Latter Day Struggles

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Have you lost your faith in the old white man in the sky but don't want to lose God altogether?  We've got you! Join Val and Nathan in this enlightening episode of 'Latter Day Struggles 2.0' as they dive deep into the evolving understanding of God within and beyond the framework of traditional Mormonism and even moving beyond Western Christian theology. 

The duo discusses contrasting views on the divine, from the punitive, transactional God (whom most of us can relate to learning about) to a more mystical, all-encompassing spirituality aligned with the perennial philosophy. They reinterpret Friedrich Nietzsche's proclamation 'God is dead,' and invite a deepening of the idea of God that aligns with the foundation of all Wisdom Traditions and transpersonal psychology. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation that explores how reimagining God as an integral, universal force can transcend old paradigms and awaken a deeper spiritual consciousness.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:12 Exploring the Nature of God

02:33 Nietzsche's Perspective on God

04:40 The Western Concept of God

09:44 The Perennial Tradition

14:36 Comparing Western and Eastern Views of God

23:58 The Perennial Philosophy and Human Divinity

46:34 Concluding Thoughts on God and Spirituality

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Series Title: A Two-Hundred Year Old Mirror: How the Faith Expansion Journey has Always Made Christian Leadership Sweat! [Episode I of II]

In the next two Monday episodes you are going to LOVE this conversation between Valerie and her friend Casey McFarland (of @pioneerparadox) as they discuss a fascinating aspect of early Christian history that is sure to resonate with you on your own faith expansion journey. They delve into the world of early Christian Gnostics and their progressive beliefs that challenged the early church general leadership by claiming that while a church can be a useful resource in one's journey towards spiritual light and truth, God could be found within each of us and is not controlled by any other human person or institution. 

If you don't want to feel alone in your wrestles with institutional authority, these two episodes will hit home in every way. Also stay tuned for the end of the episode where Casey & Val make an exciting announcement that you will not want to miss! 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:11 Casey's Background and Interests

03:26 Early Christian History and Book Discussion

06:49 Comparing Early Christianity and Modern LDS Church

11:48 The Role of Early Christian Leaders

30:40 Valentina and Progressive Early Christians

36:43 Ancient Philosophical Schools and Heresies

37:32 The Threat of Competing Beliefs

38:24 Valentina's Following and the Church's Response

40:00 Gnostic Beliefs and Self-Discovery

40:59 Quotes from Gnostic Texts

43:13 Gnostic Christianity vs. Traditional Christianity

48:23 The Concept of Maya and Moksha

52:58 Stages of Faith and Compassion

01:01:34 The Transforming Power of Love

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Join Val and Nathan in this 2.0 episode exploring how our human shadow parts can "leak" all over our respective "ladders of development" and what happens when (not 'if') they do.  This episode processes not only why we much integrate our personal shadows, but also how this work looks!  Nathan surprised Val by going off-script  vulnerably shared his personal struggle with incorporating feminine divine into his prayers, revealing a significant 'shadow' from his past that still affects him.

Did you love learning about climbing up your own ladder of consciousness as others climb up their own?  If so, you're not alone.  Val has started integrating this metaphor into her group work and this concept is proving to be game-changing to many!  Groups are full at the present but jump over to latterdaystruggles.com and join their email list so that you know when the next one is enrolling! 

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview

00:51 Concept of the Ladder, the Climber, and the View

01:08 Stages of Conscious Development

03:13 Potential Pathologies in Development

04:53 Intersection of Psychology and Spirituality

07:09 Ken Wilber's Integral Theory

13:15 Understanding Shadows and Blobs

23:09 Real-Life Example of Shadow Work

41:58 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

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Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spiritual Community [Part IV of IV]

Join Valerie and her special guests, Steve and Ginger Hitz, in the final episode of a profound four-part series focused on the crucial role that community can play in fostering environments of growth and spiritual flourishing. 

In this episode one focus is on the harms of blind conformity and the importance of learning to trust ourselves in the pursue light, truth, and love. Remember: spiritual community can be a helpful re-'source'.  it is not the foundation of one's connection with THE Source.

Tune in to hear practical advice on fostering meaningful connections within and beyond traditional church settings, and discover the power of embracing your spiritual journey with intent and authenticity.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:27 Overview of the Series and Book

01:49 Barriers to Authentic Fellowship

04:20 The Parable of the Caterpillars

07:20 Breaking Free from Conformity

09:35 Personal Stories and Reflections

12:48 Creating Authentic Connections

18:03 Managing Tension and Spiritual Growth

25:54 Family Mantra and Community Support

36:24 Closing Thoughts and Encouragement

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Series Title: Rungs and Revelations: Ascending the Spiritual Ladder [Part II of II]

Why is spiritual growth so incredibly hard and confusing? Why do some people stay put in the same world view forever? Why do some people seem to grow quickly and seem to be magnets inviting others to grow? Why do some people feel torn between emerging beliefs and paralyzing fear that the old beliefs might actually be right? And why do some people seem to trade in their old perspectives for new ones but seem to hold onto the same rigidity and judgment? 

If you want a map that can explain all of the messiness of the human growth journey…this episode is a good one for you! 

