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We were thrilled to talk with author Eowyn Ivey about her new book, BLACK WOODS BLUE SKY. During our conversation, Eowyn shared her writing habits, including a description of her writing cottage, and tells us about her reading life. Topics ranged from motherhood on the page and in real life, her family's literary life in Alaska, and Proust vs Joyce. In our own reading lives, we both read and discuss “The North Mail” by Amelia B. Edwards from THE PENGUIN BOOK OF GHOST STORIES: from Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce. We gave this one four paws up. Or should it be eight paws? Whatever the rating system should be for cougars, we both enjoyed Edwards's story. It has a good creep factor and atmosphere, both indoors and outside. Other books we've enjoyed include novels HAPPY LAND by Dolan Perkins-Valdez and THE GRIFFIN SISTERS GREATEST HITS by Jennifer Weiner; a quartet of novellas, OLD NEW YORK by Edith Wharton; and two works of nonfiction: STORYWORTHY: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life Through the Power of Storytelling by Matthew Dicks and DEEP WORK: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport. Big thanks to this episode's sponsor, James Crews and Brad Peacock. The new poetry collection they co-edited is available on May 6: LOVE IS FOR ALL OF US: Poems of Tenderness and Belonging from the LGBTQ+ Community and Friends (with illustrations by Lisa Congdon). We also recap a great Biblio Adventure to the Mark Twain House to hear Ethan Rutherford (author of NORTH SUN, OR THE VOYAGE OF THE WHALESHIP ESTHER) in conversation with Amity Gaige about her new novel, HEARTWOOD. Chris also got to attend THE MOUNT'S virtual book club discussion of Edith Wharton's A SON AT THE FRONT and Willa Cather's ONE OF OURS, led by Anne Schuyler and Julie Olin-Ammentorp. As always, there are more books inside this episode than we can fit here! Enjoy, and be sure not to miss our conversation with Eowyn Ivey at the end. Oh, and reminder: our second quarter readalong pick is THE GOOD HOUSE by Tananarive Due (Zoom discussion on 6/8 and also on Goodreads). Thanks for listening, and happy reading! https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2025/episode232 The Good House Goodreads readalong https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2025/episode231 Penguin Book of Ghost Stories Goodreads thread https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/23017532-ghost-stories
In this guided meditation you will focus on peace, love, and compassion. Julie Potiker competes her meditation with the poem, Prayer, by James Crews."Prayer", by James CrewsI ask for just the slightest shiftin my thinking, the kindest siftingof my busy mind so only wonderand peace are left behind. So thatas I walk in sleet on this spring morningI can see even these muddy rutsmade by careless trucks on the forest trailas harbors of miracle, knowing they willfill with enough snow melt and rainfor tadpoles to swim in come summer,until that sunlit instant when they feelthe flexing of legs in the water beneath them,and leap out onto the ground, their bodieshaving decided, by instinct alone, to besoft and alive in this world.-Prayer, by James Crews.Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Relax into this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Sunflower", by James Crews.Sunflower, by James Crews"Joy is not made to be a crumb."Mary Oliver once wrote, but isn't thathow it often shows up at first? One crumbof attention, then another, and anotheruntil you're able to follow the trailleading to the volunteer sunfloweryou hadn't noticed blooming by the garden."Volunteer," we say, meaning no humanhand nestled that seed in the ground,though the same could be said of joy too,which seems to spring up out of nowherewhen you see the face of the flowerthe French call tournesol, meaning"turned toward the sun." And don't weeach carry a small sun in our cheststhat tells us where to turn, where it's warm,where something bright has struggled upout of the earth, and is now calling our name?-Sunflower, by James Crews.Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Using your breathe ease into this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with a reading of the poem, "Awe", by James Crews.AweIt's a shiver that climbs the trellisof the spine each tingle a brightwhite morning glory bursting into blossombeneath the skin. It can happen anywhere,anytime, even finding a sleeve of iceworn by a branch all morning, now fallenon a bed of snow. You can choose to pause,pick it up, hold that cold thing in your handor not. Few tell us that wonder and aweare decisions we make daily, hourlyminute by minute in the tiny officesof the heart, tilting the head to look upat every tree turned into a chandelierby light striking ice in just the right way.-Awe, by James CrewsFind out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Find peace and connection through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Community", by James Crews.Community, by James CrewsScience now tells uswhat we have knownsince the beginning:you and I are made of light.And if atoms can be birthed by long-gone starswhose signatures we stilltrace in every night sky,and if these atoms cancome together to formsomething as complexand compassionateas a human being, thenmaybe we too canjoin hands, make somenew and sacred thingthat will save us all.-Community, by James CrewsFind out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Breathe in goodness...for yourself...and others through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "You Matter", by James Crews.You Matter, by James CrewsAll we can do in times like theseis offer things to say to others:You matter to me. The Mason jarof chicken soup given to a neighbor,or the clay mug shaped by the handsof a friend, with a dog and goldfinchpainted on the side - how it arrivedin the mail unbroken. A phone call out of the blue, or message that says:Thinking of you. Let's wrap each otherin gestures so true, no one ever doubtshow much they belong, no one everquestions whether or not to stay.-You Matter, by James Crews.Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Join Julie Potiker as she guides you through this meditation focusing on what it is you need - for yourself. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Try Softer", by James Crews."Try Softer", by James CrewsHonor wherever you arewhether the door to your lifehas blown off its hinges,or you find the simplest joysitting in a patch of winter sunon that corner of the carpetwhere you love to stretch.Try softer, not harder—giving yourself a safe placeto land your attention, restingin this threshold momentthrough which wind, snowand light all enter alike.—James Crews"SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants by The Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Our featured poet is James Crews, (0:3:54) who speaks with Ann Wallace about his new book, Unlocking the Heart: Writing for Mindfulness, Courage, and Compassion from Mandala Publishing. James offers wisdom about all that we can learn from the natural world, when we allow ourselves to quiet the ever-present din, open our senses, and refocus our attention. Knowing this is easier said than done, James generously offers a prompt for mindfulness and writing after every poem in his collection, inviting each of us to develop our own observational and reflective practice. Trust us, this is a conversation you need to calm your anxieties and appreciate the awe and wonder that accompany us, always. In Ask Randi, Dr. Randi Eckel, (0:35:52) our native plant expert and owner of Toadshade Wildflower Farm, answers questions from listeners about the iconic American Holly, the Winterberry Holly, and the Inkberry Holly. She clears up some confusion about straight species vs. cultivars and talks about the crucial role these plants play in the ecosystem, as they provide vital food and shelter for wildlife, particularly during winter. Also in this episode, Ann and Kim talk with Fran Chismar and Tom Knezick (0:48:24) of Pinelands Nursery, one of the largest native plant nurseries in the country, about their popular podcast Native Plants Healthy Planet. They tell us how creating the podcast has offered the best ecological education they ever could have imagined. Coming up on their 250th episode, Fran and Tom remind us that being approachable, curious, and joyful is the best way to bring people together to create a healthier planet. In our final segment, Ann and Kim are joined by urban naturalist and author Joanna Brichetto (1:14:44) Joanna talks with us from her home in Nashville, Tennessee about her new book, This Is How A Robin Drinks: Urban Essays on Nature recently published by Trinity University Press. Joanna also writes the popular urban nature blog Sidewalk Nature: Everyday Wonders in Everyday Habitat Loss. She shares how observing the local wildlife just outside her door has impacted her in so many ways, even helping her cope with debilitating migraines. At the end of our conversation, she leaves us with a lovely observation about New Jersey's state flower the Common Blue Violet. In celebration of the holidays, listeners of The WildStory will receive 20% off Unlocking the Heart by James Crews and This Is How A Robin Drinks by Joanna Brichetto. To access the discount codes go to www.npsnj.org/Thewildstory or follow the podcast on Instagram at @TheWildStory_Podcast.
