quite the most beautiful conversation!
Source: Dr Iain McGilchrist
Asymmetrical Reconciliation with Andrea Hiott and Iain McGilchrist
7 May 2024
Relative to Dr McGilchrist’s work, in this video we discuss the coincidence of opposites, William Blake’s ladder as a spiral and its significance. We explore flow as asymmetry & the whirlpool of unity that is existence. We ultimately relate this to the power of poetry to touch us in wholeness without saying oppositions directly–we discuss his poetry series during Covid and the beautiful first and last poems of that series by the wonderful Kathleen Raine.
It becomes a very moving and powerful conversation and I am very thankful for it. About Andrea Hiott: Andrea is a philosopher and advises various organizations such as Holon Labs and the Active Inference Institute. She is an author of numerous books linking mind and movement, and has long worked in areas of mobility. She is part of the Ecological Motoring Initiative, an organization which tries to imagine what forms of motoring and movement can meet the needs of the living planet within its means. She did her undergraduate work on Hegel and David Bohm. She has a Master degree in Neuroscience and her PhD is on Way-making, a new philosophy of mind. She is also the host of the Love & Philosophy series, Beyond Dichotomy, Forever Motoring, and the Desirable Unknown.
This engaging conversation delves deep into the philosophical and neurological exploration of asymmetry, flow, and the unity within the diversity of existence. Through the metaphor of a whirlpool, the intricate dance between differentiation and integration within consciousness and existence is discussed. Beginning with the enchanting metaphor of a whirlpool as emblematic of life’s flow and transient nature, participants ponder how limitations and resistances give birth to beauty and form, tying this seamlessly to human existence. They explore the significance of asymmetry in the brain, the importance of intuition, imagination, and the dangers of a narcissistically driven society dominated by left-hemisphere thinking. The discussion touches on themes of poetry, nature, the sacred, and ultimately, the interconnectedness of life, suggesting that recognizing and embracing these connections enriches our understanding and experience of the world. The conversation sensitively concludes with reflections on life, death, and the perpetual influence of our existence on the flow of the universal consciousness.