Podcast appearances and mentions of Richard Rohr

This week we continue our series on Richard Rohr with a look at Amos, who preached that Israel's problem wasn't a handful of corrupt individuals, but an entire system. A system built to protect wealth and power at the expense of the poor.This asks us to sit with an uncomfortable reframe: we are not the oppressed Hebrews looking for liberation, we are the empire. It traces Amos's critique from ancient Samaria straight into modern politics, capitalism, and church culture, and lands on his closing vision of a restored, justice-filled world.Expect a message that's less about individual salvation and more about collective responsibility — clear-eyed about what's broken, and still holding onto hope.

If you've spent any real time with the Enneagram, you've probably felt Chris Heuertz's influence whether you knew his name or not. Chris is the author of seven books, including The Sacred Enneagram (foreword by Richard Rohr) and The Enneagram of Belonging, with an eighth on pilgrimage coming from Simon & Schuster. But the books came out of a life: nearly three decades of humanitarian work across 70 countries, years in the anti-trafficking movement, time serving alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta.We recorded this a couple of weeks before his wedding, and I wanted it out in the world before he walks into that new life. We talk about learning to tell stories on a word processor in India, burying 700 of the women and children he served and what that does to a person, the end of a twenty-year marriage and the strange welcome into the human family on the other side of it, rewriting sloth for the Nines, what Eights actually feel under the armor, and why the detours are sacred and the arrival is a myth.The difficulty in life is the choice.Show-note links:* Chris's site: chrisheuertz.com* The Sacred Enneagram and The Enneagram of Belonging (Bookshop.org)* Chris's Substack: Sacred Detours* Instagram: @chrisheuertz* Subscribe to The Difficulty: chadprevost.substack.com* Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.* The press where it all makes sense: crossroadspublishing.group* Chad's site: chadprevost.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chadprevost.substack.com

In Wahrheit sind wir so viel tiefer miteinander verbunden, als wir oft glauben. Diese Meditation lädt dich ein, diese Verbundenheit neu zu erfahren – mit Gott, mit dir selbst und mit allem Leben.

Americký františkánský kněz, spisovatel a duchovní učitel Richard Rohr je osobnost, která svým dílem oslovuje lidi daleko za hranicemi katolické církve. Jeho knihy hluboce ovlivnily také teologa, religionistu a spisovatele prof. Pavla Hoška. Do pořadu Hergot! přišel vyprávět o tom, čím je pro něj Rohr inspirativní, a také o své nedávné cestě do Nového Mexika, kde se s ním osobně setkal.

Americký františkánský kněz, spisovatel a duchovní učitel Richard Rohr je osobnost, která svým dílem oslovuje lidi daleko za hranicemi katolické církve. Jeho knihy hluboce ovlivnily také teologa, religionistu a spisovatele prof. Pavla Hoška. Do pořadu Hergot! přišel vyprávět o tom, čím je pro něj Rohr inspirativní, a také o své nedávné cestě do Nového Mexika, kde se s ním osobně setkal.Všechny díly podcastu Hergot! můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro Android a iOS nebo na webu mujRozhlas.cz.

What can the Enneagram teach us about sensitivity, social justice, and our unique calling?  In this conversation, our special guest, Dorcas Cheng-Tozun, speaks about the challenges faced by Enneagram Fours and highly sensitive people. Drawing from her book Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul, Dorcas reflects on belonging, burnout, and emotional wounds. She offers us sustainable ways to pursue justice.   Also in this episode, Fr. Richard Rohr offers wisdom on the Four's gift of seeing beyond conformity and invites Type Fours to turn their suffering outward in solidarity with others.   Tune in to discover how our authenticity, purpose, and gifts can serve the world.  Find the transcript for today's episode here. Sign Up for The Enneagram Email Series  Deepen your journey with the Enneagram. Sign up for monthly reflections, practices, and resources that connect the contemplative wisdom with your daily life. https://cac.org/belongs2026/ Additional Enneagram Resources The Enneagram: An Introduction: A brief introduction to this tool and a compilation of different resources curated for those longing to better understand and have compassion for themselves and others.  Enneagram as a Tool for Your Spiritual Journey: Use the offer code POD35 to get 35% off this foundational Enneagram teaching from Fr. Richard Rohr and Episode 2 guest Russ Hudson.  The Enneagram & Grace: Richard Rohr and Russ Hudson offer a deep study of the Enneagram as a practice to nurture transformation for ourselves and compassion for the world. Use POD35 to get 35% off your order.  Follow us on Instagram. How can your wounds lead to wisdom? Discover topics about what your number might be trying to teach you.  Join the conversation on Facebook. Share wisdom with others on the Enneagram journey.   Pick up a copy of Fr. Richard's book The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective.  Connect With Us Have a question you'd like ask the team to answer about this season?  Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcasts@cac.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Life has a way of reminding us that things don't always end the way we hoped. And yet, Scripture tells a different kind of story. The Bible doesn't end with disappointment—it ends with renewal. In Revelation, we are given a breathtaking vision: a new heaven and a new earth, where God brings everything together and makes all things new. This is not God abandoning the world, but restoring it completely. The brokenness we feel, the endings we grieve, the longings that go unmet—all of it finds its answer here. God's ultimate plan is not to scrap creation, but to redeem it. Richard Rohr has said, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.” So when life feels unfinished or disappointing, we can remember: this is not the end of the story.

Doug offers a speculation built from the Ra Material, Christian mysticism, and process philosophy: that concrescence — Whitehead's “the many become one, and are increased by one” — operates vertically across orders of magnitude, and that the Christ event was a oneing of the solar Logos with the sub-sub-Logoic level, which is us. The argument moves through two logjams. The first came before the veil, when third-density beings remembered they were the Creator and evolution crawled at turtle speed; the veil broke it and made third density the axis on which creation turns. The second is here, now, on Terra — a planet of third-density repeaters enmeshed in the Great BASH, the collective thought form built from our inefficient use of bellicosity, showing up energetically as an orange-ray overlay on a green-ray planet. Doug argues that Yahweh is our solar Logos, learning to parent through Venus, Maldek, and Mars, limited by Ra's teaching that a sub-Logos can only supply catalyst to the first triad of energy centers. Once the heart opens, the teaching runs the other way. What follows is the co-presencing of Logos and messenger in one body, the ankh as the shape of loss and renewal, and forgiveness planted as a seed inside the eye of the Great BASH. Discussion follows on whether a God who cannot participate in green ray is still God. Key References:   •Ra 82.18–82.19 — pre-veil third density; “turtle to the cheetah”; the absence of gusto, élan vital •Ra 41.14 — green-ray pressure producing orange-ray manifestation •Ra 9.7 — Martian transfer; “a careful series of genetical adjustments” •Ra 18.20–18.21 — the Anak; the elite-consciousness failure •Ra 54.17 — the sub-Logos offers catalyst only at the first triad •Ra 65.16 — Logos to Logos, Creator to Creator, not parent to child •Ra 17.11–17.12 — Jesus as a wanderer of no name, highest sub-octave of fourth density •Ra 17.20 — forgiveness as the stoppage of the wheel of karma •Ra 17.22 — “not an entity of itself but… a messenger of the One Creator” •Ra 18.12 — forgiveness of other-self is forgiveness of self •Ra 93.24, 94.26 — the crux ansata; all things offering themselves for transformation •Alfred North Whitehead, Process and Reality — concrescence •Richard Rohr, The Universal Christ — “God loves things by becoming them” •Perichoresis (the Greek fathers); the Chalcedonian formula

