Save the Date: Live Chat on the Hymn of Physis (aka "Nature") 6/22/25, 2pm EDT
And a recommended (free) video!
Important Takeaways:
Later this week (definitely by June 21st), my new translation of the Orphic Hymn of Physis will drop!
June 22, 2pm EDT: Live Chat on the Hymn of Physis (and anything else that’s on your mind).
If you do one thing to prep for the Live Chat, WATCH/LISTEN TO THIS VIDEO of Bayo Akomolafe and Indy Johar in conversation about the “Planetary Self” and the Self as a Process, rather than a singular identity. It may seem somewhat removed from the topic of Orphism, but I PROMISE it is not.
A Quick Note on Greek “Physis” vs English “Nature”
I’ve used the translation “Nature” for Physis in the title of this post, but as is the case with most things Orphic, the translation of the word is complicated.
I’ll dive into some of the complexities in my forthcoming hymn translation, commentary, and Live Chat. Suffice it to say here that “Nature” doesn’t begin to capture the range of meanings evoked by the Greek term, which should more properly be translated as something along the lines of “dynamic life-producing growth.”
This emphasis on PROCESS as opposed to STATIC STATE is critical to understanding ancient notions of Physis. (And to understanding Orphism more generally, tbh.)
Hence my desire to have folks listen to this conversation between Bayo Akomolafe and Indy Johar: What Bayo and
are speaking of is a very ancient way of being in the world that helps us understand what the Orphics (and other pre-Socratic philosophers) were up to. Honestly, it is 1000% more helpful to understanding the Orphics than almost anything you’ll read on the internet, because it provides us with a sophisticated analytical framework that is not based in enlightenment humanist values of self-identity, hierarchy, and anthropocentrism.I’ll unpack how this “New Theory of the Self” relates to the Orphic Hymn of Physis in upcoming posts, but for now, just trust me and listen to these two beautiful souls speak to each other of the hope and new modes of agency to be found in thinking of ourselves in terms of planetary entanglements, rather than isolated identities.
Hope to see you in the Live Chat on June 22!
✨✨ Kristin