Pneuma with Daniel Finneran

Don’t it always seem to goThat you don’t know what you’ve gotTill it’s gone…The legendary Joni Mitchell (to whom the Counting Crows don’t hold a candle!) said it best: “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”. GK Chesterton, the great English essayist, cultural critic, and Christian apologist of the early 20th-century wrote something very similar in his article, “On Being Moved”. In it, he said: “For it is the point of all deprivation that it (deprivation) sharpens the idea of value”. The joined and timeless wisdom of Mitchell and Chesterton will be the focus of today's meditation. Use it to cultivate a sense of gratitude, to expand your consciousness, to calm your nerves, and to reflect on the objects–be they little or big–that you possess, but seldom appreciate. I hope that you enjoy this episode. If so, be sure to subscribe to this channel for MUCH more original content to come. “Like” this video, share it with a friend and loved one, and comment below.Send me an email directly at [email protected] my sister channel, finneranswake (finneranswake.com), on which I host long-form conversations with fascinating people. Affectionately yours,Daniel

Shhhh! Hello everyone! Welcome to this special bedtime episode of Pneuma.This is a sleepy, dream-inducing reading of “Goodnight Moon”--a book to which, so far as I can tell, the entire English-speaking world has been falling asleep since its publication way back in 1947. Can you believe that this timeless book (of which every newborn child is the recipient!) is over three-quarters of a CENTURY old? There’s a reason it’s one of the most popular and enduring bedtime stories. Tonight, you can choose to read along with me, or just listen to my voice as you drift away to a placid land of dreams. Either way, I can assure you: we’ll be asleep before you know it! When you wake, be sure to “like” this episode and share it with a friend. Tell me in the comments below: to whom do you most enjoy saying “Goodnight”? The cow? The mouse? The mush? Please subscribe to this channel for many more sleepy bedtime stories and soothing meditations to which the whole family can listen along.#sleep #bedtime #sleepmeditation #bedtimestories #sleepy #asmr #childrensbooks #soothing

The marrow–be it of a bone or of a book–is the deepest, healthiest, most sought-after thing that we can nourish ourselves with. It is the hidden flake of gold, the buried piece of diamond for which we all dig–than which every lustrous rock and special stone is far less valuable. In this episode, we draw our inspiration from the great French Renaissance writer, François Rabelais. In his immortal book, “Gargantua”, Rabelais compares a dog (crowned by Plato as the animal kingdom’s most “philosophical” creature) who is in hungry pursuit of bone marrow, and a human’s attempt to get at the marrow of wisdom. The aim, in both cases, is to get to the marrow of life–for the nourishment not only of the body, but of the soul as well. What do you think? Do you like bone marrow? Comment with your opinions below! Or send me an email directly at [email protected] sure to “like” this episode and to share it with a loved one and friend. You can also check out my other channel, finneranswake, on which I host stimulating long-form conversations. Blessings!

“To be, or not to be, that is the question…”Verily, ‘tis a line quotable not only by every English-speaker, but most non-English-speakers who are scattered across the world. And while it deserves, and shall forever deserve, our quotation, it no less demands our contemplation. I’m convinced that this line, and the entire passage of which it’s the opening and defining part, is more than mere poetry, scribbled out by a short-lived bibulous bard at the end of the sixteenth century.No.It is, in no exaggerated terms, life’s BIGGEST question–a profound idea over which we’d do well to meditate for a little while. For the next half hour, that’s precisely what we’ll do. Tell me, dear friend: how would YOU respond to Hamlet’s question? What would you advise him to do? What would YOU do? Comment below or send me an email at [email protected]. If you do, I’ll read your responses in a forthcoming episode. Be sure to “LIKE” this video, SHARE it with a friend, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel.Visit my sister project, Finneran’s Wake, on which I host an array of fascinating guests for deep conversations:Finneranswake.com Youtube: @finneranswake#literature #meditation #relaxation #hypnosis #shakespeare #wisdom

Good morning! Are you looking to boost your confidence as you prepare for the trials and tribulations of the day ahead? Are you looking to uplift your spirit and strengthen your resolve as you embark upon a new and daunting journey? I can assure you: you’ve come to the right place! Take a seat, close your eyes, attend to your breathing, and join me on this 15-minute affirmation meditation, at the end of which your confidence will be completely restored. You’ll exit this meditation equipped (spiritually, if not physically!) to go out there and conquer the world. If you find this type of meditation encouraging and helpful, please share it with a friend. “Like” this video, leave me a note in the comments section below, and email me at [email protected], of course, subscribe to this channel! I hope to grow with you and to be the voice of calm upon which you can always rely, no matter the circumstance, whenever you’re in need. Blessings,Daniel

