Line-By-Line Citations

SUBSECTION: INTRODUCTION

I’m in search of the elusive Irish sweathouse. There are 258 listed in the government registry, GPS points included.National Monuments Service - Sweathouses

“This is a point dataset showing the location of 258 sweathouses generated from the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR). This dataset is updated on a regular basis by the Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI).”

An Irish journalist, Rosanna Cooney, had described the sweathouse to me in the most alluring way: “a gorgeous, magical-looking, fairy mound that looks like a stone igloo.” Interview with Rosanna Cooney

Built (we think) in the 1600s (carbon dating is still underway), used (we think) for healing rheumatism and other illnesses, abandoned (we think) in the 1850s, and largely forgotten until recent years, the Irish sweathouse is shrouded in mystery. Harte, Aidan. “The Leitrim Sweathouse Project: Report on the Documentation, Preservation, and Cultural Significance of Irish Sweathouses” (2022)

I learn piece by piece the history of Ireland, of the waves of invasion: Vikings, Celts, Normans. I learn of the caste system under British rule that for centuries prevented Irish Catholics from attending university, of the forced relocations that moved them to progressively worse and unfarmable lands, like this. Then, the Great Potato Famine. Drawn from many sources. See: Cahill, Thomas. How the Irish Saved Civilization. The Hinges of History Ser, v. Vol. 1. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2010.

SUBSECTION: UNCOVERING THE BURIED WISDOM OF OUR PAST

​​During the Renaissance, Europeans rediscovered principles of art and math from ancient Greece and Rome.  Drawn from many sources. For example: Britannica: Renaissance; Britannica: Enlightenment European history

During the Enlightenment, they rediscovered principles of democracy and science, ushering in modernity. Drawn from many sources. For example: Britannica: History of Europe: The Enlightenment; Britannica: Enlightenment

This pairing of heat and cold—in almost precisely the same configuration—goes back at least 10,000 years and spans at least five continents. Drawn from many sources. For example, these:  Aaland, Mikkel. Sweat: The Illustrated History and Description of the Finnish Sauna, Russian Bania, Islamic Hammam, Japanese Mushi-Buro, Mexican Temescal, and American Indian & Eskimo Sweat Lodge. Capra Press, 1978.

Dowdy, Clare. "The 10,000-Year-Old Origins of the Sauna – and Why It's Still Going Strong." BBC Culture, October 24, 2023. 

Not just any car, but the garda—a word borrowed from the Irish Garda Síochána, Guardians of the Peace. See “Garda Síochána - national police force.” Citizens Information (Ireland) 

According to the Archaeological Survey of Ireland, the country has more than 130,000 monuments (burial chambers, stone circles, former dwellings), some of them up to 5,000 years old. From the Archaeological Survey of Ireland on OurIrishHeritage.com, part of the National Museum of Ireland. 

“The Archaeological Survey of Ireland’s Historic Environment Viewer has details of over 130,000 archaeological monuments in Ireland, from megalithic tombs over 5,000 years old to ruined medieval churches.” 

For a country with 27,459 square miles, that’s 4.8 ancient monuments per square mile. For the size of Ireland: Britannica: Ireland. Math calculated by the author.

The Romans built the 50,000-capacity Colosseum without the benefit of CAD software For the seating capacity of the colosseum, and other basic facts, see Britannica: Colosseum.

—and modern stadiums still follow its core architectural innovations (tiered spectator bowl, stacked concourses, wide radial corridors for fast evacuation). The architectural through-line of the ancient colosseum to modern stadiums is viscerally clear when you physically enter any of the still-standing Roman colosseums, but especially the one in Rome. This is widely understood and referenced in architecture. For example, in these sources:

Welch, Katherine E. The Roman Amphitheatre: From its origins to the Colosseum. Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Wormald, James,  “What is a Vomitorium? 25 Modern Examples of Efficient Traffic Management in Public Buildings and Venues” in ArchDaily.com, November 22, 2023

