Podcasts about Thomas Merton

In this episode, I sit with the words of Thomas Merton, an American Trappist monk, writer, and mystic whose reflections on faith, identity, and community continue to resonate decades after his death. Merton warns against what he calls “the heresy of individualism,” the temptation to define ourselves only by what we're not, to build our lives on separation and judgment. His challenge struck me deeply, because I've lived that temptation:  shrinking myself, building an island of “no,” and cutting myself off from connection. In this conversation, I explore what it means to move off the island, to see others as mirrors, and to rediscover the breath of the Spirit by starting with yes. If this episode meant something to you, I'd love it if you'd take a second to like, subscribe, and leave a review, it really helps more people find the show. If you would like to reach out to me you can drop me a line at clemenzwithaz@gmail.com or drop a DM at the clemenz with a "Z" instagram page.   You can head over to https://gofund.me/7ebb0524 every bit helps. And if you're looking for more reflection, honesty, and spiritual wrestling, check out my Substack: Devotionals for the Deconstructing & Disillusioned, it's a space for people who still have soul, but no longer fit in the boxes they were handed. Thanks for being here.

Na Dżumie Alberta Camusa, od lat będącej szkolną lekturą, wychowały się całe pokolenia uczniów. Regularnie na przedmaturalnych giełdach pojawiają się spekulacje o możliwych tematach, w których należałoby wytłumaczyć alegorię tytułu, omówić postawy mieszkańców Oranu wobec losu albo przeprowadzić analizę ethosu lekarskiego na przykładzie jednego z głównych bohaterów – doktora Rieux.Ten współczesny mit, traktujący o przeznaczeniu człowieka, napisany został przez znakomitego artystę, a nie przez filozofa. Z odwagą stawia on istotne pytania teologiczne odnośnie do sensu ludzkiego cierpienia, ludzkiej wolności, nawrócenia oraz Bożej sprawiedliwości w obliczu ludzkiego grzechu.Autor Dżumy nigdy nie mówił o sobie, że jest ateistą, a przyglądając się swoim bohaterom zastanawiał się, czy jest możliwa świętość bez Boga i jak być szczęśliwym w świecie, w którym suma nieszczęść jest większa niż suma szczęścia.Amerykański trapista Thomas Merton uważał, że Camus w swojej powieści surowo osądził chrześcijan, którzy porzucili swoją misję przeciwstawiania się dżumie, rozumianej jak zło, totalitaryzm i przemoc – tak silnie obecnych w dzisiejszym świecie – usprawiedliwiając zachowania sprzeczne z Ewangelią. Czy tak rzeczywiście jest? O tym w najnowszym odcinku cyklu Dobrze się wierzy literaturą rozmawiają profesor Ryszard Koziołek i Roman Bielecki OP.

From St. Peter Claver to Thomas Merton, see how God's love transforms the way we see others.Morning Offering, September 9, 2025Every morning, join Father Brad as he begins the day with prayer and reflection. In a few short minutes, Father Brad guides you in prayer, shares a brief reflection grounding your day in the Church's rhythm of feast days and liturgy, and provides you with the encouragement necessary to go forward with peace and strength. Disclaimer: The ads shown before, during, or after this video have no affiliation with Morning Offering and are controlled by YouTubeLet us do as the saints urge and begin our days in prayer together so as a community of believers we may join the Psalmist in saying, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3-4)________________

Filmmaker Morgan Atkinson discusses the reason that the writings of Thomas Merton inspired him to convert to Catholicism, why he made a documentary titled “In the Company of Change” about the Ursuline Sisters and his friend Sister Martha Buser, and why the teachings of the Ursuline's founder, St. Angela Merici, are still relevant today.

“…They lived freely together giving and taking, and did not know that they were generous.”  — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 76   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!  

“…fall into Unbeginning.”  — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 75   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!  

