In a time when many feel adrift in a sea of information, distraction, and existential confusion, John Vervaeke’s lecture series Awakening from the Meaning Crisis arrives like a lighthouse cutting through the fog. Vervaeke, a cognitive scientist and professor at the University of Toronto, brings a rare and powerful fusion to the table: rigorous philosophy, the archetypal depth of mythology, and a contemplative, meditative awareness rooted in cognitive science. The result is a deeply interdisciplinary and utterly compelling exploration of one of the central dilemmas of modern life—our collective loss of meaning.
Spanning 50 rich and intellectually vibrant episodes, Awakening from the Meaning Crisis functions not only as a sweeping history of Western thought, but also as a guide through the labyrinth of our own minds and cultural assumptions. Vervaeke charts a path from the ancient wisdom of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle through the spiritual architecture of the Axial Age, into the rise of modernity, and eventually into the disintegration of shared meaning that characterizes much of contemporary culture.
But this isn’t your average history of philosophy. What makes Vervaeke’s work so groundbreaking is how he connects these philosophical evolutions to the way we think, act, and feel today. He invites viewers to consider how cognitive science—particularly insights about attention, relevance realization, and self-transcendence—can illuminate both our personal and collective crises. Along the way, he draws from Buddhist traditions, Neoplatonism, Christian mysticism, and even the cutting edge of psychedelic research, always weaving them together into a cohesive and actionable framework.
What sets Vervaeke apart is not only his depth of knowledge but also his passion. He is an engaging, even theatrical, lecturer—clearly animated by the ideas he’s exploring. His enthusiasm is infectious. He doesn’t merely teach; he invites, provokes, and at times, even seems to wrestle with the material in real-time. For those of us who care deeply about the inner life—about wisdom, transformation, and the pursuit of something beyond empty materialism—this series can feel less like a lecture and more like a conversation with a trusted mentor.
As a fan, I found myself not only intellectually stimulated but emotionally and spiritually moved. Vervaeke doesn’t just chart the descent into crisis—he offers a vision of awakening, a call to integrate ancient practices of wisdom cultivation with modern scientific understanding.
Whether you’re a philosopher at heart, a seeker of spiritual depth, or simply someone wondering why things feel so broken and what might come next, Awakening from the Meaning Crisis is essential viewing. It’s one of the most profound and important lecture series available online, and it just might help you begin your own journey toward meaning.
