you heard of Maria Szapes and her book The Red Lion 🎉? Its fiction, but so much fact that the fictional parts are that much more mysterious considering the perspective and the events in the Story.

[@joshcruz7912]

I've heard trepanation actually works...there's a great Hamilton's Pharmacopeia episode about it...

[@WhoeverNevermind]

Best episode so far. Can't believe you know Francisco Suárez! Also, the jokes where terrible funny. I didn't know she influenced Leibniz, Whitehead, Bergson and Deleuze. Now i must read her lol.

[@fraterzigmund]

I live for the on-screen text

[@skylarjon3464]

Every Spinoza scholar be like "damn, I can't believe nobody understands this guy except for me"

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yep Spinoza is tough going for sure

[@GreenMonkeyToaster]

As someone with migraines that makes me feel like my brain swells 4 sizes, the trepanning makes sense. I mean, I know better as a modern person. In context, it makes sense.

[@baronvonmunchausen9516]

Am I the only one whose pissed that I didn't get Conway before Blake??? While I was bumping into walls in wonder at the mind that could conceive of such an alien and complex cosmology, the woman who introduced me to him didn't know or bother to tell me that he, too, stood on some shoulders. Would have been nice to know there were some tall petticoats to use as lift. Thanks, Rabbi.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Not a rabbi, just a civilian ;)

[@firstowl6773]

Are you planning on doing a segment on Margaret Cavendish?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Mayhaps!

[@rowandoyle7]

Man I wish my debilitating headaches came with philosophical insight, guess I'll just stick to chemistry!

[@mrsa4824]

Would you ever cover Hadewijch of Antwerp?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Seek and you will find

[@mrsa4824]

I know! I just saw 👍

[@danacollins1300]

With the mercury treatment who actually got better for them to keep doing it over years . wouldn't it just always make someone sick?

[@TeaBuns.x]

i do wonder if these headaches were sprung on by some factor of these women's hormones and menstrual cycles, which even today is still brushed under the rug bc a lot of people still think men and women run off of the same type of biological clock and hormone cycles! (idk if youve made a video yet since this one is old, im just getting through your occult content right now)

[@SheDMontford]

PS : Why Leibniz rather then Pythagoras?

[@kat11283]

🖤

[@lestvee2001]

What about Conor MacDari?

[@janetsanders5356]

How have I never heard of her before now ?

[@yosefzee7605]

thank G-d for asprin!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yeah though I think she needed something a touch stronger

[@yosefzee7605]

@@TheEsotericaChannel okay, extra strength:;).. still beats a lobotomy or a cut on the jugular... jeez... incidentally, did she report having mystical experiences as well?

[@darleneengebretsen1468]

Aspirin does nothing for migraines. One needs something MUCH stronger, plus resting in a dark quiet room while holding very still.

[@reutlevy8834]

YAYYY thx

[@screensaves]

Didn't nietzsche also have really bad migraines?

[@HABA300]

Headaches and Mysticism!

[@samuelshepard]

Another #SexyHermetic video, way to go. I especially enjoy your videos on women, and I've watched each multiple times

[@zelenisok]

infinitely divisible particles? thats anaxagoras! surprised myself by remember my presocratics.

[@ezekielschmittart]

Omg she has the same bday as me!!

[@VOCATUS123]

👍😎👍

[@luserdroog]

Aren't those tree of life illustrations upside down??

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

I don't think so.