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Send us a textIn this powerful episode of Champagne Channeling, I'm joined by the extraordinary Jocelyn Luko Sandstrom, an international energy practitioner, somatic teacher, and quantum manifestation and mindset mentor! She is also the host of the Spiritual Billionaire Podcast!!Our conversation weaves through the truth of what it means to live a soul led life: one where sensitivity is no longer a burden, but a guiding frequency. Jocelyn shares her journey from the runways of luxury fashion to the realms of quantum healing, revealing how nervous system regulation, energetic refinement, and self-sourced power can transform every facet of your life.Together, we explore:What it really means to lead with feminine energyHow to transmute past pain into embodied purposeThe spiritual intelligence of success that doesn't sacrifice your soulAnd how to become magnetic by being more of yourself, not less!Jocelyn's work bridges elegance and energetics, reminding us that success without fulfillment is simply not enough. If you're craving a life that reflects your truth, not just your titles, this conversation is the permission slip you've been waiting for.Explore Jocelyn's world:WebsiteInstagramPodcast

Welcome to Classic Skeptic Metaphysicians! We're re-releasing some of our back catalog so that these gems can be re-discovered!This week: The Metaphysical Awakening_ Revealing Ourselves & Our PathsOn this special episode, we share a LOT more about us and our individual paths than ever before.Thanks to the Metabusiness Millennial show for allowing us to share this episode of their program to help give you a special glimpse into our thought processes and what's it been to live inside our spiritual awakenings.Some of the things we discuss on this show:How everyone's path is different and how important it is to find the path that is perfect for youHow, as the veil thins, more and more people are awakening to the spiritual world, not realizing how long of a journey it actually isHow they hope the podcast is a safe space for people to explore different modalities and spiritual awakenings without judgementWhere to turn for a sense of community during your dark night of the soulAnd literally so much more!Metabusiness Millennial Info: (Note: this is a re-broadcast and the links may no longer be active)Website: https://www.erinpatten.com & https://erin-patten.mykajabi.com/podcasts/the-metabusiness-millennialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamerinpattenYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI-TH1Lff2aBm3AqRZkhszgConnect With the Skeptic Metaphysicians:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skepticmetaphysician_podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkepticMetaphysicianYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SkepticMetaphysiciansTwitter: https://twitter.com/WillRodriguezFlWebsite: https://www.skepticmetaphysician.com