Check out this great show form August 29, 2023 Father Rob Kroll joins Patrick to discuss Contemplation (4:03) What is Prayer? How do the three types of prayer, vocal, meditative and contemplative, connect with each other. (20:02) Rosemary - My mind is either blank many times or I start thinking about things going on in my day and get discouraged. (25:41) Break 1 How can you rest in the Lords presence by blanking your mind. (32:02) Carlos - First time practicing contemplation this morning. Amazed at what he received from the Lord. Glad you're talking about this today. Terri - When I try contemplative prayer, I almost feel like it's offensive to God like not giving it all. (39:13) Break 2 Monica - Has 8 kids. Homeschooled. Very busy and really longing to grow in prayer. It started with sleeping, washing dishes, being with children and coming into union with God. (46:52) Anna - Prayer also begins with what we do before or after prayer. How much time to we spend being stimulated by the world? Resources: Fr. Thomas Merton, Contemplative Prayer https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/351723.Contemplative_Prayer CS Lewis, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Malcolm-Chiefly-C-S-Lewis/dp/0156027666 Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M., Prayer Primer https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/prayer-primer-igniting-a-fire-within Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M., Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and the Gospel—on Prayer​ https://ignatius.com/fire-within-fwp/ Fr. Jacques Philippe, Time for God https://scepterpublishers.org/products/copy-of-time-for-god?srsltid=AfmBOopzvCN9XxB6XBd3ZwdGmgZznUzCbOAdZHvTO-f_wu2_Duyi9qLe&variant=42370443542705 Peter Kreeft, Prayer for Beginners https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/prayer-for-beginners Fr. Thomas Acklin and Fr. Boniface Hicks, Personal prayer: A Guide for Receiving the Father's Love https://stpaulcenter.com/product/personal-prayer-a-guide-for-receiving-the-fathers-love/

คอลัมน์ “สดแต่เช้า”ปีที่5 (ตอนที่148) ให้ทั้งหมดจงสรรเสริญพระเจ้า! “ให้ทั้งหมดนี้สรรเสริญพระนามพระยาห์เวห์ เพราะพระนามของพระองค์เท่านั้นที่ควรเยินยอ พระสิริของพระองค์อยู่เหนือแผ่นดินโลกและฟ้าสวรรค์”‭‭ ~สดุดี‬ ‭148‬:‭13‬ ‭THSV11‬‬ “Let them praise the name of the Lord because his name is high above all others. His glory is above heaven and earth.”‭‭ ~Psalms‬ ‭148‬:‭13‬ ‭GW‬‬ คุณเห็นด้วยกับคำกล่าวดังต่อไปนี้หรือไม่ ที่ว่า“สิ่งที่ยิ่งใหญ่และที่สำคัญมีสิ่งเดียว ก็คือการนมัสการและสรรเสริญพระเจ้า!”(The great thing, and the only thing, is to adore and praise GOD. ~Thomas Merton ผู้เขียนพระธรรมสดุดีคงเห็นด้วยเป็นอย่างยิ่งจึงเรียกร้องให้สรรพสิ่งที่พระเจ้าทรงสร้าง ทั้งในสวรรค์((148:1-8)และใต้ฟ้าสวรรค์(148:7-14) ร่วมกันสรรเสริญพระองค์! “สรรเสริญพระยาห์เวห์ 1.จงสรรเสริญพระยาห์เวห์จากฟ้าสวรรค์ จงสรรเสริญพระองค์ในที่สูง(เบื้องบน) 1).ทูตสวรรค์ทั้งสิ้นของพระองค์ จงสรรเสริญพระองค์ 2).กองทัพ(ชาวสวรรค์ )ทั้งสิ้นของพระองค์ จงสรรเสริญพระองค์ 3).ดวงอาทิตย์และดวงจันทร์ จงสรรเสริญพระองค์ 4).ดาวทั้งสิ้นที่ส่องแสง(ระยิบระยับ) จงสรรเสริญพระองค์ 5).ฟ้าสวรรค์ที่สูงสุด จงสรรเสริญพระองค์ รวมทั้ง 6).ห้วงน้ำทั้งหลายเหนือฟากฟ้าสวรรค์ด้วย ให้สิ่งเหล่านั้น จงสรรเสริญพระนามพระยาห์เวห์ เพราะ ก.พระองค์ทรงบัญชา สิ่งเหล่านั้นก็ถูกเนรมิต เกิดขึ้นมา และ ข.พระองค์ทรงสถาปนากำหนดสิ่งเหล่านั้นไว้ให้อยู่ในที่ของมันไว้เป็นนิตย์นิรันดร์ (ตลอดกาล) ค.พระองค์ทรงมีประกาศิตประทานกฎเกณฑ์ซึ่งจะล่วงละเมิดไม่ได้ (จะไม่มีวันล้มเลิก)2.จงสรรเสริญพระยาห์เวห์จากแผ่นดินโลกเถิด 1).เจ้าสัตว์ทะเลขนาดใหญ่(มหึมา)และที่(ในห้วง )น้ำลึก(แห่งมหาสมุทร )ทั้งปวง 2).ไฟ(แลบ)กับลูกเห็บ 3).หิมะกับเมฆหมอก 4).ลมพายุ ที่พัดกระหน่ำทำตามพระบัญชาของพระองค์ 5).บรรดาภูเขาและเนินเขาทั้งปวง 6).ต้นไม้มีผลและไม้สนสีดาร์ทั้งปวง 7).สัตว์ป่าและฝูงสัตว์ใช้งานทั้งปวง 8).สัตว์เลื้อยคลาน(ตัวเล็กตัวน้อย )และนก ทั้งหลาย ที่บินได้ 9).บรรดาพระราชา(กษัตริย์ )ของแผ่นดินโลกและ(ชนชาติ)ชาวประเทศทั้งสิ้น 10).เจ้านายและผู้ครอบครองทั้งปวงของแผ่นดินโลก 11).คนหนุ่มกับคนสาว 12).คนแก่กับเด็กๆ ให้ทั้งหมดนี้สรรเสริญพระนามพระยาห์เวห์ เพราะ ก.พระนามของพระองค์เท่านั้นที่สมควรแก่การเทิดทูนเยินยอ ข.พระสิริ(โอ่อ่าตระการ)ของพระองค์อยู่เหนือแผ่นดินโลกและฟ้าสวรรค์ ค.พระองค์ทรงทำให้ประชากรของพระองค์แข็งแกร่ง (พระองค์ทรงแต่งตั้งกษัตริย์แก่ประชากรของพระองค์) ง.พระองค์(กษัตริย์ )ทรงเป็นที่สรรเสริญ ก).ของประชากรทั้งปวง ผู้จงรักภักดีต่อพระองค์ ข).ของคนอิสราเอลผู้อยู่ใกล้(แนบชิดพระทัย)พระองค์ จงสรรเสริญพระยาห์เวห์”‭‭ ~สดุดี‬ ‭148‬:‭1‬-‭14‬ ‭THSV11‬‬พี่น้องที่รัก วันนี้ คุณกำลังสรรเสริญพระเจ้าอยู่หรือไม่? ถ้าคุณทำ คุญสรรเสริญพระองค์อย่างไร? และเวลานี้ มีผู้ใดกำลังสรรเสริญพระเจ้าเพราะสิ่งที่คุณคิด พูด หรือ ทำ บ้างหรือไม่? ขอช่วยแบ่งปันให้เราฟังสักหน่อย …จะได้ไหมครับ? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ธงชัย ประดับชนานุรัตน์ 26สิงหาคม2025 (ตอนที่148 ของปีที่5)#YoutubeCJCONNECT#คริสตจักรแห่งความรัก #Churchoflove #ShareTheLoveForward #ChurchOfJoy #คริสตจักรแห่งความสุข #NimitmaiChristianChurch #คริสตจักรนิมิตใหม่ #ฮักกัยประเทศไทย #อัลฟ่า #หนึ่งล้าน