A simple, soothing guided meditation for when you drink your tea. I assure you: this episode will enhance what is, on its own, without my meager contribution, one of the great human institutions of which we have the good fortune to partake: teatime. Let us take the opportunity (the opportuni-TEA?--I couldn't resist!) to employ some mindfulness while we enjoy this delightful beverage. Tell me, what is YOUR favorite tea? Chai? Chamomile? Green? Oolong? Accompanied by honey and sugar? Or unadulterated in its native form? Comment below with your choice! And please, if you find this and my other episodes enjoyable, consider subscribing to this channel and sharing it among your friends. Give it “like” and a kind rating. Thank you so much! (now back to my tea!)

No doubt—this world in which we live is a crazy one! From political unrest, to economic uncertainty, to global pandemics, and interminable wars, you might begin to feel as if there’s no escape. Rest assured, there is. The path is simple: all you need to do is retire into yourself and find your inner peace. Join me on this soothing meditation to rediscover your inner peace and, above all, to keep your calm in what is, by any measure, an increasingly crazy world! Like this episode, share it with a friend, and Subscribe to this channel! Send me a note at [email protected]

Jason Stephenson is the founder and host of the wildly popular YouTube channel, “Jason Stephenson: Sleep Meditation Music” to which some 3 million people (and counting!) are subscribed. Since joining the platform in 2011, Jason’s videos on sleep, mindfulness, meditation, music, nature, life, and breathing have amassed over 700 million views–a number to which I’m honored to say I’ve contributed!In this conversation, Jason and I discuss…His tumultuous background and how it led him to a life devoted to wellness; quitting his job in order to pursue his true passion; the prodigious growth of his YouTube channel; becoming a full-time “content creator”; how he formulates ideas and approaches the writing process; his diet, consumption of caffeine, and daily/nightly regimen; the importance of community; the role of religion; his atheistic upbringing; his experience in a Buddhist temple and a Christian Church; life in Australia; the epidemic of anxiety and depression in the West; his advice to young YouTubers beginning their journey, and MUCH more! Links to Jason’s stuff: Website:https://www.jasonstephenson.net/lp/sleep-meditation/free-sleep-meditationEnter your email address and receive a mindfulness MP3! YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@jasonstephensonmeditationJason’s other YouTube channels: https://www.youtube.com/@jasonstephensonmeditation/channelsLinks to my stuff: (My original site): Finneranswake.com Listen to this and all episodes of Finneran’s Wake on your favorite podcast streaming service: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/74eUg83Q8zOgaRA5EBuzyl?si=871b6aa8082146af. Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finnerans-wake/id1560923796. –Pneumameditations.comFor Sleep Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx_8UKeM6leybSC3ZgKsh9AOr, check out the podcast for mindfulness exercises and calming talks: https://open.spotify.com/show/6b9DBhemWHvEy0wiiBHwYo?si=05b5fc8e12a84050Please, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or send me a message (to which, I assure you, I’ll promptly respond!) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080972774597Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielethanfinneran/Twitter: @DanielEFinneranEmail me at [email protected]#conversation #sleep #meditation #wellness

William Butler (WB) Yeats (1865 - 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer, and statesman. A poet to whom I was introduced at the tender age of twelve, Yeats has continued to inhabit a special place in my heart. His finest work, in my opinion, is "Sailing to Byzantium". After the collapse of Rome in the fifth century AD, the center of European culture shifted east to the Golden Horn. Renamed "Constantinople" after the famed Christian Emperor, Byzantium was, to Yeats, the spiritual homeland to which, in a modern world overcome by materialism, he yearned to return. The tone of the poem, at its beginning, is wistful: Yeats, now an old man, feels like a stranger in both his time and place. The world around him abounds in flesh, sensuality, youth, and lust. It is, as he says, "no country for old men". No. The country in which he belongs, for which he pines, and to which, by way of his poetry, he'll take us, is that of the spirit. Subscribe, like, leave a five-star rating, and share this with friends. Send me poem recommendations at [email protected] you!