Ken Wilber's book "A Brief History of Everything"

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

00:13 The Ladder Metaphor for Growth

01:02 Understanding Levels of Consciousness

01:57 The Climber and the View

02:50 Hierarchy in Growth and Transformation

06:01 Pathology of Fixation at Lower Rungs

16:09 Transcendence Failure and Its Challenges

20:37 The Garden Narrative and Overcoming Fear

21:38 Deep Neural Wiring and Higher Consciousness

22:42 Struggles with Relationships and Transcendence

24:46 Internal Personal Transformation

29:51 The Concept of True Self

33:10 Transcendence and Inclusion Challenges

37:31 The Importance of Inclusion in Spiritual Growth

47:47 Conclusion and Next Steps

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Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spiritual Community [Part III of IV]

In this thought-provoking episode, Valerie and guests Ginger and Steve continue to delve into discuss their book, 'Igniting the Holy Flame.' In this episode the topic turns to a core principle key community spiritual healing. Paradoxically, the more each individual in a community is trusted to find God within, the more they bring this True Self to their communities around them. Healthy souls create healthy communities. 

This episode delves deeply into the importance of finding one’s true inner self, the impact of meditation on spiritual growth, and how to navigate the tension between individual faith journeys and traditional religious expectations.


Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Series Overview

00:30 Recap of Previous Episodes

01:29 Today's Topic: The True Self

02:12 Guest Introductions and Personal Reflections

02:37 Challenges in Religious Communities

03:38 Reading from 'Igniting the Holy Flame'

05:08 Discussion on True Self and Spiritual Growth

06:31 Meditation and Personal Practices

15:47 The Role of Patriarchy in Religious Systems

19:28 Managing Tensions and Personal Authority

21:38 Celebrating Individual Faith Journeys

37:09 Closing Thoughts and Summary

39:15 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview

40:49 Final Remarks and Listener Support

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How does one break down the intricacies of the spiritual transformation journey? Although different for each person, there is in fact a common thread that connects every person’s onward and upward climb towards their greatest potential consciousness. 

In today’s episode Val and Nathan introduce a way to think about this process using three key metaphors: the ladder of consciousness, the climber navigating between rungs, and the expanding view at higher levels. The episode sets the stage for a deeper exploration into the challenges of transitioning between spiritual stages and paths. 

Ken Wilber's book "A Brief History of Everything"

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

01:12 Purpose and Focus of the Episode

03:02 Transcending and Including: An Overview

07:30 The Ladder of Consciousness

13:36 The Climber and Critical Periods

28:19 The View from Higher Rungs

36:50 Challenges and Pathologies in Growth

38:25 Conclusion and Next Steps

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Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spiritual Community [Part II of IV]


In this second episode (of a four-part Monday series), Valerie dives deeper with Steve and Ginger Hitz, authors of 'Igniting the Holy Flame.'

The conversation centers on the barriers to spiritual thriving in church communities, specifically the concepts of 'fabricated fellowship' and 'harmful religiosity' complete with an exploration and examples of both concepts.

The discussion underscores the importance of individual spiritual discernment and highlights the journey towards creating more inclusive and love-centered religious communities. As usual, Latter Day Struggles strives to invite candid conversations that have the power to bring growth, healing, and spiritual awakening to every listener as they move about in all of their communities, 'religious' and otherwise.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Series Overview

01:17 Defining True Fellowship

01:56 Personal Stories of Fellowship

03:44 Challenges in Fellowship

10:32 Fabricated Fellowship

17:56 Harmful Religiosity

20:35 Grace vs. Legalism

36:47 Customs and Spiritual Growth

44:38 Conclusion and Next Steps

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When Val first stumbled into the scholarship on transpersonal psychology (western psychology meets Eastern Spirituality meets the Perennial Tradition) she saw “transcend and include” on every page of this powerful scholarship. As she took this in, one part of her soul felt a recognition of truth. The other part of her soul shuddered a little and she mumbled to the universe (Eve-like) “Is there no other way?”

After hundreds of hours of reading, thinking, and even dreaming about how people in and around the LDS church can truly grow beyond the current climate of polarization that exists…the answer feels clear to her– “there IS no other way” to truly find our deepest, most whole spiritual power and healing. Join Val and a group of Friday Fellowship listeners in this special “Office Hours” recording–where they talk about this sacred but soul-stretching work at the spiritual ‘next level’ of development. 

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Gratitude

00:58 Topic Introduction: Transcending and Including Mormonism

02:26 Understanding Transcend and Include

04:57 Differentiation and Integration in Faith

07:19 Transcending Inherited Beliefs

11:03 Including Former Beliefs and Practices

17:43 Challenges and Personal Experiences

25:04 Community and Friendship Dynamics

28:26 Embracing Authenticity and Personal Growth

32:22 Navigating Social Expectations and Personal Beliefs

34:09 Finding Confidence in Personal Changes

37:55 Balancing Community and Personal Beliefs

40:12 The Journey of Transcendence and Inclusion

42:38 Personal Stories of Faith and Growth

53:50 Concluding Thoughts and Community Support

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Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spiritual Community [Part I of IV]

As Richard Rohr has often said, "It is through great love and great suffering" that the soul grows the most rapidly and the most durably. In this four-part series (every MONDAY for the next four weeks!) fall in love with Steve and Ginger Hitz, co-authors of 'Igniting the Holy Flame: Building Communities of Love from the Ashes of Negative Religious Culture,' a book inspired by the tragic loss of their son, whose suffering was amplified by a church culture that could not meet him where he was.
This book and this podcast series is a plea for further awakening around aspects of church communities that set about to help but instead inadvertently do harm through concepts like 'fabricated fellowship' and 'harmful religiosity'. In this series you will hear both candid conversation about the pain points of faith communities and how to heal, grow, and create peace both within ourselves and within our communities.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:22 Meet Steve and Ginger: A Journey of Love and Faith

06:21 The Faith Journey and Spiritual Community

09:37 Skyler's Story: A Catalyst for Change

15:55 Interfaith Work and Universal Love

18:01 Revelation and Healing After Loss

25:08 Overview of 'Igniting the Holy Flame'

31:58 Closing Thoughts and Future Episodes

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