“The Colosseum's Influence on Modern Classical Architecture” Skurman Architects Blog. Sep 16, 2024

Ancient Polynesians navigated thousands of miles of open ocean without a compass, much less an engine—a fact dismissed as “romantic nonsense” New Zealand Historian Andrew Sharp is the one who dismissed the idea as “romantic nonsense,” according to the PBS documentary, Wayfinders: A Pacific Odyssey. Filmmaker: Gail Evenari . 1998

until the Polynesian Voyaging Society proved it by journeying 2,500 nautical miles from Hawaii to Tahiti aboard the double-hulled sailing canoe Hōkūle‘a. This historical fact is widely acknowledged and documented, including here in Britannica: Polynesia. 

“Navigation over the open sea, often considered another art form, was almost lost but has been revived. In 1973 several people, all based in Hawaii, founded the Polynesian Voyaging Society in order to evaluate various theories of Polynesian seafaring and settlement. They reconstructed a double-hulled voyaging canoe in order to test both its seaworthiness and the efficacy of traditional (i.e., noninstrumental) navigation methods over the long ocean routes that Polynesians had once traveled. In 1975 the society launched the first such vessel, the Hokule’a, and in 1976 sailed it from Hawaii to Tahiti and back. “

For a fascinating dive into the maritime culture of ancient Polynesia, you must read the essay by National Geographic explorer Wade Davis in his excellent book: Davis, Wade,Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World. 2009. p. 35-78

I first came across this story during my years at TED, working with Elizabeth Lindsey, National Geographic Explorer, on her TED talk: Lindsey, Elizabeth. “Curating Humanity’s Heritage” TED.com. Dec 2010

And I had the chance to understand this fascinating history more deeply working with Lehua Kamalu, the first female navigator of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, on her talk. Kamalu, Lehua. “Tracking the Path of the Sun” Meditative Story podcast.

The cultures of Peru, including the Inca and earlier civilizations, created an intricate system of water-diverting canals in the mountains, water-harvesting trenches in the desert, stone-lined aqueducts, and underground systems that stored and naturally filtered water within the mountains themselves—all without bulldozers or dynamite. Their infrastructure was so ingenious and resilient, it’s now being resurrected by the Peruvian government to stave off drought. Documented in numerous publications, particularly by journalist Erica Gies. Her book is a definitive source: Gies, Erica, Water Always Wins: Thriving in an age of Drought and Deluge pp. 150-153

Gies, Erica.  “Why Peru is reviving a pre-Incan technology for water” BBC News. 18 May 2021 — 

Gies, Erica.  “Seeking relief from dry spells, Peru’s capital looks to its ancient past: Fixing the 1,400-year-old system of shallow canals in the Andes above Lima would make more water available during dry seasons.” National Geographic. July 9, 2019. 

If you look back 12,000 years and beyond to the so-called ‘Stone Age,’ you might be surprised by what you find. The Stone Age as currently defined as 12,000 years ago or earlier: Britannica: Stone Age

But the real Cro-Magnon men and women—at least some of them—were buried in exquisitely detailed clothing. Like those in the 30,000-year-old grave from Sungir, in Russia, where some of the deceased were dressed in clothing onto which 3,000 tiny ivory beads had been sewn—apparently finely polished and shaped from mammoth tusks.Becoming Human By Ian Tattersall, p. 10 ; and Trinkaus E, Buzhilova AP. Diversity and differential disposal of the dead at Sunghir. Antiquity. 2018;92(361):7-21. doi:10.15184/aqy.2017.223

Also: Surugue, Lea. “Why This Paleolithic Burial Site Is So Strange (and So Important)” 22 Feb 2018. Sapiens.org.

Also: Trinkaus E, Buzhilova AP. Diversity and differential disposal of the dead at Sunghir. Antiquity. 2018;92(361):7-21. doi:10.15184/aqy.2017.223

To quote the BBC, many of these systems are “marvels” that “still astonish.” Series: BBC — Ancient Engineering Marvels.