Thomas Traherne (1636-74) was an English poet, writer, theologian, and Anglican cleric to whom I was recently introduced.His only extant work, Centuries of Meditations, completely swept me away. It’s a short but powerful book with which you should spend an afternoon. In this episode, we’ll focus on a couple of passages from Traherne’s Meditations. In them, he lists the countless gifts that the sun bestows upon us every single day–of which we’re almost always unmindful, and for which we’re hardly ever grateful. You can use this episode to think about and appreciate nature or, if drowsy, to help you fall asleep. Please give this channel a 5-star rating. Like it! Leave a comment. Subscribe and share it with family and friends. Send me an email at [email protected] (to which I guarantee I’ll respond!)

The 4-7-8 breathing exercise, of which the great Dr. Andrew Weil is widely-acknowledged to be the inventor, is simple and effective. You need only do the following: inhale for 4 seconds; hold the breath for 7 seconds; and exhale for 8 seconds. That constitutes one cycle. You'll then repeat this sequence for a total of four cycles. Perform this at least twice a day. A little "behind the scenes": this episode, which was completely unscripted, was recorded while I was sitting on the beach. Sadly, I was a bit too far away from the shoreline to capture the calming music of the waves. Instead, I got a background full of the clamorous din of a jet plane flying up above! For that, I offer you my sincerest apology. I hope, nevertheless, you enjoy this episode. Send comments and criticisms to [email protected] my sister project, finneranswake.com and the "Finneran's Wake" YouTube channel and podcast.

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was an English poet, journalist, and author of short stories. An unbending defender of the British imperial project, his reputation has suffered in recent years. Many of his detractors today echo the judgment rendered by George Orwell, who called him, in positively venomous terms, a morally insensitive, aesthetically disgusting, brutal, sadistic, jingo imperialist. Well then! Despite Orwell's unflattering assessment of his near contemporary, Kipling's finest poem, "If--", is one you'll want to commit to memory. It's a brief, beautiful work that you can memorize in but a few weeks' time. Untarnished by politics, inspirational from its first word till its last, "If--" is, without a doubt, one of the great poems of all time. Visit my website at pneumameditations.com Visit my sister podcast at Finneran's Wake and finneranswake.com

The title says it all! After a peaceful morning spent reading on the beach, I took a few minutes to absorb all the natural beauty, tranquility, picturesqueness, and happiness that surrounded me. Join me and interrupt your day with the gentle sound of waves rolling on the beach, wind blowing through the trees, laughter dancing in the air, music echoing in every direction, and--the least euphonious of the aforementioned--my calming voice leading you through a simple breathing exercise. Visit my website at pneumameditation.com and send me an email at [email protected] my sister podcast/youtube channel at finneranswake.com

Encased by slippers, sneakers, and shoes all day, our poor feet are suffering from the mistreatment of modernity. For twelve, sixteen, eighteen hours, they're confined to ill-fitting shoes from which they want nothing better than to be set free. Sadly, they're prohibited, for almost the entirety of their life, from bending, bearing, feeling, and moving as the Author of nature intended. In this episode, we'll go through a few simple exercises that can help restore the strength, flexibility, and sensitivity of the feet. Repeat this every day, and, before you know it, you'll have greatly improved your strength, balance, gracefulness, and the intimacy with which you connect to the earth. The music is by Mozart. Visit my sister channel, "Finneran's Wake" for long-form conversations. Email me at [email protected] if you'd like to chat!

The story of Momotaro (the "Peach Boy") is one of the most famous and beloved in Japanese folklore.Born of a giant peach that was floating down the river, Momotaro was adopted by an elderly couple that was incapable of having a child of its own. Nurtured by his parents' unremitting love and care, Momotaro grew to be a big, virtuous, strong young man. Eventually, he set out to confront the nasty demons who made a habit of terrorizing Japan. Try, if you can, to listen to the entirety of this very special Sleep Story. I have Hanako, a dear friend and listener from Tokyo, Japan, to thank for acquainting me with this wonderful tale. With all sincerity, thank you, Hanako. If you'd like me to read a story that's very special to you (in a calming, soporific tone of voice, of course!), don't hesitate to reach out. Send me an email at [email protected]. You'll be sure to get a "shout out" (more of a whisper, really) in the episode. Sweet dreams!

