Contraries and Human Existence - William Blake and Cleansing the Doors of Perception

Perception is cleansed in the struggles of life, William Blake realised, as his own life was lived between heaven and hell, innocence and experience, vision and labour. Opposites are the energy that bring the power to see through surfaces to Eternity. Blake offers maps that chart the transformation from the narrow sight of Ulro to the full embrace of divine vision.

In this talk I consider Blake's use of verse and imagery to awaken our consciousness; the critique he developed of the mechanical philosophy and the dynamics of the human psyche; erotic love and the androgenous mind; and the way he linked forgiveness, imagination and transformation - witnessed by the presence of Jesus.

This event is part of a series looking at dualities running through February 2022. More info here - https://paricenter.com/event/dualities/2022-02-05/