Beshara Magazine | Unity in the Contemporary World

Beshara Magazine

Beshara Magazine provides a platform for intelligent and thought-provoking material embodying a unifying perspective. Its concern is not with one particular field of activity, but with unitative ideas and initiatives as they arise in many different areas of contemporary thought – for example, within the spiritual traditions, the sciences, the arts, economics and finance, as well as in our developing understanding of the environment and the fundamentals of well-being. Visit: http://www.besharamagazine.org Music credit: Chris Brierley

Episodes

  1. Apr 24

    Clare Carlisle: Transcendence for Beginners

    Clare Carlisle is Professor of Philosophy at King's College London, and author of the recently published book Transcendence for Beginners. For Clare, philosophy is not just an academic discipline, but about the way we choose to live our lives and conduct ourselves in the world. She is especially interested in the way that human beings can embody wisdom and goodness, and how our lives, in the way they unfold and the shape they make, reflect the whole of the cosmos. She sees the literary genre of biography as a useful way of exploring these themes, and amongst her eight published books are the acclaimed lives of Spinoza, Kierkegaard and George Eliot. She is currently President of the British Society for Philosophy of Religion, and in 2024 was invited to give the prestigious Gifford Lectures at the University of St Andrews. These lectures became the source for Transcendence for Beginners.

    47 min

  2. Feb 27

    Mark Williams: Mindfulness Meditation: Finding Peace in a Chaotic World

    Professor Mark Williams is a clinical psychologist and Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Oxford, and the co-developer of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Originally designed to help with chronic depression, this has found wide acceptance among the general public interested in understanding the workings of the mind to bring about a greater sense of well-being and relief from the triggers that cause mental distress. Mark has also played a leading role in bringing mindfulness into mainstream clinical practice and public health, including its adoption within the UK's National Health Service. One of his more recent books that he co-authored is Deeper Mindfulness: The New Way to Rediscover Calm in a Chaotic World.

    1h 3m

  3. 12/02/2025

    Alastair McIntosh: Riders on the Storm - Climate, Community and the Survival of Being

    Alastair McIntosh is a Scottish writer, theologian, and environmental activist whose work bridges spirituality, ecology, and social change. He is also a Quaker who is deeply committed to nonviolence at every level of life. Raised on the Isle of Lewis, he draws on the deep stories of his Hebridian upbringing to explore belonging, community, and the sacredness of place. Alistair has been a key figure in Scottish land reform, contributing to movements like the Isle of Eigg community buyout and the campaign against the Harris Superquarry. He is the author of Soil and Soul and Poacher's Pilgrimage, books that blend activism with myth, imagination, and the inner life. Poacher's Pilgrimage was the subject of a Magazine article back in 2017. His latest book is Riders on the Storm, where he addresses climate science and the debates around it, and the human response required to meet the challenge.

    58 min

  4. 11/21/2025

    Lisa Petersen: Somatics and the Wisdom of the Body

    Lisa Petersen is a yoga and somatics educator whose work blends embodied anatomy, therapeutic practice, and spiritual inquiry. Drawing on Hanna Somatics, Body-Mind Centering, and over twenty years of collaboration with Donna Farhi, she teaches an inside-out approach to yoga that restores natural movement and deepens awareness. Lisa's method emphasizes nervous system repatterning, embodied presence, and trust in the body's innate wisdom. Through her organization Living Yoga, she leads trainings and retreats worldwide, guiding students toward integration, healing and wholeness through mindful, somatic exploration and the lived experience of breath, movement, and consciousness. Lisa offers various forms of training, both in person and online, and you can discover more about her and her teachings on her website, living-yoga.ie. You can also find Lisa on Instagram at livingyogalisapetersen.

    56 min

  5. 10/10/2025

    LD Deutsch: Time, Myth & Matter: Essays on the Natures and Narratives of Reality

    LD Deutsch is a writer based in Los Angeles and holds an MA in Religious Studies. Her work focuses on time, consciousness, technology, mythology and the fall of the materialist paradigm. Laura's first book, "Time, Myth & Matter: Essays on the Natures and Narratives of Reality," was published by Sacred Bones Books in May 2025, and is available in bookstores in the US, UK and Europe.

    58 min

  6. 08/21/2025

    Colin Tudge: Enlightened Agriculture, Enlightened Cooking, and The Great Rethink

    Colin Tudge is known for his influential work on food, agriculture, and ecology. A former journalist for the BBC, New Scientist, The Listener, and The Independent, he has authored numerous books, including The Variety of Life, Feeding People is Easy, and The Great Rethink. He is a passionate advocate for “enlightened agriculture” — farming that is sustainable, equitable, and rooted in ecological principles. He co-founded the Campaign for Real Farming and the Oxford Real Farming Conference along with Ruth West, which promote alternative, regenerative food systems. In 'The Great Re-Think', Colin Tudge argues for a global renaissance driven by ordinary people to address societal and ecological collapse. This involves rethinking everything based on morality, ecology, metaphysics, and the arts to build convivial societies within a flourishing biosphere. Prince William says, in support of these efforts, "If we as a society are to meet the challenges ahead, it will be about learning from the land and those who tend it with wisdom and humility". And, "[R]egenerative farming is not a fringe alternative. It must be a foundation stone for British agriculture to help us rebuild the health of our nation."

    46 min

  7. 07/04/2025

    Mark Vernon: Awake! William Blake and the power of the imagination

    Mark Vernon is a British author, psychotherapist, and speaker whose work explores the intersections of spirituality, philosophy, and the inner life. With a background in theology, physics, and philosophy, he brings a rich, interdisciplinary approach to questions of meaning, consciousness, and human flourishing. He is also known for his writings on friendship, depth psychology, and the revival of ancient wisdom in contemporary life. A central focus of his recent work is the visionary poet and artist William Blake, whose insights into imagination, the soul, and spiritual awakening Vernon illuminates for a modern audience. His book, called "Awake: William Blake and the power of the imagination," will be in bookstores in the UK in June, and in the US in September, 2025.

    43 min
  • 7 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Beshara Magazine provides a platform for intelligent and thought-provoking material embodying a unifying perspective. Its concern is not with one particular field of activity, but with unitative ideas and initiatives as they arise in many different areas of contemporary thought – for example, within the spiritual traditions, the sciences, the arts, economics and finance, as well as in our developing understanding of the environment and the fundamentals of well-being. Visit: http://www.besharamagazine.org Music credit: Chris Brierley

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