I'll bet that you weren't expecting to see those two names joined together! Such are the promiscuous and varied sources from whom we here on Pneuma draw our inspiration. We look at once to the courtly Florentine political philosopher (by whom the murderous Medici were, for better or worse, advised), and to the ascetic Indian sage who, in the sixth century BC, attained enlightenment and enjoyed an apotheosis. In this episode, we'll examine one of the fundamental features of human nature: the insatiability of our appetite. We desire everything, but, in our lifetime, we're only able to obtain a small amount of that for which we hunger. This leads to discontentment, dissatisfaction, and suffering. We will explore the themes of appetite, desire (its origins and its overcoming), temperance, eastern and western philosophy, and much more. Visit my website, pneumameditations.com Visit my sister podcast and websitefinneranswake.comFinneran's Wake

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."Is there, in all literature, an opening line with which more minds are stamped? A passage more famous and quotable than that with which Dickens' timeless classic begins? I think not! Set in those two great centers of learning and culture, London and Paris, before and during the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities follows the tribulations of Dr. Manette, his blue-eyed daughter, Lucie, and her dashing, strong-willed husband, the expatriate Charles Darnay. It is, according to every clear-thinking reader, one of Western literature's finest works of historical fiction. While we all know and repeat the book's opening line, I ask you, do you remember the somewhat lesser-known sentence with which it ends? "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known". Precisely our goal!--A "far, far better rest" awaits you (not the rest of death), if you'll only listen to this episode with me! If you have a favorite book that you want read in a sleepy style, or if you're the author of an original work to which you'd like to draw more attention, drop me a line at [email protected]. I will read it on this show. Be sure to subscribe to this channel and leave a five-star rating!

Not even the most experienced traveler (to whom thousands of valuable “miles” and precious points have accrued!) is totally immune to the uneasiness and discomfort associated with flight. These feelings, sadly, are an inescapable part of our airborne journeys. In this episode, we’ll go through a mediation by which our stresses will be quieted, our equanimity restored, and our flight made much more peaceful and, perhaps, enjoyable. We’ll perform a simple breathing exercise, a gentle body scan, an act of thanksgiving and appreciation, and a few stretches with which to calibrate our bodies and minds. Don’t forget to follow, subscribe to, like, or share this episode with a friend! Visit my sister podcasts, Finneran’s Wake and Finneran’s Wake For Kids for more content. Thank you and Bon Voyage!

"To live in accordance with nature". That, in its simplest form, is the central principle around which the entire philosophy of Stoicism revolves. To live in accordance with nature is to practice the four virtues (temperance, prudence, justice, and courage) for which we all have an inborn aptitude and reverence. It’s to elevate temperance, the virtue of moderation, self-control, self-possession, and self-governance, above the lower appetites by which we’re too easily overcome. In this episode, we’ll talk about the virtue of temperance as it pertains to (over) eating and how you might implement some of the lessons of the Stoics to address your issues with weight. I know…it’s a sensitive topic. I recoil at the mere thought of offending anyone’s feelings, but I think the content has the potential to do some good. Please follow, subscribe to, like, or share this episode with friends.Visit my sister podcast and YouTube channel, Finneran’s Wake and Finneran’s Wake for Kids.

Can you be happy in this life? Can anyone, for that matter, be happy (I mean truly happy) in this life?Join me, Aristotle, and St. Thomas Aquinas as we address this difficult question. Be sure to subscribe to and follow this channel. Leave a Five-star rating on it and share it with friends! Finneran’s WakeListen to some fascinating conversations on your favorite podcast streaming service: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/74eUg83Q8zOgaRA5EBuzyl?si=871b6aa8082146af. Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finnerans-wake/id1560923796. –Please, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or send me a message (to which, I assure you, I’ll promptly respond!) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080972774597Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielethanfinneran/Twitter: @DanielEFinneranEmail me at [email protected]

#sleep #bedtimestories #bedtime #relaxing #calming #soothing Get comfortable! Here's an excerpt from Thomas De Quincey's intoxicating work, "Confessions of an English Opium Eater". The title, I think, says it all. De Quincey's confessional joins a timeless genre to which such luminary names as St. Augustine and Jean-Jacques Rousseau contributed. In this excerpt, you'll learn how the esteemed British author got hooked on the soporific drug, against whose recreational or medicinal use he's not exactly explicit in warning us! Here on Pneuma, it should be said, we promote sobriety and wholesomeness, above all else. My reading of De Quincey is not an endorsement of his inebriated approach to life. Substitute my voice for your opiates and fall right asleep! If you have a book you want read in a sleepy style, or if you have an original work that you'd like me to read, drop me a line at [email protected]. Be sure to subscribe to this channel, share it with friends, like this video, and leave a five-star rating! Thank you.

