Episode 5: Fake beans

In the Orchard with Muskan

In this episode, Bicerin is proud to present a newly published book! The Orchard Cycle, by Muskan Bhatia. Is pain necessary for creativity? Can we sit our emotion and just let them flow? Is joy in simple things? These are the questions our team at Bicerin had when we first read the draft, making our feelings grow like fruits in a garden. With us, Muskan shares the personal journey behind the poetry, from solitude and self-discovery to the courage of naming emotions many of us never learned to understand. Together, we reflect on art, suffering, forgiveness, family, freedom, and whether creativity can truly heal the heart. More About Muskan Link to the book - The Orchard Cycle [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orchard-Cycle-Ms-Muskan-Bhatia/dp/B0GWD5L795] Bicerin - Introducing Muskan Bhatia [https://www.bicerin-literature.co.uk/introducing-muskan-bhatia/]

Episode 8: Myth, Eros and different ways of knowing

Episode 8: Myths, Eros and the Search for Truth Life is like a simple biscuit. We often see it as something broken in two, divided between ego and unity, reason and feeling, self and other- its nature, though, is whole. In this episode of Bicerin [https://www.bicerin-literature.co.uk/], the three of us — Simon Wilson [https://ckhh.org.uk/our-people/staff-profile/dr-simon-wilson], Edward, and Antonello — explore myth, consciousness, and ways of knowing that move beyond pure logic. Beginning with Plato’s Symposium [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symposium_(Plato)] and the philosophy of Eros, we reflect on how creativity is born from longing, how symbols shape human understanding, and why storytelling may reveal truths that reason alone cannot reach. What is the difference between myth and logos? Are some stories closer to truth than others? Has modern society replaced sacred myths with material ones like money, status, and identity? Through Greek philosophy, spirituality, and art, we consider whether myth is not fantasy, but a bridge back to wholeness. At one point, a simple biscuit becomes our metaphor: though it may appear broken in two, its nature was once whole. Perhaps reality is the same. For listeners drawn to philosophy, metaphysics, creativity, and the search for truth in a secular age, this conversation invites you to look again and perhaps see differently. 🔗 References & Further Reading: * 📘 ⁠Phaedrus – by Plato [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaedrus_(dialogue)] * 📘The Iliad by Homer [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Iliad-epic-poem-by-Homer] * 🔥 The Sacred and the Profane [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sacred-Profane-Nature-Religion-Harvest/dp/015679201X] by Mircea Eliade [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mircea_Eliade] * 🧠Man and His Symbols – by Carl Jung [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Jung] * 🧩Meditations on First Philosophy – by René Descartes [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rene-Descartes] * See episode 7 [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5mRDzPK6JbWbFWLwz1LMPp?si=JlvkbugdQ7aVgTPctt2hcg] to know more about Simon!

Episode 7: Worship, obedience and love

🎙️ Episode 7 — Love, Obedience & the Paradox of God with Simon Wilson What is love when it can’t be commanded? What is obedience when it isn’t submission? And what happens when theology stops giving answers—and starts asking better questions? In this episode, we’re joined by Simon Wilson [https://canterbury.academia.edu/SWilson], Senior Lecturer in Theology, Philosophy, and Religion at Canterbury Christ Church University, for a wide-ranging, lyrical conversation on love, worship, obedience, paradox, and mystery—as lived experiences rather than abstract doctrines. Drawing from Christian mystical theology, Eastern Orthodox thought, philosophy, art, myth, and even pantomime (yes, really), we explore love not as sentiment or morality, but as eros—a deep, ontological yearning for communion. A force that does not erase otherness, but dances with it. Along the way, we question: * * Whether love is union, relationship, or both at once * * Why paradox may be closer to truth than logic * * How obedience emerges from love rather than fear * * Why God, if taken seriously, refuses definition * * And whether suffering, devotion, and freedom are inseparable companions This is not an episode that explains God. It sits with God. Listens. Argues. Laughs nervously. And keeps going. Perfect for listeners interested in: philosophy of religion, Christian mysticism, Eastern Orthodox theology, love and paradox, faith and obedience, myth, art and spirituality, and alternative ways of knowing. 🔗 Useful Links & References * Simon Wilson Canterbury Christ Church University – Theology, Philosophy & Religion [https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/people/simon-wilson] Centre for Kent History and Heritage [https://ckhh.org.uk/our-people/staff-profile/dr-simon-wilson] * Gregory of Nyssa [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_of_Nyssa] Early Christian theologian and mystic — concept of epektasis (endless longing toward God) * Dionysius the Areopagite (Pseudo-Dionysius) Mystical theology, divine mystery, and love as cosmic overflow * Key Concepts Mentioned * Eros, Agape, and ancient Greek understandings of love * Paradox and apophatic (negative) theology * Love as communion without absorption * Faith as a way of knowing, not blind belief * Recommended Reading * The Life of Moses — Gregory of Nyssa [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Life-of-Moses] * The Mystical Theology — Pseudo-Dionysius * The Darkness of God — Denys Turner If this episode unsettled you, good. If it contradicts you, even better. Leave a comment. Love demands response.