Also: Gies, Erica. “Why Peru Is Reviving a Pre-Incan Technology for Water.” BBC News, May 18, 2021.

“The Andes Mountains are one of six places in the world where complex civilisations emerged, spurred by precipitation so seasonal it was a catalyst for hydrological innovations again and again. People cultivated deep knowledge of water and the underground, deploying strategies that still astonish – and which some still use.”

For at least 30,000 and perhaps as long as 70,000 years, ever since the Cognitive Revolution—what some scientists call the “creative explosion”—humans have had the same body and brain. The Cognitive Revolution is estimated as 30,000 - 70,000 years ago.

Harris, Yuval Noah. Sapiens. p.3

Tattersall, Ian. Becoming Human: Evolution and Human Uniqueness. Chapter: The Creative Explosion” p. 5-29 

I love the way Ian Tattersall expresses this in his book Becoming Human. As a curator for the American Museum of Natural History, Tattersall has seen with his own eyes the artifacts and cave art left from this time period. His conclusion: The evidence “indicates unequivocally that they were our intellectual equals.” Tattersall, Ian. Becoming Human: Evolution and Human Uniqueness. Chapter: The Creative Explosion” p. 6

There are the Irish sweathouses, of course. And also giant ancient saunas, between 2,500 and 4,000 years old, which were discovered in the last 20 years across the British Isles (see “How Far Back Does the Sauna Go?” in Notes for Book 2: The Hot and the Cold). 

So startling were these discoveries to the locals that a 2011 news article opened with: “A sauna? In Scotland? Well, I never.” Pina-Dacier, Maiya. “Bronze Age Sauna Discovered in Scotland” DigVentures.com. 30 September, 2015

I first encountered this idea reading a paper by Anthony Weir, Irish Sweathouses and the Great Forgetting. Weir, Anthony. "Irish Sweathouses and the Great Forgetting." Irish Megaliths, 2021.

But the concept is usually attributed to the American author Daniel Quinn, who wove the idea into a novel, The Story of B. Quinn, Daniel. Story of B

But it’s also often used to reference Europe itself, and the way waves of conquest—the Celts, the Romans, the march of modernity—wiped out the Old Ways of indigenous Europe. Even that phrase—“indigenous Europe”—sounds strange to most of us today.

Inspired by Thom Hartmann’s quote in the forward for Original Wisdom: Stories from an ancient way of knowing. By Robert Wolff. p, ix

… the culture rupture for the Irish caused by the Great Potato Famine. In just five years, Ireland lost 25% of its population—more than 2 million people—to starvation or emigration, with the greatest losses in the rural west, among Catholic, native Irish speakers. A catastrophic loss of language and traditional culture—including the sweathouse. Drawn from many sources. The scale of the losses documented here: Britannica: Great Famine. The estimation that losses equaled 25% documented here: Kinealy, Christine. “Saving the Irish Poor: Charity and the Great Famine.” OpenEdition Journals. https://doi.org/10.4000/mimmoc.1845

Note: This paper also contains fascinating background on the financial contribution made by the Choctaw nation of North America to aid  the Irish victims of the famine. The Choctaw expressed solidarity with the plight of the Irish Catholics, and the way in which they were forcibly relocated to unfarmable unyielding land.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama was a pioneer on this front, cofounding the Mind & Life Institute in 1991, for exactly this purpose: so “science and contemplative wisdom together could advance human flourishing.” “Our Mission.” Mind & Life Institute website

“For 38 years, the Mind & Life Institute has pursued a bold vision: that science and contemplative wisdom together could advance human flourishing. Our founders believed that by deepening our understanding of the human mind, we could spark the inner transformation needed to drive critical change in the outer world.”

Finnish scientists have been critical to proving the astounding health benefits of the sauna. For example: Laukkanen, Tanjaniina, Hassan Khan, Francesco Zaccardi, and Jari A. Laukkanen. “Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events.” JAMA Internal Medicine 175, no. 4 (2015): 542. 