Refine your aesthetic sense, heighten your appreciation for nature's splendor, learn what it means to experience the sublime and the beautiful. This episode, at whose center the great Irish philosopher Edmund Burke stands, is something of a didactic meditation. In it, you'll learn how to think about the sublime and the beautiful, and how to talk about aesthetics in a more sophisticated way. If you enjoy this content, please subscribe to or follow this channel! Share it with friends and visit my YouTube Channel. Be sure to visit my sister podcast/YouTube Channel, Finneran's Wake

That bothersome, inescapable tension in which your sore neck is all "knotted up"... Well, it's about to be unravelled. If these simple stretches don't put your neck at ease, the buttery-smooth cooing of my voice just might. Check out my new YouTube channel, "Pneuma by Daniel Finneran", on which I'll post an accompanying video. And visit my sister channels, Finneran's Wake (YouTube and podcast) and Finneran's Wake for Kids for more content.

Food, shelter, and clothing--these are the fundamental needs without which we can't long live, the biologic claims on us to which we can't be inattentive (lest we cease to exist!) We all know this to be true, but these things quickly become, once we detach ourselves from the modest demands of nature, ostentatious treasures, immoderate indulgences to which we become lost. Let's think about these basic needs and the the ways in which they become perverted into sumptuous feasts, capacious dwellings, and expensive, fashionable clothes. Be sure to follow or subscribe to this channel, and leave a five-star Rating! Visit my other channel, Finneran's Wake, for more content.

Are you most decidedly NOT a morning "person"? Listen to this episode, inspired by the wisdom of Henry David Thoreau, and your affirmed dislike of the dawn might just change! “All memorable events transpire in morning time and in a morning atmosphere. The Vedas say, ‘All intelligences awake with the morning’. Poetry and art, and the fairest and most memorable of the actions of men, date from such an hour. All poets and heroes, like Agamemnon and Achilles, are the children of Aurora, and emit their music at sunrise”. May you be a child of Aurora, the dawn, the morning as well. Follow or subscribe to this channel and be sure to check out my other projects, "Finneran's Wake" and "Finneran's Wake For Kids"

An excerpt from Henry David Thoreau's enduring contribution to the great American canon: Walden. Picture yourself nestled in bed, encased in blankets, warmed by the embers of a fading fire. You're in a tiny cottage on the northern banks of Walden Pond, a cool, limpid body of water off whose pristine surface, a chilly breeze is now blowing. The chime of the crickets, the lapping of the waves, the crackling of the fire, (the sound of my voice!)--these are the sounds by which your sleepy ears are tickled. If you have a book you want read in a sleepy style, or if you have an original work that you'd like me to read, drop me a line at [email protected]. Be sure to subscribe to this channel and leave a five-star rating!

Wisdom, according to Cicero, is the "Mother of all good things". Yet, wisdom, this benevolent benefactress, is evasive; she's not only difficult to obtain, but hard to define. Depending on the context, we crown her with the following names: prudence, phronesis, or, best of all, Sophia. In this episode, we'll explore our benevolent mother, Wisdom, in all her various forms; connect Cicero (a Roman statesman who lived in the last century before the birth of Jesus) to holy scripture; and think about the ancient Greek aphorism, "Know Yourself"--a knowledge on which heavenly wisdom pours her radiant light. Thank you for listening!

Join me as we meditate on the beach this fine day! Liberate your feet from those restrictive shoes in which they're cramped, and feel the warm, soft sand dance between your toes. Fix your gaze upon the blue ocean and the thin horizon, of whose imponderable depth and vastness we have only the faintest notion! As you do this, we'll spend some time thinking about the sublime. We'll look to the insight of Edmund Burke, who wrote the book on the subject. Be sure to comment, follow, subscribe, and leave a 5-star rating. Thank you!

A reading of Genesis from the Hebrew Bible. Fall asleep to the most majestic tale ever told (or sacred truth revealed). IF you succeed in staying awake through this episode (a feat of which only the most caffeinated among you has any real chance!), you'll hear the timeless story of creation; day by day, how the vast cosmos came into being; the earth and all its verdure; the sea and all its fathomless splendor; the birth of man, the molding of his helpmate, woman, and their fatal transgression of the one prohibitory law; A sin and the the expulsion of which we'll forever lament. 'Tis the greatest story ever told, from which all other stories draw their life. If you have a book you want read in a sleepy style, or if you have an original work that you'd like me to read, drop me a line at [email protected]. Be sure to subscribe to this channel and leave a five-star rating!