Recently, I had a moment where I just didn't feel seen. And later, as I was processing those feelings, I picked up James Crews' newest book of poetry, Unlocking the Heart, and I opened to the poem, ‘The World Loves You Back' - It was exactly what I needed to hear. That I/You/We are all seen for exactly who we are by the animate earth around us. That we aren't alone.In today's meditation class, we explore the significance of belonging and being actively engaged in one's environment. We delve into the idea of reciprocal relationships with the animate earth and our meditation practices, with an emphasis on the importance of active participation. Join me for a poem, discussion and guided meditation inviting us into reciprocal breathing with the forest around us. Thank you to Acoustic Ecologist Gordon Hempton for the use of today's soundscape. Learn more about Gordon here: https://soundtracker.com/about-gordon-hempton/ Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:instagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnature
Friends, grab a cup of tea, your coziest blanket and join me as we welcome back poet James Crews. James has been a guest on Our Mindful Nature multiple times and his thoughtful presence has become something I look forward to each year. James and I sat down to chat about his new book 'Unlocking the Heart: Writings for Mindfulness, Courage, and Self-Compassion' right before the November election in the U.S. Together, we reflect on life's challenging moments, the role of poetry in providing solace, and the importance of pausing and mindfulness. James shares insights into his daily practices of writing and meditation, the significance of noticing everyday wonders, and offers a poem to encourage listeners to find their own moments of wonder and peace.If you only buy one more book this year, I hope it is this one. I have picked it up daily since the election and it continues to be the balm I most need for comfort, for heartfulness, for grief, and for presence. Learn more about James and his new book here: https://www.jamescrews.net/Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:instagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnature
This meditation led by Julie Potiker focuses on our connection to others. We are the light, we are connected, and we are the helpers. She completes the meditation with the poem, " Look for the Helpers", by James Crews."Look for the Helpers", by James CrewsToday, I will look for the helpers-the woman pouring sunflower seedsfrom an orange bag into the feeder,and a chickadee, having eaten its fill, lifting offso another can feast there.Someone holding open the fogged-over door of the coffee shopfor a stranger who smiles and says thank you in spite of the news.I will watch workers dressed in neon vests with shovels and buckets,filling potholes across the city, the asphalt steaming as they spread itover the street, then tamp it down, repairing what they can.-"Look for the Helpers", by James CrewsFind out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Find a quiet place to settle into your own stillness through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Natural Silence", by James Crews.Natural Silence, by James CrewsIt's not easy to find the silencebehind traffic noise and the rush of a jetdragging its contrails through the sky.But here it is again in the in-between,when I learn to listen long enoughto the call-and-response of birdsong,to wind pulsing in the canopies of trees,and every wing-flutter of the phoebewho's built her cup of a nest out of mossand mud beneath the eaves of our house.I know the stillness will last for justa few beats before the roar of a Harleytakes over, and a tractor rumbles throughthe rocky field outside my window.So I sink into it while I can, as I do into waterso clean and clear, for a moment at leastI swear I can see to the bottom of everything.-Natural Silence, by James Crews (from "Unlocking the Heart; Writing for Mindfulness, Courage, and Self-Compassion", by James Crews).Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
“I believe that telling our story, even the story of a moment, the story of an emotion, is one of the most healing things we can do,” says James Crews, poet, teacher and speaker. His new book, Unlocking the Heart: Writing for Courage, Mindfulness and Self-Compassion blends poetry, essays and writing prompts to help readers tell their own stories. We speak about this unusual blending of genres, writing as a healing practice, and how to write titles and first lines that draw people in. James Crews is the editor of several bestselling books, including The Path to Kindness and How to Love the World, which has over 100,000 copies in print. He has been featured in The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The New York Times Magazine, The New Republic, The Christian Science Monitor, and on NPR's Morning Edition. The author of four prize-winning books of poetry and of the book Kindness Will Save the World, James also speaks and leads workshops on kindness, mindfulness, and writing for self-compassion. He lives with his husband on forty rocky acres in the woods of Southern Vermont. AND The Wonder of Small Things just won the New England Book Award for Poetry! He also hosts a monthly writing community and sends out a weekly newsletter.To purchase signed books and join his newsletter: https://linktr.ee/jcrewsjrMore on James Crews: https://www.jamescrews.net/For info on his monthly writing community: https://www.themonthlypause.com/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emergingform.substack.com/subscribe
Unlocking the Heart: Writing for Mindfulness, Courage, and Self-Compassion with James Crews Writing can be cathartic. It can be healing. And you do not have to be a writer to benefit from the healing and meditative effects of writing. Likewise, you do not have to be a meditator to experience the life-changing power of mindfulness and self-compassion. But sometimes, writing can be frustrating, when you can't seem to find the way to express your feelings on paper, so that the healing can begin. Unlocking the Heart: Writing for Mindfulness, Courage, and Self-Compassion is a book for those seeking to bring more self-care and creativity into their routines. Award-winning poet and author James Crews shares his poems with subjects ranging from vulnerability and grief to courage and gratitude. But more than just a poetry anthology, each poem is accompanied by James's personal insight into his inspiration and state of mind when writing his poetry, and writing prompts to help inspire you get started on your writing journey. James is the author of four prize-winning books of poetry—The Book of What Stays, Telling My Father, Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment—and a book of short essays, Kindness Will Save the World: Stories of Compassion and Connection. James also speaks and leads workshops on kindness, mindfulness, and writing for self-compassion. To learn more visit: www.jamescrews.net *************************************************** For more information about BITEradio products and services visit: http://www.biteradio.me/index.html To view the photography of Robert at: http://rpsharpe.com/
While sitting in quiet meditation - bring in phrases of loving kindness to yourself; may I be safe, may I be happy, and may I find moments of ease. Julie Potiker completes the meditation with the poem, "Choices", by James Crews."Choices", by James CrewsYou can grieve the leaves strippedfrom the maple, all that emptyspace between bare branches,or you can bless the abundanceof light shining through, buffingthe pine boards of the floor untilthey turn the color of clover honey.You can mourn the cone-flowersnow shriveled and brown, saythe whole world's gone to ruin,or you can stand at the windowwatching the lively yellow blossomof a goldfinch feasting on eachcrown of seeds, sending more thana few back home, down intothe open ground, which knowshow to receive them.—James CrewsFind out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Compassion is the focus of this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. Breath in compassion for yourself - and out for others. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Komorebi," by James Crews.Komorebi, by James CrewsFor what must have been a full minutein the spacious eternity of an eveningat the ragged end of summer, I stoodin the kitchen as the sun dropped downbehind the trees at the exact right placefor it to dance, shadow and light, acrossthe swirled grain of the maple counter.The Japanese call it komorebi, this playof sunshine breaking through the gapsin leaves, now dappling my hand as Ireach for my mug of tea. One of thosecountless small miracles we seldom thingto name in English, a simple rewardfor laying down the knife and leavinga carrot half-chopped on the cutting board,to be heard for at least this one out ofthe 1440 minutes I was granted today.-Komorebi, by James Crews.Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
These highlights from Rattlecast #236 aired on KPFK-Los Angeles (90.7 FM) August 28, 2024. James Crews is the editor of several bestselling anthologies, including The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy and How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope.