We explore how we can signal dedication to an aim by putting our money where our mouth is—though it’s important to note that merely spending money isn’t enough. We also share listeners' delightfully surprising answers about what they do for fun. Plus we tackle a fascinating Rebel dilemma: having a spirit of resistance against something she actually really does want to do. Resources & links related to this episode: Wheel of Names Puppy Potty Log A Little Happier: How Teachers Changed the Lives of Steve Carrell and Adrienne Kennedy Sign-up for my "5-Things" newsletter here Elizabeth is reading: Full House by Janet Evanovich (Amazon, Bookshop) Gretchen is reading: Living with Wisdom: A Life of Thomas Merton by Jim Forest (Amazon) Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app. Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Strange indeed: Nothingness who was not sent, who did not work to find it, had the night-colored Pearl!”  — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 74   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

In Week 2 of our In Process series, we explore the “false self”: the version of ourselves we build to feel worthy, accepted, and safe. Drawing from Genesis, Ephesians, and voices like Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen, this talk invites us to let go of performance, surrender the mask, and live from our true identity as God's beloved image-bearers.Growing into the people we're created to be as we join God to incite love, reduce suffering, and increase joy. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tnl.org⁠

What do a punk rock lyric and the teachings of Jesus have in common? More than you might think. In this episode, inspired by Frank Turner's raw line from “1933”:  “Be suspicious of simple answers, that shit's for fascists (and maybe teenagers)”.  We dive headfirst into the beauty and challenge of the messy middle. From the “greatest commandment” conversation in the Gospels to the wisdom of mystics like Teresa of Ávila, Thomas Merton, and Richard Rohr, this is an invitation to live in the tension, embrace complexity, and resist the lure of easy answers. If you've ever felt like life, faith, and God are anything but simple, you're in good company. If this episode meant something to you, I'd love it if you'd take a second to like, subscribe, and leave a review, it really helps more people find the show. If you would like to reach out to me you can drop me a line at clemenzwithaz@gmail.com or drop a DM at the clemenz with a "Z" instagram page.   You can head over to https://gofund.me/7ebb0524 every bit helps. And if you're looking for more reflection, honesty, and spiritual wrestling, check out my Substack: Devotionals for the Deconstructing & Disillusioned, it's a space for people who still have soul, but no longer fit in the boxes they were handed. Thanks for being here.

