Core Message

True enchantment comes from recognizing and living within the deep meaning that exists in the world independent of ourselves. Modern society has lost touch with this enchanted worldview, but it can be recovered through intentional practices and a renewed way of seeing.

The point cannot be overstated: the world is not what we think it is. It is so much weirder. It is so much darker. It is so, so much brighter and more beautiful. We do not create meaning; meaning is already there, waiting to be discovered.

Fate would be fated; dreams desire to sleep.
This the forsaken will not understand.
Arthur upon the road began to weep And said to Gawen, "Remember when this hand Once haled a sword from stone; now no less strong
It cannot dream of such a thing to do."
-Richard Wilbur, "Merlin Enthralled"

Key Themes

The Nature of Enchantment

"True enchantment is simply living within the confident belief that there is deep meaning to life, meaning that exists in the world independent of ourselves. It is living with faith to know that meaning and commune with it."

Enchantment isn't about creating meaning, but discovering the meaning that already exists.

The WEIRD Modern Mind

"Western people are far outliers on the spectrum of human experience, both historically and geographically. The way we see the world is very different from the way our own premodern ancestors saw it."

Modern Western society has developed a uniquely disenchanted view of reality.

The Role of Beauty

"Beauty offers us those moments of epiphany in which the fundamental unity and purpose of the world appear to us. It is also a bridge to the world of the transcendent and ultimately to God."

Beauty serves as a portal through which enchantment passes to us.

Prayer and Attention

"Paying attention is a form of love... Prayer must involve the body, have a rule and order, engage with scripture, and be continuous."

Cultivating attention through prayer is essential for perceiving the enchanted nature of reality.

The Medium is the Message

"The message of the internet—the virtual world that frames the world we all live in—is that life is filled with almost infinite choices, electronic rabbit trails we can follow for endless hours, and online communities where we can discover the facsimile of companionship without ever leaving our chairs."

McLuhan's insight that "the medium is the message" reveals how modern technology shapes not just what we think, but how we think and live. The primary effects of a medium are more significant than its content.

The Failure of Individualized Religion

"The kids have been raised in a culture of radical individualism, therapy, and you-do-you self-fulfillment. What they don't know, but will one day find out, is that a religion you make up yourself has no power to enchant. A religion designed to serve one's perceived needs is unavoidably self-worship."

True enchantment requires submission to something greater than ourselves, not the crafting of personalized spirituality.

Key Insights

  • The world is stranger, darker, and more beautiful than we imagine
  • Modern distractions often prevent us from seeing deeper meaning
  • Engaging with nature mindfully can restore our sense of wonder
  • Beauty reveals God's nature and truth
  • Prayer and attention are essential practices for living in wonder