Episode Description:This is a From the Archive episode with one of my favorite guests: Steven Pressfield.Steven Pressfield has spent his career writing about war, creativity, discipline, storytelling, and the inner battle every artist faces. In this archive conversation, James and Steven explore how stories work—and why the same structures that power novels and movies also show up in real life.They begin with The Legend of Bagger Vance, which Pressfield built from the structure of the Bhagavad Gita. James connects that idea to his own writing, where ancient texts like the Yoga Sutras became frameworks for modern essays about entrepreneurship. Their point is simple: if a story has survived thousands of years, it probably contains a structure worth studying.From there, the conversation moves into the hero's journey. The ordinary world. The call to adventure. The refusal of the call. The mentor. The threshold. The extraordinary world. The tests, allies, enemies, ordeal, return, and gift.But Pressfield pushes the idea further. In real life, people do not always answer the call. Some people refuse it for years. Some cross the threshold and then run back. Some sacrifice security, status, money, family expectations, or even relationships to follow the deeper pull of their lives.James shares his own story of walking out of a finance job after three days, leaving his coat on the chair, taking the elevator down 40 floors, getting on a train, and never returning. Pressfield recognizes it immediately as a real-life threshold moment.The conversation then turns to The Artist's Journey. Pressfield explains that the hero's journey ends when the hero returns home with a gift. The artist's journey begins when the artist asks: What is the gift I am meant to give? What is my material? What is my voice? What am I here to make?They discuss Resistance as the real villain in every story, why the question “Who am I?” often drives the inciting incident, why villains often do not change, why opening and closing images matter, and why genres have rules that writers ignore at their own risk.This episode is a masterclass in story, but it is also a meditation on identity. The deeper question is not just how to write a story. It is how to recognize the story already trying to live through you.Editorial Note:This is a "From the Archive" episode. References to “new” or “upcoming” books, projects, or events reflect the timing of the original recording.What You'll Learn:Why Steven Pressfield built The Legend of Bagger Vance on the structure of the Bhagavad Gita.How ancient myths and spiritual texts can become frameworks for modern stories.Why the hero's journey begins only when the hero answers the call.What separates the ordinary world from the extraordinary world.Why Resistance appears immediately after the call to action.Why crossing the threshold changes how other people see you—and how you see yourself.How the artist's journey begins after the hero's journey ends.Why the artist's real question is: What gift am I bringing back?How to go deeper into theme instead of just telling a surface-level story.Why success, awards, money, and status can become forms of Resistance.How dreams, intuition, and recurring ideas can point toward a person's real work.Why every strong story creates a first pole and second pole: the question and the answer.Why the villain may be a person, a force, or Resistance itself.Why genre conventions matter, even for experienced writers.How opening and closing images can reveal the full emotional transformation of a story.Timestamped Chapters:[02:00] Steven Pressfield and the Ancient Structure of StoryJames introduces Pressfield through The Legend of Bagger Vance, The Authentic Swing, and the Bhagavad Gita.[03:33] Ancient Wisdom in Modern WritingJames explains how he used the Yoga Sutras as a hidden structure for one of his most popular entrepreneurship essays.[04:42] Stories That Have Been Tested for Thousands of YearsWhy myths, sacred texts, and ancient epics still work as storytelling engines.[05:00] Pressfield's Small Books on StorytellingJames introduces Pressfield's mini-books on how stories begin, what they are about, and how artists find their material.[05:31] Are You the Hero or the Red Shirt?James asks whether everyone is really the hero of their own story—or whether some people refuse the call.[07:13] The Call to Adventure and the Refusal of the CallPressfield walks through Joseph Campbell's structure: ordinary world, call, refusal, and threshold.[08:31] It Is Never Too Late to Answer the CallThe hero's journey can begin late, and people may have more than one journey in a lifetime.[09:08] Ordinary World vs. Extraordinary WorldLuke Skywalker, Star Wars, Christopher Vogler, Blake Snyder, and the moment a story crosses into Act Two.[10:45] Resistance at the Edge of the ThresholdWhy no one enters the extraordinary world without hesitation, fear, or circumstances forcing the break.[11:23] Mentors, Books, and Virtual TeachersJames questions whether every hero needs a mentor and describes books and podcast guests as his own collective mentors.[12:32] What Steven Gave Up to Become a WriterPressfield recalls sacrificing security, a marriage, and stable advertising jobs in order to keep writing.[13:25] The Temptation to Stay SafeThe boss offers the title, the office, the raise—and the artist has to decide whether to cross the threshold anyway.[14:15] James Walks Out of the Ordinary WorldJames tells the story of leaving a finance job after three days, taking the elevator down 40 floors, and never returning.[15:36] Real Life Follows the Hero's JourneyPressfield explains that threshold moments happen before we understand them as story structure.[16:44] The Books That Made Steven Pressfield a Creative MentorJames names The War of Art, Turning Pro, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sht*, The Knowledge, and The Artist's Journey.[17:36] How the Hero Becomes Known DifferentlyPressfield explains how crossing the threshold changes the hero's identity in the eyes of others and themselves.[20:26] Breaking Bad and the Discovery of the Real SelfWalter White becomes an example of a character realizing who he really is inside the extraordinary world.[21:08] What the Audience Sees Before the Villain DoesJames explains how the hero, villain, and audience may recognize transformation at different moments.[22:13] Crossing the Threshold Means Losing PeoplePressfield and James discuss how entering a new life attracts new people and repels old ones.[23:38] Real Life Is Messier Than StoryUnlike a focused screenplay, a life can contain many themes at once: parenthood, business, art, family, and identity.[24:36] Ignorance, Arrogance, and FaithWhy artists and entrepreneurs need enough irrational confidence to begin before they know whether they have anything to say.[26:53] Peeling Back the OnionJames and Steven discuss how artists move from surface ideas to deeper themes over time.[29:04] The Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and Artistic EvolutionHow great artists begin by imitating what they love and eventually discover what they are really trying to express.[32:08] What Are We Actually Talking About?Pressfield pauses the conversation to ask whether a theme is emerging from the discussion itself.[33:25] The Calling Is Already Inside YouPressfield argues that each person is born with a destiny, identity, or inner pressure that eventually wants to surface.[35:21] The Hero's Journey Across GenerationsJames and Steven discuss World War II, the Greatest Generation, the boomers, and social movements as mass threshold moments.[39:48] The Full Shape of the Hero's JourneyOrdinary world, call, mentor, inciting incident, trials, return, and the gift brought back to the people.[41:17] When the Artist's Journey BeginsPressfield explains that the artist's journey starts when the hero's journey ends.[42:33] What Is the Gift?The artist asks: What is my act? What is my material? What is my medium? Who am I?[44:20] Good Will Hunting and the Beginning After the EndingWhy the end of one story often marks the beginning of the artist's real work.[45:17] Catch Me If You Can and the Artist After the AdventureJames uses Frank Abagnale as an example of a hero's journey followed by a less cinematic but still meaningful artist's journey.[47:00] The Return Home and the Embedded SelfPressfield explains that the person at the end of the journey was already hidden inside the person at the beginning.[49:05] Who Am I?James identifies the core question behind the inciting incident: am I ordinary, or am I extraordinary?[51:28] Who Am I, Why Am I Here, What Do I Want?Pressfield connects story structure to Stanislavski's dramatic questions and real-life identity.[53:37] Taken, Jason Bourne, and the Hidden SelfThe extraordinary world reveals the self that was always there but could not appear in the ordinary world.[55:00] Why Stories Let Us Practice the ExtraordinaryJames describes storytelling as a safe space where people in ordinary life can rehearse crossing the threshold.[55:45] Steven Pressfield: Servant of the MusePressfield answers James's question “Who are you?” by describing himself as a servant of the muse.[56:31] Success, the Muse, and the Second Half of LifePressfield discusses process, hierarchy, status, Richard Rohr, and why chasing awards can become Resistance.[01:03:00] Becoming a Second-Half Person at Any AgeJames and Steven discuss moving past external goals earlier in life and clearing the channel for deeper work.[01:05:25] The 10,000-Hour Rule and Cross-PollinationWriting, advertising, finance, comedy, podcasting, and entrepreneurship all become grist for the mill.[01:07:16] Inventing Yourself as You GoPressfield tells James that he is creating something that has never existed before: the James Altucher version of the artist's journey.[01:08:20] How to Find the Extraordinary WorldPressfield advises people to listen to their dreams, journal them, and pay attention to the signals coming from the deeper self.[01:10:40] Inner Work and Learning to Hear IdeasSteven recommends Robert A. Johnson's Inner Work and describes creativity as the skill of noticing what is already arriving.[01:11:49] The First Pole and the Second PoleThe inciting incident creates a question the audience needs answered, as in The Bourne Identity: Who is he?[01:13:31] The Villain Is EverywhereJames and Steven discuss why villains keep returning and why Resistance may be the real villain in every story.[01:15:05] Does the Villain Ever Change?Darth Vader becomes an example of a character who may look like the villain but is really on another journey.[01:16:16] Opening Image, Closing ImageThe Godfather shows how a story can begin and end in similar places while revealing total transformation.[01:17:19] Why Everyone Can't Just Write a ThrillerEven with formulas available, genre rules and obligatory scenes still have to be understood and honored.[01:18:24] Rules, Genres, and Why Audiences Feel CheatedPressfield explains that if a genre's necessary beat is missing, the audience may feel the story is hollow.[01:18:42] Romance, Tragedy, and The Way We WereJames and Steven discuss romance structure and why a love story can still work when the couple does not end up together.[01:20:54] No One Is Born a ProJames reads a Pressfield line about falling before hitting bottom and connects it to the artist's journey needing the hero's journey first.Additional Resources:Steven Pressfield Official WebsiteSteven Pressfield BooksThe War of Art by Steven PressfieldTurning Pro by Steven PressfieldThe Artist's Journey by Steven PressfieldNobody Wants to Read Your Sht* by Steven PressfieldThe Authentic Swing by Steven PressfieldThe Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield“How Does a Story Start?” by Steven PressfieldThe Writer's Journey by Christopher VoglerSave the Cat! by Blake SnyderInner Work by Robert A. JohnsonFalling Upward by Richard RohrSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's bonus episode of Everything Belongs features hosts Mike Petrow, Carmen Acevedo Butcher, and Drew Jackson in conversation with Chichi Agorom, author of The Enneagram for Black Liberation: Return to Who You Are Beneath the Armor You Carry.   Listen in to explore Chichi's key insights:  Our Enneagram type can be like a suit of armor: protective but sometimes restrictive. She defines vulnerability as a willingness to be impacted without controlling the outcome.  Her three-part framework of power: power over, power within, and power with.  Why collective, shared power matters, especially in moments of cultural upheaval.  The distinction between information, knowledge, and embodied wisdom.  Chichi closes by reflecting on how each Enneagram type carries its own “superpower” that can serve the collective when held with awareness rather than defensiveness.   Today's episode asks us each: Can we see healing not as a solo pursuit, but as a collective effort moving us towards mutual liberation?  Find the transcript for this episode here. Sign Up for The Enneagram Email Series  Deepen your journey with the Enneagram. Sign up for monthly reflections, practices, and resources that connect the contemplative wisdom with your daily life. https://cac.org/belongs2026/ Additional Enneagram Resources: The Enneagram: An Introduction: A brief introduction to this tool and a compilation of different resources curated for those longing to better understand and have compassion for themselves and others.  Enneagram as a Tool for Your Spiritual Journey: Use the offer code POD35 to get 35% off this foundational Enneagram teaching from Fr. Richard Rohr and Episode 2 guest Russ Hudson.  The Enneagram & Grace: Richard Rohr and Russ Hudson offer a deep study of the Enneagram as a practice to nurture transformation for ourselves and compassion for the world. Use POD35 to get 35% off your order.  Follow us on Instagram. How can your wounds lead to wisdom? Discover topics about what your number might be trying to teach you.  Join the conversation on Facebook. Share wisdom with others on the Enneagram journey.   Pick up a copy of Fr. Richard's book The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective.  Connect With Us: Have a question you'd like ask the team to answer about this season?  Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcasts@cac.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