“That which is not, goes his way. That which moves is what he stands on. Great is small for him, long is short for him, and all his distances are near.” — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 73   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

While Scott is on vacation he is sharing meditations from the Living Compass app. Here is a beautiful meditation from Brother David Steindl-Rast. Br. David Steindl-Rast, known around the world as “The Grandfather of Gratitude,” is a Benedictine monk and the pioneer of interfaith dialogue. He worked intimately with other great spiritual teachers like His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Thomas Merton, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Thomas Keating. Gratefulness, he discovered, is the common thread in all religions. The author of more than a dozen books, including Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer and You Are Here, Br. David has taught about the grateful life for more than 50 years. Learn more at www.grateful.org You can find the content of the Living Compass app online at https://app.livingcompass.org You download the app for your phone at: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en    

Author, mystic, monk -- Thomas Merton wrote 70 books, made millions, and never kept a cent. And he had a profound impact on my life. He still does.From Merton: My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen.– Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude, page 79.

Contemplation means rest, suspension of activity… withdrawal into the mysterious interior solitude in which the soul is absorbed in the immense and fruitful silence of God. - Thomas Merton

It's been nearly a year since we asked our subscribers to send us questions for a mailbag episode—which they did, with remarkable thoughtfulness and intelligence, for our 100th episode back in September 2024. A lot has happened since then (to say the least), so we wanted to once again open up the mailbag and find out what was on the minds of Know Your Enemy listeners, who sent too many excellent questions for just one episode—so, if you like what you hear, consider subscribing on Patreon to listen our next bonus episode when we'll answer even more of them.In this round of listener questions, we take up how much Trump has kept his campaign promises, our favorite bourbons, the politics of Judaism, St. Augustine and original sin, novelists (gay and straight), and more!Sources and further reading:Christopher Isherwood, The Berlin Stories (1945)— A Single Man (1964)Don Bachardy, Last Drawings of Christopher Isherwood (1990)Edmund White, City Boy: My Life in New York During the 1960s and '70s (2009)— A Boy's Own Story (1982)— The Beautiful Room is Empty (1988)— The Farewell Symphony (1997)— The Married Man (2000)Walker Percy, Love in the Ruins (1971)— Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book (1983)Henri du Lubac, Catholicism: Christ and the Common Destiny of Man (1962)Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation (1949)— Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander (1968)Sam Adler-Bell, "The Father of All Secrets," The Baffler, Dec 2022. — "The Essential John le Carré," NYTimes, Jul 12, 2023.Henry Roth, Call It Sleep, (1930)Javier Marías, A Heart So White, (1995)Helen DeWitt, The Last Samurai, (2000)Percival Everett, Erasure, (2001)...and don't forget to subscribe to Know Your Enemy on Patreon to listen to all of our bonus episodes!

Dr. Angela Logan - Is your spiritual life too spiritual? If the incarnation of Jesus means anything, it's that we don't become holier by being less human. And the abundant life that Jesus came to share with us is one that involves our whole selves as we heal, grow and learn how to flourish. This series will explore some specific examples of a real world spirituality, shared from the experiences of our teachers who are working these things out in real time in their own lives. Through the use of the Parable of the Sower, along with quotes from Pope Leo XIV, Thomas Merton, and Octavia Butler, Dr. Angela shares how she, and we, can reconnect with our spirituality, and God, through a container garden. What's Happening Join us on Discord! Make sure that your display name is your first+last name and add an “avatar” (profile picture). If you can't see the collective and forum channels, you have not been verified. If you need help, email mariah@southbendcitychurch.com. Check out our volunteer opportunities, ranging from hospitality to communion to Kid's Ministry to safety and everything in between. Support the ongoing work of SBCC by giving to the general fund. South Bend City Church is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. All donations are tax-deductible. Make sure to select the correct fund when giving.

“His glory is in knowing that all things come together in one, and life and death are equal.” — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 71   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!  