Breathe in and out peace and love as you listen to this loving kindness meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Sea Glass", by James Crews."Sea Glass", by James Crews.We keep going back to the rocky beach,searching for the glint of sea glass--the white, the green, the rarest blue.It takes decades to smooth out the sharpedges of those shards, yeas of helplessturning in the tides, so we might thenreach down, slip one into our pocketand run fingers over the worn surfacewhen worry takes over a quiet mind.We too have been tumbled by the wavesof life, and with each passing year, I feelmy own edges buffed and polished so Imight slide more easily through the hours,stop resisting the pull of whatever oceanI'm in. Once, I wanted to be the shimmeringbottle, container to hold the whole worldimpossibly inside myself, but now I just wantto be the piece of beauty you come uponin an otherwise calm moment, cradledby the endless sea crashing at your feet.--James Crews, from Unlocking the HeartFind out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Julie Potiker leads you in this quiet compassion meditation. She completes the meditation with the poem, "In a Friend's Garden", by James Crews.In a Friend's Garden, by James Crews "I want to be here to see the poppies open,"my friend says, telling me whyshe never travels anymore in the middle of summer.We each hold one of the heavy buds whose petalsalready ache to break free and spread, bursting red at the seams.The mulch is warm beneath our feet, and sunlight shimmerspink in the shifting leaves of the Japanese maple.I keep hearing her words--I want to be here-and feelsomething new leaning toward the light inside me too,some seed of need just to be rooted right where I am for eachsmall pleasure, every rippling wave of sorrow.She wraps an arm around me, and we go inside for tea.There is nothing to escape from,but our own desire to escape at all.-In a Friend's Garden, by James Crews.Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Breathe in peace and love while listening to this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Folding Alter", by James Crews.Folding Altar, by James CrewsI carry my church with mewherever I go, unfolding the altarof a moment while out walkingwith my husband, pausing to picka few dandelions gone to seed,taking a deep breath, then blowing,sending those silver messengersinto the air above a field,each one the seed of a prayerI say every day I'm alive:Please let me give up all hopefor a better past, and just be hereby the side of the driveway,watching wisps of clouds turningpink with evening, then purple,and listening to the complex soloof a catbird perched in a mapleas we say goodbye to the lightwhich may leave the sky tonightbut will stay with us, flickeringfor years to come.—James Crews(Explanation from James Crews: I love the concept of a folding altar, one that we can carry with us wherever we go, no matter the circumstances, opening in each new moment. This early summer time feels so poignant to me, with things already going to seed even as so much has yet to bloom, reminding us of the never-ending cycles of life and renewal in the natural world.)Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Hold yourself in love as you sink into this Loving Kindness meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Natural Silence", by James Crews."Natural Silence", by James Crews.It's not easy to find the silencebehind traffic noise and the rush of a jetdragging its contrails through the sky.But here it is again in the in-between,when I learn to listen long enoughto the call-and-response of birdsong,to wind pulsing in the canopies of trees,and every wing-flutter of the phoebewho's built her cup of a nest out of mossand mud beneath the eaves of our house.I know the stillness will last for justa few beats before the roar of a Harleytakes over, and a tractor rumbles throughthe rocky field outside my window.So I sink into it while I can, as I do into waterso clean and clear, for a moment at leastI swear I can see to the bottom of everything.Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
James Crews is the editor of several bestselling anthologies, including The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy and How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope, which has over 100,000 copies in print. He has been featured in The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The New York Times Magazine, The New Republic, The Christian Science Monitor, and on NPR's Morning Edition. James is the author of four prize-winning books of poetry—The Book of What Stays, Telling My Father, Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment—and a book of short essays, Kindness Will Save the World: Stories of Compassion and Connection. James also speaks and leads workshops on kindness, mindfulness, and writing for self-compassion. He lives with his husband on forty rocky acres in the woods of Southern Vermont. http://www.jamescrews.net
James Crews is the editor of several bestselling anthologies, including The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy and How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope, which has over 100,000 copies in print. He has been featured in The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The New York Times Magazine, The New Republic, The Christian Science Monitor, and on NPR's Morning Edition. James is the author of four prize-winning books of poetry—The Book of What Stays, Telling My Father, Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment—and a book of short essays, Kindness Will Save the World: Stories of Compassion and Connection. James also speaks and leads workshops on kindness, mindfulness, and writing for self-compassion. He lives with his husband on forty rocky acres in the woods of Southern Vermont. Find more information on James, visit: https://www.jamescrews.net/ As always, we'll also include the live Prompt Lines for responses to our weekly prompt. A Zoom link will be provided in the chat window during the show before that segment begins. For links to all the past episodes, visit: https://www.rattle.com/rattlecast/ This Week's Prompt: Write a “golden" sestina or tritina: start with an epigraph from another poem, and use six (or three) words from that quote as the end-words of your sestina or tritina. Next Week's Prompt: Write a short poem that explore someone else's awe. The Rattlecast livestreams on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, then becomes an audio podcast. Find it on iTunes, Spotify, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.
Sit back as you relax into this compassion meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Church", by James Crews.Church, by James CrewsWhen I ask how you are,imagine a field of untouched snowstretching blank between us,waiting for the answer of your steps –perhaps hesitant at first, thenmore certain as you begin to sharethe sorrows and joys that sitlike unwrapped offeringson the altar of your heart.Here, there is time for you to sayall the words that have weighedyou down, hidden in the bodyfor years like unasked prayers.No matter how far apart we stand,I promise to listen for as longas you need, in this open-air churchwe enter together wheneverwe agree to speak of deeper things.-"Church", by James Crews.Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Read by Terry Casburn Production and Sound Design by Kevin Seaman
What a delight it is to have James Crews joining me for a conversation about the book, The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace & Renewal, which he edited. James is the author of the essay collection, Kindness Will Save the World, and editor of several bestselling poetry anthologies, including The Wonder of Small Things, Healing the Divide, The Path to Kindness, and How to Love the World. He has been featured on NPR's Morning Edition, and in People Magazine, The Boston Globe, The New York Times Magazine, The Sun Magazine, and The Washington Post. He is the author of four prize-winning books of poetry, and his poems have appeared in Ploughshares, The New Republic, and other journals. As you will no doubt hear, James is a gentle soul whose conversation about poetry, spirituality, and life is healing … His words and the tender way he speaks them is a balm for our painful and anxious times. Among other things, we talked about: How we turn to poetry during difficult times like these precisely because as James expresses it, "poems are such small but spacious containers that hold so much with just a few powerful sensory details" …. And, he says, "Poetry heals because it is so embodied." Poetry as spiritual practice. How poets do what they do with language. How poetry helps us transcend dualistic thinking. How poetry creates connection and compassion. Take some time to ease into this episode. I promise you will be soothed and come away craving more poetry in your life, even if you never appreciated it before. Buy the book (Amazon affiliate link): The Wonder of Small Things book Learn more about James Crews, course offerings, and subscribe to weekly email: https://www.jamescrews.net/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/james.crews.poet Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crewspoet Become a patron to support this podcast and get special member benefits, including a membership community and virtual sangha:https://www.patreon.com/EverydayBuddhism If this podcast has helped you understand Buddhism or help in your everyday life, consider making a one-time donation here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-donations Support the podcast through the affiliate link to buy the book, Everyday Buddhism: Real-Life Buddhist Teachings & Practices for Real Change: Buy the book, Everyday Buddhism
Episode 194 is bookended by Poetry and Romance. We begin with the poem “Only Love” by James Crews from the poetry collection, THE PATH TO KINDNESS: Poems of Connection and Joy. We end with an Author Spotlight with Sarah MacLean. Sarah is a powerhouse reader, advocate, and writer of romance fiction. Her new release is KNOCKOUT, book three in her Hell's Belles series. We had a great time talking with Sarah about romance cover art, how she got into writing romance, and the un-patriarchal idea that we all deserve love and happy endings. It was both fun and enlightening for us, and we think you'll enjoy our conversation whether or not you are a romance reader. In between, we talk about a bunch of books we're currently reading – THE ART OF LIBROMANCY by Josh Cook, FAMILY LORE by Elizabeth Acevedo, and HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE VAMPIRE by Kerrelyn Sparks – and those we have finished reading like THE DICTIONARY OF LOST WORDS by Pip Williams, THE GOLDEN GATE by Amy Chua, and COUNTRY PLACE by Ann Petry which we both read for the Vintage Book Club. We also recap some Couch Biblio Adventures we've enjoyed such as SLOW HORSES, RENFIELD, and KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON. We hope you are finding some peace, comfort, and stimulation through your reading. Happy Reading! Chris & Emily
"Only love is big enough to hold all the pain in this world", (Sharon Salzberg). Julie Potiker leads you in this guided meditation of peace and love. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Only Love," by James Crews.Only Love, by James Crews.And so I image the entire earthas one beating heart held in the spaceof this universe, inside a larger bodywe can't fathom, filling with enoughlove to lead each of us out of the caveof our personal pain and into the light-enough love to lead all humans as oneout of collective fear, rage, and hateinto a place of peace that is found onlywithin our own hearts, beating in syncwith the pulse of this planet we wereborn to inhabit, despite the daily stormswhich overtake us and make us forgetwe are the lifeblood pumped into theseveins, every particle of love we generaterunning into rivers, lakes, and creeks,evaporating into the air we breathe,give back, and breathe again.-Only Love, by James CrewsFind out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
I'm back from a weekend in Rhinebeck, NY and eager to share all of the fiber-y goodness of the weekend. Listen in for festival news, the details of my finished RB sweater, plus — how to win some NY Sheep & Wool loot! What have I been doing ALL wrong? Listen to find out. This episode closes with a poem titled “How to Listen” by James Crews.
Oh friends, I am sure, like mine, your heart is broken over the horrors we are witnessing between Israel and Palestine, as well as the hate crimes we are seeing in response to this crisis.In a moment of pure serendipity, I had an interview that was scheduled months ago with poet James Crews to chat about his new book, The Wonder of Small Things; Poems of Peace & Renewal. I originally planned to air this conversation as a Winter Solstice offering, but his book feels like the perfect balm for the pain of this moment. So, I am releasing this episode as quickly as possible in hopes that it offers you a tiny salve for your heart, a spark of okay-ness, as you continue to engage and bear witness to what is happening in the world. James Crews is the editor of several bestselling anthologies, including The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy and How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope, which has over 100,000 copies in print. He is the author of four prize-winning books of poetry—The Book of What Stays, Telling My Father, Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment—and a book of short essays, Kindness Will Save the World: Stories of Compassion and Connection. James also speaks and leads workshops on kindness, mindfulness, and writing for self-compassion. He lives with his husband on forty rocky acres in the woods of Southern Vermont.You can hear more about James and the connection between poetry and meditation in our first interview which aired in 2022. Listen Here: https://www.merylarnett.com/podcast/path-to-kindness?rq=CrewsYou can learn more about James, buy his new book {highly recommend!}, and subscribe to his Weekly Pause newsletter here: https://www.jamescrews.net/Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.IG: @merylarnett #meditatewithmeryl
Use this guided meditation to breath in love for yourself and others. Julie Potiker completes the meditation with the poem, "Monarch", by James Crews.Monarch by James Crews The butterfly does not break free triumphant.Once it claws through the chrysalis,it stands there shivering, new wings achingas they slowly fill with blood. It must keepits tiny eyes shut tight at first againstthe brightness and shimmer of a worldit has never seen before––not like this.It must listen until a deeper voice whispers:The flowers are waiting. Leave the skinof the old life far behind. Open your eyesand give in to the blue air that will carry youeverywhere you need to go.-Monarch by James Crews Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Sit back, relax, and focus on a cool breeze washing over you during this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, " The Once Invisible Garden," by Laura Foley.The Once Invisible Garden, by Laura Foley.How did I come to bethis particular version of me,and not some other, this morningof purple delphiniums blooming,like royalty - destinedto meet these three dogsasleep at my feet, and not others -this soft summer morning,sitting on her screened porchbecome ours, our wind chime,singing of wind and timeyellow-white digitalisfeeding bees and filling me-and more abundance to come:basil, tomatoes, zucchini.What luck or fate, instinct,or grace brought me here? -In shade, beneath hidden stars,a soft, summer morning,seeing with my whole being,love made visible."The Once Invisible Garden", by Laura Foley, from "How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope, edited by James Crews.Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
The glow of a golden light of compassion surrounds you in this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "How It Might Continue", by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer.How It Might ContinueWherever we go, the chance for joy,whole orchards of amazement -one more reason to always travelwith our pockets full of exclamation marks,so we might scatter them for otherslike apple seeds.Some will dry out, some will blow away,but some will take rootand grow exuberant grovesfilled with long thin fruitsthat resemble one hand clapping -so much enthusiasm as they flutter back and forththat although nothing's heardand though nothing's really changed,people everywhere for years to comewill swear that the worldis ripe with applause, will filltheir own pickets with new seeds to scatter.-"How It Might Continue", by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, from "How to Love the World, Poems of Gratitude and Hope", edited by James Crews.Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
Using your breath to calm yourself is the focus of this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Self-Care", by James Crews.Self-Care, by James CrewsSome days it feels like a foreign languageI'm asked to practice, with new worldsfor happiness, work, and love. I'm still learninghow to say: a cup of tea for no reason,what to call the extra honey I drizzle in,how to label the relentless urge to do moreand more as useless. And how to translatethe heart's pounding message when it comes:enough, enough. This morning, I search for wordsto capture the glimmering sun as it liftsabove the mountains, clouds already closing inas fat droplets of rain darken the deck.I'm learning to call the stillness self-care too,Just standing here, as goldfinches scatter upfrom around the feeder like broken piecesof bright yellow stained-glass, reassemblingin the sheltering arms of a maple.-Self-Care, by James Crews.Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
In this guided meditation you will breathe in goodness for yourself and breathe out goodness to the world. Julie Potker completes the meditation with the poem, "Down to Earth", by James Crews.Down to Earth, by James Crews.The heart of a farmeris made of muscleand clay that achesfor return to earth.And when the skyreleases a steady rain,massaging each rowof sprouted beans,my husband leans outof the car windowand opens his handto hold that waterfor a single instant,his heart now beatingin sync with rainseeping through layersto kiss the rootsof every plant aliveon this living, breathingplanet on whose backwe were grantedpermission to livefor a limited time-"Down to Earth", by James Crews. from his book, "How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope".Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.
April is National Poetry Month and we put together this special episode to pay tribute to the late poet, Mary Oliver. Special guests James Crews, Danusha Lameris, Ross Gay, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, and Ginny Gay will read one of their favorite Mary Oliver poems and share why the poem is meaningful to them. Whether you are a fan of Mary Oliver's work or are just learning about her for the first time, we hope you'll be inspired by some of the beautiful poetry in this episode! For more on this episode, click here!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-After Katy Luxem
In This Episode, you'll learn: How poetry and writing can be a spiritual practice Recognizing the feeling of joy and aliveness that comes from ordinary moments How inspiration can come from the practice of just showing up Why fear is a regular companion on any creative journey The importance of nurturing our inner life and spirit How self compassion is about embracing whatever comes up within you Why it's important to create a regular practice for whatever brings you joy How poetry can hold both the sorrow and joy at the same time How poetry helps navigate a deeper understanding and knowledge of ourselves and the world. Why embracing vulnerability and curiosity enhances creative growth To learn more, click here!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
I read this incredible poem today. And I weeped at its infinitesimal beauty. Tenderness by James Crews. Here it is - . Tenderness You know how a half-buried stone in the yard will clear all the snow from around itself, little by little, leaving only a hollow of warmth and a cushion of moss you want to rest on, until winter finally ends? That's how tenderness works in us, some heat rising up from beneath, then spreading outward to touch the lives of anyone who comes near - slowly, softly, making a safe place for them to stand in, melting away the coldness that gathers around us. It's remarkable the way anger and desire and desolation and longing and love work inside us simultaneously. It's a unique human ability to hold all of this inside at the same time, wrapped, more often than not, in an envelope of tenderness. And I think the only thing which makes us go on, in spite of all the hardships of heart that we face, is with that amazing hope that life will sort it all out for us. But the fact remains - to believe in this living is a hard way to live. What makes people to persevere through their exhaustion, when in the name of hope there is nothing more than a recurrent duplicitous (dub plis I tuhs) dawn? What makes people to keep their believe intact? That there is a road which they will turn and there will be different outcome to look out for? Why are there not more suicides? There have been tropes written on dimly-lit lifes which seem to be forever on the edge of insanity. But which look normal in their daily breath, the illusion of ordinariness making them mesh into the continuum of quotidian grey. This is normal - until it is not. Suddenly there is an explosion- people snap and destroy things, lives - often their own. The alternative is even worse, there is an implosion, and aching bodies become islands of doom, as they suck all that is good and bountiful into their black hole. Entire landscapes of hearts stand barren - eviscerated rather than destroyed, rendered hopeless than killed. Cruel men know this. They know the power men have on each other, how controlling lives is often only a factor of knowing what they care for most. It could be livelihood, it could be dignity, it could be trust, it could be faith. The lowest blow is always to the highest ideal, the deepest cut is always to the most transparent belief. We, who are the simplest in our exposition of what we care for, are the most vulnerable to wounds. There will always be someone ready to exploit our guileless openness. That's why we require protectors of flames, the wise innocents, those who have been attacked but are still not cynical, those who are wounded but hold their scars as medals they've got for lost battles - for their richest lessons have come from their bitterest experiences, and how it makes them resolve to save those who are not able to fend for themselves. And that's why they have to be “half-buried stones in the yard” with their growing circle of tenderness, for good men to find their refuge. If you liked this poem, consider listening to these other poems which talk of the tenderest feelings we feel - This : One Grace Aaschi - a promise Infinite Tenderness Follow me on Instagram at @sunilgivesup. Get in touch with me on uncutpoetrynow@gmail.com Subscribe to my incandescent and poetic newsletter The Uncuts here - https://theuncuts.substack.com. The following music was used for this media project: Music: Wide Worlds by Tim Kulig Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10273-wide-worlds License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Deep In The Soul by Reegs'B Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10278-deep-in-the-soul License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Welcome to our last episode of 2022! We surprised each other this week with some reading kismet. Each of us arrived at Book Cougars HQ with a poetry collection in hand and a poem we wanted to share. Chris reads the poem “The Margin” from The Historians: Poems by Eavan Boland. Emily reads “Improvement” by Danusha Laméris from How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope edited by James Crews. We've also been reading some exciting novels that are coming out in early 2023. Two that we highly recommend are debut novels: — Night Wherever We Go by Tracey Rose Peyton (Ecco Press, release date 1/10/23) — The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz (Atria Books, release date 2/21/23) Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the advance reader copies. In 2022, the focus of our quarterly readalongs were books written by Indigenous Authors. Our fourth and final book of the year was Murder on the Red River: A Cash Blackbear Mystery by Marcie R. Rendon. Both of us really enjoyed the book and had a great time chatting with Marcie on this episode. The next two books in the series are Girl Gone Missing and Sinister Graves. We wish you a Happy Holiday Season filled with lots of love, light, and happy reading!
"What's gone / is not quite gone, but lingers./ Not the language, but the bones / of the language. Not the beloved, / but the dark bed the beloved makes / inside our bodies." -- Danusha Laméris Danusha Laméris’s poems have been called “wise, direct, and fearless” (American poet Dorianne Laux). She began writing poetry, as she believes many people do, from a place of heartbreak, and not knowing what to do with it. Her first book of poems, The Moons of August (Autumn House, 2014), came on the heels of a rapid succession of deep losses in her early 30s. “I’ve buried a lover, a brother, a son,” she writes early on in the collection. Poetry allowed her to become “intimate with world and life, down to the marrow.” In the process, it enabled her to lay to bed some of the grief, freeing her to go to the edge of discovering joy and pleasure once again – at the place where grief and pleasure live together, in the body. Poet Naomi Shihab Nye says, “Her poems strike deeply, balancing profound loss and new finding, employing a clear eye, a way of being richly alive with appetite and gusto, and a gift of distilling experience to find its shining core.” Poetic explorations of the ecstatic joy of the body and of somatic experience helped Laméris to move beyond grief. “Poetry is the body’s bright wailing against its limits,” she wrote in the title poem of her second collection, Bonfire Opera (U. Pittsburgh Press 2020). According to Colleen J. McElroy, “there is something waiting to be said, something to be revealed, as each poem draws us onward like a bird trying ‘to escape… throwing itself, again and again, against the stained glass.’ The bird and the ‘ghost child’ call out to each of us to ‘begin again.’" And “begin again” Laméris seeks to do through her poetry. “There was something really powerful about how loss operated in my life …. And so the process of beginning again is really a daily process. […]How do I begin again, how do I in a way become innocent again. So I think that’s the ongoing life story.” She believes a poem isn’t done until it’s changed her somehow. “I don’t want to be exactly the same person I was when I start out to write the poem.” She might write and re-write a poem for 10 years, because she is dedicated “to seeing where the poems will bring me” in terms of actually changing her life. Laméris has said that all writers tend to have the same irritant in their life – an irritant that underlies multiple works. She describes her own irritant as grief – which she experienced again and again – leading her to contemplate: how do you deal with loss? She sees herself “as someone who lost my innocence early. Who faced the death of a child, my brother’s suicide, a difficult childhood.” Against that irritant of cascading grief is her solace – beauty, and being a creature in a body. “Now I put my faith in what is unfinished. Off-center. A kind of psycho-spiritual expression of Wabi-Sabi, the Japanese aesthetic concept of admiring that which is worn-in, imperfect, altered by time. If we can praise what is flawed and tattered and half-done, we can praise so many things.” “We live in a culture that is a very hungry culture because so many of the things that our souls crave are not what we are feeding ourselves,” she says. “What am I hungry for? Moving toward beautiful, complex, meaningful imagery. Trying to feed myself images that are meaningful. The erotic – expression of craving, wanting. Are we wanting the body or something else inside of or beyond that?” Laméris was born to a Dutch father and a Caribbean mother from the island of Barbados. She was raised in the California Bay Area, spending her early years in Mill Valley, then moving to Berkeley, where she attended The College Preparatory School. Since graduating with a degree in Art from The University of California at Santa Cruz, she has lived in Santa Cruz. The 2020 recipient of the Lucille Clifton Legacy Award, Laméris is a Poet Laureate emeritus of Santa Cruz County, California. She co-leads the Poetry of Resilience webinars and the HearthFire Writing Community with James Crews. She is on the faculty of Pacific University's low-residency MFA program. Her poems have been published in The Best American Poetry, The New York Times, The American Poetry Review, Prairie Schooner, The SUN Magazine, Tin House, The Gettysburg Review, and Ploughshares. Her poem “Small Kindnesses” went viral during the pandemic, inspiring a follow-on collaborative poem by 1300 teenagers from around the world. Please join poet Haleh Liza Gafori and Pavi Mehta in conversation with this remarkable writer who uncovers not just the bones of language, but also the marrow of life.
World events including the war in Ukraine and our years of Covid 19 isolation have made for an unexpected and harsh reality. James Crews, author of 4 prize-winning collections of poetry and is the editor of the best-selling anthology, HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD - hopes to offer some lightness through poetry. In Crews' own words: "These poems retrained me to seek out and find connection at a time when so many of us have grown more isolated..." Following the success and momentum of his best-selling anthology "HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD" - poet James Crews' new collection, THE PATH TO KINDNESS, offers more than 100 deeply felt and relatable poems by international and well-known writers including Joy Harjo (the current U.S. Poet Laureate), Julia Alvarez, Marie Howe, Ellen Bass, Naomi Shihab Nye, Alberto Ríos, Ross Gay, and Ada Limón, as well as new and emerging voices. Featured Black writers include January Gill O'Neil, Tracy K. Smith and Cornelius Eady. Native American writers include Kimberly Blaeser, and Linda Hogan.
World events including the war in Ukraine and our years of Covid 19 isolation have made for an unexpected and harsh reality. James Crews, author of 4 prize-winning collections of poetry and is the editor of the best-selling anthology, HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD - hopes to offer some lightness through poetry. In Crews' own words: "These poems retrained me to seek out and find connection at a time when so many of us have grown more isolated..." Following the success and momentum of his best-selling anthology "HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD" - poet James Crews' new collection, THE PATH TO KINDNESS, offers more than 100 deeply felt and relatable poems by international and well-known writers including Joy Harjo (the current U.S. Poet Laureate), Julia Alvarez, Marie Howe, Ellen Bass, Naomi Shihab Nye, Alberto Ríos, Ross Gay, and Ada Limón, as well as new and emerging voices. Featured Black writers include January Gill O'Neil, Tracy K. Smith and Cornelius Eady. Native American writers include Kimberly Blaeser, and Linda Hogan.
World events including the war in Ukraine and our years of Covid 19 isolation have made for an unexpected and harsh reality. James Crews, author of 4 prize-winning collections of poetry and is the editor of the best-selling anthology, HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD - hopes to offer some lightness through poetry. In Crews' own words: "These poems retrained me to seek out and find connection at a time when so many of us have grown more isolated..." Following the success and momentum of his best-selling anthology "HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD" - poet James Crews' new collection, THE PATH TO KINDNESS, offers more than 100 deeply felt and relatable poems by international and well-known writers including Joy Harjo (the current U.S. Poet Laureate), Julia Alvarez, Marie Howe, Ellen Bass, Naomi Shihab Nye, Alberto Ríos, Ross Gay, and Ada Limón, as well as new and emerging voices. Featured Black writers include January Gill O'Neil, Tracy K. Smith and Cornelius Eady. Native American writers include Kimberly Blaeser, and Linda Hogan.
Today's mini meditation is a special self-care practice. You will hear poet James Crews read his poem, Self-Care, and then I will share his invitation for reflective journaling. Grab a notebook, a pen, and a cup of tea. Settle into a comfortable seat and join us!You can find this poem and reflection {and many others!} in James' new book, The Path to Kindness. You can find The Path to Kindness at your local, independent bookstore, and you can learn more about James at jamescrews.netBig thank you to today's sponsor: Ungloo!Ungloo creates products to allow you to meditate comfortably anywhere you want to go. Check out the Ungloo Box, a portable meditation chair, at ungloo.com and be sure to use code Mindful10 to save 10% on your order!These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/Learn more about my:*Roots: nature-based meditation app*Live, virtual meditation classes with me*Upcoming eventsAll by visiting merylarnett.com.If you enjoyed today's episode, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation to support the growth of this labor of love. Your monthly donation will aid in keeping this show sponsor-free, employing additional small businesses AND funding the ongoing creative growth I invest in.Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute#meditatewithmeryl
For quite awhile now, I have wanted to bring a conversation about poetry to The Mindful Minute. Over the years, I've found more and more a connection between reading poetry and my meditation practice, and today, I get to finally explore this connection with poet James Crews!James Crews' work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Sun Magazine, Ploughshares, and The New Republic, as well as on Ted Kooser's American Life in Poetry newspaper column. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a PhD in Writing & Literature from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and is the author of four collections of award-winning poetry, including The Book of What Stays (Prairie Schooner Prize and Foreword Book of the Year Citation, 2011), Telling My Father (Cowles Prize, 2017), Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment. He is also the editor of several anthologies of poetry: Healing the Divide: Poems of Kindness and Connection; and How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope. He leads Mindfulness & Writing retreats online and throughout the country, and works as a creative coach with groups and individuals. He lives with his husband, Brad Peacock, in Shaftsbury, Vermont.James and I explore the connection between poetry and meditation, the magic of the most mundane moments, poetry as a tool for connection, and a shared hatred of folding laundry! James also talks to us about journaling and how to get started if you feel stuck when it comes to writing. This conversation was a delight to record; I hope you enjoy listening to it as well!You can find James' new book, The Path to Kindness, at your local, independent bookstore, and you can learn more about James at jamescrews.netBig thank you to today's sponsor: Ungloo!Ungloo creates products to allow you to meditate comfortably anywhere you want to go. Check out the Ungloo Box, a portable meditation chair, at ungloo.com and be sure to use code Mindful10 to save 10% on your order!Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/If you enjoyed today's episode, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation to support the growth of this labor of love. Your monthly donation will aid in keeping this show sponsor-free, employing additional small businesses AND funding the ongoing creative growth I invest in.Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minuteLearn more about my:*Roots: nature-based meditation app*Live, virtual meditation classes with me*Upcoming eventsAll by visiting merylarnett.com.#meditatewithmeryl
I seriously thought I was the only person on the planet who remembered the show Small Wonder, but today's guest proved me wrong! As part of getting to the story behind the story, I ask my guests a series of questions about what they were into as kids. One of my go-to questions is, “What were some of your favorite TV shows when you were younger?” James Crews surprised the hell out of me when he mentioned Small Wonder, and a friendship was born. MEET JAMES CREWS James Crews is the editor of the best-selling anthology, How to Love the World, which has been featured on NPR's Morning Edition, as well as in The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post. He is the author of four prize-winning collections of poetry: The Book of What Stays, Telling My Father, Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment, and his poems have been published in the New York Times, Ploughshares, The New Republic, and The Sun Magazine. His new collection, THE PATH TO KINDNESS, offers more than 100 poems of connection and joy from a diverse range of voices. How can poetry be a way of connecting with others and spreading kindness? What's the importance and influence of poetry? What are reflective pauses and how can they help readers get more out of poems? Listen in to hear the answers to these questions and enjoy a poem read by James! GET IN TOUCH WITH JAMES Learn more about James at his website Follow James on Instagram @james.crews.poet Buy his latest collection on Amazon or Bookshop.org If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and follow us on Instagram @uncorkingastory. Visit us at https://uncorkingastory.com
Must poetry be inaccessible? Can you be a full time poet? What is more exposing -publishing your own poetry or editing an anthology of other poets' works? I had so many questions for this week's guest, the poet and writing coach James Crews, and he was gracious enough to share his insight. Apart from talking about how he started out as a poet, and how to build a community as artists, he also read from his upcoming collection 'Path to Kindness' . Written and Produced by Matthew C. TempleEdited by Tyen MusaOriginal Theme Music by Adrian Lee
James Crews is the author of THE PATH TO KINDNESS – a collection offering more than 100 poems of connection and joy from a diverse range of voices…including a poem by the current U.S. Poet Laureate – Joy Harjo. He has also authored 4 prize-winning collections of poetry and is the editor of the best-selling anthology, HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD – more than 90,000 copies in print and featured on NPR's Morning Edition, in Boston Globe, and The Washington Post. Crews' work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Sun Magazine, Ploughshares, and The New Republic, as well as in former US poet laureate Ted Kooser's American Life in Poetry newspaper column. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: jamescrews.net Book: The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy by James Crews and Danusha Laméris Most Influential Person Ted Kooser Effect on Emotions I'm able to name the emotions. However, I think it wasn't ever the case before. Likewise, anxiety and shame. It's so useful to be able to name what's coming up and to really distinguish. My marriage has helped with that, too. Thoughts on Breathing Most importantly, the kind of meditation I do tends to really focus on the breath. I usually, when I'm meditating, have a very busy mind. For instance, I count my breaths, you know, one in-breath, out-breath, one in-breath, out-breath two, and do that in sets of fours, when I'm especially caught in my mind and my thoughts. Suggested Resources Book: Poetry of Presence: An Anthology of Mindfulness Poems by Phyllis Cole-Dai Book: The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy by James Crews and Danusha Laméris App: Headspace Bullying Story Firstly, I was never really the recipient of a lot of bullying. I think that was the result of real efforts that were not very healthy to kind of hide myself and be as invisible as possible, and to be quiet. I was already shy and introverted, but I think I made myself even quieter, and really tried to blend in, and not call attention to who I really was, or what I really loved doing. Therefore, I don't have a lot of stories about that as a kid. I will say one memory that came when you talked about bullying; it's not quite the same thing, but when I was in grad school in Nebraska, I was walking down the street, and just feeling really happy. I was really embodying who I was at that point, teaching poetry, writing poetry, not being afraid to dress a certain way. As I was walking down the street to the pharmacy, and these guys in a pickup truck that was passing by called out these terrible names, just like these anti-gay epithets and I sort of stopped for a minute, but then, didn't want to engage or anything like that. But when I got home, I realized how much that affected me. That is to say, I was more in tune with that, probably because I had been meditating and was really practicing mindfulness. But it really disturbed me. And not just that I had to experience it, but that other people, especially younger people, were probably experiencing that all over the country and the world at the very same moment. Related Episodes The Joy Of Intimacy and Mindfulness With Rabbi Manis Friedman Happiness, Joy, and Peace Discovered After a 10-Year Search By Scott Wilhite Evolve Toward Health, Joy, And Wholeness; Laurie Warren Special Offer Are you experiencing anxiety & stress? Peace is within your grasp. I'm Bruce Langford, a practicing coach and hypnotist helping fast-track people just like you to shed their inner bully and move forward with confidence. Book a Free Coaching Session to get you on the road to a more satisfying life, feeling grounded and focused. Send me an email at bruce@mindfulnessmode.com with ‘Coaching Session' in the subject line. We'll set up a zoom call and talk about how you can move forward to a better life.
Vermont poet James Crews discusses and reads from the new collection he edited, "The Path to Kindness" a follow up to the 2021 anthology he curated, "How to Love the World." In his new book, Crews brings together poetry from dozens of well-known writers and from lesser known poets. The result is over 100 pieces, all of which speak to the human condition. Order your copy of "The Path to Kindness" here: https://www.workman.com/products/the-path-to-kindness/paperback Learn more about James and all of his work on his website here: https://jamescrews.net/ SUBMIT TO THE OPEN MIC OF THE AIR! www.poetryspokenhere.com/open-mic-of-the-air Visit our website: www.poetryspokenhere.com Like us on facebook: facebook.com/PoetrySpokenHere Follow us on twitter: twitter.com/poseyspokenhere (@poseyspokenhere) Send us an e-mail: poetryspokenhere@gmail.com
James Crews is the author of 4 prize-winning collections of poetry. He is also the editor of the best-selling poetry anthology, HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD. His new collection, THE PATH TO KINDNESS offers more than 100 deeply felt and relatable poems by international and well-known writers including Joy Harjo (the current U.S. Poet Laureate), Julia Alvarez, Marie Howe, Ellen Bass, Naomi Shihab Nye, Alberto Ríos, Ross Gay, and Ada Limón, as well as new and emerging voices. Featured Black writers include January Gill O'Neil, Tracy K. Smith, and Cornelius Eady. Native American writers include Kimberly Blaeser and Linda Hogan.
James Crews shares how poetry can guide us toward a life of greater kindness and connection as he talks about The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy. Learn more about James Crews here: https://jamescrews.net/ (https://jamescrews.net/) LIMElight with Jessie is part of the WGRT 102.3 FM Podcast Network. For the latest episodes of all of our featured podcasts, visit our website here: https://wgrt-1023-fm-podcast-network.captivate.fm/ (https://wgrt-1023-fm-podcast-network.captivate.fm) WGRT's LIMElight with Jessie is produced by the following team members: Executive Producer: Jessie Wiegand Audio Engineer: George James Administrator: Jessie Wiegand Marketing: Jessie Wiegand Follow Jessie on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/wgrt_jessie/ (https://www.instagram.com/wgrt_jessie/)
James Crews is an author and poet who leads mindfulness and writing retreats online and throughout the country. His latest work, THE PATH TO KINDNESS, features several poets of diverse backgrounds and is available now.
April is National Poetry Month. Why does this matter?Well, in the way that music can change a feeling in someones heart and change their mood, poetry has the same ability.Ne research shows that poetry is very powerful- not just in the words, but how it can stimulate the reward centers of the brain. This means that emotional expression can change. It is why some of us will remember poetry years after memorizing it... in fact, it is what makes us memorize it in the first place.My guest today is James Crews, an outstanding poet in his own right... and editor and collector of poems. His latest book The Path to Kindness reveals the Power of Poetry.James shares the power of poetry in this collection, but allowing us the glimpse of kindness, while allowing ourselves to appreciate small and gentle gestures that represent love and memory.Reference:Wassiliwizky, E., Koelsch, S., Wagner, V., Jacobsen, T., & Menninghaus, W. (2017). The emotional power of poetry: neural circuitry, psychophysiology and compositional principles. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 12(8), 1229–1240. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsx069
Poet & Author of the book "The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy" talks about some of his favorite poems in the book and much more. https://www.amazon.com/Path-Kindness-Poems-Connection-Joy/dp/1635865336
In recognition of Poetry Month, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with poet and editor of the book, "The Path to Kindness - Poems of Connection and Joy", James Crews, about the importance of connecting with each other. Through the lens of a diverse group of writers, readers of any age learn the valuable lessons of reflection, connection, empathy, and joy.
Following the success and momentum of his best-selling anthology "HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD" - poet James Crews' new collection, THE PATH TO KINDNESS, offers more than 100 deeply felt and relatable poems by international and well-known writers including Joy Harjo (the current U.S. Poet Laureate), Julia Alvarez, Marie Howe, Ellen Bass, Naomi Shihab Nye, Alberto Ríos, Ross Gay, and Ada Limón, as well as new and emerging voices. Featured Black writers include January Gill O'Neil, Tracy K. Smith and Cornelius Eady. Native American writers include Kimberly Blaeser, and Linda Hogan. About the author: JAMES CREWS' work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Sun Magazine, Ploughshares, and The New Republic, as well as on former US poet laureate Ted Kooser's American Life in Poetry newspaper column. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a PhD in Writing & Literature from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and is the author of four collections of award-winning poetry, including The Book of What Stays (Prairie Schooner Prize and Foreword Book of the Year Citation, 2011), Telling My Father (Cowles Prize, 2017), Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment. He is also the editor of several anthologies of poetry: Healing the Divide: Poems of Kindness and Connection; and How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope. He leads Mindfulness & Writing retreats online and throughout the country, and works as a creative coach with groups and individuals. He lives with his husband, Brad Peacock, in Shaftsbury, Vermont. To sign up for weekly poems and prompts, visit jamescrews.net. https://www.instagram.com/james.crews.poet/ https://www.instagram.com/storeypub/ https://www.facebook.com/crewspoet https://www.facebook.com/storeypublishing https://twitter.com/StoreyPub --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/tntbsmedia/message
This episode explores new research, which has found that a globalised diet of ultra-processed foods is having a negative impact on both human and planetary health. --- Read this episode's science poem here. Read the scientific study that inspired it here. Read ‘Strict Diet' by James Crews here. --- Music by Rufus Beckett. --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email: sam.illingworth@gmail.com Twitter: @samillingworth
Today's poem is Daylight Saving, Age 5 by James Crews.
Today's poem is Daylight Saving, Age 5 by James Crews.
Recorded by James Crews for Poem-a-Day, a series produced by the Academy of American Poets. Published on November 17, 2021. www.poets.org
James shares his thoughts on the power of poetry to restore hope, joy, and "lost" moments. http://jamescrews.net/
James Crews is the editor of the best-selling anthology, How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope, which was just published to rave reviews in March of 2021.How to Love the World contains works of 100 of the best-loved and emerging writers, including Amanda Gorman, Ted Kooser, Mark Nepo, and Jane Hirshfield.The book invites readers to use poetry as part of their daily gratitude practice -- Accompanied by prompts for reflection, these are poems that you'll return to often for inspiration and creative exploration of life's daily gifts. James is also the author of three collections of poetry: The Book of What Stays, Telling My Father, Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment. His poems have appeared in Ploughshares, The New Republic, and The Christian Century, and have been reprinted in former US poet laureate Ted Kooser's weekly newspaper column "American Life in Poetry" (which reaches millions of readers across the world) and featured on Tracy K. Smith's podcast, The Slowdown. Crews holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a PhD in writing and literature from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He teaches poetry at the University of Albany and lives with his husband on an organic farm in Shaftsbury, Vermont.ON WORTHINESS AND BEYOND:"I use poetry of course to process difficult moments like sadness and certainly grief, but I have also come to see poetry also as a great way to claim not just our worthiness, but also our joy. And, I feel like what's missing a lot from American life and probably, life on this planet right now, is that we don't always give ourselves permission to really sink into the joy. Oftentimes we look for ways to short-circuit the joy that we're feeling because it feels so unfamiliar." ~ James CrewsJames shares his personal journey of discovering his worthiness and the journey he has been on since a young man. He discusses how he overcomes some of the curveballs that sent him down to a deeper discovery of himself and his worth that began in his early childhood.James describes poetry: "It's an art form especially suited for our challenging times –to help us dive deeper beneath the surface of our lives and enter a place of wider, wilder more universal knowing." We discuss how his current students are coping with the challenges of virtual school, the pandemic, and returning to life as normal.BEYOND THE ACADEMICS, what he teaches his students: "I'm more interested in poetry as a gateway to know how you're living your life and writing as a tool to live a better life." ~ James CrewsGail and James also discuss what propelled him to create his latest book, which is far more than poetry. James invites the reader throughout the book to reflect and write about significant questions he offers that may help them embrace more gratitude, hope, and joy."I think we don't always hold onto moments of joy and excitement if we don't find a way to capture them... if we don't write them down or share them with friends." ~James Crews"Stepping out of life, even for a short while, can help us return with a new perspective on what seemed unworkable before." ~James Crews"We fall out of the practice of patience." ~James Crews"But the more we take time for ourselves throughout each day, the less we feel obliged to act a certain way or complete a list of tasks just to please someone else." ~ James Crews To learn more about James and his work, check out his website JamesCrews.net and his latest book, How to Love the World, is available on Amazon and elsewhere.
Wayne Goodman in conversation with James Crews, poet, educator, anthology editor, and writing coach
Two introverts walk into a bar…well, to bring this up to date in the pandemic world - two introverts connect on zoom and talk of hope, connecting with nature, and being present! A familiar name also pops up (Katherine May), proving it is a small world! A world that needs love and James Crews shows us how!
Danusha Lameris and Armando Alcarez read from Healing the Divide: Poems of Kindness edited by James Crews.
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