Perennial Wisdom

Feb 13 2025 226 ep. 42 mins 33
Perennial Wisdom Podcast artwork

Perennial Wisdom (formerly In Search of Wisdom) is a podcast for seekers and curious minds. Join the search with J.W. Bertolotti (creator of the Perennial Meditations newsletter) to discover practical wisdom from philosophical and spiritual traditions. Learn more at perennial.substack.com.

  Society & Culture  Religion & Spirituality
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The Self-Directed Life - Making Sense of Free Will with Ken Sheldon

Feb 13 2025 39 mins  
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, my guest is Ken Sheldon, author of Freely Determined. Ken is a psychology researcher and professor; his areas of study are positive psychology, motivation, and well-being. Today, you can expect to learn the complex interplay between free will, determinis

How to Live - The Life and Philosophy of Socrates | Perennial Lives

Feb 12 2025 9 mins  
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we search for lessons from the life and philosophy of Socrates. Expect to learn the key to simple living, the role of testing your assumptions, and much more. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNDsjS8smf0&t=337s--- 🖇️ Stay

The Philosophy of Gratitude - An Ancient Guide to a Grateful Life

Feb 08 2025 15 mins  
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of the Perennial Wisdom podcast, we search for insights into the nature of suffering, gratitude, and the good life. Expect to learn why the Buddha said, “Life is suffering,” along with what philosophers and theologians can teach about gratitude and meditating on one’s

The Paradox of Emotions - Why Bad Feelings Make Life Good

Jan 31 2025 14 mins  
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we explore the paradoxical lessons on the nature of emotions. Expect to learn why “negative” emotions are not obstacles to the “good” life. The problem with psychological rigidity and the wisdom (and practice) of being open to life. 📺 Watch on

"How to Live to Oneself" | Bonus Contemplation with Montaigne

Jan 26 2025 6 mins  
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, I share a short guided contemplation inspired by the Essays of Michel de Montaigne. It's part of a new series on the podcast and the Perennial Meditations YouTube Channel.📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN9pA_P38JE---💀 Subscribe

How to Live (and Die) Like an Epicurean - The Philosophy of Pleasure

Jan 25 2025 13 mins  
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, we explore the ancient philosophy of pleasure (Epicureanism) to find three lessons for modern living. Expect to learn what the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus thought about having enough, friendship, and the art of dying well.📺 Watch on YouTube: ht

"Think of Yourself as Dead" | Bonus Contemplation with Marcus Aurelius

Jan 19 2025 5 mins  
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, I share a short guided contemplation inspired by Marcus Aurelius's Meditations. It's part of a new series on the podcast and the Perennial Meditations YouTube Channel. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KNZQ5INN9A&t=2s---💀 Sub

"One Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy" | Bonus Contemplation with Albert Camus

Jan 12 2025 6 mins  
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, I share a short guided contemplation inspired by Albert Camus's The Myth of Sisyphus. It's part of a new series here on the podcast and the Perennial Meditations YouTube Channel. ---💀 Subscribe to Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year) on Apple Podcasts

How to Find Meaning in the Mundane

Jan 11 2025 14 mins  
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode of Perennial Wisdom, I explore the challenges of creating meaning in the mundane aspects of life. The episode is delivered in a video essay format (Watch on YouTube here). Expect to learn the role of courage in creation, how to accept the eternal truths of life, and what it

A Look Back at 2024 | Anxiety, Big Questions, and Losing Ourselves

Jan 02 2025 49 mins  
📮 Want tools for the art of living? Sign up here: https://perennial.substack.com/subscribeWelcome back to the podcast, and happy new year to you all! Today, we’re pausing to revisit a few episodes from last year. This is not necessarily a “best of” collection; it’s just a few clips that I found particularly insightful or helpful. In the first clip, you’ll hear a portio