In this episode, James Marriott and I discuss who we think are the best twenty English poets. This is not the best poets who wrote in English, but the best British poets (though James snuck Sylvia Plath onto his list…). We did it like that to make it easier, not least so we could base a lot of our discussion on extracts in The Oxford Book of English Verse (Ricks edition). Most of what we read out is from there. We read Wordsworth, Keats, Hardy, Milton, and Pope. We both love Pope! (He should be regarded as one of the very best English poets, like Milton.) There are also readings of Herrick, Bronte, Cowper, and MacNiece. I plan to record the whole of ‘The Eve of St. Agnes' at some point soon.Here are our lists and below is the transcript (which may have more errors than usual, sorry!)HOGod Tier* Shakespeare“if not first, in the very first line”* Chaucer* Spenser* Milton* Wordsworth* Eliot—argue for Pope here, not usually includedSecond Tier* Donne* Herbert* Keats* Dryden* Gawain poet* Tom O'Bedlam poetThird Tier* Yeats* Tennyson* Hopkins* Coleridge* Auden* Shelley* MarvellJMShakespeareTier* ShakespeareTier 1* Chaucer* Milton* WordsworthTier 2* Donne* Eliot* Keats* Tennyson* Spencer* Marvell* PopeTier 3* Yeats* Hopkins* Blake* Coleridge* Auden* Shelley* Thomas Hardy* Larkin* PlathHenry: Today I'm talking to James Marriott, Times columnist, and more importantly, the writer of the Substack Cultural Capital. And we are going to argue about who are the best poets in the English language. James, welcome.James: Thanks very much for having me. I feel I should preface my appearance so that I don't bring your podcast and disrepute saying that I'm maybe here less as an expert of poetry and more as somebody who's willing to have strong and potentially species opinions. I'm more of a lover of poetry than I would claim to be any kind of academic expert, just in case anybody thinks that I'm trying to produce any definitive answer to the question that we're tackling.Henry: Yeah, no, I mean that's the same for me. We're not professors, we're just very opinionated boys. So we have lists.James: We do.Henry: And we're going to debate our lists, but what we do agree is that if we're having a top 20 English poets, Shakespeare is automatically in the God Tier and there's nothing to discuss.James: Yeah, he's in a category of his own. I think the way of, because I guess the plan we've gone for is to rather than to rank them 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 into sort of, what is it, three or four broad categories that we're competing over.Henry: Yes, yes. TiersJames: I think is a more kind of reasonable way to approach it rather than trying to argue exactly why it should be one place above Shelly or I don't know, whatever.Henry: It's also just an excuse to talk about poets.James: Yes.Henry: Good. So then we have a sort of top tier, if not the first, in the very first line as it were, and you've got different people. To me, you've got Chaucer, Milton, and Wordsworth. I would also add Spenser and T.S. Eliot. So what's your problem with Spenser?James: Well, my problem is ignorance in that it's a while since I've read the Fairy Queen, which I did at university. Partly is just that looking back through it now and from what I remember of university, I mean it is not so much that I have anything against Spenser. It's quite how much I have in favour of Milton and Wordsworth and Chaucer, and I'm totally willing to be argued against on this, but I just can't think that Spenser is in quite the same league as lovely as many passages of the Fairy Queen are.Henry: So my case for Spenser is firstly, if you go through something like the Oxford Book of English Verse or some other comparable anthology, he's getting a similar page count to Shakespeare and Milton, he is important in that way. Second, it's not just the fairy queen, there's the Shepherd's Calendar, the sonnets, the wedding poems, and they're all highly accomplished. The Shepherd's Calendar particularly is really, really brilliant work. I think I enjoyed that more as an undergraduate, actually, much as I love the Fairy Queen. And the third thing is that the Fairy Queen is a very, very great epic. I mean, it's a tremendous accomplishment. There were lots of other epics knocking around in the 16th century that nobody wants to read now or I mean, obviously specialists want to read, but if we could persuade a few more people, a few more ordinary readers to pick up the fairy queen, they would love it.James: Yes, and I was rereading before he came on air, the Bower of Bliss episode, which I think is from the second book, which is just a beautifully lush passage, passage of writing. It was really, I mean, you can see why Keats was so much influenced by it. The point about Spenser's breadth is an interesting one because Milton is in my top category below Shakespeare, but I think I'm placing him there pretty much only on the basis of Paradise Lost. I think if we didn't have Paradise Lost, Milton may not even be in this competition at all for me, very little. I know. I don't know if this is a heresy, I've got much less time for Milton's minor works. There's Samuel Johnson pretty much summed up my feelings on Lycidas when he said there was nothing new. Whatever images it can supply are long ago, exhausted, and I do feel there's a certain sort of dryness to Milton's minor stuff. I mean, I can find things like Il Penseroso and L'Allegro pretty enough, but I mean, I think really the central achievement is Paradise Lost, whereas Spenser might be in contention, as you say, from if you didn't have the Fairy Queen, you've got Shepherd's Calendar, and all this other sort of other stuff, but Paradise Lost is just so massive for me.Henry: But if someone just tomorrow came out and said, oh, we found a whole book of minor poetry by Virgil and it's all pretty average, you wouldn't say, oh, well Virgil's less of a great poet.James: No, absolutely, and that's why I've stuck Milton right at the top. It's just sort of interesting how unbelievably good Paradise Lost is and how, in my opinion, how much less inspiring the stuff that comes after it is Samson Agonistes and Paradise Regained I really much pleasure out of at all and how, I mean the early I think slightly dry Milton is unbelievably accomplished, but Samuel Johnson seems to say in that quote is a very accomplished use of ancient slightly worn out tropes, and he's of putting together these old ideas in a brilliant manner and he has this sort of, I mean I guess he's one of your late bloomers. I can't quite remember how old he is when he publishes Paradise Lost.Henry: Oh, he is. Oh, writing it in his fifties. Yeah.James: Yeah, this just extraordinary thing that's totally unlike anything else in English literature and of all the poems that we're going to talk about, I think is the one that has probably given me most pleasure in my life and the one that I probably return to most often if not to read all the way through then to just go over my favourite bits and pieces of it.Henry: A lot of people will think Milton is heavy and full of weird references to the ancient world and learned and biblical and not very readable for want of a better word. Can you talk us out of that? To be one of the great poets, they do have to have some readability, right?James: Yeah, I think so, and it's certainly how I felt. I mean I think it's not a trivial objection to have to Milton. It's certainly how I found him. He was my special author paper at university and I totally didn't get on with him. There was something about his massive brilliance that I felt. I remember feeling like trying to write about Paradise Lost was trying to kind of scratch a huge block of marble with your nails. There's no way to get a handle on it. I just couldn't work out what to get ahold of, and it's only I think later in adulthood maybe reading him under a little less pressure that I've come to really love him. I mean, the thing I would always say to people to look out for in Milton, but it's his most immediate pleasure and the thing that still is what sends shivers done my spine about him is the kind of cosmic scale of Paradise Lost, and it's almost got this sort of sci-fi massiveness to it. One of my very favourite passages, which I may inflict on you, we did agree that we could inflict poetry on one another.Henry: Please, pleaseJames: It's a detail from the first book of Paradise Lost. Milton's talking about Satan's architect in hell Mulciber, and this is a little explanation of who or part of his explanation of who Mulciber is, and he says, Nor was his name unheard or unadoredIn ancient Greece; and in Ausonian landMen called him Mulciber; and how he fellFrom Heaven they fabled, thrown by angry JoveSheer o'er the crystal battlements: from mornTo noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve,A summer's day, and with the setting sunDropt from the zenith, like a falling star,On Lemnos, th' Aegaean isle. Thus they relate,ErringI just think it's the sort of total massiveness of that universe that “from the zenith to like a falling star”. I just can't think of any other poet in English or that I've ever read in any language, frankly, even in translation, who has that sort of scale about it, and I think that's what can most give immediate pleasure. The other thing I love about that passage is this is part of the kind of grandeur of Milton is that you get this extraordinary passage about an angel falling from heaven down to th' Aegean Isle who's then going to go to hell and the little parenthetic remark at the end, the perm just rolls on, thus they relate erring and paradise lost is such this massive grand thing that it can contain this enormous cosmic tragedy as a kind of little parenthetical thing. I also think the crystal battlements are lovely, so wonderful kind of sci-fi detail.Henry: Yes, I think that's right, and I think it's under appreciated that Milton was a hugely important influence on Charles Darwin who was a bit like you always rereading it when he was young, especially on the beagle voyage. He took it with him and quotes it in his letters sometimes, and it is not insignificant the way that paradise loss affects him in terms of when he writes his own epic thinking at this level, thinking at this scale, thinking at the level of the whole universe, how does the whole thing fit together? What's the order behind the little movements of everything? So Milton's reach I think is actually quite far into the culture even beyond the poets.James: That's fascinating. Do you have a particular favourite bit of Paradise Lost?Henry: I do, but I don't have it with me because I disorganised and couldn't find my copy.James: That's fair.Henry: What I want to do is to read one of the sonnets because I do think he's a very, very good sonnet writer, even if I'm going to let the Lycidas thing go, because I'm not going to publicly argue against Samuel Johnson.When I consider how my light is spent,Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,And that one Talent which is death to hideLodged with me useless, though my Soul more bentTo serve therewith my Maker, and presentMy true account, lest he returning chide;“Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”I fondly ask. But patience, to preventThat murmur, soon replies, “God doth not needEither man's work or his own gifts; who bestBear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His stateIs Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speedAnd post o'er Land and Ocean without rest:They also serve who only stand and wait.”I think that's great.James: Yeah. Okay. It is good.Henry: Yeah. I think the minor poems are very uneven, but there are lots of gems.James: Yeah, I mean he is a genius. It would be very weird if all the minor poems were s**t, which is not really what I'm trying… I guess I have a sort of slightly austere category too. I just do Chaucer, Milton, Wordsworth, but we are agreed on Wordsworth, aren't we? That he belongs here.Henry: So my feeling is that the story of English poetry is something like Chaucer Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, T.S. Eliot create a kind of spine. These are the great innovators. They're writing the major works, they're the most influential. All the cliches are true. Chaucer invented iambic pentameter. Shakespeare didn't single handedly invent modern English, but he did more than all the rest of them put together. Milton is the English Homer. Wordsworth is the English Homer, but of the speech of the ordinary man. All these old things, these are all true and these are all colossal achievements and I don't really feel that we should be picking between them. I think Spenser wrote an epic that stands alongside the works of Shakespeare and Milton in words with T.S. Eliot whose poetry, frankly I do not love in the way that I love some of the other great English writers cannot be denied his position as one of the great inventors.James: Yeah, I completely agree. It's funny, I think, I mean I really do love T.S. Eliot. Someone else had spent a lot of time rereading. I'm not quite sure why he hasn't gone into quite my top category, but I think I had this—Henry: Is it because he didn't like Milton and you're not having it?James: Maybe that's part of it. I think my thought something went more along the lines of if I cut, I don't quite feel like I'm going to put John Donne in the same league as Milton, but then it seems weird to put Eliot above Donne and then I don't know that, I mean there's not a very particularly fleshed out thought, but on Wordsworth, why is Wordsworth there for you? What do you think, what do you think are the perms that make the argument for Wordsworth having his place at the very top?Henry: Well, I think the Lyrical Ballads, Poems in Two Volumes and the Prelude are all of it, aren't they? I'm not a lover of the rest, and I think the preface to the Lyrical Ballads is one of the great works of literary criticism, which is another coin in his jar if you like, but in a funny way, he's much more revolutionary than T.S. Eliot. We think of modernism as the great revolution and the great sort of bringing of all the newness, but modernism relies on Wordsworth so much, relies on the idea that tradition can be subsumed into ordinary voice, ordinary speech, the passage in the Wasteland where he has all of them talking in the bar. Closing time please, closing time please. You can't have that without Wordsworth and—James: I think I completely agree with what you're saying.Henry: Yeah, so I think that's for me is the basis of it that he might be the great innovator of English poetry.James: Yeah, I think you're right because I've got, I mean again, waiting someone out of my depth here, but I can't think of anybody else who had sort of specifically and perhaps even ideologically set out to write a kind of high poetry that sounded like ordinary speech, I guess. I mean, Wordsworth again is somebody who I didn't particularly like at university and I think it's precisely about plainness that can make him initially off-putting. There's a Matthew Arnold quote where he says of Wordsworth something like He has no style. Henry: Such a Matthew Arnold thing to say.James: I mean think it's the beginning of an appreciation, but there's a real blankness to words with I think again can almost mislead you into thinking there's nothing there when you first encounter him. But yeah, I think for me, Tintern Abbey is maybe the best poem in the English language.Henry: Tintern Abbey is great. The Intimations of Immortality Ode is superb. Again, I don't have it with me, but the Poems in Two Volumes. There are so many wonderful things in there. I had a real, when I was an undergraduate, I had read some Wordsworth, but I hadn't really read a lot and I thought of I as you do as the daffodils poet, and so I read Lyrical Ballads and Poems in Two Volumes, and I had one of these electrical conversion moments like, oh, the daffodils, that is nothing. The worst possible thing for Wordsworth is that he's remembered as this daffodils poet. When you read the Intimations of Immortality, do you just think of all the things he could have been remembered for? It's diminishing.James: It's so easy to get into him wrong because the other slightly wrong way in is through, I mean maybe this is a prejudice that isn't widely shared, but the stuff that I've never particularly managed to really enjoy is all the slightly worthy stuff about beggars and deformed people and maimed soldiers. Wandering around on roads in the lake district has always been less appealing to me, and that was maybe why I didn't totally get on with 'em at first, and I mean, there's some bad words with poetry. I was looking up the infamous lines from the form that were mocked even at the time where you know the lines that go, You see a little muddy pond Of water never dry. I've measured it from side to side, 'Tis three feet long and two feet wide, and the sort of plainness condescend into banality at Wordsworth's worst moments, which come more frequently later in his career.Henry: Yes, yes. I'm going to read a little bit of the Intimations ode because I want to share some of this so-called plainness at its best. This is the third section. They're all very short Now, while the birds thus sing a joyous song,And while the young lambs boundAs to the tabor's sound,To me alone there came a thought of grief:A timely utterance gave that thought relief,And I again am strong:The cataracts blow their trumpets from the steep;No more shall grief of mine the season wrong;I hear the Echoes through the mountains throng,The Winds come to me from the fields of sleep,And all the earth is gay;Land and seaGive themselves up to jollity,And with the heart of MayDoth every Beast keep holiday;—Thou Child of Joy,Shout round me, let me hear thy shouts, thou happy Shepherd-boy.And I think it's unthinkable that someone would write like this today. It would be cringe, but we're going to have a new sincerity. It's coming. It's in some ways it's already here and I think Wordsworth will maybe get a different sort of attention when that happens because that's a really high level of writing to be able to do that without it descending into what you just read. In the late Wordsworth there's a lot of that really bad stuff.James: Yeah, I mean the fact that he wrote some of that bad stuff I guess is a sign of quite how carefully the early stuff is treading that knife edge of tripping into banality. Can I read you my favourite bit of Tintern Abbey?Henry: Oh yes. That is one of the great poems.James: Yeah, I just think one of mean I, the most profound poem ever, probably for me. So this is him looking out over the landscape of Tinton Abbey. I mean these are unbelievably famous lines, so I'm sure everybody listening will know them, but they are so good And I have feltA presence that disturbs me with the joyOf elevated thoughts; a sense sublimeOf something far more deeply interfused,Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns,And the round ocean and the living air,And the blue sky, and in the mind of man:A motion and a spirit, that impelsAll thinking things, all objects of all thought,And rolls through all things. Therefore am I stillA lover of the meadows and the woodsAnd mountains; and of all that we beholdFrom this green earth; of all the mighty worldOf eye, and ear,—both what they half create,And what perceive; well pleased to recogniseIn nature and the language of the senseThe anchor of my purest thoughts, the nurse,The guide, the guardian of my heart, and soulOf all my moral being.I mean in a poem, it's just that is mind blowingly good to me?Henry: Yeah. I'm going to look up another section from the Prelude, which used to be in the Oxford Book, but it isn't in the Ricks edition and I don't really know whyJames: He doesn't have much of the Prelude does he?Henry: I don't think he has any…James: Yeah.Henry: So this is from an early section when the young Wordsworth is a young boy and he's going off, I think he's sneaking out at night to row on the lake as you do when you with Wordsworth, and the initial description is of a mountain. She was an elfin pinnace; lustilyI dipped my oars into the silent lake,And, as I rose upon the stroke, my boatWent heaving through the water like a swan;When, from behind that craggy steep till thenThe horizon's bound, a huge peak, black and huge,As if with voluntary power instinct,Upreared its head. I struck and struck again,And growing still in stature the grim shapeTowered up between me and the stars, and still,For so it seemed, with purpose of its ownAnd measured motion like a living thing,Strode after me. With trembling oars I turned,And through the silent water stole my wayBack to the covert of the willow tree;It's so much like that in Wordsworth. It's just,James: Yeah, I mean, yeah, the Prelude is full of things like that. I think that is probably one of the best moments, possibly the best moments of the prelude. But yeah, I mean it's just total genius isn't it?Henry: I think he's very, very important and yeah, much more important than T.S. Eliot who is, I put him in the same category, but I can see why you didn't.James: You do have a little note saying Pope, question mark or something I think, don't you, in the document.Henry: So the six I gave as the spine of English literature and everything, that's an uncontroversial view. I think Pope should be one of those people. I think we should see Pope as being on a level with Milton and Wordsworth, and I think he's got a very mixed reputation, but I think he was just as inventive, just as important. I think you are a Pope fan, just as clever, just as moving, and it baffles me that he's not more commonly regarded as part of this great spine running through the history of English literature and between Milton and Wordsworth. If you don't have Pope, I think it's a missing link if you like.James: I mean, I wouldn't maybe go as far as you, I love Pope. Pope was really the first perch I ever loved. I remember finding a little volume of Pope in a box of books. My school library was chucking out, and that was the first book of poetry I read and took seriously. I guess he sort of suffers by the fact that we are seeing all of this through the lens of the romantics. All our taste about Shakespeare and Milton and Spenser has been formed by the romantics and hope's way of writing the Satires. This sort of society poetry I think is just totally doesn't conform to our idea of what poetry should be doing or what poetry is. Is there absolutely or virtually nobody reads Dryden nowadays. It's just not what we think poetry is for that whole Augustine 18th century idea that poetry is for writing epistles to people to explain philosophical concepts to them or to diss your enemies and rivals or to write a kind of Duncia explaining why everyone you know is a moron. That's just really, I guess Byron is the last major, is the only of figure who is in that tradition who would be a popular figure nowadays with things like English bards and scotch reviewers. But that whole idea of poetry I think was really alien to us. And I mean I'm probably formed by that prejudice because I really do love Pope, but I don't love him as much as the other people we've discussed.Henry: I think part of his problem is that he's clever and rational and we want our poems always to be about moods, which may be, I think why George Herbert, who we've both got reasonably high is also quite underrated. He's very clever. He's always think George Herbert's always thinking, and when someone like Shakespeare or Milton is thinking, they do it in such a way that you might not notice and that you might just carry on with the story. And if you do see that they're thinking you can enjoy that as well. Whereas Pope is just explicitly always thinking and maybe lecturing, hectoring, being very grand with you and as you say, calling you an idiot. But there are so many excellent bits of Pope and I just think technically he can sustain a thought or an argument over half a dozen or a dozen lines and keep the rhyme scheme moving and it's never forced, and he never has to do that thing where he puts the words in a stupid order just to make the rhyme work. He's got such an elegance and a balance of composition, which again, as you say, we live under romantic ideals, not classical ones. But that doesn't mean we should be blind to the level of his accomplishment, which is really, really very high. I mean, Samuel Johnson basically thought that Alexander Pope had finished English poetry. We have the end of history. He had the end of English poetry. Pope, he's brought us to the mightiest of the heroic couplers and he's done it. It's all over.James: The other thing about Pope that I think makes us underrate him is that he's very charming. And I think charm is a quality we're not big on is that sort of, but I think some of Pope's charm is so moving. One of my favourite poems of his is, do you know the Epistle to Miss Blount on going into the country? The poem to the young girl who's been having a fashionable season in London then is sent to the boring countryside to stay with an aunt. And it's this, it's not like a romantic love poem, it's not distraught or hectic. It's just a sort of wonderful act of sympathy with this potentially slightly airheaded young girl who's been sent to the countryside, which you'd rather go to operas and plays and flirt with people. And there's a real sort of delicate in it that isn't overblown and isn't dramatic, but is extremely charming. And I think that's again, another quality that perhaps we're prone not to totally appreciate in the 21st century. It's almost the kind of highest form of politeness and sympathyHenry: And the prevailing quality in Pope is wit: “True wit is nature to advantage dressed/ What often was thought, but ne'er so well expressed”. And I think wit can be quite alienating for an audience because it is a kind of superior form of literary art. This is why people don't read as much Swift as he deserves because he's so witty and so scornful that a lot of people will read him and think, well, I don't like you.James: And that point about what oft was thought and ne'er so well expressed again, is a very classical idea. The poet who puts not quite conventional wisdom, but something that's been thought before in the best possible words, really suffers with the romantic idea of originality. The poet has to say something utterly new. Whereas for Pope, the sort of ideas that he express, some of the philosophical ideas are not as profound in original perhaps as words with, but he's very elegant proponent of them.Henry: And we love b******g people in our culture, and I feel like the Dunciad should be more popular because it is just, I can't remember who said this, but someone said it's probably the most under appreciated great poem in English, and that's got to be true. It's full of absolute zingers. There's one moment where he's described the whole crowd of them or all these poets who he considers to be deeply inferior, and it turns out he was right because no one reads them anymore. And you need footnotes to know who they are. I mean, no one cares. And he says, “equal your merits, equal is your din”. This kind of abuse is a really high art, and we ought to love that. We love that on Twitter. And I think things like the Rape of the Lock also could be more popular.James: I love the Rape of the Lock . I mean, I think anybody is not reading Pope and is looking for a way in, I think the Rape of the Lock is the way in, isn't it? Because it's just such a charming, lovely, funny poem.Henry: It is. And probably it suffers because the whole idea of mock heroic now is lost to us. But it's a bit like it's the literary equivalent of people writing a sort of mini epic about someone like Elon Musk or some other very prominent figure in the culture and using lots of heroic imagery from the great epics of Homer and Virgil and from the Bible and all these things, but putting them into a very diminished state. So instead of being grand, it becomes comic. It's like turning a God into a cartoon. And Pope is easily the best writer that we have for that kind of thing. Dryden, but he's the genius on it.James: Yeah, no, he totally is. I guess it's another reason he's under appreciated is that our culture is just much less worshipful of epic than the 18th century culture was. The 18th century was obsessed with trying to write epics and trying to imitate epics. I mean, I think to a lot of Pope's contemporaries, the achievement they might've been expecting people to talk about in 300 years time would be his translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey and the other stuff might've seen more minor in comparison, whereas it's the mock epic that we're remembering him for, which again is perhaps another symptom of our sort of post romantic perspective.Henry: I think this is why Spenser suffers as well, because everything in Spenser is magical. The knights are fairies, not the little fairies that live in buttercups, but big human sized fairies or even bigger than that. And there are magical women and saucers and the whole thing is a sort of hodgepodge of romance and fairy tale and legend and all this stuff. And it's often said, oh, he was old fashioned in his own time. But those things still had a lot of currency in the 16th century. And a lot of those things are in Shakespeare, for example.But to us, that's like a fantasy novel. Now, I love fantasy and I read fantasy, and I think some of it's a very high accomplishment, but to a lot of people, fantasy just means kind of trash. Why am I going to read something with fairies and a wizard? And I think a lot of people just see Spenser and they're like, what is this? This is so weird. They don't realise how Protestant they're being, but they're like, this is so weird.James: And Pope has a little, I mean, the Rape of the Lock even has a little of the same because the rape of the lock has this attendant army of good spirits called selfs and evil spirits called gnomes. I mean, I find that just totally funny and charming. I really love it.Henry: I'm going to read, there's an extract from the Rape of the Lock in the Oxford Book, and I'm going to read a few lines to give people an idea of how he can be at once mocking something but also quite charming about it. It's quite a difficult line to draw. The Rape of the Lock is all about a scandalous incident where a young man took a lock of a lady's hair. Rape doesn't mean what we think it means. It means an offence. And so because he stole a lock of her hair, it'd become obviously this huge problem and everyone's in a flurry. And to sort of calm everyone down, Pope took it so seriously that he made it into a tremendous joke. So here he is describing the sort of dressing table if you like.And now, unveil'd, the Toilet stands display'd,Each silver Vase in mystic order laid.First, rob'd in white, the Nymph intent adores,With head uncover'd, the Cosmetic pow'rs.A heav'nly image in the glass appears,To that she bends, to that her eyes she rears;Th' inferior Priestess, at her altar's side,Trembling begins the sacred rites of Pride.What a way to describe someone putting on their makeup. It's fantastic.James: It's funny. I can continue that because the little passage of Pope I picked to read begins exactly where yours ended. It only gets better as it goes on, I think. So after trembling begins the sacred rites of pride, Unnumber'd treasures ope at once, and hereThe various off'rings of the world appear;From each she nicely culls with curious toil,And decks the Goddess with the glitt'ring spoil.This casket India's glowing gems unlocks,And all Arabia breathes from yonder box.The Tortoise here and Elephant unite,Transformed to combs, the speckled, and the white.Here files of pins extend their shining rows,Puffs, Powders, Patches, Bibles, Billet-doux.It's just so lovely. I love a thing about the tortoise and the elephant unite because you've got a tortoise shell and an ivory comb. And the stuff about India's glowing gems and Arabia breathing from yonder box, I mean that's a, realistic is not quite the word, but that's a reference to Milton because Milton is continually having all the stones of Arabia and India's pearls and things all screwed through paradise lost. Yeah, it's just so lovely, isn't it?Henry: And for someone who's so classical and composed and elegant, there's something very Dickensian about things like the toilet, the tortoise and the elephant here unite, transform to combs. There's something a little bit surreal and the puffs, powders, patches, bibles, it has that sort of slightly hectic, frantic,James: That's sort of Victorian materialism, wealth of material objects,Henry: But also that famous thing that was said of Dickens, that the people are furniture and the furniture's like people. He can bring to life all the little bits and bobs of the ordinary day and turn it into something not quite ridiculous, not quite charming.James: And there is a kind of charm in the fact that it wasn't the sort of thing that poets would necessarily expect to pay attention to the 18th century. I don't think the sort of powders and ointments on a woman's dressing table. And there's something very sort of charming in his condescension to notice or what might've once seemed his condescension to notice those things, to find a new thing to take seriously, which is what poetry or not quite to take seriously, but to pay attention to, which I guess is one of the things that great perch should always be doing.Henry: When Swift, who was Pope's great friend, wrote about this, he wrote a poem called A Beautiful Young Lady Going to Bed, which is not as good, and I would love to claim Swift on our list, but I really can't.James: It's quite a horrible perm as well, that one, isn't it?Henry: It is. But it shows you how other people would treat the idea of the woman in front of her toilet, her mirror. And Swift uses an opportunity, as he said, to “lash the vice” because he hated all this adornment and what he would think of as the fakery of a woman painting herself. And so he talks about Corina pride of Drury Lane, which is obviously an ironic reference to her being a Lady of the Night, coming back and there's no drunken rake with her. Returning at the midnight hour;Four stories climbing to her bow'r;Then, seated on a three-legged chair,Takes off her artificial hair:Now, picking out a crystal eye,She wipes it clean, and lays it by.Her eye-brows from a mouse's hide,Stuck on with art on either side,Pulls off with care, and first displays 'em,Then in a play-book smoothly lays 'em.Now dexterously her plumpers draws,That serve to fill her hollow jaws.And it goes on like this. I mean, line after this is sort of raw doll quality to it, Pope, I think in contrast, it only illuminates him more to see where others are taking this kind of crude, very, very funny and witty, but very crude approach. He's able to really have the classical art of balance.James: Yes. And it's precisely his charm that he can mock it and sympathise and love it at the same time, which I think is just a more sort of complex suite of poetic emotions to have about that thing.Henry: So we want more people to read Pope and to love Pope.James: Yes. Even if I'm not letting him into my top.Henry: You are locking him out of the garden. Now, for the second tier, I want to argue for two anonymous poets. One of the things we did when we were talking about this was we asked chatGPT to see if it could give us a good answer. And if you use o1 or o1 Pro, it gives you a pretty good answer as to who the best poets in English are. But it has to be told that it's forgotten about the anonymous poets. And then it says, oh, that was stupid. There are quite a lot of good anonymous poets in English, but I suspect a lot of us, a lot of non artificial intelligence when thinking about this question overlook the anonymous poets. But I would think the Gawain poet and the Tom O' Bedlam poet deserve to be in here. I don't know what you think about that.James: I'm not competent to provide an opinion. I'm purely here to be educated on the subject of these anonymous poets. Henry: The Gawain poet, he's a mediaeval, assume it's a he, a mediaeval writer, obviously may well not be a man, a mediaeval writer. And he wrote Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, which is, if you haven't read it, you should really read it in translation first, I think because it's written at the same time as Chaucer. But Chaucer was written in a kind of London dialect, which is what became the English we speak. And so you can read quite a lot of Chaucer and the words look pretty similar and sometimes you need the footnotes, but when you read Gawain and The Green Knight, it's in a Northwestern dialect, which very much did not become modern day English. And so it's a bit more baffling, but it is a poem of tremendous imaginative power and weirdness. It's a very compelling story. We have a children's version here written by Selena Hastings who's a very accomplished biographer. And every now and then my son remembers it and he just reads it again and again and again. It's one of the best tales of King Arthur in his knights. And there's a wonderful book by John Burrow. It's a very short book, but that is such a loving piece of criticism that explicates the way in which that poem promotes virtue and all the nightly goodness that you would expect, but also is a very strange and unreal piece of work. And I think it has all the qualities of great poetry, but because it's written in this weird dialect, I remember as an undergraduate thinking, why is this so bloody difficult to read? But it is just marvellous. And I see people on Twitter, the few people who've read it, they read it again and they just say, God, it's so good. And I think there was a film of it a couple of years ago, but we will gloss lightly over that and not encourage you to do the film instead of the book.James: Yeah, you're now triggering a memory that I was at least set to read and perhaps did at least read part of Gawain and the Green Knight at University, but has not stuck to any brain cells at all.Henry: Well, you must try it again and tell me what you think. I mean, I find it easily to be one of the best poems in English.James: Yeah, no, I should. I had a little Chaucer kick recently actually, so maybe I'm prepared to rediscover mediaeval per after years of neglect since my degree,Henry: And it's quite short, which I always think is worth knowing. And then the Tom Bedlam is an anonymous poem from I think the 17th century, and it's one of the mad songs, so it's a bit like the Fool from King Lear. And again, it is a very mysterious, very strange and weird piece of work. Try and find it in and read the first few lines. And I think because it's anonymous, it's got slightly less of a reputation because it can't get picked up with some big name, but it is full of tremendous power. And again, I think it would be sad if it wasn't more well known.From the hag and hungry goblinThat into rags would rend ye,The spirit that stands by the naked manIn the Book of Moons defend ye,That of your five sound sensesYou never be forsaken,Nor wander from your selves with TomAbroad to beg your bacon,While I do sing, Any food, any feeding,Feeding, drink, or clothing;Come dame or maid, be not afraid,Poor Tom will injure nothing.Anyway, so you get the sense of it and it's got many stanzas and it's full of this kind of energy and it's again, very accomplished. It can carry the thought across these long lines and these long stanzas.James: When was it written? I'm aware of only if there's a name in the back of my mind.Henry: Oh, it's from the 17th century. So it's not from such a different time as King Lear, but it's written in the voice of a madman. And again, you think of that as the sort of thing a romantic poet would do. And it's strange to find it almost strange to find it displaced. There were these other mad songs. But I think because it's anonymous, it gets less well known, it gets less attention. It's not part of a bigger body of work, but it's absolutely, I think it's wonderful.James: I shall read it.Henry: So who have you got? Who else? Who are you putting in instead of these two?James: Hang on. So we're down to tier two now.Henry: Tier two.James: Yeah. So my tier two is: Donne, Elliot, Keats, Tennyson. I've put Spenser in tier two, Marvell and Pope, who we've already discussed. I mean, I think Eliot, we've talked about, I mean Donne just speaks for himself and there's probably a case that some people would make to bump him up a tier. Henry: Anybody can read that case in Katherine Rudell's book. We don't need to…James: Yes, exactly. If anybody's punching perhaps in tier two, it's Tennyson who I wasn't totally sure belonged there. Putting Tenon in the same tier as Donne and Spenser and Keets. I wonder if that's a little ambitious. I think that might raise eyebrows because there is a school of thought, which I'm not totally unsympathetic to this. What's the Auden quote about Tennyson? I really like it. I expressed very harshly, but I sort of get what he means. Auden said that Tennyson “had the finest ear perhaps of any English poet who was also undoubtedly the stupidest. There was little that he didn't know. There was little else that he did.” Which is far too harsh. But I mentioned to you earlier that I think was earlier this year, a friend and I had a project where we were going to memorise a perva week was a plan. We ended up basically getting, I think three quarters of the way through.And if there's a criticism of Tennyson that you could make, it's that the word music and the sheer lushness of phrases sometimes becomes its own momentum. And you can end up with these extremely lovely but sometimes slightly empty beautiful phrases, which is what I ended up feeling about Tithonus. And I sort of slightly felt I was memorising this unbelievably beautiful but ever so slightly hollow thing. And that was slightly why the project fell apart, I should say. Of course, they absolutely love Tennyson. He's one of my all time favourite poets, which is why my personal favouritism has bumped him up into that category. But I can see there's a case, and I think to a lot of people, he's just the kind of Victorian establishment gloom man, which is totally unfair, but there's not no case against Tennyson.Henry: Yeah, the common thing is that he has no ideas. I don't know if that's true or not. I'm also, I'm not sure how desperately important it is. It should be possible to be a great poet without ideas being at the centre of your work. If you accept the idea that the essence of poetry is invention, i.e. to say old things in a fantastically new way, then I think he qualifies very well as a great poet.James: Yes..Henry: Well, very well. I think Auden said what he said because he was anxious that it was true of himself.James: Yeah, I mean there's a strong argument that Auden had far too many ideas and the sorts of mad schemes and fantastical theories about history that Auden spent his spare time chasing after is certainly a kind of argument that poets maybe shouldn't have as many ideas, although it's just reading. Seamus Perry's got a very good little book on Tennyson, and the opening chapter is all about arguments about people who have tended to dislike Tennyson. And there are all kinds of embarrassing anecdotes about the elderly Tennyson trying to sort of go around dinner parties saying profound and sage-like things and totally putting his foot in it and saying things are completely banal. I should have made a note that this was sort of slightly, again, intensifying my alarm about is there occasionally a tinsely hollowness about Tennyson. I'm now being way too harsh about one of my favourite poets—Henry: I think it depends what you mean by ideas. He is more than just a poet of moods. He gives great expression, deep and strongly felt expression to a whole way of being and a whole way of conceiving of things. And it really was a huge part of why people became interested in the middle ages in the 19th century. I think there's Walter Scott and there's Tennyson who are really leading that work, and that became a dominant cultural force and it became something that meant a lot to people. And whether or not, I don't know whether it's the sort of idea that we're talking about, but I think that sort of thing, I think that qualifies as having ideas and think again, I think he's one of the best writers about the Arthurian legend. Now that work doesn't get into the Oxford Book of English Verse, maybe that's fair. But I think it was very important and I love it. I love it. And I find Tennyson easy to memorise, which is another point in his favour.James: Yeah.Henry: I'm going to read a little bit of Ulysses, which everyone knows the last five or six lines of that poem because it gets put into James Bond films and other such things. I'm going to read it from a little bit from earlier on. I am become a name;For always roaming with a hungry heartMuch have I seen and known; cities of menAnd manners, climates, councils, governments,Myself not least, but honour'd of them all;And drunk delight of battle with my peers,Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.I am a part of all that I have met;Yet all experience is an arch wherethro'Gleams that untravell'd world, whose margin fadesFor ever and for ever when I move.I think that's amazing. And he can do that. He can do lots and lots and lots of that.James: Yeah, he really can. It's stunning. “Far on the ringing planes of windy Troy” is such an unbelievably evocative phrase.Henry: And that's what I mean. He's got this ability to bring back a sort of a whole mood of history. It's not just personal mood poetry. He can take you into these places and that is in the space of a line. In the space of a line. I think Matthew Arnold said of the last bit of what I just read is that he had this ability in Ulysses to make the lines seem very long and slow and to give them this kind of epic quality that far goes far beyond the actual length of that poem. Ulysses feels like this huge poem that's capturing so much of Homer and it's a few dozen lines.James: Yeah, no, I completely agree. Can I read a little bit of slightly more domestic Tennyson, from In Memoriam, I think his best poem and one of my all time favourite poems and it's got, there are many sort of famous lines on grief and things, but there's little sort of passage of natural description I think quite near the beginning that I've always really loved and I've always just thought was a stunning piece of poetry in terms of its sound and the way that the sound has patented and an unbelievably attentive description natural world, which is kind of the reason that even though I think Keats is a better poet, I do prefer reading Tennyson to Keats, so this is from the beginning of In Memoriam. Calm is the morn without a sound,Calm as to suit a calmer grief,And only thro' the faded leafThe chesnut pattering to the ground:Calm and deep peace on this high wold,And on these dews that drench the furze,And all the silvery gossamersThat twinkle into green and gold:Calm and still light on yon great plainThat sweeps with all its autumn bowers,And crowded farms and lessening towers,To mingle with the bounding main:And I just think that's an amazing piece of writing that takes you from that very close up image that it begins with of the “chestnut patterning to the ground” through the faded leaves of the tree, which is again, a really attentive little bit of natural description. I think anyone can picture the way that a chestnut might fall through the leaves of a chestnut tree, and it's just an amazing thing to notice. And I think the chestnut pattern to the ground does all the kind of wonderful, slightly onomatopoeic, Tennyson stuff so well, but by the end, you're kind of looking out over the English countryside, you've seen dew on the firs, and then you're just looking out across the plane to the sea, and it's this sort of, I just think it's one of those bits of poetry that anybody who stood in a slightly wet and romantic day in the English countryside knows exactly the feeling that he's evoking. And I mean there's no bit of—all of In Memoriam is pretty much that good. That's not a particularly celebrated passage I don't think. It's just wonderful everywhere.Henry: Yes. In Memoriam a bit like the Dunciad—under appreciated relative to its huge merits.James: Yeah, I think it sounds, I mean guess by the end of his life, Tennyson had that reputation as the establishment sage of Victorian England, queen of Victoria's favourite poet, which is a pretty off-putting reputation for to have. And I think In Memoriam is supposed to be this slightly cobwebby, musty masterpiece of Victorian grief. But there was just so much, I mean, gorgeous, beautiful sensuous poetry in it.Henry: Yeah, lots of very intense feelings. No, I agree. I have Tennyson my third tier because I had to have the Gawain poet, but I agree that he's very, very great.James: Yeah, I think the case for third tier is I'm very open to that case for the reasons that I said.Henry: Keats, we both have Keats much higher than Shelly. I think Byron's not on anyone's list because who cares about Byron. Overrated, badly behaved. Terrible jokes. Terrible jokes.James: I think people often think Byron's a better pert without having read an awful lot of the poetry of Byron. But I think anybody who's tried to wade through long swathes of Don Juan or—Henry: My God,James: Childe Harold, has amazing, amazing, beautiful moments. But yeah, there's an awful lot of stuff that you don't enjoy. I think.Henry: So to make the case for Keats, I want to talk about The Eve of St. Agnes, which I don't know about you, but I love The Eve of St. Agnes. I go back to it all the time. I find it absolutely electric.James: I'm going to say that Keats is a poet, which is kind of weird for somebody is sent to us and obviously beautiful as Keats. I sort of feel like I admire more than I love. I get why he's brilliant. It's very hard not to see why he's brilliant, but he's someone I would very rarely sit down and read for fun and somebody got an awful lot of feeling or excitement out of, but that's clearly a me problem, not a Keats problem.Henry: When I was a teenager, I knew so much Keats by heart. I knew the whole of the Ode to a Nightingale. I mean, I was absolutely steeped in it morning, noon and night. I couldn't get over it. And now I don't know if I could get back to that point. He was a very young poet and he writes in a very young way. But I'm going to read—The Eve of St. Agnes is great. It's a narrative poem, which I think is a good way to get into this stuff because the story is fantastic. And he had read Spenser, he was part of this kind of the beginning of this mediaeval revival. And he's very interested in going back to those old images, those old stories. And this is the bit, I think everything we're reading is from the Oxford Book of English Verse, so that if people at home want to read along they can.This is when the heroine of the poem is Madeline is making her escape basically. And I think this is very, very exciting. Her falt'ring hand upon the balustrade,Old Angela was feeling for the stair,When Madeline, St. Agnes' charmed maid,Rose, like a mission'd spirit, unaware:With silver taper's light, and pious care,She turn'd, and down the aged gossip ledTo a safe level matting. Now prepare,Young Porphyro, for gazing on that bed;She comes, she comes again, like ring-dove fray'd and fled.Out went the taper as she hurried in;Its little smoke, in pallid moonshine, died:She clos'd the door, she panted, all akinTo spirits of the air, and visions wide:No uttered syllable, or, woe betide!But to her heart, her heart was voluble,Paining with eloquence her balmy side;As though a tongueless nightingale should swellHer throat in vain, and die, heart-stifled, in her dell.A casement high and triple-arch'd there was,All garlanded with carven imag'riesOf fruits, and flowers, and bunches of knot-grass,And diamonded with panes of quaint device,Innumerable of stains and splendid dyes,As are the tiger-moth's deep-damask'd wings;And in the midst, 'mong thousand heraldries,And twilight saints, and dim emblazonings,A shielded scutcheon blush'd with blood of queens and kings.I mean, so much atmosphere, so much tension, so many wonderful images just coming one after the other. The rapidity of it, the tumbling nature of it. And people often quote the Ode to autumn, which has a lot of that.James: I have to say, I found that totally enchanting. And perhaps my problem is that I need you to read it all to me. You can make an audio book that I can listen to.Henry: I honestly, I actually might read the whole of the E and put it out as audio on Substack becauseJames: I would actually listen to that.Henry: I love it so much. And I feel like it gets, when we talk about Keats, we talk about, On First Looking into Chapman's Homer and Bright Star and La Belle Dame Sans Merci, and these are great, great poems and they're poems that we do at school Ode to a Nightingale because I think The Great Gatsby has a big debt to Ode to a Nightingale, doesn't it? And obviously everyone quotes the Ode to Autumn. I mean, as far as I can tell, the 1st of October every year is the whole world sharing the first stands of the Ode to Autumn.James: Yeah. He may be one of the people who suffers from over familiarity perhaps. And I think also because it sounds so much what poetry is supposed to sound like, because so much of our idea of poetry derives from Keats. Maybe that's something I've slightly need to get past a little bit.Henry: But if you can get into the complete works, there are many, the bit I just read is I think quite representative.James: I loved it. I thought it was completely beautiful and I would never have thought to ever, I probably can't have read that poem for years. I wouldn't have thought to read it. Since university, I don't thinkHenry: He's one of those people. All of my copies of him are sort of frayed and the spines are breaking, but the book is wearing out. I should just commit it to memory and be done. But somehow I love going back to it. So Keats is very high in my estimation, and we've both put him higher than Shelly and Coleridge.James: Yeah.Henry: Tell me why. Because those would typically, I think, be considered the superior poets.James: Do you think Shelly? I think Keats would be considered the superior poetHenry: To Shelly?James: Certainly, yes. I think to Shelly and Coleridge, that's where current fashion would place them. I mean, I have to say Coleridge is one of my all time favourite poets. In terms of people who had just every so often think, I'd love to read a poem, I'd love to read Frost at Midnight. I'd love to read the Aeolian Harp. I'd love to read This Lime Tree Bower, My Prison. I'd love to read Kubla Khan. Outside Milton, Coleridge is probably the person that I read most, but I think, I guess there's a case that Coleridge's output is pretty slight. What his reputation rest on is The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla Khan, the conversation poems, which a lot of people think are kind of plagiarised Wordsworth, at least in their style and tone, and then maybe not much else. Does anybody particularly read Cristabel and get much out of it nowadays? Dejection an Ode people like: it's never done an awful lot for me, so I sort of, in my personal Pantheon Coleridge is at the top and he's such an immensely sympathetic personality as well and such a curious person. But I think he's a little slight, and there's probably nothing in Coleridge that can match that gorgeous passage of Keats that you read. I think.Henry: Yeah, that's probably true. He's got more ideas, I guess. I don't think it matters that he's slight. Robert Frost said something about his ambition had been to lodge five or six poems in the English language, and if he'd done that, he would've achieved greatness. And obviously Frost very much did do that and is probably the most quotable and well-known poet. But I think Coleridge easily meets those criteria with the poems you described. And if all we had was the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, I would think it to be like Tom O' Bedlam, like the Elegy in a Country Churchyard, one of those great, great, great poems that on its own terms, deserves to be on this list.James: Yeah, and I guess another point in his favour is a great poet is they're all pretty unalike. I think if given Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a conversation poem and Kubla Khan and said, guess whether these are three separate poets or the same guy, you would say, oh, there's a totally different poems. They're three different people. One's a kind of creepy gothic horror ballad. Another one is a philosophical reflection. Another is the sort of Mad Opium dream. I mean, Kubla Khan is just without a doubt, one of the top handful of purposes in English language, I think.Henry: Oh yeah, yeah. And it has that quality of the Elegy in a Country Churchyard that so many of the lines are so quotable in the sense that they could be, in the case of the Elegy in a Country Churchyard, a lot of novels did get their titles from it. I think it was James Lees Milne. Every volume of his diaries, which there are obviously quite a few, had its title from Kubla Khan. Ancient as the Hills and so on. It's one of those poems. It just provides us with so much wonderful language in the space of what a page.James: Sort of goes all over the place. Romantic chasms, Abyssinian made with dulcimer, icy pleasure dome with caves of ice. It just such a—it's so mysterious. I mean, there's nothing else remotely like it at all in English literature that I can think of, and its kind strangeness and virtuosity. I really love that poem.Henry: Now, should we say a word for Shelly? Because everyone knows Ozymandias, which is one of those internet poems that goes around a lot, but I don't know how well known the rest of his body of work is beyond that. I fell in love with him when I read a very short lyric called “To—” Music, when soft voices die,Vibrates in the memory—Odours, when sweet violets sicken,Live within the sense they quicken.Rose leaves, when the rose is dead,Are heaped for the belovèd's bed;And so thy thoughts, when thou art gone,Love itself shall slumber on.I found that to be one of those poems that was once read and immediately memorised. But he has this very, again, broad body of work. He can write about philosophical ideas, he can write about moods, he can write narrative. He wrote Julian and Maddalo, which is a dialogue poem about visiting a madman and taking sympathy with him and asking the question, who's really mad here? Very Swiftian question. He can write about the sublime in Mont Blanc. I mean, he has got huge intellectual power along with the beauty. He's what people want Tennyson to be, I guess.James: Yeah. Or what people think Byron might be. I think Shelly is great. I don't quite get that Byron is so much more famous. Shelly has just a dramatic and, well, maybe not quite just as, but an incredibly dramatic and exciting life to go along with it,Henry: I think some of the short lyrics from Byron have got much more purchase in day-to-day life, like She Walks in Beauty.James: Yeah. I think you have to maybe get Shelly a little more length, don't you? I mean, even there's something like Ode to the West Wind is you have to take the whole thing to love it, perhaps.Henry: Yes. And again, I think he's a bit like George Herbert. He's always thinking you really have to pay attention and think with him. Whereas Byron has got lots of lines you can copy out and give to a girl that you like on the bus or something.James: Yes. No, that's true.Henry: I don't mean that in quite as rude a way as it sounds. I do think that's a good thing. But Shelly's, I think, much more of a thinker, and I agree with you Childe Harold and so forth. It's all crashing bore. I might to try it again, but awful.James: I don't want move past Coledridge without inflicting little Coledridge on you. Can I?Henry: Oh, yes. No, sorry. We didn't read Coledridge, right?James: Are just, I mean, what to read from Coledridge? I mean, I could read the whole of Kubla Khan, but that would be maybe a bit boring. I mean, again, these are pretty famous and obvious lines from Frost at Midnight, which is Coledridge sitting up late at night in his cottage with his baby in its cradle, and he sort of addressing it and thinking about it. And I just think these lines are so, well, everything we've said about Coledridge, philosophical, thoughtful, beautiful, in a sort of totally knockout, undeniable way. So it goes, he's talking to his young son, I think. My babe so beautiful! it thrills my heartWith tender gladness, thus to look at thee,And think that thou shalt learn far other lore,And in far other scenes! For I was rearedIn the great city, pent 'mid cloisters dim,And saw nought lovely but the sky and stars.But thou, my babe! shalt wander like a breezeBy lakes and sandy shores, beneath the cragsOf ancient mountain, and beneath the clouds,Which image in their bulk both lakes and shoresAnd mountain crags: so shalt thou see and hearThe lovely shapes and sounds intelligibleOf that eternal language, which thy GodUtters, who from eternity doth teachHimself in all, and all things in himself.Which is just—what aren't those lines of poetry doing? And with such kind of confidence, the way you get from talking to your baby and its cradle about what kind of upbringing you hope it will have to those flashes of, I mean quite Wordsworthian beauty, and then the sort of philosophical tone at the end. It's just such a stunning, lovely poem. Yeah, I love it.Henry: Now we both got Yeats and Hopkins. And Hopkins I think is really, really a tremendous poet, but neither of us has put Browning, which a lot of other people maybe would. Can we have a go at Browning for a minute? Can we leave him in shreds? James: Oh God. I mean, you're going to be a better advocate of Browning than I am. I've never—Henry: Don't advocate for him. No, no, no.James: We we're sticking him out.Henry: We're sticking him.James: I wonder if I even feel qualified to do that. I mean, I read quite a bit of Browning at university, found it hard to get on with sometimes. I think I found a little affected and pretentious about him and a little kind of needlessly difficult in a sort of off-puttingly Victorian way. But then I was reading, I reviewed a couple of years ago, John Carey has an excellent introduction to English poetry. I think it's called A Little History of Poetry in which he described Browning's incredibly long poem, The Ring in the Book as one of the all time wonders of verbal art. This thing is, I think it's like 700 or 800 pages long poem in the Penguin edition, which has always given me pause for thought and made me think that I've dismissed Browning out of hand because if John Carey's telling me that, then I must be wrong.But I think I have had very little pleasure out of Browning, and I mean by the end of the 19th century, there was a bit of a sort of Victorian cult of Browning, which I think was influential. And people liked him because he was a living celebrity who'd been anointed as a great poet, and people liked to go and worship at his feet and stuff. I do kind of wonder whether he's lasted, I don't think many people read him for pleasure, and I wonder if that maybe tells its own story. What's your case against Browning?Henry: No, much the same. I think he's very accomplished and very, he probably, he deserves a place on the list, but I can't enjoy him and I don't really know why. But to me, he's very clever and very good, but as you say, a bit dull.James: Yeah, I totally agree. I'm willing. It must be our failing, I'm sure. Yeah, no, I'm sure. I'm willing to believe they're all, if this podcast is listened to by scholars of Victorian poetry, they're cringing and holding their head in their hands at this—Henry: They've turned off already. Well, if you read The Ring and the Book, you can come back on and tell us about it.James: Oh God, yeah. I mean, in about 20 years time.Henry: I think we both have Auden, but you said something you said, “does Auden have an edge of fraudulence?”James: Yeah, I mean, again, I feel like I'm being really rude about a lot of poets that I really love. I don't really know why doesn't think, realising that people consider to be a little bit weak makes you appreciate their best stuff even more I guess. I mean, it's hard to make that argument without reading a bit of Auden. I wonder what bit gets it across. I haven't gotten any ready. What would you say about Auden?Henry: I love Auden. I think he was the best poet of the 20th century maybe. I mean, I have to sort of begrudgingly accept T.S. Eliot beside, I think he can do everything from, he can do songs, light lyrics, comic verse, he can do occasional poetry, obituaries. He was a political poet. He wrote in every form, I think almost literally that might be true. Every type of stanza, different lines. He was just structurally remarkable. I suspect he'll end up a bit like Pope once the culture has tur