Lectio Divina (“divine reading” in Latin) is a centuries-old tradition of being inspired by reflecting on the text of a scripture. It may also be considered in terms of “reading” creation and what Thomas Merton called the “calligraphy of nature.” Merton (1915-1968) was a Catholic monastic and mystic whose writing impacted vast numbers of Christians by introducing them to a perspective on Eastern traditions they had never been exposed to before. He used his journaling as a portal into prayer, an entryway to clarity of thinking and love for God. He acknowledged times of doubt, fear, and anger and wrote with self-honesty and courage through it all. Merton walked a razor's edge in monastic life as his writings were subject to censorship in the Church. He met Tibetan Buddhist masters, considered Zen, Hindu, and Sufi teachings, and reported his own nondual experience. He wrote about the Vietnam war and had communications with Martin Luther King, Joan Baez, and many other public figures and writers. Merton stayed the course within the Catholic Church, sensing that God had placed him where he was. He was much loved by those resonant with the roots of mystical Christianity and maligned by those who were rigid and felt he had gone outside of the bounds of his faith. His overriding context was that all of life is a play of God. He felt that our desire to go where God wants us to go is praise of God and that “The gate of heaven is everywhere.” Journaling can be a way of communicating with the deep self, our highest self. Prompts were given to those who attended the talk, and some shared their journaling about “what I know and don't know about prayer.” Regina Sara Ryan was the editor of Hohm Press for 35 years. She is a workshop leader, retreat guide, and author of The Woman Awake, Igniting the Inner Life, Praying Dangerously, Only God, and other books.

“If men would stay as they really are, taking or leaving these eight delights would make no difference. But if they will not rest in their right state, the eight delights develop like malignant tumors. — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 71   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!  

This Sunday's worship service concludes our 4-week summer series, "Prayer for People Who Have Trouble Praying."Prayer isn't easy. But it's possible for everyone of us to learn how to pray. When we spend time with the world's "great" prayers, they teach us what it sounds like for us to faithfully address our God.This Sunday, we explore one of the 20th century monk Thomas Merton's most beloved prayers. The "Merton Prayer" is a full-throated embrace of doubt and uncertainty--which makes the faith it expresses all the more life-giving. Rev. Lewicki, preaching..

 This week on Beyond the Sermon, Pastor Sally Campbell-Evans and Mat Hotho share stories of uncertainty, reflection, and the surprising ways God shows up along the way. Inspired by the prayer of Thomas Merton, they talk about letting go of control and learning to trust—even when we don't know where the path leads. Whether you're standing at a crossroads or just looking for space to breathe, this episode invites you to find meaning in the journey, not just the destination.Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

What if uncertainty could still lead us to God? Merton's prayer is striking in its vulnerability ("I have no idea where I am going"), yet it also affirms that our desire to please God is enough, even in our ignorance.Questions for Reflection:  1. Did you know much about Thomas Merton before today's sermon? What surprised you about his life and witness?2. Can you think of a time when you were unsure if you were being faithful or obedient to God, but knew in your heart that you were trying to orient your life to God's will and God's ways? What was that like?3. How might God be inviting you to use this prayer (or another one from our series) in your daily faith walk?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

“Now the whole world is not enough reward for the ‘good,' nor enough punishment for the ‘wicked.' … How can they find time to be human?” — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 70   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Handling Change: Embracing unpredictability through the lens of the welcoming prayerPrayer and Action: Why a true prayer life leads to action, and how activism should drive us back to prayerIdentity and Memory: The myth of hyper-individuality and why our identity is held collectively—by others and by GodResources Recommended:Contemplation in a World of Action by Thomas MertonThe Active Life by Parker PalmerClosing Poem: A meditation on friendship as one of life's most valuable treasures Links For Justin:Order In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are.” — Brené BrownIn this episode of The Wholehearted Series, we explore the foundational guidepost of living a brave, connected life: Cultivating Authenticity by letting go of what people think.Authenticity isn't a personality trait—it's a daily, courageous practice. It requires self-awareness, self-acceptance, and the willingness to disappoint others rather than abandon ourselves.We'll dive into:What happens when we lack self-awareness and self-knowledgeHow our need for belonging can lead to self-abandonmentToxic guilt, false responsibility, and people-pleasingWhy spiritual formation starts with knowing and accepting yourselfHow self-acceptance sets you free from performance and perfectionismThe cultural and church dynamics that can cause us to mask our true selvesMy personal stories of coming back to Australia, navigating cultural differences, and relearning what it means to belong without betraying myselfThis episode weaves in wisdom from saints, mystics, therapists, and theologians—from St. Teresa of Ávila to Thomas Merton and Pete Scazzero—alongside practical insights on how guilt, fear, and inherited expectations shape our identity.We ask deep questions like:Who did I learn I had to be in order to be loved?Where am I still waiting for permission to be who I already am?How do I come back to myself after years of self-abandonment?And we land in this truth: Your true self is the most generous, humble, and powerful version of you. When you live from that place, you stop performing and start becoming.This episode is an invitation to take up your space, tell the truth, and be who God always dreamed you to be.Get your free Wholehearted Living journal prompts. https://calm-sun-843.myflodesk.com/x5yo2oyoyuBook a free discovery coaching call: www.ella-hooper.comFollow me on Instagram:@ella.hooper__

In this episode, Breht is joined by Alex Zambito, the voice behind the Instagram account Southern Catholic Worker, for a wide-ranging conversation on the intersections of Christianity and revolutionary struggle. Together, they explore Alex's journey into the Catholic Worker movement, how his Southern roots and spiritual convictions shaped his politics, and what the life and teachings of Jesus Christ - himself a Palestinian born to working people - have to offer a world ravaged by capitalism, empire, and despair. The conversation dives deep into liberation theology, the legacy of figures like John Brown, St. Francis of Assisi, Fanny Lou Hamer, Dorthy Day and Thomas Merton, and the ways theology can inform and animate anti-capitalist resistance. Alex discusses the contradictions between mainstream American Christianity and the gospel's radical call to justice, post-atheism, and the possibilities for a spiritual reawakening amid the decay of late capitalism. ---------------------------------------------------- Support Rev Left and get access to bonus episodes: www.patreon.com/revleftradio Make a one-time donation to Rev Left at BuyMeACoffee.com/revleftradio Follow, Subscribe, & Learn more about Rev Left Radio: https://revleftradio.com/ Outro Beat Prod. by flip da hood

“The greatest crimes are eventually shown to have been necessary and, in fact, a signal benefit to mankind.” — Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, Page 69   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!  

Episode Notes:Legalism vs. Values: Legalism is a rigid, unchanging posture; values evolve with evidence and relationship.Processing Group Hurt: Don't rush past collective wounds; learn to carry them together.Contemplative Prayer: Prayer as receptivity and openness, not productivity.Caring for a Terminally Ill Friend: Let them teach you; honor their humanity without rushing to fix or control.Closing: A reading from Justin's forthcoming book with Scott Erickson. Links For Justin:Order In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

Associate Pastor Joe Morrow continues a series about the people who have shaped his faith journey and views.  Joe reflects on the writings of mystic and Trappist monk Thomas Merton, focusing on the movement from the mind to the heart and opening ourselves to the mystical, which inspires us to find peace with others, ourselves, and with God.

“Who is there among those called smart, who does not spend his time amassing loot for a bigger robber than himself?” — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 67   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

“If only we could see each other [as we really are] There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed… I suppose the big problem would be then that we would fall down and worship each other.” Thomas Merton

 “They put holes in no form, one a day, for seven days. And when they finished the seventh opening, their friend lay dead.”— Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 66   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendars   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendars. It provides a daily thought that is a mix of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendars    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comPaul is a writer, an editor, and an old friend. He's a regular contributor to The New Yorker and a senior fellow in Georgetown's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. He's the author of The Life You Save May Be Your Own and Reinventing Bach, and his new book is The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s.For two clips of our convo — on Martin Scorsese's extraordinary religious films, and the strikingly resilient Catholicism of Andy Warhol — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: Paul raised in upstate NY as a child of Vatican II; his great-uncle was the bishop of Burlington who attended the 2nd Council; Thomas Merton and Flannery O'Connor as formative influences; working in publishing with McPhee and Wolfe; Cullen Murphy on the historical Christ; Jesus as tetchy; Czesław Miłosz; Leonard Cohen making it cool to be religious; the row over The Last Temptation of Christ and Scorsese's response with Silence; Bill Donahue the South Park caricature; Bono and U2; The Smiths; The Velvet Underground; Madonna and her Catholic upbringing; “Like A Prayer” and “Papa Don't Preach”; her campaign for condom use; when I accidentally met her at a party; Camille Paglia; Warhol the iconographer; his near-death experience that led to churchgoing; Robert Mapplethorpe; S&M culture in NYC; Andres Serrano's “Piss Christ”; Jesse Helms' crusade against the NEA; Sinead O'Connor's refusal to get an abortion; tearing up the JP II photo on SNL; the sex-abuse crisis; Cardinal O'Connor; the AIDS crisis; ACT-UP's antics at St. Patrick's Cathedral; the AIDS quilt as a cathedral; and Paul's gobsmacking omission of the Pet Shop Boys.Coming up: Edward Luce on the war with Iran, Walter Isaacson on Ben Franklin, Tara Zahra on the revolt against globalization after WWI, Thomas Mallon on the AIDS crisis, and Johann Hari turning the tables to interview me. (NS Lyons indefinitely postponed a pod appearance — and his own substack — because he just accepted an appointment at the State Department; and the Arthur Brooks pod is postponed because of calendar conflicts.) Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

All songs and texts used with permission. All rights reserved. Opening Prayer written by Jo-ed Tome Opening Song: Beauty by Betsey Beckman, arranged and performed by Simon de Voil and Alexa Sunshine Rose from the album Monk in the World: Songs for Contemplative Living First Reading: Sophfronia Scott, The Seeker and the Monk: Everyday Conversations with Thomas Merton. Broadleaf Books (2021) page 60. Sung Psalm Opening and Doxology: Richard Bruxvoort Colligan from the album Monk in the World: Songs for Contemplative Living Psalm 65: Interpretation by Christine Robinson, musical setting and sung by Simon de Voil Second Reading: Cole Arthur Riley, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us. Convergent Books (2023) page 38-41. Prayers of Concern written by Jo-ed Tome Sung Response: Words by Abbey Dream Team. Music by Betsey Beckman. Arranged and performed by Alexa Sunshine Rose and Simon de Voil © 2025 Closing Song: Only Grace by The Many from the album Cultivating Seeds of Liberation: Songs of Justice and Joy. Words by Lenora Rand, Music by Hannah Rand © 2016 Mirasion Music (ASCAP) Closing Blessing written by Jo-ed Tome Prayers, readings, and blessings voiced by Claudia Love Mair and Jo-ed Tome. Audio engineering by Simon de Voil. Please note: All of the songs and prayer responses are published on albums in the Abbey of the Arts collection unless otherwise noted. In addition, these songs & responses have accompanying gesture prayers and/or dances created by Betsey Beckman that can be found on the corresponding video collections. Audio and video recordings of the Prayer Cycles are available at AbbeyoftheArts.com.

Tim Kizer doesn't refer himself as a philosopher, but he is a bit of one. In part two of our interview with Tim, hear him discuss his fondness for Catholic theologian Thomas Merton, why he always looks for the multiple dimensions present in everyone, and how all of us on earth are connected. Give it a listen, it's a good one. 

“All the fish needs is to get lost in water. All man needs is to get lost in Tao.”— Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 65   Link to The Practice of the Presence of God   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions from students in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind.   This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to info@zaltho.org. Book recommendations: -       Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021) -       AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003) -       On the Edges of Sleep: Poems of War and Memory (Oakwood Publishing 2024) https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support, donate.  If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 1:05 – What impresses you with Fayan Wenyi's teachings? 1:16 – What is your perception of Pope Francis? 1:52 – What do you think of institutions of churches in general? 2:43 – When I remain silent, how can truth be recognized? 3:02  – What would you say is the difference between intellectualization versus study of a teaching? 4:14  – What is your position on dispute and on arguing? 6:13 – When you were on pilgrimage, what was it like to be refused when asking for food, shelter, or basic needs? 8:07 – Have you ever had any conversations with chaplains in the military about their role? 9:46 – How do you keep yourself from feeling superior? 11:38 – What is humanness for you? 12:23 – How has the transition been traveling from New England to Florida this last week? 13:41 – Do you ever talk about others errors and faults and if you always abstain from blaming and criticizing others? 15:23 – How important is it to take a break, relax, or to restore yourself? 16:24 – With getting older have you become more patient or impatient? 17:15 – Have you been inspired by Thomas Merton or Enomiya-LaSalle? And if so, how?

Nonfiction writer Paul Elie joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss his new book The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s and Pope Leo XIV. Elie compares the new pope to John Paul II, whose conservative views shaped the 1980s. He explains how and why '80s artists like Andy Warhol, U2, and Bob Dylan produced art he considers “crypto-religious,” a term coined by poet Czesław Miłosz. He analyzes limbo and purgatory in the work of writers of the period, including Louise Erdrich and Toni Morrison, and recalls the culture wars, including iconic incidents like Sinéad O'Connor tearing up the pope's picture on Saturday Night Live, as well as the controversy over Andres Serrano's Piss Christ. He reads from The Last Supper. Selected Readings: Paul Elie The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s Reinventing Bach: The Search for Transcendence in Sound The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage The Down-to-Earth Pope: Pope Francis Has Died at Eighty-eight | The New Yorker  Others Madame Bovary Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose  Love Medicine The Handmaid's Tale Striving Towards Being: The Letters of Thomas Merton and Czeslaw Milosz U2 - Gloria  “The Controversial Saturday Night Live Performance That Made Sinéad O'Connor an Icon,” Time Magazine, July 26, 2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“They had no mind to fight Tao. They did not try, by their own contriving, to help Tao along. These are the ones we call true men.”— Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 61   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Mitch Jeserich reads excerpts from the classic writings The Way of Chuang Tzu translated by Thomas Merton. Thomas Merton composed a series of his own versions of the classic sayings of Chuang Tzu, the most spiritual of Chinese philosophers. Chuang Tzu, who wrote in the fourth and third centuries B.C., is the chief authentic historical spokesperson for Taoism and its founder Lao Tzu (a legendary character known largely through Chuang Tzu's writings). Indeed it was because of Chuang Tzu and the other Taoist sages that Indian Buddhism was transformed, in China, into the unique vehicle we now call by its Japanese name―Zen.   Excerpts from THE WAY OF CHUANG TZU by Thomas Merton, copyright ©1965 by The Abbey of Gethsemani. Reproduced by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp. The post The Taoist & Christian: The Way of Chuang Tzu appeared first on KPFA.

Is it ok to make plans? What does it mean to plan for the future when walking this path? — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 60   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Writer Nicholas Triolo walks the length of the Rio Côa in central Portugal with a book by Christian mystic Thomas Merton in his pack. For Merton, the living world shimmered with a divine feminine presence, meaning all within it was worthy of our love. Along the winding landscape of the Côa, damaged by agriculture and home to endangered animals, Nicholas witnesses the messy, subversive nature of “rewilding.” And with Merton as his companion on the journey, he begins to feel a wild, relational divinity in the land around him, and a devotion essential to rewilding place and self amid today's crises of despair and destruction.  Read the essay. Photo by Ricardo Ferreira / Courtesy of Rewilding Portugal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Every man knows how useful it is to be useful. No one seems to know how useful it is to be useless.” — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 59   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

“We have seen a fire of sticks burn out. The fire now burns in some other place. Where? Who knows?” — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 57   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

It feels assuring to know the answers to the most important questions in life. It takes more humility to admit we might not know where we're going, and at a deeper level, who we even are. Thomas reflects in this episode on the vulnerability of not knowing and shares a poem from Thomas Merton that shows this special kind of faith in action. And now that Thomas is all done with graduate studies, he'll be dedicating more time to his teaching practice and the broader community. Learn more about two of his upcoming offerings: 7-day meditation retreat (September 30th - October 7th) 9-month deep dive in the contemplative life (still accepting applications)  

Is there a Christian response to our divided country?   Host Curtis Chang is joined by David French and Russell Moore to unpack what Trump's agenda and executive actions demand from people of faith. From foreign policy chaos and attacks on democratic institutions to political fatigue and Christian witness, this conversation gets real about the cost of following Jesus in a divided America. Curtis, David, and Russell confront the pull of fear and apathy—and offer a better path rooted in truth, hope, courage, and acts of worship.   Resources mentioned in this episode: New poll: millions of Trump voters regret their choice Here are the top 5 immigration changes from Trump's first 100 days Trump's strange wording illustrates One-sided Ukraine peace plan  David Whyte on Anxiety Thomas Merton's Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander Harvard pledges reforms following internal reports on antisemitism Under pressure from Trump, Columbia plans its next move Transcript of Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Explainer Video: Brown v. Board of Eduction II Case Brief Summary  Aurelius Augustine's The City of God: Volume I (pdf) Phil Wickham's What An Awesome God (Organic) Worship with Songs for The After Party More From Russell Moore: Sign up for Russell Moore's weekly newsletter Moore to the Point Listen to The Russell Moore Show (podcast) More From David French: David French's New York Times pieces HERE Follow David French on Threads Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook   Sign up: Redeeming Babel Newsletter

The passing of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025 marked not just the end of a papacy but the end of an era in global politics. The moment in which Francis spoke before Congress a decade ago and identified Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, and Martin Luther King as models of Christian moral witness feels like another universe — far from the cruel, cramped, suspicious, and selfish world we are living in. What was the Francis era? Where did he come from, and how did he become pope? And what are we losing — besides a pretty good pope — with his passing from the mortal realm? Matt and Sam discuss the passing of Pope Francis and what his papacy meant (to us and to the world), why he scandalized the Catholic right, and why his message feels so necessary and yet so far away. Further Reading: Vinson Cunningham, "Many and One," Commonweal, Dec 14, 2020. Dorothy Fortenberry, "The climate apocalypse is also a religious crisis," Vox, April 12, 2023.Abeer Salman and Oren Liebermann, "The pope called them every night until his final hours. Now, Gaza's Christians cling to the hope he left behind," CNN, April 23, 2025. Matthew Sitman, "No, Pope Francis is Nothing Like Donald Trump," Commonweal, Feb. 26, 2016.— "Pope Francis and Civil Unions: We Need Clarity, Not a Media Blackout," Commonweal, Oct. 27, 2020.Pope Francis, Laudato si' (“On Care for Our Common Home”), May 2015.Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, Oct. 3, 2020.Ross Douthat, "Francis and the End of the Imperial Papacy," New York Times, April 21, 2025....and don't forget to subscribe to Know Your Enemy on Patreon for access to all of our bonus episodes!  

Three distinct voices—Leonard Woolf, Gerald Heard, and Thomas Merton—point to the same truth world: The value of right action lies not in the results we achieve for others, but in the rightness of the action itself, and its significance for ourselves. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app. Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.