Episode 6: Beans fact sheet

Stories That Shape Us: Literature, Identity, and the Art of Being Human In this richly layered episode, we sit down with Michael Flavin [https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/michael-flavin] — novelist, award-winning short-story writer, and Reader in Global Education at King’s College London — to explore why stories are the secret architecture of human meaning. From Hamlet’s existential murmurings to the living legacy of the Northern Irish Troubles [https://www.britannica.com/event/The-Troubles-Northern-Ireland-history], Michael guides us through the power of literature to keep history alive, to confront us with ourselves, and to reveal the truths we’d rather avoid. We discuss his acclaimed novel One Small Step [https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Small-Step-Michael-Flavin/dp/1839194685], the influence of works like Hisham Matar’s In the Country of Men and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird on child narrators, and the enduring weight of books that mirror our own private confusions and contradictions. Expect detours into Boccaccio’s Decameron, Chaucer, Manzoni’s The Betrothed, Joyce’s Ulysses, and even the unsettling brilliance of Red Riding Hood — all in service of understanding why stories shape us more profoundly than instruction ever can. 🔗 References & Further Reading: Michael Flavin – Profile at King’s College London [https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/michael-flavin?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Technology Enhanced Learning and Higher Education [echnology-Enhanced Learning and Higher Education] * Disruptive Innovation and Technology Enhanced Learning [https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/disruptive-innovation-and-technology-enhanced-learning/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Upcoming Book: Long is the way * One small step - Amazon Purchase Link [https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Small-Step-Michael-Flavin/dp/1839194685] In the Country of Men [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Country_of_Men] – Hisham Matar The Decameron [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decameron] – Giovanni Boccaccio The Betrothed [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Betrothed_(Manzoni_novel)] – Alessandro Manzoni

Episode 5: Fake beans

🎙️ When Truth Becomes Optional — A Conversation with Gavin Esler What happens when lies become the norm and truth turns negotiable? In this powerful episode, journalist and BBC veteran Gavin Esler [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavin_Esler] unpacks the global crisis of truth decay — the erosion of trust in politics, media, and leadership. From Boris Johnson’s “dead cat” strategy to the rise of digital echo chambers, Esler exposes how misinformation has reshaped our democracies and fractured public discourse. This is not just about politics — it’s about storytelling, ethics, and the stories we choose to believe. Discover how education, media literacy, and civic courage can help rebuild the fragile bond between citizens and truth. Perfect for fans of The Rest Is Politics, The Daily, and anyone seeking clarity in the chaos. 📚 Featured Guest: Gavin Esler — author of Britain Is Better Than This 🔗 References & Further Reading: * 📘 Britain Is Better Than This [https://www.waterstones.com/book/britain-is-better-than-this/gavin-esler/9781804547731] — Gavin Esler (Waterstones) * 🖋️ Gavin Esler’s official website — gavinesler.com [https://www.gavinesler.com] * 📰 RAND Corporation report on “Truth Decay” — rand.org/research/projects/truth-decay.html [https://www.rand.org/research/projects/truth-decay.html] * 💭 Hein de Haas [https://heindehaas.org/], author of How Migration Really Works, reminds us: “Facts rarely change minds, but stories do — and that’s why the truth must be told as powerfully as the lie.” #GavinEsler #TruthDecay #PoliticsPodcast #MediaEthics #Democracy #FakeNews #PublicTrust #BBC #Journalism #Disinformation #PoliticalCulture #HeinDeHaas