In this new HistoryExtra podcast series, Life Lessons from History, Dave Musgrove (Content Director for HistoryExtra) goes on a wellbeing journey to find out what we can learn from the past to help us live happier, healthier, better or more productive lives today.
In a series of personal conversations with leading historians and archaeologists, Dave asks the experts to explain what life hacks we might derive from our ancestors, and asks them if they do anything in their day-to-day lives that actually does draw on what they know of the past.
If you want to know why writing riddles like an Anglo-Saxon poet can help you find happiness, or why hugging trees like a medieval Lithuanian can open up your personal spirituality, or indeed why going to bed with a cold apple on his head could be the answer to insomnia, this is the podcast for you, added the publisher.
You can listen to the first two episodes here.
The 15-episode series launched yesterday, and according to the publisher includes:
- Tracy Borman on why we should procrastinate in the style of Elizabeth I
- Ronald Hutton on why we shouldn’t fear fairies and should let a little magic into our lives
- Sasha Handley on what we can learn about getting a good night’s sleep from the Tudors
- Chris Harding on why we should compost our poo like they did in Edo Japan
- Selena Wisnom on how we can look to the ancient Assyrians to manage anxiety
- Ian Mortimer on how we can live sustainably and locally like our medieval forebears
- Lucy Shipley on what we can take from the ancient Etruscans about living in the moment
- Eleanor Parker on finding wonder in the everyday things around us, like the Anglo-Saxons did in their riddles
- Jess Venner on what the ancient Romans can teach us about being good neighbours
- Francis Young on tree hugging and personal spiritual joy, in the fashion of the medieval Lithuanians
- Emma Griffin on how we can cope with the challenges of AI by looking back to the Industrial Revolution
- David Woodman on what the Anglo-Saxon king Athelstan can teach us about loving learning
- Helen Gittos on why rituals can help us cope with daily stresses
- Mark Stoyle on how we should seek out silence like our early modern forebears
- Sue Greaney on what we can take from the people who built Stonehenge about living in a contented community
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