Elementary: Empedocles and the Secret History of the Elements

In this episode of The Secret History of Western Esotericism podcast, Earl Fontainelle discusses Empedocles of Akragas, highlighting his multifaceted role as a philosopher, magical thinker, exponent of cosmic transformation, and sacred healer. The episode explores Empedocles' theory of the four traditional elements—fire, water, earth, and air—and how these elements intertwine with his views on magic, religious healing, and philosophy. Fontainelle delves into Empedocles' biography, his philosophical poem, and his claim of being a deathless god, as well as his teachings on magic, control of the weather, and necromancy. The discussion also covers Empedocles' cosmology, the cosmic cycle of love and strife, his belief in reincarnation, vegetarianism, critique of blood sacrifices, and the concept of humans as daimones, ultimately connecting Empedocles' ancient ideas to modern cosmological models.