Presented at the CiRCE National Conference 2023.

We know that our friends influence us greatly, even a single good friend. We know that a group of friends becomes a small society that shapes us. Is this true of “society” as a whole? Is it true of the society, culture, or tradition that we are born into? In this seminar, we will look at the subtle but extremely powerful ways our surrounding and inherited culture shapes us in ways we sometimes cannot see. We will also discuss the ways we can more deeply engage and “receive” the Great Tradition that has been passed on to us, noting both the ways we are tempted to neglect it and the way in which the Tradition itself always remains healthy, vibrant, and powerful.