Podcast Summary

Philosophy For Our Times

Episode: The Search for Higher States of Consciousness
Guest: Dr. Jessica Frazier (Lecturer in Theology and Religion, Oxford University)
Date: January 13, 2026
Main Theme: Exploring how philosophical, psychological, and spiritual traditions across cultures teach us to pursue higher states of consciousness and reshape the self—moving beyond the routines and limitations of daily life.

Episode Overview

Jessica Frazier leads an inspiring and intellectually stimulating talk, blending personal stories with deep philosophical inquiry. The core question: Are we truly living up to our mind’s potential? Frazier investigates humanity’s yearning for "something more" than the mundane, everyday experience—drawing from Indian philosophy, Western thought, mysticism, and psychology. She maps out ways to access higher states of consciousness, discussing tools and traditions that teach us how to transform our inner lives and realize our fullest selves.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Universal Quest for More

• Childhood Wonder and Adult Longing: Frazier reflects on her childhood desire for epic, magical experiences beyond the ordinary—"magic, dragons, quests, beauty, and grandeur" ([01:02]). She posits that adults suppress but never lose this innate yearning for wonder.
• "We just don’t get it as much as naturally ought to." – Jessica Frazier ([01:02])

The Nature of the Self

• Philosophical Views: Frazier surveys major philosophical concepts of self:

  • Cartesian View: The isolated, thinking self—a "ghost in a machine."
  • Buddhist Perspective: The self as a fleeting dream, a temporary program waiting for liberation.
  • Modern Materialism: The self as a localized, moment-to-moment awareness.
  • The Traveler and the Artist: The capacity of the mind to imagine, create, and transcend immediate experience.
  • Quote: "Are you a traveler in being by virtue of the capacities of your mind... an artist of possibilities?" ([04:27])

• Constraints and Victimhood: Modern life often makes adults feel "victims of the outside world," trapped by routine and external expectations ([08:24]).

Higher States of Consciousness: Heaven, Hell, and the Midlife Crisis

• Heaven: The "higher states" we crave—moments of intensity, presence, connection, and meaning.
• Hell: Stagnation, being "stuck with yourself only as you presently are."
• Midlife Crisis: The acute fear that "the end of possibilities" has arrived, both in living and in self-becoming ([10:52]).

Escaping the Ordinary vs. True Transformation

• Temporary Escapes: We often seek mini-escapes (vacations, reading, psychedelics), but they’re fleeting: "They're always like holidays. And then we come back to being ourselves." ([19:22])
• The Desire for Permanent Change: Frazier challenges listeners to seek deeper, lasting transformation—a self that isn’t helpless but can "become who we most fully want to be and keep it that way" ([20:10]).

Psychological & Philosophical Traditions for Higher Consciousness

• Western Influences: Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, Hermann Hesse, Sufi mysticism, and the role of art and narrative.

  • Jung's Insight: "For modern man, the various forms of religion... seem more like items from the inventory of the outside world."
  • Quote: "We live with our minds every night... There's almost like another person, an ocean of possibility within us..." ([24:44])

• The Impact of Indian Philosophy:

  • Yoga’s Origins: Beyond physical poses, yoga means "stilling the turnings of consciousness" (from the Yoga Sutras).
  • Agency & Sovereignty: The mind’s executive power is the key to regaining "sovereignty," or self-mastery ([28:08]).
  • The Chariot Metaphor: Drawn from both the Katha Upanishad and Plato: The self as the charioteer regaining control over the horses of passion and duty ([29:15]).

Five Paths to Higher States: A Philosophical Map

Jessica introduces five distinct "states of self", each representing a different path to heightened consciousness ([32:08]):

1. The Smaller Self:

   • Focus on the present moment and immediate experience.
   • Appreciated in Buddhism: Happiness comes from direct awareness of each fleeting moment.

2. The Larger Self:

   • Expand identification beyond the individual—connect with community, history, cosmos.
   • Echoed in Stoicism and Indian texts: Transcend ego by seeing oneself as part of a greater whole.

3. The Intense Self:

   • Seek intensity, passion, and full immersion in life’s emotions (joy, pain, beauty).
   • Embraced in some Hindu traditions and existential philosophy.

4. The Eternal Self:

   • Aspire to merge with eternal truths, beauty, and the good, as in Platonic philosophy.
   • Move beyond transient physical existence.

5. The Creative/Imaginative Self:

   • Become the maker—the artist of new possibilities.
   • Central to Upanishadic tradition: Imagination is the “core you,” the cosmos creating through you.

Audience Participation

Jessica asks the audience to indicate which self they most aspire to become, noting roughly equal interest in all, with a slight preference for creative/active engagement ([36:20]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Hell could be being stuck with yourself only as you presently are. Hell could be the sense of the end of possibilities."
  – Jessica Frazier ([10:52])

• "Heaven could be then, in a sense, the higher states that we're always seeking... the moments in your life when you look back and you say, that moment was bright and vivid and beautiful, I'd almost give up all the rest of it for that moment."
  – Jessica Frazier ([11:19])

• "We are taught that our job and our everyday life is important, but I think these might be the most important parts [moments of higher consciousness]."
  – Jessica Frazier ([15:43])

• "You can walk out right now ... get out of the routine, right? ... But we don't generally, especially once you grow up and you've got a job ... Children notice that about the adults around them ... And yet we're almost more constrained."
  – Jessica Frazier ([07:41])

• "Meditation represents a possibility that we can take back control. ... A real wizard takes control of his own mind."
  – Jessica Frazier, paraphrasing Mircea Eliade ([30:49])

• "Bring back that self making ability, your sovereign self. Take control, get creative and shape yourself. Don’t let the world do it for you."
  – Jessica Frazier ([37:55])

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:02 – The human longing for magic, grandeur, and ‘something more’
• 04:27 – Different philosophical theories of the self
• 08:24 – Adult life and the constraints of routine; feeling like the victim of the world
• 10:52 – Hell as stagnation; heaven as higher states of consciousness
• 15:43 – The hunger for meaning, beauty, and transformation
• 19:22 – Escaping through stories, travel, psychedelics; the challenge of lasting transformation
• 24:44 – Carl Jung on religion and the psyche; the overlooked depths of the mind
• 28:08 – Indian philosophy and yoga: the self-mastery tradition
• 29:15 – The chariot analogy for self-control (Katha Upanishad & Plato)
• 32:08 – Five "self" models: smaller, larger, intense, eternal, creative
• 36:20 – Audience poll on preferred higher states of self
• 37:55 – Final exhortation: embrace your sovereign, creative self

Conclusion

Jessica Frazier masterfully synthesizes philosophical, spiritual, and practical insights into the perennial human quest for higher states of being. Her message is both empowering and challenging: While the world might encourage routine and limitation, we possess tools—drawn from ancient traditions and modern psychology alike—to realize our deeper, richer potential. Through meditation, self-reflection, creativity, and conscious agency, it's possible to transform the inner self and live a life of greater meaning, beauty, and connection.

Recommended For:
Anyone curious about philosophy of mind, spirituality, Indian philosophy, practical transformation, or the search for purpose and transcendence. This episode will leave listeners inspired to reflect on their own chosen path toward higher consciousness.