What can a pinball machine teach you about navigating life's challenges?

More than you'd think.

Every month, honest reflections on leadership, difficult decisions, and staying true to yourself—all through the unconventional lens of pinball and the ancient wisdom of cats.

Why pinball?

Because pinball is about working WITH forces you can't fully control. You can't pick up the ball and place it where you want. You can't steer it directly. But through timing, strategy, and reading the playfield—you have tremendous influence. A skilled player can trap the ball, make precise shots, and keep it in play for minutes. Not through control, but through understanding the physics, anticipating the bounces, and knowing exactly when to flip, when to nudge, and when to let the ball settle.

Why "The Hermetic Cat"?

In hermetic philosophy, the fundamental principle is "As above, so below"—patterns repeat at every scale. What's true in the cosmos is true in your living room. What happens in the big picture happens in the small details. It's about seeing the universal in the particular.

Cats ARE hermetic philosophers. They live this principle naturally.

Watch a cat: they exist in constant heightened consciousness, fully present to energy shifts, subtle patterns, the rhythm of their environment. They don't think their way through decisions—they SENSE them. They observe. They wait. They move only when the moment is right, with precision born from complete awareness. They understand timing, angles, and the flow of energy without analysis.

This is hermetic consciousness in action: being fully attuned to what IS, reading patterns others miss, moving in harmony with forces rather than against them. Cats don't force outcomes. They position themselves where outcomes naturally flow. They embody the principle that awareness and alignment matter more than control.

The playfield is slanted. The game demands presence. You're engaged in a constant dialogue with forces bigger than you.

Cats understand this instinctively. Pinball players learn it through practice. Life requires both.

This isn't advice. This isn't a masterclass. This is one person figuring things out, sharing what pinball, hermetic cats, and vinyl records reveal about consciousness, presence, and navigating the unpredictable.

No credentials. No frameworks. Just observations from someone traveling from west to east.

For anyone who's ever felt stuck. For anyone navigating difficult decisions. For anyone who's wondered how to stay present when everything feels chaotic.

Welcome to The Hermetic Cat. Let's see where this goes.

New episodes monthly. 15 minutes. Pinball. Cats. Consciousness. Vinyl.

Chart: Apple Podcasts – Australia – Philosophy

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