This special episode initially ran early in 2025 but I wanted to bump it up for those of you who missed it and also because I honestly think Richard Rohr is worthy of a re-listen. If you're not already familiar with Richard Rohr, he's a wonderful Franciscan friar, the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, and one of my most profound teachers. I really loved and highly recommend his book The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage. In this conversation, he helps us to make sense of disorder, evil, anger, and grief—while also helping us to truly grow. For the show notes, head to eliseloehnen.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug joins the circle from a backyard, phone propped in the grass, raking leaves for an eighty-five-year-old piano teacher who can no longer garden. What follows is a teaching on sorrow — what it's for, how to hold it without gripping — and then a guided practice for letting personal pain become a blessing for others. Drawing on Richard Rohr's The Tears of Things, the Law of One, and the Christian Paschal Mystery, this episode moves from reflection into experience with the Sacrament of Solidarity, a heart-centered practice offered entirely under free will. In this episode The mundane is sacred. Why an ordinary evening of raking leaves is exactly the right ground for this teaching. Spiritual melancholia and clinical depression. Doug, a therapist, draws the line carefully: depressive disorders are real and deserve real treatment. Alongside them sits a spiritual sadness that works less like a malfunction and more like a gift. Gratitude for all that was; yes to all that will be. The Hammarskjöld refrain that anchors the evening, prayed over one member of the circle standing between a home she is leaving and a home she is entering. The Paschal Mystery. Loss and renewal. Learning to die well without gripping — or, as M put it more beautifully than any theology that night, learning to keep your hands open. Joy is not happiness. Happiness may be the opposite of sadness; joy is something else — the felt movement of life, available inside heartbreak wherever there is perspective and a sense of meaning. Everything laments. The phrase lacrimae rerum comes from Virgil; the wisdom of Rohr's book comes from the Hebrew prophets, whose arc runs from rage through sorrow into compassion. Lament as an archetype of release rather than revenge or repair. One body, one Earth. Humanity as the feeling, self-aware membrane of the planet — and what happens when the cells refuse to grieve. Ra's "quiet horror." Why a world where the positively oriented outnumber the negative can still feel so negative — and why it's the good ones who carry that particular ache. The Sacrament of Solidarity. The full guided practice, offered step by step. The practice, in brief A free-will meditation moving undirected energy up through the centers and out as directed blessing: Unite your heart with the others — you are not alone. Find the swirling red-orange sphere of sorrow and anger below the navel. Surrender the need to control the outcome; let it rise to the membrane below the heart. Watch it turn emerald green as it enters the heart, the seat of universal love. Ask, freely: Do you wish to use your pain to bless others? Let it settle behind the throat as a message of love, ready to be delivered. Open the indigo inner eye to those carrying heartache across the world. Release a violet ray from the crown, directed with will and faith: You are not alone. I am here with you. Your pain is understood. I will help you carry this. Breathe. Out: I wish you well-being and peace. In: I wish for myself well-being and peace. Return to the body with gratitude, and with the sense of having transmuted pain into blessing. Sources & references Richard Rohr, The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage (Convergent, 2025). Rohr's most personal book, which he has described as a summation of his teaching. See also his conversation with Oprah, and his Greenbelt Festival interview on how the title came about. On the title and its sources. The phrase lacrimae rerum — "the tears of things" — is Virgil's, from Aeneid I.462, where Aeneas weeps before a mural of the war dead. Rohr has said the phrase stayed with him from his Latin studies. The book's substance, though, comes from the Hebrew prophets — Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah — whose writings move from rage and accusation into lamentation and, finally, compassion. Rohr calls this pattern "sacred criticism": confronting evil and injustice while holding the wholeness of history and the interconnectedness of every living being. Dag Hammarskjöld — "For all that has been, thanks; to all that shall be, yes." The Law of One (Ra Material): Session 17.23 — the Earth only seems negatively oriented; the appearance comes from "the quiet, shall we say, horror which is the common distortion which those good, or positively oriented, entities have towards the occurrences" of the present. Session 46.9 — anger as "the undirected, or random, energy." Ra teaches acceptance as the key to the positive use of catalyst, and control as the key to the negative — the same turn the practice asks for below the heart. The Paschal Mystery — the Christian pattern of death, letting go, and renewal. The Bodhisattva tradition — those who return to help humanity with its suffering by teaching us to lament well. Brené Brown — on "foreboding joy," the reflex to brace for catastrophe in our happiest moments. For reflection this week Hold one another in your hearts. If sadness or disappointment surfaces, don't fret it — it's an opening to transmute into shared blessing. That's the gateway back to joy. This episode touches on grief, despair, and suicidal pain. If you're carrying that kind of weight, please don't carry it alone — reach out to someone you trust or to a professional. The whole point of a sacrament of solidarity is that no one is meant to lament by themselves.

In this episode, Randy Woodley argues that the church has been asking the wrong question. Not whether the story happened, but what the story asks of us. And to start to ask better questions, we have to go back to the root - where did this all come from? And how did Western Christianity get it wrong? We talk about Platonic dualism made belief more important than action, producing hierarchy, empire, and harm. We talk about reading scripture as story rather than evidence, replacing the word salvation with healing, and what repentance actually costs. If you've felt the distance between what you believe and how you live, this conversation names where that came from and what it takes to close that gap.Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley is a dynamic writer and speaker with a deep passion for creativity and Indigenous spirituality, justice, and earth empowerment. His diverse background and experiences have uniquely equipped him to bring about positive change in Indigenous communities for four decades. With his wife, Edith, (Shoshone) they have four children and six grandchildren. An award-winning author and a tribally recognized Keetoowah descendant (UKB), the author of 15 books, Randy weaves together Indigenous wisdom, ecological sustainability, and spirituality. Randy is both an active farmer and a Distinguished Professor Emeritus. He is respected by Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities worldwide and has been featured in The New York Times, Politifact, Time Magazine, and The Huffington Post. Randy publishes a weekly Substack at https://rwoodley7.substack.com/ and is a faculty member at Richard Rohr's Center for Action and Contemplation.Together, the Woodley's co-sustain Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm & Seeds, https://www.eloheh.org/ a non-profit, regenerative farm and school determined to assist others grow healthy food and combat the climate crisis. The Woodley's are founders of Sho-Kee Cultural Consultants https://www.sho-kee.com/ where they bring Indigenous knowledge and cross-cultural expertise to clients nationwide, working with organizations, educational institutions, and creative projects.Randy's Book:How Western Christianity Got it WrongRandy's Recommendations:ErasedThe Dawn of EverythingConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.comGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeSupport the podcast and the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below Support the show

Today, Fr. Richard Rohr unpacks the Enneagram Type Three, which is often referred to as “the achiever.” We live, as Fr. Richard puts it, in “a Type Three culture” — a culture obsessed with image, achievement, and approval. Threes often learn as children that love is earned through performance rather than given freely. Over time, this can lead to an over-identification with the presentable self, at the expense of deeper authenticity.   Today we're also joined by actor, director, and musician Josh Radnor, who is best known for starring on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Josh discusses the multi-faceted nature of professional success and the complexity of finally reaching the "top of the ladder" — only to find it leaning against the wrong wall.    Today's episode poses a moving question for us all: Can we be loved for who we are, not what we accomplish?  Find the transcript for today's episode here. Sign Up for The Enneagram Email Series  Deepen your journey with the Enneagram. Sign up for monthly reflections, practices, and resources that connect contemplative wisdom with your daily life: https://cac.org/belongs2026/ Take a Deeper Dive into Type Three  Threes are at the center of the heart triad. They are driven by how they are perceived as well as a need to succeed — and to an outsider looking on, they often do appear very successful. However, their success is often driven by their core wounds. “Through my competence and overproduction, can I prove my worth?” is a central question for Enneagram Threes.  Authentic and redeemed Threes can spread truth and grace in a way that is professional and efficient. Their wound can become their gift.  Additional Enneagram Resources   The Enneagram: An Introduction: A brief introduction to this tool and a compilation of different resources curated for those longing to better understand and have compassion for themselves and others.  Enneagram as a Tool for Your Spiritual Journey: Use the offer code POD35 to get 35% off this foundational Enneagram teaching from Fr. Richard Rohr and Episode 2 guest Russ Hudson. The Enneagram & Grace: Richard Rohr and Russ Hudson offer a deep study of the Enneagram as a practice to nurture transformation for ourselves and compassion for the world. Use POD35 to get 35% off your order. Follow us on Instagram. How can your wounds lead to wisdom? Discover topics related to what your number might be trying to teach you.  Join the conversation on Facebook. Share wisdom with others on the Enneagram journey.   Pick up a copy of Fr. Richard's book The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective.  Connect With Us  Have a question you'd like ask the team to answer about this season?  Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcasts@cac.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

This service is podcast vibes! Hannah and Jarrett tackle conversion and Richard Rohr.