Behold! For those of us who want to eat like Titans, conquer like Olympians, think like philosophers, and thrive like the divine beings we were always meant to be, I introduce, for the first time, the “Promethean Diet”. A diet of which you’ve probably never heard, The Promethean Diet (trademark pending…!) has sustained our species from the very beginning of time, from the earliest dawn of our creation when, with the aid of his bungling brother, Epimetheus, this diet’s namesake formed us out of clay. Prometheus, devoted to our continued wellbeing, secured for us the choicest foods after which the gods of Olympus all savored: richly marbled meats and densely nutritious entrails, accompanied by seasonal fruits and nectarous ambrosia. Cooked (medium rare!) by the fire that Prometheus retrieved for us, this is the nutrition plan than which there’s simply none better–and that to which I, your humble host, approvingly adhere. Check out my earlier episode, “Guided Meditation for when you’ve overeaten”. Subscribe to and leave a five-star rating on this channel! Thank you so much, my friends! It’s an absolute honor to grace your ears.

After a 10-mile run, join me as I cool down on my spin bike and air my thoughts! This episode covers the idea of "Unity in Multiplicity", a phrase to which the great Polish-American poet, Czeslaw Milosz makes reference. I expound upon this idea, which leads me to think about art, nature, personalities, God, and Parmenides--the Pre-Socratic philosopher to whom Unity, or oneness, was the fundamental truth of all being and life. Be sure to subscribe to this channel and leave a review! Send me a note at [email protected].

Works and Days, by which restful nights are made all the sweeter. You're going to love this super sleep-inducing tale first told by Hesiod, a Greek poet of the 7th-century BC, who was a contemporary of Homer, an inspiration to Plato, and a hero of mine. IF you succeed in staying awake through this episode (a feat of which only the most caffeinated among you has any real chance!), you'll hear the story of Prometheus' punishment; the creation of Pandora, the first mortal woman to step foot on earth; the reason behind her name; her eponymous jar (not a BOX, mind you!) from which all the misfortunes of the world spilled, and in which hope, and nothing else, was retained; and the successive ages (or races) of mankind: gold, silver, bronze, with an heroic interlude, and iron. If you have a book you want read in a sleepy style, or if you have an original work that you'd like me to read, drop me a line at [email protected]. Be sure to subscribe to this channel and leave a five-star rating!

How should we think about our manifold worldly possessions?--the cars, clothes, houses, boats, bags, and countless fancy electronic gadgets by which we’re everywhere surrounded (and, whether we notice their encroachment on us or not, increasingly consumed?) Do we submit to and agree to be enslaved by them? Or, resisting their claim on us, do we fight, renounce, and abstain from them entirely? Perhaps there’s a middle path. In this episode, we’ll explore two ways of dealing with the problem of worldly possessions: one offered by Aristippos the Cyrenaic, and the other by Antisthenes, the ascetic. Both bear the distinction of having been pupils of Socrates, the great master and father of Western philosophy under whom they studied till the end of his life. Each man’s approach to this problem couldn’t be more different from that of his classmate. I’m curious to know with whom you’ll side… Subscribe to this channel and leave a comment or a five-star rating. Visit my new YouTube page and my sister podcasts, Finneran’s Wake and Finneran’s Wake for Kids.

Your complete guide to establishing (and maintaining) an impeccable posture! Listen to this episode, incorporate its tips, and you'll be the envy of the slouching world. This episode has everything you need to know in order to stand in a strong, graceful, poised, and self-confident way. Above all, remember the words of Oscar Wilde: "Style is largely dependent on the way the chin is worn". Wear it well, my friends. Subscribe to this channel and leave a review or a five-star rating! Much gratitude and love, my friends!

In this episode of “Jog Your Mind”, I share with you the strange, stimulating, and, above all, unscripted thoughts by which my little brain is filled while running. Immediately upon finishing my run, I hop on my spin bike, turn on my microphone, and record those very thoughts for your listening pleasure. In this episode, we cover the wonders of childhood; the Biblical exhortation that we become as children; Nietzsche’s three stages of spiritual development, ending in childhood; how to appreciate the grandeur of nature as a child, through whose eyes you should try to see all the beauty in this world. Check out my YouTube channel for a video associated with this episode. Be sure to subscribe, comment, and leave a five-star rating!

