First Creatures

Ep. 8: Where Humans Always Already Are

Contemplation is something we tend to think of ancient Greek philosophers or medieval monks doing, not as something a modern person would do unless they were especially religious or erudite. In this episode, Ellen invites us to consider that contemplation may actually belong to all of us, like a birthright, and that it may bring a happiness and freedom we might have been seeking elsewhere. After exploring the meaning of the word--from modern day usage, to a 12th century Scotsman's formulation, to the word's Latin and Greek origins--Ellen suggests a few simple ways we can all start to incorporate contemplation into our busy, modern, perhaps secular lives. To learn more about First Creatures, visit firstcreatures.com [https://firstcreatures.com].

Ep. 7: Time without a face

What time is it? That such a bizarre question has become commonplace shows how thoroughly we have internalized the clock and accepted it as reality. It's hard to think of time in any way other than minutes and seconds, which has made us as a species incredibly productive (and a bit neurotic) over the last several centuries. In this episode, Ellen explores how this miraculous invention took hold of our minds, and how we might wriggle free. References: Technics and Civilization (1934) by Lewis Mumford Revolution in Time (1983) by David S. Landes The Relevance of the Beautiful (1977) by Hans-Georg Gadamer Cello Concerto in B minor, op. 104 (1895) by Antonín Dvořák More info: https://firstcreatures.com/podcast

Ep. 6: Ad tendere

Many of us wrestle with our attention, struggling to read a book or even watch a TV show without picking up our phones. But what if the way we talk about attention is making things worse? What if we are cheapening something that is sacred? In this episode, Ellen discusses three inspiring ways of thinking about attention, and why it's worth it to make the effort. https://firstcreatures.com/podcast

Ep. 5: It makes you wonder

What does wondering have to do with wonder? In this episode, Ellen explores the relationship between the two--how one can lead to the other, and vice versa--and why it's important to do both. Learn more at https://firstcreatures.com/podcast [https://firstcreatures.com/podcast].

Ep. 4: Games to play inside your head

Did you ever play games as a kid that didn't require any special equipment or the ability to move around? Games that you could play on endless car trips or while waiting in a long line? Such games were our primary line of defense against boredom back in the days before smartphones. Now that we're adults (adults with smartphones, no less), could it still be beneficial to have a few games like this up our sleeve? In this episode, Ellen Riccio describes four games and activities you can play inside your head, all by yourself, when you want to get out of your head. These games gently coax you out of your thought loop and into having a conversation with the world. The games: (5:45) A Hundred Years From Now (14:35) The Documentary Game (20:50) This is Not a Tree (28:55) A Poem To learn more, and to support the podcast, visit our website [https://firstcreatures.com/podcast].