Holly Ringland on Overcoming Creative Fear and Finding Joy as a WriterIn this episode, I sit down with Holly Ringland — bestselling author of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart and The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding — to talk about her first work of nonfiction, The House That Joy Built. If you've ever struggled with creative block, self-doubt, or the fear that you're just not good enough to create, this conversation is for you.Holly spent 20 years disconnected from her writing — not because the desire wasn't there, but because fear silenced her. In The House That Joy Built, she shares her deeply personal toolkit for overcoming the inner critic, reconnecting with your creative self, and finding joy in the creative process — even when life has been hard.We talk about how grief and rage can become unexpected catalysts for creativity, why joy isn't the opposite of pain but can live alongside it, and how returning to your imagination is like coming home to yourself after a long journey.Whether you're a writer, an artist, or anyone who has ever felt cut off from a creative outlet you once loved, Holly's story and insights will resonate deeply.Timestamped Highlights[00:47] — What if you could write about difficult, challenging emotions while still embracing joy? I introduce Holly and the big question at the heart of her work.[02:35] — Holly shares the origin story of The House That Joy Built — how her publisher Catherine Milne sparked the idea over champagne by the sea, and how Holly said yes to writing it in just three months.[09:21] — I tell Holly that The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart has the best opening hook I've ever read — and she shares the remarkable story of how that first line came to her in a moment of grief and rage.[19:25] — Holly talks about what it means to become disconnected from your creativity, and why severing yourself from the thing you love most can be a form of self-protection — and self-harm at the same time.[23:07] — Why The House That Joy Built isn't just for writers — it's for anyone who has ever loved a creative outlet and lost touch with it, and what it means to find your way back.[26:46] — Holly shares a Richard Rohr quote that stopped me in my tracks: "Pain that is not transformed is transmitted" — and what that means for how we handle our own struggles creatively.[29:54] — Holly tells the hilarious and deeply moving She-Ra story — and what a six-year-old girl with a plastic sword and a face mask taught her about facing fear and vulnerability as a creative person.[37:17] — The difference between outer landscape and inner landscape, and why the places we love hold our memories and emotions in ways that mirror our own inner world.[44:21] — The desert oak seed pod: Holly explains why this extraordinary tree — which needs fire to crack open its seeds before they can grow — is one of her most powerful metaphors for the creative journey.[50:45] — What is the house that joy builds? Holly explains the beautiful metaphor at the heart of the book — and why coming home to your creativity is like finding the porch light left on for you by a former version of yourself.[01:01:07] — Where to find Holly online, including her Substack newsletter, and how she invites readers to send her their questions about creativity and vulnerability.Links & ResourcesThe House That Joy Built by Holly RinglandThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding, The World Beneath Her Feet by Holly RinglandHolly Ringland on Substack: The Joy RiseHolly Ringland on Instagram: @hollygoeslightlyArt Heals All Wounds Podcast: arthealsallwoundspodcast.comArt Heals All Wounds on SubstackEnjoyed this episode? Follow Art Heals All Wounds on your favorite podcast app, and if you'd like to support the show, I'd be so grateful for a five-star rating or review. It makes a real difference in helping more people find these conversations.Support the show

Tim leads the community through a contemplative exploration of vulnerability and intimacy, picking up the thread from Doug's recent teaching on the significant self. Opening with a prayer to lift the heaviness of the season, Tim moves from Paul's thorn in the flesh to the myth of Achilles — reading the famous heel as the humble, grounded place where we meet our own finitude and our shadow. He traces the etymology of vulnerable (the capacity to be wounded), weighs the doctrine of divine impassibility against the image of a suffering, woundable Creator, and draws on Richard Rohr and C.S. Lewis to argue that we become only through letting others change us. Turning to the research of Reis and Shaver, he frames intimacy as a reciprocal four-step loop — perceiving, understanding, validating, caring — that resolves not in fusion but in cared-for difference. The heart of the session rests on the one place in the Law of One where Ra speaks of intimacy between two entities: our Creator-to-Creator relationship with the Logos. Tim closes with Dunbar's number and a fractal model of how intimacy scales, the green-ray "razor's edge" of staying open while declining to be harmed, and an original parable — The Parable of the Crossing — on surrender as the only way across the deep. Members contribute reflections on humility in counseling and parenting, vulnerability in a season of relocation, and an intimate encounter of being fully seen. Key References Ra, Session 65.17 — Our relationship to the Logos (sun) as Creator-to-Creator rather than parent-to-child; widening the field of "eyeshot" across the one infinite creation. (The single use of "intimacy" between two entities in the Law of One.) Ra, Session 32.14 — Green-ray activation is always vulnerable to the yellow or orange ray of possession; the four possession distortions (fear/desire of possessing and being possessed) that deactivate green-ray energy transfer. 2 Corinthians 12 — Paul's thorn in the flesh; power made perfect in weakness. The Beatitudes (Matthew 5) — Eight blessings read as corresponding to the eight densities and to aspects of an open heart. The myth of Achilles — Thetis, the River Styx, and the heel as the site of shadow and embodiment. Richard Rohr — Jesus as the naked, vulnerable infant; becoming through relationship. C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves — To love at all is to be vulnerable; the locked-away heart. Harry Reis & Phillip Shaver — The interpersonal process model of intimacy. Robin Dunbar — Dunbar's number (~150) and the nested layers of social bonding. Erich Fromm — "I love the whole world through you." David Hawkins, Letting Go — Surrender and release. Brené Brown — Vulnerability as willingness to be seen without guarantee of outcome. Original parable: The Parable of the Crossing (Tim).

What helps you stay grounded when life gets difficult? In this episode of Perspectives, Rev. Drs. Hannah and Brittany of First United Methodist Church of San Diego explore Luke 6:43-49 and Jesus' powerful images of trees, fruit, and firm foundations. Together, they discuss how faith is formed long before life's storms arrive—and why spiritual growth is less about avoiding hardship and more about developing the resilience to face it. The female pastors ultimately ask: What if discipleship isn't a "cost" to be paid, but a spiritual gym where we build the strength, courage, wisdom, and grounding needed to weather life's challenges? This progressive Christian conversation explores: Building faith for difficult times Faith as formation rather than achievement Why Jesus promises storms, not storm-free lives The connection between our inner life and outward actions Spiritual growth as a lifelong practice, not a one-time event Move from control to trust, certainty to surrender Discipleship being a rooting, grounding, and deepening rather than a “cost to be paid” Reflection Questions: What habits or influences are shaping the condition of my heart? Are there areas where my actions do not match my values or beliefs? What practices help me stay grounded when life becomes difficult? Join the Conversation: Whether you're a lifelong Christian, exploring progressive Christianity, deconstructing faith, or simply seeking a deeper spiritual foundation, we invite you to reflect alongside us: Convergence discussion group on Sundays at 12 PM Online Patreon community to connect with other listeners Timestamps: 00:00 Why Jesus Talks About Trees and Foundations 01:15 Scripture Reading: Luke 6:43-49 03:09 Faith Foundations and a Grandmother's Wisdom 05:15 Trees, Houses, and the Practice of Patience 08:00 More Than Saying "Lord, Lord": Faith as Formation 12:32 Why Storms Are Part of Life 18:18 The Spiritual Gym: Growing Through Difficult Seasons 20:12 The Inner Life, Richard Rohr, and Spiritual Transformation 25:53 Discipleship as Formation, Not Cost 27:31 Reflection Questions for Spiritual Growth

Today on Everything Belongs we're joined by author and Enneagram teacher Hunter Mobley, to explore Type Two on the Enneagram — “the helper.” Type Twos excel at offering deep empathy, generosity, loyalty, and a strong desire to care for others. However, there's also a shadow side to this type; they may struggle with boundaries, have hidden expectations for validation, or carry resentment from giving too much to others.  Fr. Richard explains that many Twos learn early in life to earn love through caretaking. Hunter expands on how cultural expectations, gender roles, and spirituality can shape or mask each of the Enneagram types, with particular emphasis on the Two.   Tune in to discover how the Enneagram is not just about personality typing, but about transformation and solidarity. Welcome to a journey that helps reveal how everything — and everyone — belongs.  Find the transcript for this episode here. Sign Up for The Enneagram Email Series  Deepen your journey with the Enneagram. Sign up for monthly reflections, practices, and resources that connect the contemplative wisdom with your daily life: https://cac.org/belongs2026/  Take a Deeper Dive into Type Two  Twos are a part of the heart triad. They are “other-directed” people, whose well-being depends on how their environment reacts to them.   We all have this same concern, to some degree. It grows out of the mirroring we received or didn't receive as a child when we were first developing our sense of identity. “Who am I in your eyes?” is a central question for Enneagram type twos.  Read more on Type Two here. Additional Enneagram Resources   The Enneagram: An Introduction: A brief introduction to this tool and a compilation of different resources curated for those longing to better understand and have compassion for themselves and others.  Enneagram as a Tool for Your Spiritual Journey: Use the offer code POD35 to get 35% off this foundational Enneagram teaching from Fr. Richard Rohr and Episode 2 guest Russ Hudson.  The Enneagram & Grace: Richard Rohr and Russ Hudson offer a deep study of the Enneagram as a practice to nurture transformation for ourselves and compassion for the world. Use POD35 to get 35% off your order. Follow us on Instagram. How can your wounds lead to wisdom? Discover topics about what your number might be trying to teach you.  Join the conversation on Facebook. Share wisdom with others on the Enneagram journey.   Pick up a copy of Fr. Richard's book The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective.  Connect With Us  Have a question you'd like to ask about this season? Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcasts@cac.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