“In the deep heart of man, care builds her nest,Over secret woes she broodeth there,Sleepless she rocks herself and scareth joy and rest”Listen to this episode, and un-build care's brooding, scary nest. Quiet your cares, silence your worries, and enjoy a blissful night of sleep. Be sure to subscribe to this channel, leave a 5-star rating, and send me a flattering review in the morning! Sweet dreams.

In this inaugural episode of “Jog Your Mind”, I share with you the strange, stimulating, and, above all, unscripted thoughts by which my little brain is filled while running. Immediately upon finishing my run, I hop on my spin bike, turn on my microphone, and record those very thoughts for your listening pleasure. In this episode, we cover perfect happiness; sublime felicity; whether or not you’ve ever experienced such a thing; what you’d be willing to sacrifice to live in that bliss forever; high German literature; tragedy; Goethe; and the Faustian Pact. Be sure to subscribe, comment, and leave a five-star rating!

My advice to you this summer: Sun yourself like a Cynic! That's right--like a Cynic! Diogenes the Dog, founder of the Cynic school of philosophy, liked nothing better than to bask all day in the sun. Perhaps he didn't know that, by so doing, he was generating vitamin D, increasing his testosterone, heightening his serotonin, setting his Circadian clock, and extending his life. He just knew how to live best--how to live simply and in accordance with nature (an idea on which the Stoics later grounded their own philosophy). Even in the presence of a powerful king, Alexander the Great, Diogenes' time in the sun wouldn't be intruded upon. We'll talk about their legendary interaction, and the manifold benefits of basking in the sun. In venerating the sun, I hope to make of you a practicing Cynic! Support Stoicism, wellness, and all things conducive to health by subscribing to this channel. Visit my other podcasts, Finneran's Wake and Finneran's Wake For Kids for more content.

The second episode of my "Sleep Story" series, with which I hope to facilitate your transition to sleep. In this episode, I read to you an excerpt from Benjamin Disraeli's "Sybil". In it, we meet the titular character, Sybil, as she meditates on the deep, unbridgeable chasm in English society--the gap between the landed and landless, the rich and poor, the conquerors and oppressed--just before encountering the sympathetic aristocrat, Charles Egremont. Listen as long as you can. Hopefully, by its end, you're sound asleep. Leave me a five-star rating in the morning! Sweet dreams.

#sleep #bedtimestories #calm #relaxation #books “Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.”This was the first recorded episode of my "Sleep Story" series, with which I hoped, and continue to hope, to facilitate your transition to sleep. In this episode, I read to you an excerpt from Jane Austen's finest work, "Pride and Prejudice". We jump into the plot in media res: it's the moment in the story at which Lady Catherine (rather unsubtly, and with complete indecorum) tries to dissuade Elizabeth from pursuing Mr. Darcy--to whom Lady Catherine wishes to wed her own daughter. Listen as long as you can! Hopefully, by its end, you're sound asleep.When you wake, be sure to like, comment, subscribe, and, most important of all, share with a few friends. Thank you and sweet dreams!

Venerated for his authorship of the Declaration of Independence, detested for his refusal, not only during, but after his life to emancipate his slaves, Thomas Jefferson inhabits, in the minds of many, an ambivalent place. He certainly does in mine. That said, I urge you to reserve your judgment on a man from whom, all these years later, so much good advice and practical wisdom can still be gathered, especially if you've not yet thoroughly perused his written work (of which, as it happens, there are thousands of edifying pages). In this episode, I venture neither to acquit nor convict Jefferson of his numerous crimes--all committed, of the course of decades, against his poor black brethren. Perhaps, in a future episode, I will offer my verdict. For now, I wish only to expose you to his teachings as they pertain to the pursuit and acquisition of a good and well-ordered life, a topic with which we here on Pneuma chiefly concern ourselves, and about which Jefferson, a brilliant thinker, has much to say. We should listen.

“Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson Can a simple thought truly influence your destiny? Can a state of mind, so easily adopted, really make you into the person whom you want to be? Join me on this episode as we explore the power of thoughts and how they, more than anything else, help to determine your destiny. Check out my latest work, Finneran's Wake For Kids, for stories about heroes and myths by which the entire family will be delighted, entertained, and educated!

I grant you, it all sounds a little bit too "hippie" and "green", too earthy and primitive for you, my civilized and sophisticated listener, but you'll be absolutely AMAZED by how transcendent it can be to simply examine, admire, and celebrate a tree--that marvel of nature by which, almost everywhere you look, you're quietly surrounded (and, if you'll notice, made to feel quite small). Appreciating a tree, silly though it sounds, is a powerful way to practice mindfulness, to become attentive to detail, to cultivate a poetic spirit, to fall in love with nature, to feel gratitude for life, to humble oneself, to stand before and beneath something awesome, and to connect, as we too seldom do, with the earth. Go outside, find a tree, and listen to this episode (and be sure to check the mailbox before returning inside). You'll be forever changed. If nothing else, like all my other episodes on this channel, this episode has an alternative use as an excellent, non-pharmaceutical aid to sleep. Play it before going to bed for optimal effect. And when you wake, visit my new podcast, "Finneran's Wake For Kids", on which I hope to entertain and enlighten the entire family.

“O sleep! O gentle sleep! Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frighted thee, that thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down and steep my senses in forgetfulness?” - Shakespeare Let’s reacquaint ourselves with gentle sleep. Let’s return to Nature’s soft nurse, into whose cozy bosom we hasten when the night is near. Beginning at sunrise, ending at bedtime, this episode will give you simple tips to have a great night’s sleep. Sweet dreams! Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating! Visit my sister podcast, "Finneran's Wake" for stimulating talks about news, philosophy, history, and politics.

Upon allllllll the rest of the world, it seems, sleep has been bestowed. Under the soft, caressing weight of warm covers, everyone's at peace. None stirs, none moves, none frets. All have retired to that blissful realm of dreams. From you, and you alone, this welcome gift's withheld. To you alone is the slumberous gate to heaven barred. No longer. I will lead you through it. I will guide you back to sleep. By you, I'm bidden, but unbothered. I join you anytime, at any hour, wherever you are. Together, let's taste the sweet dew drops of regained sleep. Zzzzzzzz....

Every philosopher worth his salt has put forth, in one way or another, a theory of the "Good Life", and the means by which this universal goal to be obtained. In his pursuit of the "Good Life" or, Eudaimonia, each philosopher offered his unique guidance. Aristotle advised the cultivation and practice of the virtues. Aristippos suggested indulgence and sybaritic excess. Zeno encouraged a life of Stoic resolve, lived in accordance with nature. While Epicurus, our subject for today, promoted pleasure, above all else. Yet his conception of "pleasure" is not what you'd expect. Listen to this episode, and learn how to achieve the Good Life, Eudaimonia, the Epicurean way.

In America, two mass shootings have occurred in as many weeks. In all, thirty-one innocent lives have been claimed, and countless others traumatized by the dual horror to which they bore witness. In this episode, I share with you my personal reflections on these two atrocities--that by which Buffalo, NY, and that by which Uvalde, TX were plagued. I share with you how I approach and think about these events. When they occur (as inevitably they do), I seek the healing words of Seneca the Younger, William Shakespeare, Jesus, and the English Romantic poet, Charles Lamb. Theirs, I admit, is an imperfect medicine, and yet, they--more than anyone else--provide the salve by which heartache might be alleviated, and sadness lessened. My deepest condolences extend to all involved.

Notice the sweet spring breeze: In what direction is it blowing? Does it carry with it, along its airy stream, the delicious fragrance of the season, that intoxicating mix of primrose, honeysuckle, and sweet iced tea? Of lilac, saw-dust, and fresh-mowed grass? Ground your feet, gather your breath, begin to walk and...bathe in the breeze with me!

Do you hear that? It’s the sound of nature in her naked dress, her blushing innocence, her primitive form–a form from which, with all our technology, comfort, and progress, we’re so far removed. Listen to her song—it’s a masterwork of nature. It’s grander than Beethoven; more majestic than Mozart; more sublime than Debussy. All it lacks is ears, your ears, with which to appreciate its native genius... Enjoy your hike (even more!) with this guided meditation.

What is the ultimate state of being of which we’re all in pursuit? To what sort of existence do we all aspire? The answer is simple: Eudaimonia. Eudaimonia, that highest end to which every philosophical school is in service, is more than happiness, pleasure, or the base sensual gratification derived from touch or taste. It’s a state of unperturbable contentment, sober fulfilment, tranquility, virtue, and quiet bliss. It’s conformity to nature, and sincerity with oneself. And where is it found? Listen, and you’ll soon know!