This month’s episode of Samsara Audio features a conversation with (PhD, Columbia) who writes about continental philosophy, science, and the book of Genesis at her Substack. Cleo has taught and published for decades about the psychology of religion, the anthropology of ritual, and the reading of the Abrahamic Scriptures. Cleo is a sister in Christ and an esteemed colleague, so I’m particularly delighted to share this conversation with you.

Right out of the gate we get to hear Cleo’s critiques of Rene Girard, before we transition to explore the virgin Mary’s sacrifice and her role in overseeing Christ’s passage from the imaginary to the symbolic. Cleo deftly guides us through a theory of sacrifice, as well as through the differences between the priest and the shaman, including her belief that the prophet is a sub-type of the shaman. Finally, she briefly provokes us with a suggestion about Deleuze’s value for theological work.

I highly recommend Cleo’s book The Virgin Mary, Monotheism, and Sacrifice.

Samsara Audio is the audio vision of Samsara Diagnostics, a newsletter about religion, philosophy, and psychoanalysis. Subscribe for free, or sign up for a paid subscription to support my ongoing work.

Time Stamps:

00:00 Intro

01:53 Critiquing Girard: Delving into Mimetic Theory and Sacrifice

06:58 Marian Sacrifice vs. Abrahamic Sacrifice: A Theological Exploration

15:38 Mary's Role and Theology: A Deep Dive into Marian Dogmas

23:46 Vatican II and Its Impact on Catholic Doctrine

31:18 Ecumenical Dialogues and Personal Journeys of Faith

38:52 Exploring Liturgical Energy and Sacrifice

39:06 The Role of Sacraments and Liturgy Across Traditions

40:43 Diving Into Theology: Eucharist and Church Divides

42:37 Anthropological Perspectives on Sacrifice

45:04 The Symbolic and the Real: Navigating Tradition

52:07 Mary's Role and the Question of Sacrifice

57:07 Shamanism and Ritual: A Personal Journey

59:27 Shamanism vs. Priesthood: Understanding Different Roles

01:07:06 The Challenge of Sharing Esoteric Insights

01:11:42 Deleuze's Contribution to Theological Thought

01:17:33 Final Thoughts and Future Conversations

This week Samsara Audio welcomes Mark Gerard Murphy, author of The Direction of Desire: John of the Cross, Jacques Lacan, and the Contemporary Understanding of Spiritual Direction. Mark teaches mysticism, psychoanalysis, and continental philosophy at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, and is also actively involved in spiritual direction within the Roman Catholic Church.

Together we explored the integration of Lacanian psychoanalysis into the Christian tradition of spiritual direction, particularly exploring Mark’s critique of “experientialism” which pushes back against the heavy emphasis that contemporary spirituality places on experiences and affects, arguing instead for a renewed focus on the power of speech, both in listening and speaking.

We also discuss what the figure of Teresa of Avila can contribute to our understanding of disruptive speech and community, and why Mark contends that we must place negativity within the context of Teresa’s cosmic optimism. Finally, don’t miss Mark’s beautiful argument for the value of prayer precisely in its uselessness!

This conversation touched on a number of questions that run deeply through my own work, so I’m excited to share it with you. I love that Mark is wrestling with the vital question of how to bring the insights from psychoanalysis into pastoral theology to be mobilized within the ecclesial context for the formation of Christian disciples. This dialogue is only just the beginning!

Samsara Audio hosts conversations about religion, philosophy, and psychoanalysis. Follow us at Substack or listen on your favorite podcasting app. I also write regularly at Samsara Diagnostics (subscribe for free), and offer a free online community Samsara Study Groups. Currently we’re reading Kitaro Nishida’s An Inquiry into the Good. Don’t be shy about joining us!

This week I’m excited to share a conversation I had with Daniel Tutt, a Marxist and psychoanalytic theorist, and also a professor of philosophy at George Washington University, about his recently published book How to Read like a Parasite: How the Left got High on Nietzsche.

His book provides a much needed intervention in Nietzsche studies by rigorously insisting on reading Nietzsche in his political context as an enemy of the socialist and Marxist movements for equality in his time. Daniel also helped me work through some questions I had related to Marxism and egalitarianism. What especially stood out to me was the way in which access to active leisure posed a key battleground for both Nietzsche and Marx.

You can purchase Tutt’s new book here (affiliate link), as well as check out how to support him and his work over at his Patreon. I’m personally a subscriber at Daniel’s Patreon, and I benefit from his interviews with prominent thinkers in Marxism, psychoanalysis, and more.

Books recommended by Daniel near the end of the podcast:

* Nietzsche's Political Economy by Dimitri Safronov

* Deconstructing Postmodernist Nietzscheanism: Deleuze and Foucault by Jan Rehmann (affiliate link)

As always, don’t forget to subscribe to Samsara Audio to get new episodes directly in your inbox, and you can also follow my free monthly newsletter on religion, philosophy, and psychoanalysis at Samsara Diagnostics. Thanks!

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction and Overview

01:50 Introducing Daniel Tutt

02:10 Exploring Nietzsche's Relationship with the Left

03:23 Daniel Tutt's Personal Journey with Nietzsche

04:42 Nietzsche's Influence on Young Intellectuals

06:26 Nietzsche's Political Context and Opposition to Equality Movements

09:12 The Role of Nietzsche in Modern Society

12:49 The Problem with Rights Framework

15:01 The Struggle for Equality and Freedom in Nietzsche's Philosophy

18:35 The Role of Nietzsche in the Formation of Modern Society

34:45 The Problem of Egalitarianism and Excellence

45:57 Revisiting Aristotle and Marx: The Question of Leisure

46:26 The Role of Leisure in Socialism and Liberalism

47:09 The Impact of Capitalism on Social Class and Marriage

48:24 Nietzsche's Views on Tradition and Hierarchy

49:25 The Cultural Impact of Capitalism and the Importance of Leisure

50:24 Nietzsche's Opposition to the American Revolution's Promise of Happiness

52:04 The Practical Implications of Capitalism and the Need for Change

53:56 The Role of Nietzsche in Understanding Political Myths

55:02 The American Dream: A Myth or a Possibility?

56:37 The Struggle for Stability and Human Flourishing in a Capitalist Society

57:59 The Oppressive Norms of Capitalism and the Need for Change

01:01:34 The Role of Nietzsche in Understanding and Overcoming Resentment

01:06:18 The Influence of Nietzsche on Various Communities

01:09:06 The Importance of Active Leisure in a Communist Society

01:14:18 The Need for Rationality and Expression in Politics

01:17:51 Closing Remarks and Future Projects

01:19:18 The Intersection of Freud and Marx in Understanding Society