{"podcast":{"title":"Wisdom of the Masters","slug":"wisdom-of-the-masters-2534212","podcast_index_feed_id":2534212,"rss_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/49a54198/podcast/rss","website_url":"https://vivekahermitage.com/","image_url":"https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/production/podcast_uploaded/12255670/12255670-1611627498895-d3757aae969eb.jpg","author":"Samaneri Jayasara","episode_count":458,"summary":"These podcasts are designed to provide listeners with teachings from great spiritual Masters & to create a meditative mood so that the meaning can go deep & enter your heart. These podcasts are not monetized & are purely for educational & spiritual purposes. If you enjoy & benefit from these recordings you are welcome to contribute to the daily running costs of our hermitage to support the nuns. Donations/gifts for this purpose can be made via PayPal: https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage or WISE: wise.com/pay/me/margarets448 vivekahermitage.com www.youtube.com/c/SamaneriJayasara/featured","last_synced_at":"2026-06-25T10:17:14.163519+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/wisdom-of-the-masters-2534212"},"episode":{"title":"Philo of Alexandria ~ Pure Being","slug":"philo-of-alexandria-pure-being","published_at":"2026-02-01T03:48:24+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/wisdom-of-the-masters-2534212/philo-of-alexandria-pure-being","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/wisdom-of-the-masters-2534212","url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jayasara0/episodes/Philo-of-Alexandria--Pure-Being-e3efb7v","audio_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/49a54198/podcast/play/114846399/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-1-1%2Fe2633f20-2485-90f9-c227-07f48edfb41f.mp3","summary":"Philo of Alexandria (c. 20 BCE – c. 50 CE) was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher and mystic who lived in Alexandria, one of the great intellectual centers of the ancient world. Deeply rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures and equally fluent in Greek philosophy—especially Plato and the Stoics—Philo sought to show that true philosophy and authentic revelation were ultimately one. Philo’s distinctive contribution lies in his mystical interpretation of Scripture. Reading the Torah allegorically, he taught that beneath its literal narratives lies a spiritual map of the soul’s journey toward God. Biblical figures such as Abraham, Moses, and Jacob symbolize inner states of awakening, purification, and union. For Philo, the highest purpose of human life is not ethical conformity alone, but direct experiential knowledge of God. Central to his mysticism is the idea of ecstasy (ekstasis)—a state in which the soul transcends discursive thought and is lifted beyond itself into divine illumination. In this condition, the ordinary mind falls silent and the soul becomes receptive to God’s presence. Philo insists that such knowledge cannot be grasped by reason or language, but is given through divine grace when the egoic self is relinquished. 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings. 🔆 This podcast is not monetized through advertising and the like. Thank you to everyone who has written to inquire about offering a donation or gift. You are welcome to do so, and all offerings will go towards supporting monastic requisites and overheads at Viveka Hermitage. There are two options to donate using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPalor using this link: https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage Alternatively, donations can al…","meta_description":"Philo of Alexandria (c. 20 BCE – c. 50 CE) was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher and mystic who lived in Alexandria, one of the great intellectual centers…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1538,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/wisdom-of-the-masters-2534212/episodes/philo-of-alexandria-pure-being/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/wisdom-of-the-masters-2534212/philo-of-alexandria-pure-being.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}