Japanese scientists have been critical to demonstrating the remarkable health benefits of ‘forest bathing’—or extended time in nature. For example: Park, Bum Jin, Yuko Tsunetsugu, Tamami Kasetani, Takahide Kagawa, and Yoshifumi Miyazaki. “The Physiological Effects of Shinrin-Yoku (Taking in the Forest Atmosphere or Forest Bathing): Evidence from Field Experiments in 24 Forests across Japan.” Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 15, no. 1 (2010): 18–26. 

Muslim scientists have been critical to demonstrating the health benefits of intermittent fasting, as practiced during the monthlong observation of Ramadan. Note: scientists don’t share their religious affiliation—nor should they. This observation is based on the fact that many of these studies come from research organizations in the Islamic world. Two examples, of many, below:

For example: This study, which originated in Iran — Rouhani, Mohammad Hossein, and Leila Azadbakht. “Is Ramadan Fasting Related to Health Outcomes? A Review on the Related Evidence.” Journal of Research in Medical Sciences: The Official Journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences 19, no. 10 (2014): 987–92.

And this study, which originated in Bahrain and Tunisia — Jahrami, Haitham, Achraf Ammar, Jordan M. Glenn, Zahra Saif, Hamdi Chtourou, and Khaled Trabelsi. “An Umbrella Review and Meta-Analysis of Meta-Analyses of the Impact of Ramadan Fasting on the Metabolic Syndrome Components.” Nutrition Reviews 83, no. 2 (2025): e711–21.

Peruvian psychiatrists and indigenous healers are demonstrating the therapeutic use of Ayahuasca—a psychedelic medicine native to the Amazon—as a therapeutic tool, not in peer-reviewed studies but in communal settings that have influenced Western science. For example: Gonzalez, Debora, Jordi Cantillo, Irene Perez, et al. “The Shipibo Ceremonial Use of Ayahuasca to Promote Well-Being: An Observational Study.” Frontiers in Pharmacology 12 (May 2021): 623923.

Here’s one way to explain it: Over the last centuries in Western culture, city living grew and science ascended. The Scientific Revolution taught us, among other things, how to rigorously test ideas. Observation based on many sources. For example: Britannica: Scientific Revolution

“Out of the ferment of the Renaissance and Reformation there arose a new view of science, bringing about the following transformations: the reeducation of common sense in favour of abstract reasoning; the substitution of a quantitative for a qualitative view of nature; the view of nature as a machine rather than as an organism; the development of an experimental, scientific method that sought definite answers to certain limited questions couched in the framework of specific theories; and the acceptance of new criteria for explanation, stressing the “how” rather than the “why” that had characterized the Aristotelian search for final causes.”

For a clear example of how science drives the adoption of wisdom systems, we can look at the meteoric rise of meditation in the U.S. In 2023, Pew Research reported that an astonishing 38% of Americans meditate at least a few times each month. That’s nearly 4 in 10 Americans. Source: Pew Report: “Spirituality Among Americans.” Authors: Becka A. Alper, Michael Rotolo, Patricia Tevington, Justin Nortey, Asta Kallo. Dec 7. 2023. From Pew Research Center. P. 60 https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2023/12/07/spirituality-among-americans

Compare this to 2012, when a National Health Interview Survey found that only 4.1% of Americans had meditated in the past year. The methodologies don’t match precisely, but the momentum is clear.  Source: NCHS Data Brief. No. 325. November 2018. “Data from the National Health Interview Survey, 2012 and 2017 — Use of Yoga, Meditation, and Chiropractors Among U.S. Adults Aged 18 and Over” Authors: Tainya C. Clarke, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Patricia M. Barnes, M.A.; Lindsey I. Black, M.P.H.; Barbara J. Stussman, B.A.; and Richard L. Nahin, Ph.D., M.P.H. p. 1 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db325-h.pdf

And this didn’t happen in isolation. Thousands of studies, over previous decades, had proven the science-backed benefits of this ancient wisdom system. (The 2017 book Altered Traits, by Daniel Goleman and Richard J. Davidson, captures this science well.) Altered Traits (Goleman, Davidson, 2017)  

Throughout this book, I lean heavily on what’s known as ‘Two-Eyed Seeing,’ a concept for holding indigenous and Western worldviews at the same time. The idea of two-eyed seeing was introduced by elders of the Mi’kmaw nation, indigenous to the North Atlantic coast of the U.S. and Canada. Mi’kmaw elders Albert D. Marshall and Murdena Marshall—alongside Cape Breton University professor Cheryl Bartlett—developed this practice of seeing the world simultaneously through two very different perspectives: one, an indigenous, nature-based lens, and the other, a Western science-based lens. “Two-Eyed Seeing and other lessons learned within a co-learning journey of bringing together indigenous and mainstream knowledges and ways of knowing”. November 2012. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 2(4) DOI:10.1007/s13412-012-0086-8. Authors: Cheryl Bartlett, Murdena Marshall, Albert Marshall

Worth noting: The criteria above were the reasons I chose the systems, but I later realized they were bound together in another way. It was late in my process—just weeks before the final manuscript was due, when I interviewed Oxford Professor Robin Dunbar, who you’ll meet in Book 1: The Gauntlet. In speaking to him, I realized there was a single biological system that under-girded every wisdom system in this book. In one word: Endorphins. When you hear that word (I’ve learned), you will either lean in or entirely tune out, depending on your inclination. But stay with me. Endorphins are the body’s naturally occurring opioids. They relieve physical pain, and mental pain too. They are, according to Robin, “the best antidepressant you can get.” Interview with Robin Dunbar

But that’s not all. Endorphins are what primates release when they groom each other; it’s how they biologically bond. And Robin’s research strongly suggests endorphins help humans bond too.  Interview with Robin Dunbar

Some were intentionally resurrected— like the Olympics, for example, which ran continuously across the Greek and Roman Empires—and was extinct for more than 1000 years before it was revived as the Modern Olympics in 1896. Numerous sources, including Britannica: Olympic Games; and Britannica: Athens 1896 Olympic Games

From Britannica: Olympic Games: “Just how far back in history organized athletic contests were held remains a matter of debate, but it is reasonably certain that they occurred in Greece almost 3,000 years ago. However ancient in origin, by the end of the 6th century bce at least four Greek sporting festivals, sometimes called “classical games,” had achieved major importance: the Olympic Games, held at Olympia; the Pythian Games at Delphi; the Nemean Games at Nemea; and the Isthmian Games, held near Corinth. Later, similar festivals were held in nearly 150 cities as far afield as Rome, Naples, Odessus, Antioch, and Alexandria.

The first Olympic Games consisted of a singular event: a footrace.Of all the games held throughout Greece, the Olympic Games were the most famous. Held every four years between August 6 and September 19, they occupied such an important place in Greek history that in late antiquity historians measured time by the interval between them—an Olympiad. The Olympic Games, like almost all Greek games, were an intrinsic part of a religious festival. They were held in honor of Zeus at Olympia by the city-state of Elis in the northwestern Peloponnese. The first Olympic champion listed in the records was Coroebus of Elis, a cook, who won the sprint race in 776 bce. Notions that the Olympics began much earlier than 776 bce are founded on myth, not historical evidence. According to one legend, for example, the Games were founded by Heracles, son of Zeus and Alcmene.

… Greece lost its independence to Rome in the middle of the 2nd century bce, and support for the competitions at Olympia and elsewhere fell off considerably during the next century. (...) The Olympic Games were finally abolished about 400 ce by the Roman emperor Theodosius I or his son because of the festival’s pagan associations.

From “Britannica: Athens 1896 Olympic Games” — Athens 1896 Olympic Games, athletic festival held in Athens that took place April 6–15, 1896. The Athens Games were the first occurrence of the modern Olympic Games.”