“Look for the extraordinary, the simple, delicate extraordinary. But to see, to find it in nature and in other people and in situations, and in organization state, there's almost always something you can find that is precious, but you have to look.”When I first started studying human development, I encountered Dr. Cook-Greuter's books and theory of ego development. I was enlightened by her in a way that is difficult to explain. Her work on how we develop as adults is foundational to understanding ourselves and many of the issues we encounter as we navigate the world. In this episode, I am honored to talk with the legendary Dr. Susanne Cook-Greuter, an international authority on adult and ego development. As a realist with decades of experience and study in adult development , she discusses both the lighter and darker sides of humanity. She also provides deep insights into ways we can learn and improve as human beings.If you are interested in the future of humanity and evolving to be a better human, tune in to this profound talk where Dr. Cook-Greuter and I dive deep into the real challenges we face as humans.In this episode:Understanding Dr. Cook-Greuter's theory of ego developmentWise advice  for self-masteryThe importance of becoming more aware rather than operating on autopilot Organizational structures that foster good leadershipHuman nature and the steady demise of our species.Finding joy and serenity in lifeHow you can live a life with more soulAnd more!Power Presence Academy | Leadership with Less Ego And More Soul is the go-to podcast for anyone who leads. Your host is Janet Ioli, leadership and human development expert, sought-after coach and advisor to global executives, and former executive with experience in four Fortune 100 companies. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose to lead with Less Ego and More Soul.Resource Links:Dr. Susanne Cook-Greuter is an international authority on adult and ego development. She is the creator of the MAP instrument and its assessment methodology. Dr. Cook-Greuter is an independent scholar known worldwide for her seminal work in adult development theory and is a keynote speaker at conferences internationally. She has charted new territory in defining mature adult development.You can find Dr. Cook-Greuter's PhD dissertation that's still making an impact today here.Connect with today's guest on LinkedIn: Dr. Susanne Cook-GreuterConnect with Janet Ioli:Website: janetioli.comLinkedin: Janet IoliInstagram: @janetioliJanet is the founder of Power Presence Academy. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli's book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think. Produced by Ideablossoms