A heads-up before you press play: this is a bonus crossover from my true crime podcast, Murder on the Couch, dropping into your Virtual Couch / Waking Up to Narcissism feed. It's heavier than usual and opens with a disturbing familicide case that I don't sugarcoat, so if that's not where you are right now, it's completely okay to sit this one out and come back when you're ready. If you stay, I use the case to get at the things we talk about all the time—shame, compartmentalization, the altruistic defense, emotional immaturity, and differentiation—because the behavior is horrific, but the psychology underneath it is deeply human. John List killed his wife, his mother, and his three children—then walked away convinced God would understand. Murder on the Couch is back. Licensed therapist Tony Overbay reopens one of true crime's most chilling family annihilation cases, but not for the manhunt or the famous 18 years List spent hiding in plain sight as "Bob Clark." Tony sits with the question that actually keeps him up at night: how does a devout, rule-following Sunday school teacher reach a place where murder becomes, in his own mind, the most loving thing he could do? If you've ever performed "fine" while something was quietly falling apart inside you, this one lands closer to home than you'd expect. In this episode: Untangle guilt ("I did something bad") from shame ("I am bad")—and why shame left in the dark only grows heavier Spot the "altruistic defense": how control and harm get repackaged as love, devotion, and protection See how rigidity, compartmentalization, and a performed self can hollow a person out long before any crisis hits Learn the ACT distinction between the conceptualized self (the story) and the observing self (the awareness)—and why List had no one home to catch him when the story collapsed Drawing on acceptance and commitment therapy, David Schnarch's work on differentiation, and Richard Rohr's reframe of shame, Tony brings 600-plus episodes of clinical insight to the cases that won't let him go. Shame grows in concealment and shrinks in connection. And Tony's looking for a co-host—if a case has gotten under your skin and you know why, email contact@tonyoverbay.com and pitch it. 00:00 Bonus Episode Setup 00:21 Murder on the Couch Returns 02:56 Content Warning and Themes 05:53 John List Case Opens 08:46 Show Relaunch and Co-Host Invite 12:40 John List Background and Unraveling 17:31 Compartmentalization Explained 19:53 Shame Versus Guilt 24:21 ACT Defusion and Healing 25:47 Shame Architecture of John List 28:21 Altruistic Defense and Covert Narcissism 30:49 Narcissistic Injury 31:26 Altruistic Defense 35:32 Love Versus Control 36:29 Rigidity Explained 38:08 Rules And Fragility 42:06 Eighteen Years Hidden 45:40 Conceptualized Self 48:35 Excavating The Self 52:56 Why This Case Haunts 54:31 Faith And Performance 58:07 Tell The Truth 59:41 Closing And Co-Hosts Please follow Tony on Instagram @virtual.couch on Tiktok @virtualcouch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tonyoverbaylmft and on Substack https://thevirtualcouch.substack.com/ You can reach out to Tony through his website tonyoverbay.com or by emailing contact @ tonyoverbay.com

A heads-up before you press play: this is a bonus crossover from my true crime podcast, Murder on the Couch, dropping into your Virtual Couch / Waking Up to Narcissism feed. It's heavier than usual and opens with a disturbing familicide case that I don't sugarcoat, so if that's not where you are right now, it's completely okay to sit this one out and come back when you're ready. If you stay, I use the case to get at the things we talk about all the time—shame, compartmentalization, the altruistic defense, emotional immaturity, and differentiation—because the behavior is horrific, but the psychology underneath it is deeply human. John List killed his wife, his mother, and his three children—then walked away convinced God would understand. Murder on the Couch is back. Licensed therapist Tony Overbay reopens one of true crime's most chilling family annihilation cases, but not for the manhunt or the famous 18 years List spent hiding in plain sight as "Bob Clark." Tony sits with the question that actually keeps him up at night: how does a devout, rule-following Sunday school teacher reach a place where murder becomes, in his own mind, the most loving thing he could do? If you've ever performed "fine" while something was quietly falling apart inside you, this one lands closer to home than you'd expect. In this episode: Untangle guilt ("I did something bad") from shame ("I am bad")—and why shame left in the dark only grows heavier Spot the "altruistic defense": how control and harm get repackaged as love, devotion, and protection See how rigidity, compartmentalization, and a performed self can hollow a person out long before any crisis hits Learn the ACT distinction between the conceptualized self (the story) and the observing self (the awareness)—and why List had no one home to catch him when the story collapsed Drawing on acceptance and commitment therapy, David Schnarch's work on differentiation, and Richard Rohr's reframe of shame, Tony brings 600-plus episodes of clinical insight to the cases that won't let him go. Shame grows in concealment and shrinks in connection. And Tony's looking for a co-host—if a case has gotten under your skin and you know why, email contact@tonyoverbay.com and pitch it. 00:00 Bonus Episode Setup 00:21 Murder on the Couch Returns 02:56 Content Warning and Themes 05:53 John List Case Opens 08:46 Show Relaunch and Co-Host Invite 12:40 John List Background and Unraveling 17:31 Compartmentalization Explained 19:53 Shame Versus Guilt 24:21 ACT Defusion and Healing 25:47 Shame Architecture of John List 28:21 Altruistic Defense and Covert Narcissism 30:49 Narcissistic Injury 31:26 Altruistic Defense 35:32 Love Versus Control 36:29 Rigidity Explained 38:08 Rules And Fragility 42:06 Eighteen Years Hidden 45:40 Conceptualized Self 48:35 Excavating The Self 52:56 Why This Case Haunts 54:31 Faith And Performance 58:07 Tell The Truth 59:41 Closing And Co-Hosts Please follow Tony on Instagram @virtual.couch on Tiktok @virtualcouch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tonyoverbaylmft and on Substack https://thevirtualcouch.substack.com/ You can reach out to Tony through his website tonyoverbay.com or by emailing contact @ tonyoverbay.com

It's Trinity Sunday! We're starting off with a VERY brief history lesson with an introduction to the Nicene Creed. Yes, I'm even going to quote from the creed. We're going old school. The creed clearly clears things up. Yeah, no. We all still have questions. All of these analogies seem to fall short. Maybe the Trinity is better NOT explained; maybe it's better if we experience the Trinity. Think about the blessing/benediction from Paul: Grace of Jesus. Love of God. Fellowship of the Holy Spirit. We all know what grace feels like. We all know what love feels like. We all know what fellowship feels like. Maybe that's how we talk about the Trinity, by noticing how God has already been moving among us. Grace. Love. Fellowship. I like that a lot. But it doesn't stop me from wanting to explain it, or at least think about and play around with it. So, we'll do some more of that, by borrowing from Richard Rohr and running through some thoughts here. - God is dynamic. - God is diverse. - God is communal. What are we left with? Mystery. But it's a mystery that can be experienced if we're paying attention. Grace. Love. Fellowship. And if we're really paying attention, those things are everywhere. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:11-14 https://www.bible.com/events/49617181

You've done the inner work. So why does it still feel like you're circling the same mountain? In this episode, Dani gets real with her longtime therapist Jim Beebe about what's next when the healing work starts asking to become something bigger. She shares the moment Jim called her "a trauma looking for a drama," the Richard Rohr line that changed her ("those who don't transform their pain will transmit their pain"), and the reframe that landed hardest: the past becomes a story you own, not an experience you keep living.   In this episode, Dani and Jim talk about: - Why some of us get addicted to our own trauma - The shift from "what then" work to "what now" work - The wounded healer paradox: you grow by giving it away - How to tell when you're ready to coach others (and when you're not) - The difference between business coaching and transformational coaching - What it feels like to move from reactive to responsive   If you've felt the tug to turn what you've walked through into something that helps other people walk through their own mess, the Messy Life Transformation Life Coach Certification was built for this season. Book a free discovery call at https://calendly.com/danisumner and let's see if it's your next right step. And if you're not there yet, this episode will still hit like a deep breath and a hug and a kick in the ass all at once.   Glad you're here, Dani   Ready to Go to Your Next Level?

Is mysticism creeping into your church? Are you unknowingly influenced by New Age or New Thought beliefs?In this eye-opening conversation, Jonny Ardavanis sits down with apologist and author Melissa Dougherty to unpack the subtle but dangerous ideas infiltrating modern Christianity — from the Law of Attraction and Christ consciousness to Christian mysticism, universalism, and the teachings of Richard Rohr.Melissa shares her personal story of being deeply involved in the church while unknowingly holding occultic, unbiblical beliefs — and what finally woke her up.

This week on Pod Have Mercy, Jerry Webber joins John Stephens for a thoughtful conversation on contemplative spirituality, the interior life, and the wisdom hidden within the rhythms of a vineyard. Drawing from years of ministry, spiritual direction, and soul work, Jerry reflects on why silence, dormancy, weakness, and even loss can become sacred teachers in our spiritual lives.Together, they explore the imagery of vineyards, old vines, mystics, and spiritual practices that help us slow down long enough to notice where God is already at work within us. From Thomas Merton and Richard Rohr to the “dark night of the soul,” this episode is an invitation to move beyond performance-driven faith and toward deeper awareness, attentiveness, and connection.Whether you're navigating a difficult season, searching for spiritual grounding, or simply curious about contemplative spirituality, this conversation offers practical wisdom and hopeful perspective.

On this special bonus episode, James Finley and Kirsten Oates interview Fr Richard Rohr about his special connection to Thérèse of Lisieux. Richard Rohr is a Franciscan friar and ecumenical teacher who bears witness to the deep wisdom of Christian mysticism and traditions of action and contemplation. Founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, Father Richard teaches how God's grace guides us to our birthright as beings made of Divine Love. He is the author of numerous books, including The Universal Christ, The Wisdom Pattern, Just This, and Falling Upward. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. The books we will be using this season are: Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Third Edition, translated by John Clarke, which can be found ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series), edited by Mary Frolich⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with us: Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season? Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcasts@cac.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until May 15, 2026. This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at ⁠https://cac.org/support-cac/⁠ Thank you!

May 3rd - Celebrate Creation, with Rev. Sharon Edwards. Series: Created to Create A Spacious Christianity, First Presbyterian Church of Bend, Oregon. Scripture: Genesis 2, Romans 12:1–2.Ever feel worn out, disconnected, or unsure how your small life could ever really matter in a big, hurting world? This Sunday we're exploring how our everyday choices, bodies, and rhythms are deeply connected to the earth, to each other, and to healing more than we realize. It's about finding hope, grounding, and a sense of belonging right where you are.You're warmly invited to join us, online or in person, and simply come as you are.Join us each Sunday, 10AM at bendfp.org, or 11AM KTVZ-CW Channel 612/12 in Bend.  Subscribe/Follow, and click the bell for alerts.At First Presbyterian, you will meet people at many different places theologically and spiritually. And we love it that way. We want to be a place where our diversity brings us together and where conversation takes us all deeper in our understanding of God.We call this kind of faith “Spacious Christianity.” We don't ask anyone to sign creeds or statements of belief. The life of faith is about a way of being in the world and a faith that shows itself in love.Thank you for your support of the mission of the First Presbyterian Church of Bend. Visit https://bendfp.org/giving/ for more information.Keywords:Celtic spirituality, interfaith dialogue, climate crisis, spiritual transformation, third eye, creation, interconnectedness, environmental science, Richard Rohr, contemplation, sacredness, natural world, mental health, spiritual worship, ecological sciences, presbyterian, church, online worship, bend, oregonFeaturing:Rev. Dr. Steven Koski, Rev. Sharon Edwards, Becca Ellis, Brave of Heart, GuestsSupport the show

Do you find yourself struggling with perfectionism or a harsh inner critic?  Today's episode of Everything Belongs explores the Enneagram Type One with special guest author, teacher, and urban hermit, Tessa Bielecki. Tessa shares personal stories regarding how trauma and betrayal shattered her need to fix everything, the 1's ability to make order out of chaos, and how saguaro cacti became teachers  — all opening her up to a more compassionate way of living.  Both Richard and Tessa shed light on the Enneagram One's struggle with perfectionism, and self-judgment, eventually finding healing through embracing imperfection, forgiveness, and presence. Welcome to a journey that helps reveal how everything — and everyone — belongs.   Find the transcript for this episode here. Sign Up for The Enneagram Email Series:  Deepen your journey with the Enneagram. Sign up for monthly reflections, practices, and resources that connect the contemplative wisdom with your daily life here: https://cac.org/belongs2026/ Additional Enneagram Resources: Enneagram Type One: Perfection and Transformation: Learn how Enneagram ones can move beyond mixed motives and into a uniquely gifted way of being connected to God and creation.  Get 35% Off Additional Enneagram Teachings: Use the offer code POD35 to get a 35% discount on The Enneagram for Your Spiritual Journey and The Enneagram & Grace from Fr. Richard Rohr and Russ Hudson.  Follow us on Instagram. Did you know that the nine Enneagram types are clustered in three triads? ⁠Talk with others about using the Enneagram as a framework for transformation. Join the conversation on Facebook. Share your insights with others on the Enneagram journey.   Pick up a copy of Fr. Richard's book The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective.  Connect With Us  Have a question you'd like ask the team to answer about this season?  Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcasts@cac.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠  

You have a vague, unsettled sense that something is off—in the culture, in the church, maybe even in your own spiritual life—but you cannot quite name it, and so you keep moving, hoping it will clarify on its own. It will not clarify on its own. What you are sensing is real, and there is a name for it: you are living in the middle of a war you have not been trained to see. Dr. Joel Muddamalle, theologian and Director of Theology and Research at Proverbs 31 Ministries, joins me for a conversation that is as theologically rigorous as it is pastorally urgent. Joel makes the case that the church in the West has been slowly desensitized to the spiritual climate it is swimming in—not through a dramatic assault, but through the gradual repositioning of our dependence, our loves, and our identity. We cover the three rebellions embedded in Genesis and what they reveal about the enemy's enduring strategy, why the surge of spirituality in our culture is not an opportunity but a crisis of discernment, and why the doctrine of Christ consciousness—popularized by figures like Richard Rohr—is not an enlightened reading of Scripture but a doctrine of demons that hijacks the name of Jesus while quietly displacing him from his own story. We also walk through what deliverance actually looks like for believers, practically and biblically, without sensationalism and without the misplaced authority of any human administrator. The most important line in this conversation is not about cosmic powers or exorcisms. It is this: the enemy does not gain ground by overpowering you—he gains ground because you are withdrawing. Every time you step back, he steps forward. That truth will require something of you. Come ready to receive it. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my book "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Rev. Dr. Richard Gentzler joins Shellie and Matt to talk about ministry for and with aging adults. Dr. Gentzler has been focusing on and working with congregations with older adults for over thirty years. His wisdom will inspire and challenge you to see this ministry with different eyes. Resources Age Friendly Congregation Certificate from Encore Ministry Foundation (curriculum) Encore Ministry Foundation (organization) Dementia Small-Group Study from Encore Ministry Foundation (curriculum) Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Rohr (book)

"The spiritualities of all great world religions teach us letting go, or how to step aside," writes Richard Rohr. Letting go is an intentional process. We may let go of our emotional attachments, limiting beliefs, or past events. We may give up control, the need to be successful, or the need to be right. It's an ongoing process of surrendering to what is, and adjusting accordingly. In Episode 260, Susan and Cynthia take on this big idea, a central theme in spiritual practice.

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: Spring cleaning and outgoing books Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: the oldest books on our TBR Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and a something Meredith is curious about Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site). . . .   1:21 - Bookish Moments of the Week 6:05 - Current Reads 6:59 - A Question of Guilt by Jorn Lier Horst (Meredith, amazon link) 9:36 - Daunt Books 11:59 - How To Kill A Guy In Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson (Kaytee) 12:05 - The Novel Neighbor 17:05 - This American Woman by Zarna Garg (Meredith) 18:59 - Born A Crime by Trevor Noah  23:30 - Zarna Garg on TikTok 24:19 - The Tears of Things by Richard Rohr (Kaytee) 24:27- The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective by Richard Rohr 29:35 - Vigil by George Saunders (Meredith) 31:25 - Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders 31:33 - A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders 37:54 - The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens (Kaytee) 38:09 - Fabled Bookshop 38:13 - The Life We Bury by Allan Eskens 38:18 - Content Bookstore 42:53 - Deep Dive: The Oldest Books on our TBR 43:20 - Currently Reading Substack 43:24 - Currently Reading Website 47:22 - The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks 48:12 - 12 Years A Slave by Solomon Northrup 49:09 - Raven Black by Ann Cleeves 50:31 - How We Learn by Benedict Carey 51:57 - Aunt Dimity and the Family Tree by Nancy Atherton 53:57 - CR Season 5: Episode 18 54:00 - Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton 56:33 - The Hunger by Alma Katsu 58:12 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 58:54 - Before We Go Kaytee highlights a bookish friend post Meredith brings something she is curious about   Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. April's IPL is brought to us from a new to us bookstore, Two Friends Books in Bentonville, Arkansas Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads | Substack | Youtube The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

In this episode, I talk with Jeremy Jernigan about his deeply personal and intellectual journey behind The Edge of the Inside, unpacking how Jeremy's lifelong love of writing evolved into a healing-driven project that blends memoir and theology. We discuss how time and emotional distance were necessary to move from bitterness to clarity, allowing Jeremy to structure the book into reflection, belief, and application. We also discuss shared experiences as pastor's kids, the disorienting process of deconstruction, and the realization that faith is far broader than what we were taught. Listen to hear about: Writing as healing, not just storytelling Jeremy describes the book as a form of therapy, something he had to live through and process before he could write honestly and help others.   The “edge of the inside” concept Inspired by Richard Rohr, this idea captures the experience of still belonging to a system while holding a perspective that challenges it.   Deconstruction and expanding belief systems We both reflect on realizing that what we were taught wasn't the full picture, leading to curiosity, questioning, and broader exploration.   How language shapes belief (and confusion) The same words, faith, truth, provision, can mean completely different things depending on who's using them, especially in religious and political contexts.   The “life quake” moment Jeremy shares the pivotal realization that doing the “right” things doesn't guarantee success—and sometimes leads to losing everything, forcing a complete redefinition of faith and identity. Grab a copy of Jeremy's book here! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

Abbey of the Arts Wisdom Council member Carmen Acevedo Butcher reads Richard Rohr and invites you into 5 minutes of contemplative silence to hold a loving intention for peace, justice, and compassion to flourish in the world. All texts under fair use or with permission. Richard Rohr, excerpts from Yes, And…: Daily Meditations. (Franciscan Media, 2013, 2019) pgs. 91, 652, & 1714 and Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi. (Franciscan Media, 2014), pgs. 63 *, 84&5, & 96 *using adapted text from October 4th, 2021's “Daily Meditation” email AbbeyoftheArts.com

Part three of the Great BASH series profiles Peter Thiel as a systems architect who fuses Girardian diagnosis, Schmittian politics, transhumanist immortality projects, and Opus Dei networks—while delivering closed lectures in Rome on the Antichrist and sponsoring surveillance infrastructure (Palantir) named after Tolkien's seeing‑stones (made by the "antichrist" figure in the stories). The episode traces his intellectual formation and political investments, exposes the Palantir contradiction and the orange‑ray theological wound behind his refusal to surrender to death, and shows how secrecy and curated power risk fulfilling the very apocalyptic threats he warns about. As a remedy, the post presents five contemplative counter‑voices—Richard Rohr, Cynthia Bourgeault, Barbara Holmes, Brian McLaren, and Mirabai Starr—offering inward practice, restraint, and open authority as the alternative orientation the density transition requires.

Understanding the Stages of Life, Faith, and CallingIn this teaching, Coach Tom walks through a powerful framework for understanding the seasons of life and spiritual development.Drawing from the work of Richard Rohr and leadership researcher Bobby Clinton, he explains how God often shapes a person's life through several distinct phases—from building and identity formation, through seasons of transition, and eventually into wisdom and legacy.Coach Tom explores:• The Heroic Journey (roughly ages 20–40) — building life, identity, and direction• The Transition Years (40–55) — where humility, surrender, and deeper formation become essential• The Wisdom Journey (55+) — learning to live a released life that blesses othersHe also introduces Bobby Clinton's six stages of leadership and faith development, showing how God intentionally shapes our lives through:1. Sovereign Beginnings2. Spiritual Formation3. Gift Discovery & Development4. Life Maturation5. Convergence6. LegacyOne of the most striking insights: only about 20% of believers reach the “convergence zone.”This is the place where a person's gifts, calling, experiences, and spiritual maturity come together in what Coach Tom calls “Kingdom flow.”This teaching will help you:• Understand where you are in your life journey• Recognize how God uses transition and hardship for growth• Avoid becoming “bitter” or “stuck” during mid-life transitions• Move toward a life of wisdom, humility, and greater Kingdom impactIf you are in a season of transition, searching for clarity about your calling, or wondering how God is shaping your life story—this conversation will give you perspective and hope.__________________________You can connect with Coach Tom at:https://greaterformation.com/Email: Tom@GreaterFormation.com P.S. ... If you are stalled in life, or particularly if you are in transition, here are two ways I can help you Get Clear, Get Focused and Be Fruitful!1. Grab a Free Copy of my "4 Key Steps to Clarity and Fruitfulness" Document.  It's a Blueprint to help you move ahead.  Click Here2. Work with me:I can help you Clarify, Plan, and take Bold Steps into Your Future. Book a Free 30-Minute Clarity and Fruitfulness Session with me: Click Here 

Dave Brisbin 3.15.26 The earliest followers of Jesus understood that his Way of spiritual formation was about subtraction not addition—that there is nothing to acquire, no kingdom out there to make us whole. That everything there is, is already within, herenow, if we will only relinquish everything in our minds that blocks us from experiencing that reality. Our uniquely human egoic consciousness is all that separates us from everything else. Jesus' Way offers the experience of stepping outside the torrent of thoughts our minds constantly create and into the stillness where there is no separation. How could Eric Liddel train so hard to win the 1924 Olympic 400M race, yet be so relaxed before the race he could smile and wish each competitor luck? Even at age 22, he realized all that mattered was that he felt God's pleasure as he ran. When we've let go of outcomes to the point we can feel God's pleasure as we run, what do we know we didn't before? We know what has been called perennial wisdom, the universal truth that stands beneath all philosophy and theology, language and logic. This is the deep truth Jesus says will make us free. It can't be put into words, but maybe we could point by saying: We are all one, and because we're all one, nothing can exist outside of God—all that is seen and unseen is God. We emanated from and return to God, our source, and because of that, everything is truly good no matter how it appears. From that worldview, Richard Rohr extracts five more truths: Life is hard, we are not that important, our lives are not about us, we are not in control, and we are going to die. Sound brutal, but once couched in the oneness and non-separation of everything, they become consoling extensions of universal goodness: We are all parts of larger whole. Any identity apart from that whole is illusion. We are fulfilled only in the hard work of staying connected to and aware of that whole. We emanated from it and will return, but our minds actively block this reality. To experience it is to relinquish our minds' hold, surrender self to that larger whole. Knowing this truth is feeling God's pleasure as we run.

Dave Brisbin 3.15.26 The earliest followers of Jesus understood that his Way of spiritual formation was about subtraction not addition—that there is nothing to acquire, no kingdom out there to make us whole. That everything there is, is already within, herenow, if we will only relinquish everything in our minds that blocks us from experiencing that reality. Our uniquely human egoic consciousness is all that separates us from everything else. Jesus' Way offers the experience of stepping outside the torrent of thoughts our minds constantly create and into the stillness where there is no separation. How could Eric Liddel train so hard to win the 1924 Olympic 400M race, yet be so relaxed before the race he could smile and wish each competitor luck? Even at age 22, he realized all that mattered was that he felt God's pleasure as he ran. When we've let go of outcomes to the point we can feel God's pleasure as we run, what do we know we didn't before? We know what has been called perennial wisdom, the universal truth that stands beneath all philosophy and theology, language and logic. This is the deep truth Jesus says will make us free. It can't be put into words, but maybe we could point by saying: We are all one, and because we're all one, nothing can exist outside of God—all that is seen and unseen is God. We emanated from and return to God, our source, and because of that, everything is truly good no matter how it appears. From that worldview, Richard Rohr extracts five more truths: Life is hard, we are not that important, our lives are not about us, we are not in control, and we are going to die. Sound brutal, but once couched in the oneness and non-separation of everything, they become consoling extensions of universal goodness: We are all parts of larger whole. Any identity apart from that whole is illusion. We are fulfilled only in the hard work of staying connected to and aware of that whole. We emanated from it and will return, but our minds actively block this reality. To experience it is to relinquish our minds' hold, surrender self to that larger whole. Knowing this truth is feeling God's pleasure as we run.

In this episode of Pod Have Mercy, we revisit a conversation centered on the writings of Richard Rohr and the meaning of Good Friday.As the church moves through the season of Lent, Matt and John reflect on Rohr's insights about scapegoating, the human tendency to blame and condemn others, and the deeper meaning of the cross. Rather than viewing the crucifixion only through the lens of punishment or substitution, this conversation explores the idea of solidarity—a God who does not stand apart from human suffering but enters into it with us.Together they wrestle with questions that sit at the heart of Christian theology:Why is it called Good Friday? What does the cross reveal about human violence and scapegoating? And what does it mean to believe that even the darkest places of human experience are not God-forsaken?This episode is both thoughtful and honest, moving between theology, humor, and personal reflection as the hosts explore the paradox of death and hope at the center of the Christian story.

In this season-opening episode of Everything Belongs, the CAC team returns to one of Richard Rohr's most foundational teachings: The Enneagram—an ancient tool revealing how our wounds lead to our wisdom and our work in the world.   Richard shares the surprising story of how The Enneagram “found” him and how it transformed his work and spiritual teaching. The hosting team —CAC Dean of Faculty Carmen Acevedo Butcher, Drew Jackson, Paul Swanson, Cassidy Hall, and Mike Petrow — reflect on their own “origin stories,” sharing how this tool has shaped their healing, relationships, and solidarity with others.   Whether you're brand new to the Enneagram or a longtime seeker, this warm, insightful conversation invites you into a season of curiosity, compassion, and contemplative growth. Welcome to a journey that helps reveal how everything — and everyone — belongs.  Additional Enneagram Resources : The Enneagram: An Introduction: A brief introduction to this tool and a compilation of different resources curated for those longing to better understand, and have compassion for, themselves and others.  Enneagram as a Tool for Your Spiritual Journey: Use the offer code POD35 to get 35% off this foundational Enneagram teaching from Father Richard Rohr.  Follow us on Instagram. How can your wounds lead to wisdom? Discover topics about what your number might be trying to teach you.  Join the conversation on Facebook. Share wisdom with others on the Enneagram journey.   The transcript for today's episode can be found ⁠⁠here.⁠  Pick up a copy of Richard's book The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective ⁠here.  Connect with us: Have a question you'd like ask the team to answer about this season? Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠podcasts@cac.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠

This year's Sunday School curriculum is the Old Testament (better titled the Hebrew Bible). And before too long, those of us who follow the Come Follow Me calendar will begin moving into the study of the prophets Isaiah through Malachi. For most Latter-day Saints, this is generally their least favorite months of study. They don't contain much narrative, action, or other things that keep readers' attention.  But are there profound lessons to be learned from the prophets and their writings? The wise and powerful writer Richard Rohr thinks so, and this episode features some of his approaches.  Latter-day Faith hosts Dan Wotherspoon, Terri Petersen, and Mark Crego have each recently finished his beautiful book, The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom in an Age of Rage and discuss their takeaways from Rohr's book, focusing on the way we presents the prophets as teachers, but also very much themselves "works in progress." Rohr even singles out two Hebrew Bible and one New Testament prophets as "unfinished" prophets. They also focus on one of the primary reminders in Rohr's book that prophets always come from "outside" a communities' power structure. And it must be so, because only someone not tied up in the various hierarchies (whether royal or religious/priestly) can truly look at the consequences/suffering inflicted upon others by their policies, teachings, and rites. It is very hard to worry about organizational and purity concerns and also see the big picture. Hence there is need for wise community members to critique what is happening and to offer paths it might follow to draw closer to its highest ideals and its covenant with God Rohr also argues that, as evidenced by their writings, each of the prophets have and are experiencing what he refers to as the "prophetic wisdom pattern": moving from "order" to "disorder" and then (in most cases) "reorder." When they notice failures in "order" they will become angry, railing on the failures of the leaders and community members. Others will exhibit great suffering themselves (such as in Jeremiah's Lamentations.") It is only after experiencing this great disorder themselves that they can and do begin to offer messages of hope. How can their lives and struggles be examples to us? Inspire us? Call us to learn to be truth-tellers who still very much love their communities? How might we be "faithful" and also voices who critique things in our circles from a place of love? It is rich material. Listen in as Dan, Terri, and Mark try to make sense of some of it!

In this special Valentine's episode, we are joined by Kolby Reddish (a rando on the internet), Nemo the Mormon, Carah Burrell (from Nuancehoe), Julia Sanders from Analyzing Mormonism and John Dehlin for a conversation that might surprise you.Yes - We are critics of Mormonism.Yes - We've experienced pain, disillusionment, and deep deconstruction.And yet… we can hold two different truths at once.In this episode, we model something that feels almost taboo in exMormon spaces: expressing gratitude for the things Mormonism gave us –while still being honest about its harm. In this episode we discuss:- Rituals that shaped our identities- Community and why it's hard to leave- Awe, wonder, and valuing the body- Agency and free will as an act of faith- Why compassion and justice often lead people OUT of the church- Whether we wish to destroy the church or make it betterThere are so many good people inside the Mormon church. The people are often beautiful while the system is complicated. As Richard Rohr once said: “Nobody does first half of life better than Mormons” –and we all share deep gratitude for that first half. This episode does not erase the negative things about the church. It doesn't minimize harm. But it DOES ask whether we can be mature enough to acknowledge the good without surrendering our integrity.Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠.To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.___________________YouTubeShow NotesAt Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.  Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions

Dr. Robert Ganung, chaplain and teacher at Taft School, joins Rick to explore how deep contemplative practice can ground a life of service, justice, and education. Drawing from Celtic Christianity, Buddhism, Vedanta, and the civil rights tradition, Robert shares how daily meditation, interspiritual study, and a sense of the sacred in all beings inform his work with students and his view of a world in crisis yet ripe for awakening. They discuss non-duality and interconnection, inner practice as fuel for action, the impact of mystical experiences, near-death research, and living with love and courage amid social and planetary upheaval. The Rev. Dr. Robert Ganung is an ordained minister, educator, and school chaplain whose life and work have been shaped by a deep engagement with both Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. He holds a doctorate from the Boston University School of Theology, where his dissertation explored how the mindfulness and meditation practices taught by the Vietnamese Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh can enrich and nourish the spiritual lives of Christians. That work grew out of years of personal practice and study, including retreats with Thich Nhat Hanh in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as a lifelong interest in contemplative spirituality. For more than four decades, Dr. Ganung has served at the intersection of education, ministry, and social justice. He is currently Chaplain at The Taft School in Connecticut, where he also teaches philosophy, ethics, world religions, and global studies, and where he has brought an extraordinary range of voices into the community—among them Cornel West, Bill McKibben, Ibram X. Kendi, Angela Davis, Tibetan monks, and many others addressing spirituality, human rights, environmental justice, and the moral challenges of our time. Earlier in his career, he served as chaplain and teacher at Milton Academy, Punahou School in Hawai‘i, and Cardigan Mountain School. During these years, he also served as a minister in the United Methodist and United Church of Christ congregations in New England and Hawai‘i. Dr. Ganung's spiritual formation has been deeply influenced by the Christian mystical tradition—figures such as Howard Thurman, Bede Griffiths, Richard Rohr, & John O'Donohue—as well as by Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism, and interfaith dialogue. Introduced to Hindu philosophy and Sufism as an undergraduate philosophy major at Boston University, he later engaged Siddha Yoga and Advaita teachings, while continuing to explore how contemplative practice leads naturally toward nonviolence, compassion, and justice in the world. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group, Interview recorded February 7, 2026

How do you feel about sin? Richard Rohr describes our inevitable human missteps as essential to our growth when he says, "Not doing it right seems to teach us much more than doing it perfectly." But for many Latter-day Saints who struggle with ongoing feelings of guilt and/or shame, Rohr's interpretation may sound a bit too good to be true. Our church's focus on worthiness can get in the way of members' ability to look at mistakes—big and small—as growth opportunities, built right into the plan. In Episode 250, Susan and Cynthia are joined by members of the ALSSI community for a conversation about sin. How have your experiences affected the way you think about it? As your faith evolves, have you reframed sin entirely?

Feb 5th, 2026 - Pastor Tim Westermeyer - #370 – Wisdom from Richard Rohr

10 BIG Errors of Fr. Richard Rohr! (Heretic)? Check out our YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/@CatholicTruthOfficial

Send us a Positive Review!With well over a million downloads since its first drop in March of 2022, the Latter Day Struggles podcast has established itself the place to find peace, healing, community, and words to describe your Latter-day Saint faith and trust crisis.  It is where thousands have come to realize that deep within themselves is a True Self capable of mapping out their own spiritual journey and integrating their Latter-day Saint background into this journey on their own terms.  In this "Best of Latter Day Struggles" episode, Valerie establishes herself as a Latter-day Saint mental health professional with a unique capacity to love her LDS faith enough talk about the beliefs and practices that are causing harm to members of the church worldwide.    The bottom line?   Healthy spiritual wellbeing is correlated with healthy mental health.  If my church beliefs and practices are making me sick in any way--these beliefs need to be courageously examined.    To those of you who have been on this journey since Valerie started the podcast (the "OGs") and to those who just learned about it last week and do not know where to start--pleasea enjoy this classic episode that got Latter Day Struggles on the map and has led to the healing of thousands of people in LDS faith crisis in the past 3 years. Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction and Overview02:06 – Four Stages of Faith Development04:28 – Moving Beyond Stage 108:06 – Limitations of Stage 212:02 – Moving Toward Stage 414:43 – Contextualizing Faith Traditions15:28 – Stages in World Religions16:01 – Institutional Roles in Faith Development16:32 – Supporting Complexity and Skepticism18:00 – Therapist's Perspective19:02 – Healthy Family Systems and Faith Development20:48 – The Role of Adolescence22:01 – Ownership of Belief24:43 – The Dangers of Over-Resistance26:37 – Richard Rohr's Perspective on Faith Development28:34 – Transitioning to Complexity31:49 – Hope Beyond Skepticism34:07 – Institutional Challenges36:58 – Misconceptions About Atonement38:44 – Institutional Self-Reflection40:09 – Marginalization and Fear-Based Narratives43:00 – Letters from Listeners: Shock and Isolation46:59 – Ambivalence and Hope in Skepticism50:03 – Understanding Faith Development Stages53:45 – Creating True Community56:00 – Transitioning Through Chaos57:30 – The Emptiness Stage59:00 – Achieving True Community01:01:00 – Maintaining True Community01:03:00 – Conclusion and Call to ActionSupport the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie's Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Apostolic leadership serves as a catalyst for the disruption of settled expectations within church communities. This episode elucidates the premise that such leadership does not aim to maintain comfort within established systems, but rather to uphold faithfulness to core principles. Comfort, as we contend, poses a significant impediment to the vitality of church planting and outreach efforts. When congregants become complacent, their engagement diminishes, thus stymieing the potential for growth and outreach. We acknowledge that while systems can provide structure and support, they may also cultivate an atmosphere of ease that is antithetical to the essence of a life committed to the teachings and challenges inherent in a crucified existence.Coming Monday on Echoes Trough Eternity we will discuss In this episode of Echoes Through Eternity, we explore what happens when spiritual formation begins to reshape your pace, your availability, and your leadership—while others still expect the version of you that ran on urgency.Drawing on the wisdom of Jesus, Alan Hirsch, Henri Nouwen, Richard Rohr, and lived pastoral experience, this conversation names the quiet collision between formation and expectation.If you are leading with care, protecting your soul, and feeling tension instead of applause, this episode is for you.Formation always disrupts assumptions.The question is whether you will stay faithful when it does.

In our annual holiday episode, Cal tackles one of the questions he's asked most often: What should I read? But with a twist. He recommends six books that are not from the self-help or advice genre that will nonetheless help you change your life into something deeper. For the rest of the episode, he then answers listener calls.Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here's the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvoVideo from today's episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmediaCAL'S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:Walden by Henry David Thoreau [2:40]Lincoln's Virtues by William Lee Miller [7:28]The Case for God by Karen Armstrong [10:54]You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier [21:25]The Shallows by Nicholas Carr [26:28]Falling Upward by Richard Rohr [28:45]CALLS: Concerned father and husband about smartphones [37:48]Living deeply with multiple gigs [43:27]Effective timeblocking [47:19]The Deep Life for non-knowledge workers [54:01]Dealing with overwhelming technology [58:59]The real cost of AI [1:02:59]Where to start with deep work? [1:07:33]Links:Buy Cal's latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slowGet a signed copy of Cal's “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/Cal's monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?Thanks to our Sponsors: monarch.com/deepwayfair.comnotion.com/calreclaim.ai/calThanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Description: In this episode of the Matriarchy series, we explore how deeply ingrained patriarchal narratives can create a policing effect on the behavior of women.  Author, Elise Loehnen, discusses her book "On Our Best Behavior" which examines how concepts like the seven deadly sins have historically been used to restrict women's behavior and police their adherence to an idealized form of "goodness." Loehnen unpacks the insidious ways women are culturally conditioned from a young age to suppress normal human drives like anger, ambition, and sexuality. And how disrupting rigid gender stereotypes is important when raising the next generation in order to build a more compassionate world.  … Thought-provoking Quotes: ★ “Women are trained for goodness; men are trained for power.” – Elise Loehnen ★ “Patriarchy isn't just out there in systems and structures — it's in us. It's the air we breathe.” – Elise Loehnen ★ “A ‘good woman' never needs anything. She has no wants, no anger, no appetite. She exists to meet everyone else's needs — and calls it virtue.” – Elise Loehnen ★ “We are so conditioned to police ourselves that we end up policing each other.” – Elise Loehnen ★ “I hold everything I think with loose hands. This is what I know now. But I'm open to the me who might think differently later.” – Jen Hatmaker Resources Mentioned in This Episode: ➤ On Our Best Behavior by Elise Loehnen - https://bit.ly/44tz41D ➤ Goop - https://goop.com ➤ For the Love of Being Seen and Heard ft. Lori Gottlieb - https://bit.ly/4b8YT9C ➤ Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb - https://bit.ly/3JO7FOn ➤ Evagrius Ponticus (Fourth Century Christian Monk) - https://bit.ly/4b7zEV5 ➤ Pope Gregory on the 7 Deadly Sins - https://bit.ly/3y1J1XK ➤ Harvey Weinstein Abuse Cases -  https://bit.ly/4b5ktM5 ➤ Carol Gilligan - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_G... ➤ In a Different Voice by Carol Gilligan - https://bit.ly/3JQ9IBh   ➤ Human Voice by Carol Gilligan - https://bit.ly/3UQ1Rcn ➤ Andrew Tate - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_... ➤ Order, Disorder, Reorder (An idea Developed by Richard Rohr) - https://bit.ly/44xzHqK ➤ For the Love of The Enneagram ft. Richard Rohr - https://bit.ly/3QzzZaW ➤ Loretta Ross - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loretta... Guest's Links: ➤ Website: https://www.eliseloehnen.com/ ➤ Facebook:   / eliseloehnen   ➤ Instagram:   / eliseloehnen   ➤ Twitter:   / eloehnen   ➤ LinkedIn:   / elise-loehnen-b867523   ➤ Podcast: https://www.eliseloehnen.com/episodes ➤ Blog: https://eliseloehnen.substack.com/ Connect with Jen!Jen's Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/ Jen's Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmakerJen's Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/ Jen's Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmakerJen's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices