Our exploration of mystics and contemplatives begins with St Patrick, the patron saint both of Ireland and of dreams. Have you ever had a dream that just stuck with you, so much so you felt like maybe it meant something? If so, you have something in common with St. Patrick. On this week’s podcast, we spend time asking: What sort of forgiveness may have been required for St. Patrick to return to a people who had enslaved him for years? We also ask: When did he become interested in connecting with people from where they were at? And in what ways does his desire to communicate contemplative ideas inspire us towards similar ends? Join us as we talk about the remarkable life of St. Patrick: dreamer, forgiver, and innovator.

Additional Resources:
Podcast:Ep 128: Do-Overs, Apologizing, and Forgiveness by The Contemplative Life

#HarrietTubman #Celtic #Innovation #Spirituality #Psalms #Forgiveness #Prayer

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Today, we’re joined by Lead Pastor of The River in New York City, Charles Park, who is sharing with us about what Agape love is and why it’s so important to our overall well-being. Do you ever find that you’re measuring yourself harshly - your looks, your professional performance, your social competency? Perhaps you’ve experienced the loss of a close friend after years of trusting them with your life. Or maybe you’ve found yourself being critical of your neighbors, co-workers, even random strangers you encounter at the store. On this week’s podcast, Charles offers us insight into why Agape became what Jesus called “the greatest of all commandments.” Join us as we talk about learning how to see the signs of a life depleted of Agape and what you can do to reconnect.

Additional Resources:
Website: The River
Book: Agape in The New Testament, 3 Volumes by Ceslaus Spicq

#Agape #LettingGo #Judgment #Criticism #Forgiveness #GreatestCommandment #Culture #Spirituality

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Sometimes the words fly out of our mouth too fast, or we hit the send button too soon. Our desire to have a good relationship is there, but we need a do-over. On this week’s podcast, we talk about what it takes to do more than put a bandaid over the wounds we inflict on one another. Sometimes, it’s as simple as starting the conversation over. But at other times, we may need more. When this happens, it’s likely time to take steps related to the deeper journey of forgiveness, or even deeper still, the journey of reconciliation. Join us as we talk about the needs that exist when relationships go awry.

Additional Resources:
Podcast: Ep 119 Caretaking as a Spiritual Practice by The Contemplative Life

#do-over #forgiveness #reconciliation #apologizing #contemplative #timeout #DesmondTutu #trust #innerwisdom

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What does it look like to experience healing in the spiritual sense? Healing is often a journey requiring support, nourishment, and practice. In this week’s podcast, we take time to consider a few common triggers that have historically created wounding. We talk about why healing is best done in a holistic environment. And we talk about the importance of going slow so that we don’t shock our systems beyond what they can bear. Healing is a vulnerable subject, but the need for healing is common to us all. May you be well in your own journey towards healing.

#healing #spirituality #vulnerability #soul-care #contemplative #practice #soul

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Today we contemplate the difference between “the good” and “the perfect.” Oftentimes, we live our lives through the lens of a series of expectations. But what happens when those expectations don’t play out the way we thought they would? What does it look like to explore our lives with the understanding that life is dynamic - always changing, always being reborn? Join us as we consider the in-between spaces of our lives from the perspective of possibility.

Additional Resources:
Podcast: Ep 118 Spirituality in Times of Wilderness
Daily Reflection: Rohr Daily Meditations: God’s Goodness is Dynamic
Daily Reflection: Rohr Daily Meditations: Letting Go of What We Have Known

#Brian McLaren #Courage #Transition #Creativity #Evolution #Spirituality #Rebirth

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Many of us have probably heard someone say, “Oh that’s just the way that I am,” which causes us to believe we can never change, which then causes us to feel stuck, which then lowers our sense of wellbeing. But on this week’s podcast, we talk about 4 key areas you can focus on in order to increase your sense of wellbeing. Join us as we talk about the journey-like nature of wellbeing, the twists and turns we’ve discovered on our own journeys, and what sorts of things are contributing to our sense of wellness now.

Additional Resources:
Article: The plasticity of well-being: A training-based framework for the cultivation of human flourishing
Mindfulness App: Healthy Minds Innovations
Podcast: Ep 54 The Gift of Self-Awareness from The Contemplative Life
Poem: For Equilibrium from To Bless the Space Between Us  by John O’Donohue

#Wellbeing #MentalHealth #SpiritualHealth #RichardRohr #Spirituality #Awareness #Connection #Insight

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Today we talk about the benefits and possible drawbacks of visualization practices. Oftentimes, sacred scriptures use metaphors and parables to help us connect with spiritual things. This allows us to continually have fresh revelations and new connections in our lives. We may find new hope, find that our anxieties decrease, or even experience a moment of connection between our heart and mind. The question is: How can visualization help our present moment and speak into our future? Join us as we talk about it on this week’s podcast.

Additional Resources:
Book: Conversation - The Sacred Art: Practicing Presence in the Age of Distraction by Diane Millis

#Imagination #Prayer #Metaphor #Parable #Spirituality #Spiritual Practice #Visualization

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Many of us grew up hearing about an angry and stern God. This has, perhaps, caused us to wonder, “Is laughter appropriate? And if so, in what circumstances?” On this week’s podcast, we take time to wonder about what place laughter may have in our spiritual practice and what that might look like in our daily experience. Join us as we talk about the healing power of laughter and the possibility to offer ourselves a different image of divinity.

Additional Resources:
Poem: For Equilibrium from To Bless the Space Between Us by John O’Donohue
Book: The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Abrams
Book: The Quotidian Mysteries by Kathleen Norris
TV Series: The Chosen

#Laughter #LaughterHeals #Depression #Spirituality #SpiritualPractice #LaughterYoga #VisioDivina

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The unexpected crops up in our lives in both little and small ways. At times, we manage to accept these experiences easily. In other moments, the things we encounter require a bit more processing. Drawing on the wisdom of poets, children, and spiritual teachers, this week’s podcast leans into talking about that which feels like too much to accept. Do you ever find yourself bitterly complaining, blowing up in anger, or bursting into tears? Though these may not be our favorite moments, they can be doorways to something deeper when we choose to lean in. We hope you’ll join us.

Additional Resources:
Book: The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything by James Martin
Poem: Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye
Poem Quote: From Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Poem: The Poet’s Tale; The Birds of Killingworth by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
TV Series: The Chosen

#Acceptance #Gratitude #Ego #Humility #Mindsets #Spirituality #Holy Indifference #Practice

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This week’s title says it all. Oftentimes, we hear people try to describe spiritual direction by likening it to something that is “similar but different.” And so this week, we offer up a working definition for spiritual direction, talk about why the word “direction” is a bit of a misnomer, and then share a bit about what sorts of things we might actually do during a spiritual direction session. Join us for an insider look at the experience of spiritual direction.

Additional Resources:
Website: Foundry Spiritual Center, Spiritual Direction Page
Song: Moon Shadow by Cat Stevens

#Spiritual Direction #Spiritual Guidance #Spiritual Companionship #Burnout #Calling #Discernment #SafeSpace #Spirituality

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