“It's not about completely eliminating ego, but about recognizing when it's taking over and consciously choosing to realign with a soul-driven purpose.“In this episode, I talk about the delicate balance between ego and soul in leadership. Let's explore when ego may be beneficial and when it may get in the way, as well as how we can lead from a place of soul instead.In this episode:Ego-driven leadershipWhat it means to lead with soulHow to balance ego and soulAnd more!Power Presence Academy | Leadership with Less Ego And More Soul is the go-to podcast for anyone who leads. Your host is Janet Ioli, leadership and human development expert, sought-after coach and advisor to global executives, and former executive with experience in four Fortune 100 companies. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose to lead with Less Ego and More Soul.Noteworthy Quotes from This Episode“Ego. We keep using that word. [It] isn't inherently bad. In fact, a healthy ego can be a driving force behind confidence, behind ambition and resilience. So, we need ego.”“When we let our ego run the show,  we lose sight of what really matters, our purpose, our values, and our connection to others.”“Leading with soul requires humility, self-awareness, and a willingness to put the needs of others above your own.”“Remember, the most impactful leaders aren't those who demand power and control,  but those who inspire, uplift, and lead with purpose.”Connect with Janet Ioli:Website: janetioli.comLinkedin: Janet IoliInstagram: @janetioliJanet is the founder of Power Presence Academy. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli's book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think. Produced by Ideablossoms

Not a huge fan of cleaning? Lisa Bronner is the granddaughter of Dr Bronner and guess what? Cleaning wasn't always her thing - even being a part of the Dr Bronner's soap family wasn't her thing - that all came later and even now, it's more a necessity and taking pleasure in a lovely environment than it is in loving cleaning. Lisa is joining me for the first time since the show began 8 years ago now, as we talk through a bit of super-interesting Dr Bronner history, Lisa's childhood, becoming a parent and discovering low tox cleaning, and then taking the stage as the Green Cleaning guru that many people know her as (if you don't follow her on Facebook you should - always sharing helpful tips and recipes!). She also has a wonderful book out now and for pre-order depending on where you are in the world, called “Soap & Soul”. To connect with Lisa head here: Instagram @drbronner Facebook @​​GreenWithLisaBronnerWebsite: https://www.lisabronner.com/Australian pre order book link for Soap & SoulAmerican Amazon link for Soap & SoulAnd tag @lowtoxlife on Instagram when you share the show so I can see what your ahas were! Enjoy, Alexx xCurrent podcast offers to help with your low tox swaps till the end of September:Air purifiers and dehumidifiers: Ausclimate is now giving all Low Tox Life followers an EXTRA 10% OFF their already discounted prices on Ausclimate.com.au – Simply enter the discount code of LOWTOXLIFE on check out. This discount can also be redeemed for over-the-phone orders verbally.Block Blue Light: Helping you with red light therapy, blocking blue light, sleep masks and my favourite blue-light-free globes “sweet dreams” your discount code is: LOWTOXLIFE15 and will be 15% off sitewideYep happy to go with the panel for the major giveaway, in situ shot sounds good!Cod Liver Oil Liquid: My fave is on sale with 15% off Arctic Cod Liver Oil on the www.therahealth.com.au website. Code: LOWTOXAnd Dr Bronner's Australia is giving you 15% off with the code GOLOWTOX until October 25th (excluding 1.89L, 3.87L and gift packs) at https://www.drbronner.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[This blog will always be free to read, but it's also how I pay my bills. So, if you like what you read, please consider a paid subscription. And yes, I do speaking engagements.]About ten days ago, Oliver Anthony, a farmer and former factory worker in Virginia, uploaded a casual performance video of his new song “Rich Men North of Richmond” to YouTube. As of this morning, it's been viewed nearly 15 million times. Mr. Anthony, with no previous experience in the music industry, now has the #1 song on Apple's global music chart and may well top Billboard's Hot 100 by next week.It would be easy to claim this is the result of astroturfing (that's when a “grassroots” campaign is fabricated), and sure enough, some progressive commentators have been loud in their suspicions. The overnight groundswell of support in rightwing media for Mr. Anthony's debut—every far-right luminary from Kari Lake to Matt Walsh has spent the past week hyping the song—doesn't help in that vein.But there are two big things that undermine this theory. The first is that Mr. Anthony has a legitimately great voice and when set to a simple guitar accompaniment, there is an undeniable gravitas to his delivery. If some of the lyrics were different, it'd be easy to see this emerge as a mainstream, crossover chart-topper that appeals to folks across the political spectrum.The second thing is authenticity. Unlike Jason Aldean's hypocritical screed “Try That in a Small Town” (Mr. Aldean is neither from a small town nor has he ever lived in one, nor did he write the song), Mr. Anthony has plenty of blue collar credibility and penned his own lyrics.There's also the difference in aesthetics. Mr. Aldean's music video for “Try That in a Small Town” (which clumsily uses stock footage from protests in Canada) feels like a weak-ass, racist clone of any given bro country music video on CMT. Mr. Anthony's video, on the other hand, is just him and his guitar and a microphone set up with the Virginia countryside in the background.Where Mr. Aldean comes across as too corporate and pandering for his own good, Mr. Anthony, clad in a sweaty t-shirt, looks like he just told his buddy to set up a camera on the farm and get this all in one take. The visuals are simple and natural and powerful, which is, I strongly believe, partly what's making this song go mega viral. Hell, maybe we will find out that this is a particularly sophisticated campaign by the far-right to stir up nonsense, but I honestly don't think that's it. I think Mr. Anthony made an unusually compelling song with an unusually compelling video and it landed in the right hands at the right time. Nevertheless, it's unfortunate that Mr. Anthony's song could have been a broad call to unite against corporate corruption but instead, he settled for a confused, distracted, and unkind broadside against vulnerable people. The far-right appears to love this song not so much for its gorgeous melody and his voice but the dogwhistles strewn throughout the lyrics.The first 45 seconds or so are pretty straightforward and, on their own, could even be mistaken for a leftist anthem:I've been sellin' my soul, workin' all dayOvertime hours for b******t paySo I can sit out here and waste my life awayDrag back home and drown my troubles awayIt's a damn shame what the world's gotten toFor people like me and people like youWish I could just wake up and it not be trueBut it is, oh, it isLivin' in the new worldWith an old soulAnd then, things take a sudden turn:These rich men north of RichmondLord knows they all just wanna have total controlWanna know what you think, wanna know what you doAnd they don't think you know, but I know that you do'Cause your dollar ain't s**t and it's taxed to no end'Cause of rich men north of RichmondObviously, those are references to cancel culture, censorship, and taxation being promoted by politicians in D.C. (a few hours north of Richmond, Virginia). Still, even so, these are pretty garden variety conservative lyrics.But suddenly, without warning, things go off the rails:I wish politicians would look out for minersAnd not just minors on an island somewhereLord, we got folks in the street, ain't got nothin' to eatAnd the obese milkin' welfareWell, God, if you're 5-foot-3 and you're 300 poundsTaxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge roundsYoung men are puttin' themselves six feet in the ground'Cause all this damn country does is keep on kickin' them downYou caught all that, right? The “minors on an island somewhere” is referencing Jeffrey Epstein, the infamous, dead pedophile-rapist-trafficker whose name has become synonymous with the most shameless QAnon conspiracy theories. In fairness, the welfare bit could be an honest condemnation of all welfare by Mr. Anthony, but in a conservative context, it's almost always a dogwhistle referencing “welfare queens,” the term popularized by then-candidate Ronald Reagan to horribly, implicitly slander Black mothers.(Then again, if Mr. Anthony is condemning all welfare, how would that work out for folks in the street who ain't got nothin' to eat? Hmmm. Also: Republican-led states benefit the most from federal welfare programs, which is, curiously, an essential fact that's routinely left out of these conversations by conservatives.)Mr. Anthony then curiously attacks overweight folks, claiming our taxes are paying for their fudge, and then pairs this with a reference to the “War on Boys” or “War on Men” or “War on Masculinity” or whatever grifting, nonsense framing the far-right is using these days to claim masculinity is in trouble.After that second (and final) verse, Mr. Anthony finishes with his chorus, where, now, the words “people like me and people like you” hit a lot differently than they did at the beginning of the song.So, is this meant to be a rightwing anthem? Is Mr. Anthony a diehard Trump supporter? According to him, not the case, and I gotta say: I think he's being sincere when he says that. In a video commentary posted to his YouTube channel the day before the release of this song, Mr. Anthony states: “I sit pretty dead center down the aisle on politics and, always have. I remember as a kid the conservatives wanting war, and me not understanding that. And I remember a lot of the controversies when the left took office, and it seems like, you know, both sides serve the same master. And that master is not someone of any good to the people of this country.”Do I agree with all that? No, I don't. I think there are crooked politicians across the political spectrum but only one party is actively fighting to undermine working class and middle class families, and I think that's obvious to anyone willing to be honest with themselves.And yet, the rest of the video is unexpectedly disarming. Mr. Anthony genuinely comes across as reasonable, humble, and compassionate. I could definitely see myself sharing a beer with the guy in that video, and yet, it's hard to reconcile the guy in that video with the guy who wrote that song. They don't seem like the same person. In my most generous reading of all this, I think Mr. Anthony is a nice man with a good heart who wants to do right by others and has simply been exploited overnight by rightwing media who see a useful vehicle for their grifting. But then, I go back to those inflammatory lyrics. Those weren't written by accident. They're mean-spirited and unapologetically conspiracy-minded and definitely not middle-of-the-road politically. It's clear that the who's who among the far-right want to turn Mr. Anthony into the voice of their movement. They have latched on to him with a quickness. There is no doubt in my mind they'll soon claim his music is being censored or repressed by “liberal media” (contrary to the widespread coverage he's already received in mainstream media).Only time will tell if Mr. Anthony is his own man — and better than that: the man we saw in his introduction video. I pray that's the man who emerges from all this.Charlotte's Web Thoughts is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Hi, I'm Charlotte Clymer, and this is Charlotte's Web Thoughts, my Substack. It's completely free to access and read, but it's also how my bills! So, please do kindly consider upgrading to a paid subscription: just $7/month or save money with the $70/annual sub. You can also go way above and beyond by becoming a Lifetime Member at $250. Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Tuesday morning, the 14th of March, 2023, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start off in the Book of Job, they say the oldest book in the Bible."Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.” Job 28:28”The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens;…” Proverbs 3:19“My son, let them not depart from your eyes—Keep sound wisdom and discretion;So they will be life to your soulAnd grace to your neck.”Proverbs 3:21Like never, ever before, we need the mind of Christ! Wisdom and understanding do not come from the lecture halls of the world. No, wisdom and understanding come from the closet, from the quiet time room, from spending time with Jesus early in the morning, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. ”But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33Do you remember that old song?Seek ye first the kingdom of GodAnd His righteousness;And all these things shall be added unto you.Hallelu, Hallelujah!Hallelujah! Hallelujah!Hallelujah! Hallelujah!Hallelu, Hallelujah!Ask, and it shall be given unto you;Seek, and you shall find.Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.Hallelu, Hallelujah!Today, seek wisdom and understanding in your closet from the Lord Jesus Christ and go out and bless the world.God bless you and goodbye.

On this special episode, we share a LOT more about us and our individual paths than ever before.Thanks to the Metabusiness Millennial show for allowing us to share this episode of their program to help give you a special glimpse into our thought processes and what's it been to live inside our spiritual awakenings.Some of the things we discuss on this show: How everyone's path is different and how important it is to find the path that is perfect for youHow, as the veil thins, more and more people are awakening to the spiritual world, not realizing how long of a journey it actually isHow they hope the podcast is a safe space for people to explore different modalities and spiritual awakenings without judgementWhere to turn for a sense of community during your dark night of the soulAnd literally so much more! "The important thing is to find your path, no matter what it is, and be okay with the fact that your path is not going to be the same path as someone else's." – Will Rodriguez Today's episode is something totally different. Now that we've released well over 100 episodes, we realized that you may not have had the chance to truly get to know us all that well….so this episode is all about that…but with a twist! You see, Karen and I were honored to be invited as guests on a new podcast called The Metabusiness Millennial. The topics the host covers are similar to ours, with a slant towards the everyday businessperson's point of view. And we LOVED it! The interview revealed SO MUCH about us, how we think and what our beliefs are, that we were frankly shocked at how easy it was to get these thoughts across with her. So this week, we're sharing that episode of her show with you here, in an effort to reveal a little bit about ourselves, and as a way of sharing a show we now love and can wholeheartedly recommend. Other episodes you'll enjoy:How to Crush Your Shadow Workhttps://www.skepticmetaphysician.com/how-to-crush-your-shadow-work-laura-black-the-cosmic-consultant Soul Profile Reading and Realignmenthttps://www.skepticmetaphysician.com/soul-profile-reading-and-realignment Unlocking Your Higher Selfhttps://www.skepticmetaphysician.com/unlocking-your-higher-self-tracy-yates ABOUT OUR GUESTS:Karen Endsley is a Florida native who moved to Virginia 10 years ago and was raised Catholic. Will Rodriguez is a pragmatist and a Reiki practitioner who had a major spiritual awakening during the COVID pandemic, which led him to explore various spiritual modalities. Erin Patten is a metaphysical master on a mission to guide people and organizations on an enlightened path. Along the way, we've learned about different modalities, experienced energy healing, and have formed a tight-knit community of people all exploring different spiritual paths on our journeys. Through Our hope is that through our show, we can help provide a safe space for people to explore and learn without judgement, as we all strive to find our personal, unique path. About The Metabusiness Millennial:In this day and age, business is more than just turning higher profits for shareholders. Business reflects our ideals. Business aligns with our values. And ultimately, business is an expression of our life paths and purposes. It is time we now honor all that we are in the organizations we serve — body, mind and soul. We are both physical and metaphysical in the work that we do and these metaphysical or “unseen” aspects of ourselves matter in the day-to-day decision making processes of business leaders around the globe. The MetaBusiness Millennial unpacks the hidden truths of business by tapping in to the life experiences of people's failures and traumas to engage the healing that is necessary for true growth and success. Your host, Erin Patten, metaphysical master in a millennial age, brings you inspirational, life-changing stories and strategies that heal organizational dis-ease and transform business trajectories so that they experience exponential growth and impact. Metabusiness Millennial Info:Website: https://www.erinpatten.com & https://erin-patten.mykajabi.com/podcasts/the-metabusiness-millennialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamerinpattenYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI-TH1Lff2aBm3AqRZkhszg Connect With the Skeptic Metaphysicians:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skepticmetaphysician_podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkepticMetaphysicianYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcBaf4lhzharlTVxa6Vm9mgTwitter: https://twitter.com/WillRodriguezFlWebsite: https://www.skepticmetaphysician.com Like the show? We'd love to hear your thoughts!Please rate/review the show here: https://lovethepodcast.com/SkepticMetaphysicians

Join me during this episode of Light Warrior Radio, where I will interview two-time international bestselling author, speaker, and spiritual teacher, Alena Chapman. She is all about soul wisdom and growth. Known for her joyful nature and vivacious personality, Alena works her “magic” by meaningfully integrating the wisdom of age-old mystical, spiritual modalities with scientific research to bring clarity, ease, flow, and positive lasting growth to those seeking to better understand their place and in a world that often seems out of touch and overwhelming. Alena Chapman referred to as the "Soul Curator," offers us ways past the prison of our inner critic & through any toxic relationships, addictions, & self-sabotage through activating our soul's manifesto – which is always to heal. During this episode, we will discuss: How to live without worry, anger, doubt, insecurity, and fearWhat living with the Soul or Divine Feminine looks like What is the Soul? Why short-cut spirituality won't have lasting effects connecting to the SoulAnd so much more! To learn more about Alena Chapman, please visit http://www.AlenaChapman.com

Hospitality, Advocacy, Education and Community (Belonging) with Latina Martha Little of Kitsap County - "Anytime we have a conversation with, with someone, it's like, um, you are part of our family. You are part of us. And so we want to impart that, that wisdom and that love, because we want to, um, we want to ensure that we're all a family and we're all, you know, um, benefiting from, from each other." Transcripts:Danielle (02:22):So, I, I wanted to just hear from you because every time I talk to you, there's like a little bits of wisdom in, in all the sentences. And I think that's true of most Latinas. Like, they start talking to you and they're like, By the way, let me give you this piece of really important advice,Martha Little  (02:37):. Yeah. It's, it's our culture, right? Um, we are the, we are Tias to everyone. I mean, that's just, it is, is, um, anytime we have a conversation with, with someone, it's like, um, you are part of our family. You are part of us. And so we want to impart that, that wisdom and that love, because we want to, um, we want to ensure that we we're all a family and we're all, you know, um, benefiting from, from each other.Danielle (03:08):Right. And as a community member, I wonder if you would be willing to speak from your experience, Like, what are the aspects that make you feel belonging or maybe you, you, it's easier to speak to where you don't belong? I'm not sure .Martha Little  (03:22):Um, you know, I think that, I mean, I could speak to both. Um, I think that, um, as the older I get, um, the more, um, the more comfortable I am with, um, presenting myself as fully as I am. Um, and so I think that, um, throughout my life, um, I, I was trying so hard not to assimilate, but to, um, I was trying so hard to, um, to have others like me and include me and, and to, um, and to build a space where, where I could show up as myself. And, um, and I just, it seemed like it didn't matter what I did, it just wasn't going to happen. And, um, and I realized that, um, you know, when my kids are, were in high school, and I can tell you a little bit more about that, but I came to this realization that, um, I was, I was perfect just the way I am.Like, I don't need to change. I don't need to, um, to pretend to be something. I am not just to be included. And so, um, so I started showing up as myself. I started speaking my mind. I started, um, just being more, um, more outwardly Latina than I had been before. And, um, and I realized that, um, you know, the spaces that, that I was going into that maybe did not, did not feel like it was a space where I belonged, I, I started realizing that I had to say something. I had to, um, call it out and help them create a space for my, for me and for, for kids that I support and communities that I support. And so, um, I think that one, some of the things that, that organizations can do to create spaces where, um, where I can show up and feel like I belong in other, other community members like myself, um, is to, um, welcome us into the space.I mean, just the smile and then acknowledgement that we have entered the space, um, because that's part of our culture is Latinos. I mean, it's that instant smile, Oh, like, what was that? And then, you know, we gravitate and we wanna touch, we wanna shake hands, or we wanna hug, we want to embrace. And, um, and so I think that, you know, white culture, this embracing sometimes is a little awkward. We have our little space bubble that we don't want people to, to cross. And, and we, and I can respect that most of us can, I, I feel, but, but even just that smile, that greeting that, Hey, how are you? Good to see you. Welcome. You know, that would be, um, number one is like, create a space instantly when the person walks in, greet them, um, and let them know that they're, that they're welcome in there.And then also, um, you know, create a space where, where, um, people are allowed to show up as themselves and speak without criticism. Um, and so, and, and I'll give you an example. I was in a meeting once, um, where they were going over the, the, uh, meeting norms. And one of the norms was to, um, to monitor our, our voice level, our tone, and our body language. And I had to raise my hand and I said, Well, I need to leave then. And they said, What do you mean you're welcome here? And I said, No, that agreement right there tells me that I am not welcome if I have to monitor my body language, I am Latina. We speak with our hands, you know, we speak with our heads, we speak with our bodies. I mean, we get into this conversation, I said, And then, and then if I have to monitor my tone, if I have to monitor my voice, voice level, then I'm not gonna speak.Because as a Latina, I tend to sometimes get very animated and my voice raises and that, and so, and so, they're like, Oh, oh no, that's not what we meant. What should that say then? And so, um, and so we work through that together as a team. And it took several meetings before we, we ca and I don't even remember where we landed, but it's, again, it's being, um, being aware that sometimes the, the norms or the expectations we have for that space, um, create, um, spaces where we don't feel welcomed, where we can't show up. So in that particular meeting, it, I had to show up as white to be, to feel like I belonged in there. I had to speak softly. I had to, um, sit with my body quiet. And, and that's not who I am. And not that I haven't done that in the past in order to succeed in, in, in this society I have. Um, but like I said earlier, I'm at a point now where it's like, I'm gonna show up as myself, and I'm gonna help you create spaces where I can show up as myself. Um, and so, you know, just, I don't know if you've experienced that through your life, where we've, the more we mature, the more we start to shift and say, Wait, that's not who I am. I wanna be me, and I'm gonna help you create that space.Danielle (08:46):I love what you said about welcoming and the sense of hospitality. Even when you show up to a group that is inhospitable, maybe could be seen as inhospitable from there when the cultures come together. Right, Right. It's not necessarily a mix. I had a friend say to me recently, she said, I don't know if, if you are identifying more as Latina or before you just accommodated me,Martha Little (09:13): I'm a love that that's exactly it right there. We do accommodate, um, for others cuz we, we want to help them feel comfortable around us. And, um, but I think that there should be a give and take there. We sh we can create spaces where we all feel comfortable, where we all feel welcomed, you know? And, um, it's just a, a little bit of a shift. We're not talking about a, you know, complete change, but just a little shift, think about others and think about how, what kind of spaces they want. And, and I know it's cultural, right? My husband is from, um, Maine mm-hmm. , and, um, and they are very stoic people there, you know, and I'm not, and that's very, I mean, this is a generalization, but his family, anyway, they're very stoic and, and they tend to be, um, very quiet. And so, um, and so I am also aware of that. I'm also aware of that. And so I'm willing to, now as an adult, I'm willing to help them understand why it's important for me to show up as myself and honor the fact that they are going to be very quiet and very stoic. So create a space where we can coexist as each other.Danielle (10:28):Mm-hmm. . Yeah. So it sounds like you've done a lot of internal processing or internal work to move from like, Hey, I'm, I'm gonna move and kinda, you know, fit in as white to where I'm gonna move in the spaces I'm moving, which likely are predominantly white institutions if you're in education in the Northwest and show up as my Latina self. Do you have some of how you process that or moved through thatMartha Little (10:57):Yeah, so, um, so the shift started, um, when, my daughters, um, went to high school. And so prior to that I was a stay home mom. And I, um, you know, I was a classic soccer mom, you know, drove 'em to all the different functions and that, and, and, um, we spoke, um, some Spanish at home, but not a lot because I wanted them to, to have a, a strong grasp of the English language. And, and I wanted them to succeed academically and also, um, do well in, you know, in their social environment. And so, um, and that's, that's when I, that's when I, I guess I suppressed my Latina on this because I wanted them to succeed. I wanted them to have opportunities. And, um, come to find out, um, they started sharing with me that they were feeling like they didn't belong in the, in the, um, you know, Mexican community, which is we have a higher number of a Mexican community and impossible.Um, and they didn't fit in the white world. they weren't Mexican enough because they didn't speak the language as much as, and because they were involved in different sports and they, they just, their lifestyle was different. So they weren't Mexican enough, so, so they didn't belong to, to that community, but then their white peers did not accept them as white. They weren't white enough. Mm-hmm. . And that's when I, I realized that I was doing them a disservice by, um, by trying to, trying to assimilate essentially. Um, and, um, because it was, it was hurting them because they were lost between these two worlds. And so that's when I realized that I needed to just show up as myself and, and I needed to help them understand who they were and help them navigate this world. Um, you know, And so that, that was a total shift for me. That's when the big earrings came back. That's when the heels came back. That's when, when all of that that I had, um, set aside for, for many years. Um, it, it, it was this, I need to infuse this pride in my girls. I need them to feel what I have suppressed for so long. I need them to feel that pride because that's what's gonna help them navigate this, this world.Danielle (13:27):What did it feel like to return to yourself in that way? To like, put on the big earrings, like the outward things, but there were inward things that you,Martha Little (13:36):There were inward things. Yeah. Um, you know what it was, um, it was free. I mean, it was, and I didn't, I guess I didn't even realize it. Um, it's almost like, I don't know if you've ever, I mean, Saturday morning loud music and dancing in a house that's classic Latina, that's how it felt. It felt like one day I woke up and I cranked up the Cumbias and I was dancing and singing, you know, and the whole family was, was partaking in this celebration. It felt like I came alive. Um, and, um, it just felt like, okay, I am, you know, I am, I am me, I am Latina and I can embrace this and I can, um, I can help my, my daughters and then my son embrace this, but then also help our, our kids in our, in our schools, um, you know, uh, feel pride in that.And I don't know if you remember, that's when we started Kule mm-hmm. because that's when it was like, Okay, we need to feel proud of who we are and, um, and we need to outwardly show that pride. And so it was like an awakening for me. Mm-hmm. And it was, it was pretty powerful. It was also, um, it also brought me a lot of joy, um, just inward joy. And it just, and it poured out, I mean, um, regularly. And, and so, um, my hope is that I can take that experience and then help others navigate, um, you know, our, our systems now because, um, no matter how much we try to be white, um, it's not gonna happen. And we, we are still outwardly brown and we're still not going to be embraced by white society the way we, we hope to be embraced. And so, um, so it is better to show up fully as ourselves with that understanding. And then, um, work hard to, to change, um, systems.Danielle (15:51):Yeah. You work in the education system. Would you be willing to speak to, I hear that it's like when your, your kids were in high school, right? Is that when you returned to education or got started on that path?Martha Little (16:02):Oh, yes. , yes. Oh, yeah.Danielle (16:05):Oh. What is that path for you? I know you were a teacher. Yes. Yeah.Martha Little (16:11):Yes. So, and I get that old lady. No, so I'm, I'm fine. I'm not emotional, just, um, but um, yeah, so the reason, so before that, I was in the business world, um, prior to, to children. And so, um, you know, I had, I had a, a great career and then got married, had kids, um, and stayed home for a while. And, um, it was actually an experience at one of the, um, secondary schools. Um, my oldest was a sixth grader, and, um, she was being, they were gonna put her in a, um, like a homework help class. And this is a college, this is a college bound kid. She's going to college. We know she's, she, she has, you know, um, we know she's gonna go to school and she, and she wants to, um, to excel academically. And so I went to the school to, um, to, to get her schedule changed cuz she tried. And they told her they couldn't. And so I went and I went there, um, dressed like a mom, you know, ponytail, jeans, but shirt and, and, um, I, I was, um, ignored. I stood in the office for like 20 minutes and no one acknowledged that I was there. And when I finally went up and, and I got, and I got someone to acknowledge I was there, I was dismissed, I was told admin was not available, and I was told that counselors were not available. I was told that my daughter could not be moved out of the class. And so, uh, that moment was pivotal for me because, um, I called my husband and I said, I'm going back to school. I mean, get my teaching. All I needed was my, my teaching certificate. Wow. And I said, because I need to be part of the system. I need to change things. The other thing I did is I went home, I put on a suit, did my hair, I put on makeup, heels, the whole works that I went back to school. And I have to tell you, the minute I walked in that school, immediately they acknowledged me immediately. I was greeted. And, um, the both administrators were available to talk to me at that point. The counselors were available to talk to me at that point. And so, because I had gone from a Latina, the mom to now a business woman in a suit, and, and, you know, dressed professionally, I was greeted differently. I was treated differently that day. My daughter, um, her, her schedule was changed within like 15 minutes. Right.And so that's when I realized I have to step into this, this world. I, I need to change. I, I need to change systems. I need to be able to be part of a system that I can change. And so that's when I went back to school and got my, um, my teaching certificate. And so, you know, here it is a, a, an act of racism, um, propelled me to change, um, what I was doing professionally.Danielle (19:16):I felt all the feels listening to that story. Cause it's not unfamiliar to my family. Right,Right. I, I remember you in my, in the days when we were in elementary school and you were an advocate and I think teacher and what was your, you had a different kind of like more leadership role at that point.Martha Little (19:37):Y yeah, I was a English language coordinator, so I supported, um, our English language learners and families.Danielle (19:44):Right. And I remember feeling so cared for by you and understood. And so to hear the backstory of where that comes from, it making use of that experience in a way that impacted my family, it's, it's, it's really inspiring.Martha Little (20:03):Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. You know, I think it's, it's, um, our experiences, um, if we use our experiences both positive and negative, um, to, to create change in us and around us, um, I, I think that, um, we can, we can grow, um, both, um, you know, individually and, and as a society. I mean, I, I don't necessarily, I don't necessarily think that, um, or I don't look at all experiences as, um, these horrible, um, instances that, that, um, cause trauma. They do. Some of them do cause trauma. But in this case, um, that was a pitiable point for me because in this case it allowed me to, to, um, to now step into a role that that helps others. Mm-hmm. . Um, and by helping others, I'm helping myself because, um, the, the work I do truly feeds my soulAnd the money's good, but the work I do truly feeds my soul. And, and I feel like, um, that that very negative experience, um, that still sometimes, um, you know, when when it surfaces, it still still angers me. It still creates emotions, um, or, or, you know, brings these emotions out. Um, but taking that and, and then doing something with it, and that's kind of, that's our, uh, Latina heritage that's being Latino that does that from, from the moment we were little, we were always taught that, um, to be grateful. Mm-hmm. , you know, and it was always, and it didn't matter what it was, whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. I remember my mom always saying, This experience is gonna help you grow. And, and it's that, um, you know, that they instill in us this love for, um, for God. And they instill in us this, this understanding that our hardships and, um, our experiences are God given so that we can get better so that we can grow to be better humans. And, um, and so I think that that's just part of our culture, right? Mm-hmm. , we take all of this stuff and we do something with it mm-hmm. , um, and, um, I don't know. It's, it's a beautiful thing to, to be able to think back at everything that I was taught as a child now is helping me as an adult.Danielle (22:49):Where do you see, when you think of those experiences as a child, and now you work with families in our community, and I, I think a lot of immigrant families, right? Mm-hmm. . Yeah. Where do you see, how do you see that changing in the last few years? Even your work through the pandemic or with increased, I think, frankly, since the 2016 election focused on our community and direct expressions of hate towards our community. Like what, what have you seen in your own work with immigrant families?Martha Little (23:25):Um, you know, I, I think that, um, when I think about what our, our families experienced, um, during those four years, um, those very hard political years for, for our communities, um, it, it took me back to when I came to this country, when I, when I first arrived here, um, the signs on the, on the, in the businesses, on the business, um, you know, the doors and the, um, the rentals. Um, and, and I shared the story before, but they, um, they said, No dogs, no Mexicans. And I remember as a, as a, like, I think I must have been six, six, just, just about to turn seven. I remember how that impacted me. Um, this idea that I, I, they didn't want me mm-hmm. , and not just that, but I was being compared to an animal mm-hmm. , right? And so I was in that same category.And, um, and now I tell you what, I have a dog now, and I love our dog. She's part of our family. But back then, um, my my understanding was that I was being compared to, to an animal and I wasn't wanted. And, um, and so having experienced that as a young child, um, and, you know, learning English, cuz I, I, I didn't speak English. I, um, I remember, you know, constantly being reminded to speak English, don't speak Spanish, don't speak Spanish, speak English. And, and constantly being reminded, um, you know, that I didn't, didn't belong here. And then fast forward to, um, you know, this, this very, um, difficult political time for, for, um, immigrants. Um, again, it felt like, again, we don't belong here. You know, we didn't see the signs, but we heard the message constantly, constantly, you know, this messaging that we are criminals.We are not wanted, you know, we need to go back. And, um, and so, um, for our families, um, um, 2016, I remember there was this great fear within our community. Um, they were afraid to go out to their homes. They were afraid to step out, um, the kids. Um, we had so many absences because, um, the kids were afraid to go to school and come home and not find their loved ones at home, or, or they knew their mom and dad would be safe. But what about their, the, or their theo or, I mean, it just, it was, it was heartbreaking to, to see this. And so, um, as, I mean as, because I, I had the role as an EL coordinator. Um, we partnered with, um, with Kayak, um, Kitsap Immigrant Assistant Center. And we brought in, um, we brought in folks to, to talk to our community, um, created safe spaces for them, um, and then, um, brought 'em in to talk to our community about what they could do and what their rights were.Um, and we also brought in, um, you know, the, um, different, um, people from, um, from our communities. We had police department, sheriff, and highway patrol. I mean, we brought in just a lot of folks to, to say, You are safe. We, we are going to take care of you. It's okay to call 9 1 1. It's okay to, to get services. We are here to protect you. And, um, it was a pretty beautiful thing to see, um, our community kind of wrap around our, our Hispanic community and say, You're safe. You're welcome. Now, that's not everyone. Yeah. That, that was a handful of, of folks. Um, but the difference that made, um, for our families, um, when the school districts, um, you know, sent the message to families that their children were safe at school mm-hmm. that only parents could pick them up, the ice would not be able to go to the school and take their children.I mean, to, to share that message with our, our, um, you know, families that was crucial to helping them feel safe. And, um, and so I think that my role in that really was about partnering with, with our extended community, reaching out and saying, Hey, I can't do this alone and we have a need. And still, And then we all just came together. And, and that's really, I mean, like you and I, this work we're doing right here, and then you inviting me to, to this conference, I mean, that's all about partnerships and, and, um, it's all about, um, you know, reaching out and supporting each other. Mm-hmm. . So, um, I think that right now our families feel a little, a little safer, but I think that, um, there is so much hatred now that is, um, being spewed publicly now. I mean, I don't think that, I don't think that there's been a great change.It's just that it was, it was not, it was not out in the open mm-hmm. . Now it is. I mean, hatred is just being viewed everywhere. You hear it. And so I think our families are feeling safer, but I also think that our students, our kids, um, I, I imagine they feel that same, um, disconnect or that same, um, this awareness that they're not wanted. And I imagine that they, they felt maybe what I did when I first came to this country and this, you know, sense of, um, I don't know, not understanding why, why don't you want me, What's wrong with me? Mm-hmm. , that's really the question is what is wrong with me? Why, why, why am I not wanted? Why am I not welcome? Mm-hmm. . So yeah, it's a lot.Danielle (29:13):Yeah, it is a lot. And I mean, it clearly, you know, you've navigated some complex systems and reached across and made partnerships on behalf of folks who aren't able to make those asks themselves maybe for fear, or maybe there was prior threat. Um, but I, what I really hear is that you have built networks and, and, and I think those are likely built in relationships. I know me contacting you is a feeling like, Oh, I think Martha's my friend, I think I know she would listen, so, or I know she might enjoy this or that, so I could invite you. Right. So I really feel that's, that's also part of our culture, like to network and to say like, Hey, I, I don't know what I'm doing. Like, can you help me? Right.Martha Little:Yes. Exactly. Exactly. Um, we are, um, very much about relationships. Um, so, so much. Um, and I, I feel like we embrace each other even before we truly get to know each other. You know, there's this instant connected-ness instant thing that connects us. Um, I was in Puerto Rico like four years ago, I think. And um, and it's like I felt the community just accepted as a minute. We got there, we were at the beach just hanging out as a family. And, and I had a lady, um, never, I mean, never. I didn't know anyone there. And she came up and she's like, Nana, and she gave me a hug and this, and then, and she says banana. So she just gives me all these bananas from her home, from her banana trees. And then we would go out into old San Juan. And the same thing, like, someone would come up and just talk to us and, and come in.And then they would, you know, share whatever it is that they were, um, eating or doing. And, and it's just our culture. We embrace each other. And I shared that with a colleague of mine. And, and then later on she was telling someone else, she says, Yeah, Martha said that she went to Puerto Rico and everybody was hugging her. And I said, No, you missed the whole point. When I say that I was embraced, Yes, oftentimes I was hugged, I was embraced. But mostly it was, it was a spiritual, um, connection. It was a, a cultural embracement. Like from the minute I got there, I belonged and we were, we were a family. We were, you know, friends, you know, we were, um, we just had this connection and, um, and I feel like as Latinos, um, it's just something that happens. We gravitate towards each other  and embrace each other. We are, you know, we are P mediaDanielle:  Yeah. And I, I just, when I hear that, you know, I'm like, I, I feel warm inside. I I've been telling this story, you know, Julie's 15 and she, we were down in Mexico in Guadalajara for, I don't know, three weeks or whatever in the area for like three weeks. And part of that time, we hadn't been there for eight years with some of our family. And I think we were in Guadalajara maybe two days. And Dooley came up to me and said to me, Mom, why haven't I been here in eight years? And why do I feel like this is home and back home doesn't feel like home. I don't have the feeling. And I, and I was like, thinking about it. I was like, Well, well, I know it's in your dna, . And, and also it's the fact that the neighbor hasn't seen Luis in eight years and they have kids, and now those kids come over to say hi. Or there's a sense of, Oh, Julie's here. This is, this is good. Yeah. Without even knowing who she is, Right. There's a sense of like, Yes, of course you're here and we love you. And, and it was more than just the fact that we were seeing family. It, I think it was, it felt like the smell and the texture and the street and, and the, I think how kids say today, like it was the vibe, right? Yes.Martha Little (33:22):, Yes, yes. There is something, there is something in the air. Um, my mom used to say that, um, it's in our blood. Um, and do you know what ATO is? Yeah. And she said, she's like, There's something in our blood. She says, Some people have a toilet, which is very thick blood, and it does not allow them to, to weave in and outta spaces and make connections. And then she said, and then, um, we have this light blood sang, you know, is what she used to say, sang, that allows us to just weed in and out as spaces that the blood just flows in and out. And it allows us to make those connections. And I just love that, that, you know, I could just picture this in my brain is like, and so she would sometimes, if we went into, um, new spaces and if we were being shy, she would turn and she would say, Miha. And so just that reminder that that, you know, let, let your blood, let your soul let who you are just, just flow, just flow in and out of spaces and make those connections because the connections. And she used to also say there's, that the only thing we will take with us when we leave this earth is our memories and our love and the connections we've made with people.It's not everything else that we acquire that stays. And so, I mean, that's always stayed with me. Um, you know, that, that, yeah. The Nemo sang the normal, all of this beautiful stuff that is just part of our culture.Danielle:  I hear just the underpinnings of how I don't like the spirituality, the faith. Yes. Like kind of GERDs up for a sense of respect and mutuality. Yes. And of course, our cultures have been interrupted by traumas, and we don't always respond in these ways and Right. Our families are broken too. Right. But there's something underneath that that says, we can come back. This is what we can come back to.Martha Little (35:40):Yes, yes, yes. I think that, um, it, it, um, you know, from when we are young, um, you know, everything that we learn and do is grounded in our faith and, um, and, you know, our love for, for each other. And, um, and I think that that's what allows us to, to be, um, maybe a little more resilient. Um, because goodness know, we've experienced a lot. Um, we have a lot of, um, inter intergenerational trauma and we have a lot of, a lot of experiences that, um, could really have a strong impact on us. And, and, and some experiences have, I know that I, I, you know, I still have to process and deal with, with some things, but, um, but it's this, being grounded in this faith that, um, today might be difficult, but it's gonna get better. And we just need to reach out and we need to be there for each other, you know? So, and I think that that also drives my, my work, um, is just understanding that that, um, today may be difficult, but there's hope. I can see it at the end, and I just need to keep moving forward. And there's hope that things will change.Danielle (37:00):it's a really beautiful picture. Yeah,Yeah. When, when you, um, as we're winding down on a time, I'm curious, like what books are you reading right now? What are, what are, Yeah. And then what are you listening to and who are, what's inspiring you? Kinda like these three questions.Martha Little (37:20):Oh, um, I just, actually, I just finished, um, reading. It's, it's, um, it's, um, let's see, it's fiction. And I, I'm pulling it up right now cuz I wanna be able to, um, to call it out. Um, so I'm reading, um, texture teaching right now or listening to, and we'll start what happened to you pretty soon because I want to, um, I, I need to understand how to support our students and our families and my own children, um, how to help them work through the trauma they are experiencing. Mm-hmm. , I need to understand. Um, I, I need, I mean, I have an awareness now and now I need to know how to help them through this. And so, um, so I've, I, let's see. I'm, I'm just trying to find, It was really good. I, I think your kids would really like it. Um, I think that they would, um, don't this stuff. Don't ask me where I'm from.Danielle (38:22):Oh, we have that book at home.Martha Little (38:23):Oh, it was so good. And, and it's, I mean, it's juvenile fiction, but I, I've really enjoyed it. And then, um, just before that, I read for Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and thatOh, you're gonna love it. Like, I could not put it down. could not put it down. And so those are the ones that I just finished, um, listening to. And then Texture Teaching is, is what I'm working on right now. I've read, um, uh, see, uh, How to Heal Racial Trauma, I think it was. And that's, uh, the, the Racial Healing Handbook.But that one just, it peaked my interest to the point where now I have to, I have to know more. I have to learn more. And so, so yeah. Um, I mean, I, there's a lot for me to learn a lot from me to doDanielle (39:18):Who are, what's inspiring you right now?Martha Little (39:22):I think our youth are inspiring me right now. Um, I was just at a, um, Latino Student Union meeting and this group of Latino high schoolers got together and, um, they were very unhappy with some things that happened in, um, in the school. And they got together and they wrote the statement and they read it out loud to an administrator. I was fortunate enough to be there, to be invited. And, um, and I'll tell you what, they inspired me last year. I, I got to meet with our black student union students and they inspired me. Mm-hmm. , it's the kids right now. They, um, they are ready to do so much more than we were ready to do with their age. Mm-hmm. , they are just, um, they want change and they're not afraid to speak up and say, this is wrong. And so they inspire me, like if, if I can be in their spaces, I don't know if you ever feel this, you walk into a space and you're with kids and you're listening to them, and all of a sudden you feel this energy, you feel energized. And I'm just like, Oh yes, give me some of that energy so that then I can continue this, this fight, this work, you know? And so, so I would say it's not like one, it's like collectively our youth inspire me right now. They are doing so much more than I ever thought of doing. I was afraid of doing, I think. And so they're inspirational.Danielle (40:56):I love that. Well, if someone is listening and they wanna reach out to you, is that an option? Or are you on social media, or how would someone find youMartha Little (41:06):So I am not on social media because I work so hard during the day and go to all these meetings in the evening. So I, I just need to be able to step away from it. And so I, I am not on social media and my kids tell me I ought to be, but I'm not. Um, but they can always, um, I mean, they can always, um, email me, um, if they have questions. I, I work for central kids have school district and so they can always email me. Um, and um, yeah, I think that that's probably the best way because until I am brave enough to go on social media, um, or until I decide that I am ready to give up some of my free time to be on social media, um, it's gonna have to be email.Danielle (41:52):Well, thank you.Martha Little (41:54):Yeah. Thank you for the opportunity to, to meet and to share.  

Choose one or two of these metaphors that resonate with you and you will nourish and give HOPE a presence in your life. Turning on a lamp is a cue for me to practice hope.When I see a cloud, I think of the silver lining.This famous metaphor comes from Emily Dickenson: "Hope is a thing with feathersThat perches in the soulAnd sings the tune without wordsAnd never stops at all"When I plant a seed or a bulb, I am reminded to plant hope in my heart.Hope is like walking on sunshine.I think of the eternal flame that can never be put out.When I wake up to a sunrise I feel the hope of a new day.Seeing the rainbow at the end of a tumultuous storm speaks to me of hope.Affirmation: The entirety of creation is now conspiring for my highest good. I embrace this new day with patience, trust, courage and hope.Oracle card Reading: High Priestess - You have Divine knowledge that can help others through your spiritual teaching.Boundaries - Love yourself enough to say no to others' demands on your time and energy.Sensitivity - You are becoming increasingly sensitive. Avoid harsh relationships, environments, situations, and chemicals. 

I think of the old song entitled, "I Was Born to Serve the Lord." The first stanza says:From the dust of the EarthGod created manHis breath made man a living soulAnd for God so loved the worldHe gave his only SonAnd that is why I love Him so2. The second stanza says:My hand were made to help my neighborMy eyes were made to read God's WordMy feet were made to walk in His footstepsMy body is the temple of the Lord.

Trust The Lord At All Times He's the portion for my soulAnd in Him I put my hopeHe is good to those who wait for Him His compassions never failAnd His love it knows no endHe is good to those who seek His face Chorus:Trust the Lord at all timesCall upon His nameTrust the Lord … Continue reading 4. Trust the Lord at All Times →

Links mentioned in this episodewww.patreon.com/connectionmatterspodcasthttps://www.souland.org/ Our website is www.livewild.org.uk/connectionmatterspodcastConnect with us on instagram https://www.instagram.com/livewilduk/My personal instagram is  https://www.instagram.com/leona.connection.matters/The music for this podcast is -Hermosa Dia by Ray Johnson https://soundcloud.com/visionrayBiographyWHO AM I? Partly mycelium, partly raven, partly bee and partly river...​I am called Azul Valerie Thome (Her- She) ~ a weaver of chrysalis and an active visionary for: SOULand: Making the World of our Longing. SOULand offers ensouling courses, mentoring, rituals, ceremonies and apprenticeship to engage and support the Passaging, the maturing and the homecoming back to Earth for our species.I am a designer of soulful rituals, an eARTh artist, a sacred activist and a mentor devoted to restoring humanity back to a deep and honourable relationship with the visible, the invisible and with our living Earth. I share wisdom teachings centered around maturing as humans, grief ritual, women’s rites of passage, Earth-informed art, and life cairn dedications for honouring extinct species. I am a TreeSister who lives in a little wooden cabin on the edge of the wood in Devon, England, part of my response to my full engagement with Earth Wisdom Tenders, Extinction Rebellion, Deep Adaptation and the Work that Reconnects. In deep love and wild grief with Life Influenced by my primary guides and mentors (Joanna Macy, Francis Weller and Sobonfu Some) as well as my own deep listening to darkness, mycelium,  the Earth and the Waters.In the past I have cultivated Earth-connected leadership and youth programs, reverently showcased folk art at my Dartmouth shop, and coordinated a diverse community coalition to reforest the oak groves surrounding the River Dart in 2002.I hold a master’s degree in Ecological Design from Schumacher College: “the eARTh of Collective Grief as if Life and Death really Matters”.I am the mother of a strong, devoted and dedicated young man, Roman, who lives in America. My father lives in Lebanon, my sister and brother in Paris. My full basket of wisdom teachings: eARTh, Grief Composting Circles, WomBelt, Black Tent Council , One on One mentoring , Returning to Earth What was Stolen , Life Cairn, Earth Wisdom Tenders while following the message  from the Water. ~~~~~~~~~I was born in the 1960’s in Beirut to a French Mother and a Lebanese Father. Always with a finger or ten into the beautiful and sacred animist ways which are based on the knowledge that all natural things on our Earth have an interconnected ecological Soul.From participation in the start of the Transition Movement to the London urban food growing scene, seed banks and reforestation projects, whatever vision I activate and initiate is sourced in our animate world, deep ecology, soul imagination and deep transformation.Past ventures include:FOOD from the SKYLondon Freedom Seed BankEmbercombe 

We welcome back Bethany, 26 years old, married mom of two, to the Women Beyond Faith podcast!In this episode the conversation moves to pornography, marital relationships, working through tough stuff, isolation, misguided christian counsel, sex in marriage after receiving the Purity Culture narrative, pregnancy, parenting during deconversion, forgiveness, second chances, secular higher ed institutions, finding freedom, autonomy as women, and working hard to become the best version of oneself! Bethany brings me to tears -- yet again. There's something so esoteric and mystical in speaking to someone of the 'next generation' who embodies such beauty and a wisdom beyond her years...Young, fierce women like Bethany put forth a hope in humanity that I'm clinging on to! “Hope is the Thing With Feathers” -- Emily Dickinson:Hope is the thing with feathersThat perches in the soulAnd sings the tune without the wordsAnd never stops at all.Enjoy the conversation. #braveassbeauty #womenspeakup #wewillnotbesilent #femalevoices #findingfreedom #onestoryatatime #motheranddaughter #outspokenandopinionatedSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=8739294)

This is the third of five poems I wrote when I was 14 and off in the seminary, studying to be a Catholic priest. (The first two were at the beginning of this series.)THE BALLAD OF EAST AND WESTIf i were half the man Who lives within my dreamsOr half the fool who dreams himThen i would close my eyesCast off my fear And leap And if i did not fallOr if my head Came down before my feetIt would be over thenAnd fool and man would meet THE SORCERER I bed with starsAs distant as my soulAnd sup with stonesAs frozen as my heartYou call me wiseAnd follow at my heelBut like the foolI only play my partI am a prophetHear me cryFrom out the deep of hellA seer with no god am IAnd i know suffering very well

Lockdown封锁作者 | Brother Richard翻译 | Flora FangYes there is fear.Yes there is isolation.Yes there is panic buying.Yes there is sickness.Yes there is even death.我们面临恐惧我们面临隔离我们面临恐慌我们面临疾病我们甚至面临死亡But they say that in Wuhanafter so many years of noiseYou can hear the birds again.They say that after just a few weeks of quietThe sky is no longer thick with fumesBut blue and grey and clear.但是他们说武汉经过多年工业的喧嚣终于听到了久违的鸟叫经过几周宁静的生活空气更加清新天空更加澄明They say that in the streets of AssisiPeople are singing to each otheracross the empty squares,keeping their windows openso that those who are alonemay hear the sounds of family around them.他们说在意大利阿西西的街道人们朝着空荡的广场歌唱他们将窗户打开让独居的人听见陪伴的声响They say that a hotel in the West of IrelandIs offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.Today a young woman I knowis busy spreading fliers with her numberthrough the neighbourhoodSo that the elders may have someone to call on.他们说爱尔兰西部的一家旅馆为人们提供免费餐点和递送一位年轻的女性在社区周围散发自己的手机号码她让年迈体弱的长者在需要帮助的时候打给她Today Churches, Synagogues,Mosques and Templesare preparing to welcomeand shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary.今天基督教堂、犹太教会清真寺和诸神庙宇都在迎接那些无家可归之人疾病缠身之人疲惫不堪之人All over the worldpeople are slowing down and reflectingAll over the worldpeople are looking at their neighbours in a new wayAll over the worldpeople are waking up to a new realityTo how big we really are.To how little control we really have.To what really matters.To Love.全世界都放慢脚步在新的现实面前反思何之为邻何之为我何之为权何之为大何之为爱So we pray and we remember thatYes there is fear.But there does not have to be hate.Yes there is isolation.But there does not have to be loneliness.Yes there is panic buying.But there does not have to be meanness.Yes there is sickness.But there does not have to be disease of the soulYes there is even death.But there can always be a rebirth of love.我们祈祷 我们谨记我们有恐惧但不必有仇恨有隔离但不必有孤立有恐慌但不必有卑鄙有疾病但不必有心殒有死亡但也有爱之重生Wake to the choices you makeas to how to live now.Today, breathe.Listen, behind the factory noises of your panicThe birds are singing againThe sky is clearing,Spring is coming,And we are always encompassed by Love.Open the windows of your soulAnd though you may not be ableto touch across the empty square,Sing.从悲伤中醒来 选择活着的方式屏住呼吸 聆听那悦耳的鸟鸣欣赏天空的清明静候春天的来临你已被爱环绕打开心灵之窗尽管广场空荡荡仍须放声歌唱

Episode 102: A Poem From Brother Richard The world is slowing down a bit but all sorts of art is being created because of it. Tonight, we’re going to enjoy a little bit of poetry. Robin shares a poem by Richard Hendrick, aka Brother Richard, from Ireland. It’s called Lockdown and it’s an inspiring reflection on the current state of the world. The full poem is also posted at the bottom of our show notes. Sign up for Training Your Inner Warrior (Free Course): https://www.bewhoyouare.com/2020tyiw Be A Sponsor: Share your positive impact product or service, or make a dedication to someone you love! For more information on the show and to share YOUR thoughts via our contact form, visit: GoodnightRobin.com For more information on Robin: Visit RobinRice.com Please be sure to subscribe and rate our podcast - it helps others find us!  CREDITS:Music: Arni KarlssonEditing: Predrag Mladenović -- Lockdown by Richard Hendrick (Brother Richard) Yes there is fear.Yes there is isolation.Yes there is panic buying.Yes there is sickness.Yes there is even death.But,They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noiseYou can hear the birds again.They say that after just a few weeks of quietThe sky is no longer thick with fumesBut blue and grey and clear.They say that in the streets of AssisiPeople are singing to each otheracross the empty squares,keeping their windows openso that those who are alonemay hear the sounds of family around them.They say that a hotel in the West of IrelandIs offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.Today a young woman I knowis busy spreading fliers with her numberthrough the neighbourhoodSo that the elders may have someone to call on.Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Templesare preparing to welcomeand shelter the homeless, the sick, the wearyAll over the world people are slowing down and reflectingAll over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new wayAll over the world people are waking up to a new realityTo how big we really are.To how little control we really have.To what really matters.To Love.So we pray and we remember thatYes there is fear.But there does not have to be hate.Yes there is isolation.But there does not have to be loneliness.Yes there is panic buying.But there does not have to be meanness.Yes there is sickness.But there does not have to be disease of the soulYes there is even death.But there can always be a rebirth of love.Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.Today, breathe.Listen, behind the factory noises of your panicThe birds are singing againThe sky is clearing,Spring is coming,And we are always encompassed by Love.Open the windows of your soulAnd though you may not be ableto touch across the empty square,Sing.

Lockdown Yes there is fear.Yes there is isolation.Yes there is panic buying.Yes there is sickness.Yes there is even death.But,They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noiseYou can hear the birds again.They say that after just a few weeks of quietThe sky is no longer thick with fumesBut blue and grey and clear.They say that in the streets of AssisiPeople are singing to each otheracross the empty squares,keeping their windows openso that those who are alonemay hear the sounds of family around them.They say that a hotel in the West of IrelandIs offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.Today a young woman I knowis busy spreading fliers with her numberthrough the neighbourhoodSo that the elders may have someone to call on.Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Templesare preparing to welcomeand shelter the homeless, the sick, the wearyAll over the world people are slowing down and reflectingAll over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new wayAll over the world people are waking up to a new realityTo how big we really are.To how little control we really have.To what really matters.To Love.So we pray and we remember thatYes there is fear.But there does not have to be hate.Yes there is isolation.But there does not have to be loneliness.Yes there is panic buying.But there does not have to be meanness.Yes there is sickness.But there does not have to be disease of the soulYes there is even death.But there can always be a rebirth of love.Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.Today, breathe.Listen, behind the factory noises of your panicThe birds are singing againThe sky is clearing,Spring is coming,And we are always encompassed by Love.Open the windows of your soulAnd though you may not be ableto touch across the empty square,Sing. Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFMMarch 13th 2020

As we face the challenges of not being able to meet in person on Sunday morning, we continue in the spirit of "Church Everywhere" with Josh's message centering around Psalm 23 this week. Psalm 23 offers a number of helpful reminders for us as we try to establish a new normal in this season. We see a Shepherd who is leading us in the midst of trouble. He leads us in it and through it when we might prefer to simply avoid it or run in the other direction. We see a Host who invites us in and sets a table for our enemies. In moments like these, we can experience the overflowing love of God whose goodness and mercy chases and pursues us in this moment and all the days of our lives. Psalm 23; Psalm 139:11-12. If you have a prayer request, please email prayer@rivercitysmyrna.com. If you have a need, please let us know by emailing needs@rivercitysmyrna.com.  Josh shared a prayer from Robby Waddell that he prays before teaching his Greek class:  "Creator of language and first speaker, though you are infinite, we are finite. You have granted us the capacity to interpret and to misinterpret. You have given us the ability to create and to destroy with words. Help us to use this gift of language faithfully to know and love you and each other. With humility, we seek to understand your loving and holy words recorded in our scriptures. As we study Greek, may you fill us with gratitude, love, curiosity, and awe."  Josh also shared a poem from Brother Richard Hendrick inspired by the current moment:  LOCKDOWN - Brother Richard Hendrick Yes there is fear.Yes there is isolation.Yes there is panic buying.Yes there is sickness.Yes there is even death.But,They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noiseYou can hear the birds again.They say that after just a few weeks of quietThe sky is no longer thick with fumesBut blue and grey and clear.They say that in the streets of AssisiPeople are singing to each other across the empty squares, keeping their windows open so that those who are alone may hear the sounds of family around them.They say that a hotel in the West of IrelandIs offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.Today a young woman I know is busy spreading fliers with her number through the neighbourhoodSo that the elders may have someone to call on.Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples are preparing to welcome and shelter the homeless, the sick, the wearyAll over the world people are slowing down and reflectingAll over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new wayAll over the world people are waking up to a new realityTo how big we really are.To how little control we really have.To what really matters.To Love.So we pray and we remember thatYes there is fear.But there does not have to be hate.Yes there is isolation.But there does not have to be loneliness.Yes there is panic buying.But there does not have to be meanness.Yes there is sickness.But there does not have to be disease of the soulYes there is even death.But there can always be a rebirth of love.Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.Today, breathe.Listen, behind the factory noises of your panicThe birds are singing againThe sky is clearing,Spring is coming,And we are always encompassed by Love.Open the windows of your soulAnd though you may not be able to touch across the empty square,Sing.March 13th 2020

American singer-songwriter Laura Bird is a shape-shifter who can't sit still. Since 2010 she's worked under the moniker The Mynabirds, releasing four critically acclaimed and stylistically different albums on Saddle Creek: What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood (2010) and GENERALS (2012), both produced by Richard Swift, Lovers Know (2015), and BE HERE NOW (2017). She has also toured as a member of the Postal Service (2013) and Bright Eyes (2011), helped found Omaha Girls Rock (a non-profit helping young girls find their voices), and in 2013 gave a TED talk based on her "New Revolutionists" portrait project, exploring what it means to be a revolutionary woman in this day and age. Before The Mynabirds, Laura was a member of DC indie band Georgie James with Q And Not U's John Davis, and also put out two self-produced solo albums on the label she founded herself, Laboratory Records. The Mynabirds' newest album, BE HERE NOW, is a collection of 9 songs written and recorded in just 2 weeks in January 2017 following the Inauguration and the Women's March. Singer Laura Burhenn worked with producer Patrick Damphier in his Nashville studio (which he was being evicted as the neighborhood began to gentrify, old warehouses turning to tech offices and luxury condos) to document the news and peoples’ intense emotional responses to it all in real time. No stranger to politics in her songwriting, Laura aimed to speak from the voice of the collective consciousness in a work of "Emotional Journalism," singing the heartbreak, anger, exhaustion and resolute hope she witnessed during the Muslim travel ban, the final stand at Standing Rock, and every other news story that rattled America in that period. The album vacillates in style and feel to reflect a frayed nation, featuring the legendary McCrary Sisters on title track “Be Here Now,” a Burundian refugee choir on a song for immigrants, and a cacophony of dissonant saxophones in a new national anthem on another. It is the last recording made in that space. http://www.themynabirds.com eastforest.org/podcast

为你读英语美文·第315期 爱的风险 | 你愿意为爱冒险吗？ 主播：潇雨坐标：长沙The Risk of Love爱的风险 There is a risk involved in everything:Every time you share a smile,Every time you shed a tear,You are opening yourself up to hurt.每件事都存在风险：每次对他人微笑每次落泪你都让伤害有机可乘。Some people tread slowly through life,Avoiding the closeness risk bringSidestepping the things they can not understand,Turning away from those who care too much—Those who care stay too long,Those who hold too tightly.有的人小心谨慎地生活,避开恋爱带来的与他人亲密的风险,绕过他们无法理解的东西,远离那些太在意的人 ——那些不愿放手的人，那些抓得太紧的人。There is never an easy way to love.You cannot approach it cautiously.It will not wait for you to arm yourself.爱从来不存在容易的方式。你无法谨慎地靠近它。它不会等你武装好自己才来临。It does not care if you turn away.It is everywhere, it is everything.Love is the greatest of all risks.它不在意你是否走开。它无处不在，无所不是。爱是最大的风险。It is not reliable, it is not cautiousIt is not sympathetic.It is unprejudiced and unmerciful;It strikes the strongest of mind,And brings them to their knees in one blow.它不可靠,它不谨慎，它不怜悯。它没有偏见,也不仁慈。它袭击最强大的心灵,一击就让其拜倒。Even in the best of time love hurts.It hurts to need, it hurts to belong,It hurts to be the other part of someone else,Without either of your consent.即使在最美好的时光里,爱也给人带来伤痛。对爱的渴求带来痛苦,爱的归属带来痛苦，成为他人的另一半带来痛苦，无需你俩任何一方同意。But, from the moment it overtakes you,It hurts worse to be all alone.The risk of love never depletes;It grows stronger and more dangerous with time.But, it is in the total surrender of all defensesThat we, no matter weak or strong,No matter willing or captive,No matter what, we truly experience love.但，从它袭击你的那刻起，比你独自一人，它带来的痛苦更大。爱之风险永不消减；它随着时间的流逝日益强大危险。但,只有当我们彻底投降时，无论是强是弱，无论是自愿还是被迫，无论如何,我们才真正体验到爱。Despite the many things love is not,Outweighing it all are the things that love is:Love is surrender without a loss.It is a gift without the cost.It consumes your every thought and desire,Every breath you take.It is the fire that fuels youTo do more than pass through life;It urges you, instead, to live.尽管爱不包含很多东西，但爱包含的一切胜过其他：爱是没有损失的投降。它是没有成本的礼物。它占据你所有的思考和欲望，占据你每一口的呼吸。它是火，促使你不至虚混度日；它促使你真真正正地生活。No matter the outcome, having felt love,You will never be the same.It may scar your heart and soulAnd leave you only memories of forever.Or, it may cause every day of your lifeTo feel like there is no need for tomorrow.But, love is worth it. It is worth the risk...不论结果如何,一旦感受到爱,你就不再一如往昔。它也许会在你的心和灵魂里刻下伤疤,并只给你留下永恒的回忆。或者,它也许会耗尽你生命的每一天,使你感觉明天没有存在的必要。但，爱值得。它值得你去冒险...For in all of life,Love is truly the only risk worth taking.因为在生命中,爱真的是唯一值得冒的险。▎主播介绍潇雨：会计，就职于国家电网主播：潇雨，制作：永清▎节目首发，背景音乐，图文资料，更多推送敬请关注微信公众号：为你读英语美文，ID：readenglishforyou

为你读英语美文·第315期 爱的风险 | 你愿意为爱冒险吗？ 主播：潇雨坐标：长沙The Risk of Love爱的风险 There is a risk involved in everything:Every time you share a smile,Every time you shed a tear,You are opening yourself up to hurt.每件事都存在风险：每次对他人微笑每次落泪你都让伤害有机可乘。Some people tread slowly through life,Avoiding the closeness risk bringSidestepping the things they can not understand,Turning away from those who care too much—Those who care stay too long,Those who hold too tightly.有的人小心谨慎地生活,避开恋爱带来的与他人亲密的风险,绕过他们无法理解的东西,远离那些太在意的人 ——那些不愿放手的人，那些抓得太紧的人。There is never an easy way to love.You cannot approach it cautiously.It will not wait for you to arm yourself.爱从来不存在容易的方式。你无法谨慎地靠近它。它不会等你武装好自己才来临。It does not care if you turn away.It is everywhere, it is everything.Love is the greatest of all risks.它不在意你是否走开。它无处不在，无所不是。爱是最大的风险。It is not reliable, it is not cautiousIt is not sympathetic.It is unprejudiced and unmerciful;It strikes the strongest of mind,And brings them to their knees in one blow.它不可靠,它不谨慎，它不怜悯。它没有偏见,也不仁慈。它袭击最强大的心灵,一击就让其拜倒。Even in the best of time love hurts.It hurts to need, it hurts to belong,It hurts to be the other part of someone else,Without either of your consent.即使在最美好的时光里,爱也给人带来伤痛。对爱的渴求带来痛苦,爱的归属带来痛苦，成为他人的另一半带来痛苦，无需你俩任何一方同意。But, from the moment it overtakes you,It hurts worse to be all alone.The risk of love never depletes;It grows stronger and more dangerous with time.But, it is in the total surrender of all defensesThat we, no matter weak or strong,No matter willing or captive,No matter what, we truly experience love.但，从它袭击你的那刻起，比你独自一人，它带来的痛苦更大。爱之风险永不消减；它随着时间的流逝日益强大危险。但,只有当我们彻底投降时，无论是强是弱，无论是自愿还是被迫，无论如何,我们才真正体验到爱。Despite the many things love is not,Outweighing it all are the things that love is:Love is surrender without a loss.It is a gift without the cost.It consumes your every thought and desire,Every breath you take.It is the fire that fuels youTo do more than pass through life;It urges you, instead, to live.尽管爱不包含很多东西，但爱包含的一切胜过其他：爱是没有损失的投降。它是没有成本的礼物。它占据你所有的思考和欲望，占据你每一口的呼吸。它是火，促使你不至虚混度日；它促使你真真正正地生活。No matter the outcome, having felt love,You will never be the same.It may scar your heart and soulAnd leave you only memories of forever.Or, it may cause every day of your lifeTo feel like there is no need for tomorrow.But, love is worth it. It is worth the risk...不论结果如何,一旦感受到爱,你就不再一如往昔。它也许会在你的心和灵魂里刻下伤疤,并只给你留下永恒的回忆。或者,它也许会耗尽你生命的每一天,使你感觉明天没有存在的必要。但，爱值得。它值得你去冒险...For in all of life,Love is truly the only risk worth taking.因为在生命中,爱真的是唯一值得冒的险。▎主播介绍潇雨：会计，就职于国家电网主播：潇雨，制作：永清▎节目首发，背景音乐，图文资料，更多推送敬请关注微信公众号：为你读英语美文，ID：readenglishforyou

If 2018 was for SOULand about entering the tempering realm of Mass Extinction, Systemic Collapse and Grief Composting, 2019 is about Praising Anima Mundi, Making & Offering the World of our Longing and Welcoming the places of Deep Belonging. So began my conversation with Azul Valerie Thome. I've been deeply curious about Azul's work, her passionate purpose for years. In this conversation, we express our thoughts, hearts and souls as they share what each awakens, inspires and activates in each other.  Producer and host: Linda Lombardo

169 TheDMR Meet SoukyAll around great guy Souky a man with Souland the love for music!music by SoukyIslandsWishing on a starGood enuffConstancy of youstupid songgive him some love like Souky on facebook

Everybody who is dealing with abrupt climate change leading to a climate catastrophe will stumble upon different emotions, that may be summarized as grief. In this 14th episode I am honored to introduce a wonderful woman to you, who dedicates herself to offer grief rituals: Azul-Valerie Thome. On her website souland.org she is writing about herself: I live in Devon, England with blood from Lebanon and France in my veins, the mother of a young warrior man. I am an eARTh artist and a ritualist. My work is infused with soul and beauty, informed by ancient Earth’s wisdom, systems thinking, ancient philosophy as well as archetypal psychology. We could not talk about all her exuberant creative activities. Here we concentrate on her grief work, that‘s so necessary these days. * SOULand.org: http://www.souland.org/ * http://www.xwer.de/en/fte-014-grief-composting-circles

This is the placeIn the north-west of England. It’s ace, it’s the bestAnd the songs that we sing from the stands, from our bandsSet the whole planet shaking.Our inventions are legends. There’s nowt we can’t make, and so we make brilliant musicWe make brilliant bandsWe make goals that make souls leap from seats in the standsAnd we make things from steelAnd we make things from cottonAnd we make people laugh, take the mick summat rottenAnd we make you at homeAnd we make you feel welcome and we make summat happenAnd we can’t seem to help itAnd if you’re looking for history, then yeah we’ve a wealthBut the Manchester way is to make it yourself.And make us a record, a new number oneAnd make us a brew while you’re up, love, go onAnd make us feel proud that you’re winning the leagueAnd make us sing louder and make us believe that this is the place that has helped shape the worldAnd this is the place where a Manchester girl named Emmeline Pankhurst from the streets of Moss Side led a suffragette city with sisterhood prideAnd this is the place with appliance of science, we’re on it, atomic, we struck with defiance, and in the face of a challenge, we always stand tall, Mancunians, in union, delivered it allSuch as housing and libraries and health, education and unions and co-ops and first railway stationsSo we’re sorry, bear with us, we invented commuters. But we hope you forgive us, we invented computers.And this is the place Henry Rice strolled with rolls, and we’ve rocked and we’ve rolled with our own northern soulAnd so this is the place to do business then dance, where go-getters and goal-setters know they’ve a chanceAnd this is the place where we first played as kids. And me mum, lived and died here, she loved it, she did.And this is the place where our folks came to work, where they struggled in puddles, they hurt in the dirt and they built us a city, they built us these towns and they coughed on the cobbles to the deafening sound to the steaming machines and the screaming of slaves, they were scheming for greatness, they dreamed to their graves.And they left us a spirit. They left us a vibe. That Mancunian way to survive and to thrive and to work and to build, to connect, and create and Greater Manchester’s greatness is keeping it great.And so this is the place now with kids of our own. Some are born here, some drawn here, but they all call it home.And they’ve covered the cobbles, but they’ll never defeat, all the dreamers and schemers who still teem through these streets.Because this is a place that has been through some hard times: oppressions, recessions, depressions, and dark times.But we keep fighting back with Greater Manchester spirit. Northern grit, Northern wit, and Greater Manchester’s lyrics.And these hard times again, in these streets of our city, but we won’t take defeat and we don’t want your pity.Because this is a place where we stand strong together, with a smile on our face, greater Manchester forever.Because this is the place in our hearts, in our homes, because this is the place that’s a part of our bones.Because Greater Manchester gives us such strength from the fact that this is the place, we should give something back.Always remember, never forget, forever Manchester.Choose love.

The new year is upon us and you know what that means. It means you gotta put on your slickest dancing shoes and get ready to strut your stuff, it's time for another bowlful of soul, another totally souled out modcast. For a complete track list and bonus videos be sure to visit the modcast homepage at www.mistersuave.com.Check out last year's soul kickoff for 2015: Modcast #321: Another Bowlful of SoulAnd keep up with me between modcasts:Twitter - @mistersuave Facebook - facebook.com/modmodworld Subscribe - iTunes

BONUS CONTENTPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/MFTIC?fan_landing=trueRokfin: https://www.rokfin.com/myfamilythinksimcrazySubstack: https://myfamilythinksimcrazy.substack.com/Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/myfamilythinksimcrazyMerch: https://mftic-podcast.creator-spring.comRed-Circle Direct: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/b6bbfc07-82fc-4cd1-b73c-0fdc550bfedc/donationsHelp fund the show, I cannot do this without your support.Venmo: @MysticMarkPaypal: @mysticmarkBTC: 3MQBrF1sGKm17icjQZCxuW7Z3R19jLzTZbBuy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MFTICWithout you this Podcast would not exist.William Musungu of Wazumi Media joins me to discuss his life in Kenya, We discuss his views and perspective, I ask questions from my limited worldview about his worldview as someone in Africa. I am very grateful to have connected with William and I hope to speak with more great people like him from all over Africa. Africa has suffered long enough, maybe the internet age can offer a chance at Africa becoming more autonomous and independent, I hope so and think podcasting can help in someway, please support William here: Paypal: williammusungu56@gmail.com https://wamuzinews.co.kehttps://wamuzicompany.infohttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082307456817https://x.com/Wamuzike?t=SWM9yFwngyQe51GvON6Qqg&s=09@WazumiKE on InstagramGet 10% off now, use promo code MFTIC and buy a Custom work of Orgonite from our sponsor Isaac, @Oregon.ite and here: https://oregon-ite.com?sca_ref=5037793.COp2kTEIz9This Podcast is Sponsored by the Hit Kit! check out the Hit Kit Here https://hitkit.us/New Booklet by Mystic MarkS.E.E.E.N. #3 A.S.C.E.T.I.C. In Strange New Havenhttps://ko-fi.com/s/0f1e2ff76fMFTIC MerchJoin us on TelegramLeave me a message On Telegram!For Exclusive My Family Thinks I'm Crazy Content: Only 5$ get 150+ Bonus Episodes, Sign up on our Patreon For Exclusive Episodes. Check out the S.E.E.E.N.or on Rokfin@MFTICPodcast on Twitter@myfamilythinksimcrazy on Instagram, Follow, Subscribe, Rate, and Review we appreciate you!https://www.myfamilythinksimcrazy.comhttps://altmediaunited.com/my-family-thinks-im-crazy/Listen to Every AMU Podcast with this link. https://lnns.co/pI5xHeyFdfgGET A NEW PODCASTING APP! https://podcastindex.org/appsMUSICAL CREDITSIntro Song by Destiny LabIntroMusic: Nou Nou/KalahariBy In This WorldMid-tro/OutroMusic: Digital Dreams/KingdomBy LNDO/WayfairMusic: Mama AfricaBy UFO (Unknown Freestylin' Ones)FreeBeats.iohttps://m.soundcloud.com/rawmusicinternational/raw-music-international-mama-africa-by-ufoMama Africa by UFOLyricsChorus:Through the pain through the rain through the gainI salute you mama AfricaNo tears no more just my mamaVerse 1:Shikamoo (How are you?)Mama AfricaThe only dark daughter of the earthI write you this pun to release none of your wrathBut to share in your griefCause it's just yesterdayIn the 1950sThat you came from the chains of bondageI pray for your quick reliefAfter your sis, EuropeTreated you without honorYour life, your sonsCongo and Sierra LeoneStarted to fight for raw materialsAnd then blood diamondsBrought mad iron ruleThe Mugabes in ZimbabweMobutu and Idi AminAnd I hope you know who gave them guns, mommyThe same people who swallowed MalcolmAnd MLKBut that's gone, anywayHeard you sayin Barack is on his wayTo slave master, USATo let him know how we liveRuthlesslylike yesterdayRwanda nearly shot himselfWith an AKAnd Jamaica got tiredPacked his bag and went awaySo is Mauritania tooThese things don't change…And oh, I need a new page(Chorus)Verse 2:And that is all it is about nowGetting more paperBlack boys are doing what now?Getting more paperWhen was the last time someone tried to call you mamaThings are getting worse now have I told you mama?Why you have to summon your son Garang (South Sudanese founder)Brothers from another mother seem to me so dumbDid they let you know Mandela's free?How young is heShit, 93?Your kids are still slavesThey're mining for exportSome selling themselves outThey blabbing for passports (?)Your daughters are still queensBut they're dyin' of AIDsThey're worshiping still things like diamond ringsStill not movingStill the guns shootingStill the bloods oozingMilitaries ruling the peopleI mean the big bros are bullying the littleI wish the food was as much as the gunsChorusVerse 3:Back with a pen with inkBut also back with pain to thinkHow come you used to give me milk and honeyNowadays I'm sick of starvingI want you back maSo through with the songsWhen I'm sick feed me with your hugsWhen I cry wipe my tearsWipe my fearsTell me you're hereThe only one with the power of loveNot the love of powerMrs. Third WorldThe mother of the tame and the wildThe slaves in the landNever keep your head in the groundEven if you live below the poverty lineBe strong and afford a smileCause when you're rich in your soulAnd your tears will be reaching us allLike showers of blessingAnd leading the flockLet's return to the days of the weather and medicinemenBefore releasing a speicmen from the laboratoryBefore they call us monkeys in storiesAnd to use slavery to depict a tragic historyBack to the weasels and the smoke signalsAnd oh, my pen has fadedI need to put some ink in it…Through the pain through the rain through the gainI salute you Mama AfricaNo tears no more just my mamaVerse 4:All the ink in the world couldn't spell it allAll the tongues and the lips couldn't tell it allWe workin our way up though the pace is slowAre these dictator presidents ever going to let it goSomalia is a young girl, her legs still feebleAnd the media got it twistedThey think she's crippledShe can walk on her ownAlong with LiberiaIt's not a war going onIt's all in NigeriaThe people are poorThe infants starvingLet your tears be the rainThe thirst is burningThe Sahara is growingI'm not taking off my Saharas (desert boots)This is not a safari, it's sufferingBetter the life of hunting and gatheringOh, I've been with KenyaDon't you think she's grown?She's grown big and there's a sayingShe has recited:“Forever KenyaForever AfricaForever you and me”Released under a Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License Thanks To Soundstripe and FMA CC4.0Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/my-family-thinks-im-crazy/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy