All for One, and One for All: Parmenides of Elea

In this episode of The Secret History of Western Esotericism Podcast, Earl Fontainelle introduces Parmenides, a pre-Socratic philosopher considered the father of Western metaphysics, focusing on his ideas about Being. The episode explores Parmenides' poem, its structure, and the significance of the proem featuring a chariot journey guided by goddesses. Fontainelle delves into Parmenides' concept of the "Way of Truth" and "Way of Seeming," discussing the nature of Being as ungenerated, imperishable, and one, contrasting interpretations of predicational versus existential being. The podcast further examines the esoteric elements within Parmenides' work, such as the journey to the underworld for knowledge, incubation practices, and the influence of mystery cult traditions, and concludes with Parmenides' impact on Plato and Western esoteric thought.