Podcasts about Thomas Merton

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!

In a time when every institution—religious, political, academic—has fractured under the weight of disillusionment, this essay charts a new way forward: not by discarding tradition or embracing blind progress, but by walking the ancient and timeless path of the mystic. Weaving personal insight with wisdom from Nietzsche, the Desert Fathers, Thomas Merton, and more, this piece speaks to seekers disenchanted with rigid dogma and sterile modernity alike. It explores how a sincere, transformative spiritual search—rooted in experience, paradox, and reverence—can guide us beyond labels and toward a God who is not owned by any one tradition. At its heart, this is a call for a metamodern mysticism: a soulful, honest, and dynamic journey into meaning in an age that desperately needs it.

“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)  

“Hey, Sung Hu! Where'd you go? You have gonewhere you really were. And we are here." — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 55   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!

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!  

In this special episode, “Please Pray for Me”—named in honor of the late Pope Francis—we reflect on his legacy of humility and his constant invitation to prayer. We explore the deep power of prayer, drawing inspiration from Thomas Merton, and discuss how true listening can itself be a sacred act of prayer.Our conversation moves through themes of trust, decision-making, and the openness to possibility as paths to personal and spiritual growth. We share personal stories around health challenges, navigating relationships with adult children, letting go of control, and learning to trust divine timing.Through suffering, surrender, and the courage to not judge our experiences, we find meaning in the journey. The episode concludes with group prayers and the reading of written prayer requests from our community.A heartfelt and faith-filled episode to remind us: we are never alone.

“ It is easy to stand still and leave no trace, but it is hard to walk without touching the ground.” — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 53   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!

In this special Easter episode, Will Small and Mitch Forbes explore the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection beyond traditional frameworks. They discuss alternative understandings of atonement, René Girard's scapegoat theory, and how the Easter story reveals God's non-violent love rather than divine wrath.Key Topics:Rethinking traditional atonement theoriesThe problem with viewing God as wrathful and violentRené Girard's theories on mimetic desire, rivalry, and scapegoatingHow the cross exposes human violence rather than divine violenceFinding life-giving ways to understand Jesus' death and resurrectionResources Mentioned:James Alison's "Jesus the Forgiving Victim"James Cone's "The Cross and the Lynching Tree"Brian Zahnd's "The Wood Between the Worlds"Thomas Merton's writingsRené Girard's work on mimetic theoryWant to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we'd love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Links:Website: www.move2focus.comEmail: info@move2focus.com Episode Show notes timestamps:

Many of the most prominent social activists in the last half century or so have also been contemplatives: Howard Thurman, the Dalai Lama, and Thomas Merton among others. Does the sort of spirituality we talk about here have things to offer in a world like ours where people feel daily outrages flowing through their media feeds? Might our practices actually be negative--in that moving past constant reactivity might make us too passive? But surely constant outrage mostly leads to hopelessness (and unpleasant days). Dave Schmelzer is joined by Grace Schmelzer and Steve Joh (a former pastor who currently leads a network of small, spacious, spiritual, Christian communities in the Bay Area) for a lively conversation about all of this, including a look at the most commonly discussed spiritual approach to addressing such times.Mentioned on this podcast:Register your interest in the next Faith Part 2 course here.Arbor communities in the Bay AreaThe Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World, by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu

Join Robert Ellsberg in this One on One interview with author, Kathleen Deignan, as they discuss "Thomas Berry: A Book of Hours".https://maryknoll.link/e26ccdIn her latest book with Orbis, Kathleen Deignan offers readers a unique encounter with the spirituality of Thomas Berry, a Passionist priest, ecological prophet, and self-described “geologian.” Berry recounted the “universe story,” describing our place in the earth community, and defined the “great work” before of us: to develop a consciousness capable of sustaining life on this planet. Following the format of previous breviaries, drawn from the work of Teilhard de Chardin and Thomas Merton, this Book of Hours is arranged under themes divided into Eight days. Each day includes prayers, hymns, and readings for the four parts of the day: Dawn, Day, Dusk, and Dark.Get 25% off Thomas Berry: A Book of Hours by Kathleen Deignan through 30 April 2025https://maryknoll.link/e26ccdKathleen Deignan, CND, PhD, is a sister of the Congregation of Notre Dame, a teaching theologian, and founder of the Deignan Institute for Earth and Spirit at Iona College. A student of Thomas Berry while studying at Fordham University, she is a convener of the Thomas Berry Forum for Ecological Dialogue and a GreenFaith Fellow engaged in interfaith environmental leadership. President Emerita of the International Thomas Merton Society, her books include Thomas Merton: A Book of Hours (Sorin Books) and (as co-editor), Teilhard de Chardin: A Book of Hours (Orbis).#ThomasBerry  #EcologicalSpirituality  #BookOfHours #OrbisBooks #RobertEllsberg #KathleenDeignan

As we continue from our Lenten series, Pastor Chris explores the spiritual discipline of silence and its power to reconnect us with God, ourselves, and one another. Drawing from voices like Blaise Pascal, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, and even a Buddhist monk, this sermon invites us to turn down the volume of our lives—externally and internally—and rediscover the presence of God in the quiet.

CW: There is some brief discussion of abusive familial relationships at several points within this episode.Two titanic figures in contemporary theory join us for two separate and strongly divergent episodes on the status of revolutionary thought in political philosophy today.Timothy Morton is one of the most outspoken and controversial voices in the discourse, someone whose impact punched hard into the artworld, defining a decade of new ecological and object-oriented aesthetics. For almost the entire 2010s and much of the 2020s it was hard to read a single exhibition text without recognizing Morton's impact.Timothy joins us for an expansive conversation that moves through Buddhism, Christianity, communism, trauma, poetry, and the question of whether “love your neighbor as yourself” might actually be a planetary-scale software instruction. Morton describes communism and Christianity as radically entangled modes of relation, both grounded in care and unknowing.We strongly recommend:Most people should already be familiar with Morton's most iconic concept and contribution: HyperobjectsTimothy's book Ecology Without Nature Their more recent Hell: In Search of a Christian Ecology And we spend a lot of time talking about SpacecraftIn the episode, we also touch on the work of Fredric Jameson, Terry Eagleton, Thomas Merton, Raymond Williams, and Simone Weil.

“What I follow is Tao beyond all methods!” — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 45   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!

Nature has seasons, the transitions between which can be difficult for many people. Life also has seasons. How do we navigate the ending of one part of our life, and the beginning of another? In this episode, Petra is joined by Rev. Frank Ritchie to unpack how he is approaching an upcoming season change in his life. Petra also talks to a group of her own friends, all of whom are in the midst of their own season changes. Haere mai/come along! A small correction: We mistakenly attributed the 'Welcoming Prayer' to Thomas Merton, instead of Thomas Keating. Music: Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo (played at the end of the intro) Equipoise by Max Roach (played at the end of Frank's interview) Bashed Out by This is the Kit Just Saying by Jamie xx (played during communion) Warned You by Good Morning (played during community life) Seasons (Waiting on You) by Future Islands Innerspace by The Apples in Stereo (played at the end of Petra's chat with her friends)

In this episode of Together for Good, we explore the transformative practice of Centering Prayer with Ron Rinkle, a former academic and marketing executive who has discovered deep spiritual renewal through this contemplative approach.Ron shares how Centering Prayer speaks to the modern challenges of self-identity, time, and love, offering a countercultural rhythm of stillness in a world driven by noise and productivity. With a unique blend of psychological and sociological insights, he unpacks the ways this practice fosters inner peace, strengthens faith, and deepens our awareness of God's presence.If you've ever felt that traditional prayer methods weren't working for you—or if you're curious about how silence can become a powerful tool for spiritual growth—this conversation is for you.In This Episode:

The truly wise man, considering both sides of the question without partiality, sees them both in the light of the Tao. — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 44   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!

Dave Brisbin 3.30.25 Burning bush is our cultural meme, idiom for a peak experience, a vision of God or from God. But for all its power, one burning bush is not enough. Standing on holy ground in front of the original burning bush, Moses argued with God, doubted God's word right there, and for the rest of his life, oscillated between boldness and doubt. Just like any human. But how in the world is a burning bush not enough for permanent transformation? How could that not change us without a doubt? A burning bush, a moment when ultimate reality breaks through the veil between heaven and earth, is a glimpse of life through God's eyes—everything connected, everything literally one substance. The human view of individual form and function falls away. Seventeen years into his monastic experience, trying to find holiness through cloistered separation from secular life, Thomas Merton had an experience in downtown Louisville at the corner of 4th and Walnut. In the middle of the busy shopping district, he was “suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that he loved all those people…that the whole illusion of a separate holy existence is a dream…” I have friends who have described similar experiences. I've had my own, and we've all seen burning bushes of varying intensity at times of great love and great loss. They don't last because they present a paradox, and our minds, ever dualistic, see every paradox as a threat to certainty, convert it to a contradiction, then choose a side to relieve the tension. But that tension is the whole point. Wrestling to fit a too-big God view into the too-small human experience of daily life keeps the vision alive while keeping us grounded in our daily activities. We need burning bushes as ballast for our sacred tension, but they are rare, come unbidden. We can't create them or control them, but we can become increasingly aware when they are happening while working to create the perfect environment in our hearts for them to occur. Ride the sacred tension, living each day as the possibility of another surprise, another burning bush moment of seeing life through God's eyes. Always new, alive, one.

Dave Brisbin 3.30.25 Burning bush is our cultural meme, idiom for a peak experience, a vision of God or from God. But for all its power, one burning bush is not enough. Standing on holy ground in front of the original burning bush, Moses argued with God, doubted God's word right there, and for the rest of his life, oscillated between boldness and doubt. Just like any human. But how in the world is a burning bush not enough for permanent transformation? How could that not change us without a doubt? A burning bush, a moment when ultimate reality breaks through the veil between heaven and earth, is a glimpse of life through God's eyes—everything connected, everything literally one substance. The human view of individual form and function falls away. Seventeen years into his monastic experience, trying to find holiness through cloistered separation from secular life, Thomas Merton had an experience in downtown Louisville at the corner of 4th and Walnut. In the middle of the busy shopping district, he was “suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that he loved all those people…that the whole illusion of a separate holy existence is a dream…” I have friends who have described similar experiences. I've had my own, and we've all seen burning bushes of varying intensity at times of great love and great loss. They don't last because they present a paradox, and our minds, ever dualistic, see every paradox as a threat to certainty, convert it to a contradiction, then choose a side to relieve the tension. But that tension is the whole point. Wrestling to fit a too-big God view into the too-small human experience of daily life keeps the vision alive while keeping us grounded in our daily activities. We need burning bushes as ballast for our sacred tension, but they are rare, come unbidden. We can't create them or control them, but we can become increasingly aware when they are happening while working to create the perfect environment in our hearts for them to occur. Ride the sacred tension, living each day as the possibility of another surprise, another burning bush moment of seeing life through God's eyes. Always new, alive, one.

Send us a textThe devotion for today, Friday, March 28, 2025 was written by Donald (Luke) Day and is narrated by Michael Benham.Today's Words of Inspiration come from No Man Is an Island by Thomas Merton, Trappist monk: "It seems to me that the first responsibility of a person of faith is to make his or her faith really part of their whole life, not by rationalization but by living it."  Support the show

Abandoning all thought of imposing a limit or taking sides, he rests in direct intuition. Therefore I said: “Better to abandon disputation and seek the true light!” — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 42-43   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!

One may well suppose the True Govener to be behind it all. That such a Power works I can believe. I cannot see his form. He acts, but has no form. — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 41   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!

Fr. Joseph Illo joins Patrick to discuss Lenten Spiritual Reading (3:29) Why can reading bring about growth in the spirit? (6:56) What types of books should we be looking for during Lent to help us grow? (9:09) What is Lectio Divina? (12:44) Rebecca –This is a great book: He Leadeth Me - Fr. Walter Cizeck. (14:31) Julie – Is it okay to read Freidrich Nitzche “The Anti Christ”, “Back to Virtue”, Peter Kreeft or “Lift Up Your Hearts” Fulton Sheen? (16:42) Charles –Best book to read I the Catechism of the Catholic Church. (20) Break 1 (22:11) Fr. Illo book suggestions – Bible, Augustine’s Confessions, Story of a Soul. St. Therese Lisieux, “Imitation of Christ” Thomas A Kempis, “Finding and maintaining peace” or “Time for God” Jacques Philippe, “The Way or “The Forge” St. Josemaria Escriva, “Lenten Journey with Mother Mary” Fr. Ed Looney, “33 Days of Morning Glory” Fr. Michel Gaitley. (26:31) Michael –My book suggestions: The Dogma of Hell, The Battle of the Virtue and Vices, and Vibrant Paradoxes. Bishop Robert Barron. (28:08) Kyle – My suggestion St. Gregory of Nisus...Life of Moses. Letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch Emailer – Lent is a time to read books by Thomas Merton or Leo Tolstoy. (36:51) Break 2 (37:55) Anything in particular we should be mindful to stay away from? (41:21) Tom -Suggestion: “7 Story Mountain” Thomas Merton, Sherry Weddell “Fruitful Disciple” (44:45) Fr. Bill - Suggestion: St. Maria Faustina's Diary on Divine Mercy Suggestions for Lenten spiritual reading Please note that some of these were suggested by callers. Content of all books suggested has not been reviewed and may contain errors. Sacred Scripture (The Bible) Catechism of the Catholic Church (also, Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, YouCat: Catechism for Youth) Fr. Walter Ciszek, He Leadeth Me Peter Kreeft, Back to Virtue Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Lift Up Your Hearts: Guide to Spiritual Peace St. Augustine, Confessions Thomas a Kempis, Imitation of Christ St. Therese of Lisieux, Story of a Soul Fr. Jacques Phillippe – any of his little books (Finding and Maintaining Peace, Time for God, Searching for and Maintaining Peace, etc.) St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, Furrow, The Forge Fr. Ed Looney, Lenten Journey with Mother Mary Fr. Gaitley – any of his books (devotional) Fr. Calloway, Consecration to St. Joseph Thomas Merton, No Man is an Island, Seven Story Mountain Sherry Weddell, Forming Intentional Disciples, Fruitful Discipleship Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime & Punishment F. X. Schouppe S.J., The Dogma of Hell Pope Saint Leo IX, The Battle of the Virtues and Vices Fr. Bishop Barron, Vibrant Paradoxes St. Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Moses Thomas Merton, Seven Story Mountain, No Man is an Island Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, Crime and Punishment Fiction of Charles Dickens, Willa Cather, Flannery O’Connor Pope Benedict XVI, Introduction to Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth series Dr. Thomas McGovern, What Christ Suffered St. Faustina’s Diary Corrie Tenboom, The Hiding Place Sr. Marianne Mayard, Make Friends with the Angels Scott Hahn, Rome Sweet Home Bl. Columba Marmion, Christ, The Life of the Soul Franck Sheed, Theology and Sanity St. Athanasius, Life of St. Anthony · Classics: Thomas a Kempis, Imitation of Christ; Therese of Lisieux, The Story of a Soul; St. Augustine, Confessions. · How to pray: little books by Fr. Jacques Philippe, esp Time for God; · Testimonials: Sohrab Ahmari, From Fire By Water; Scott Hahn, Rome Sweet Home; Robert Cardinal Sarah, The Day is Now Far Spent · Devotionals: St. JoseMaria Escriva, The Way, Furrow, The Forge. · Novena books (staged): Fr. Ed Looney, A Lenten Journey with Mother Mary; Fr. Michael Gaitley’s books, esp 33 Days to Merciful Love; Fr. Donald Calloway, Consecration to St. Joseph, · Catechisms: Joseph Ratzinger, Introduction to Christianity; The Compendium of the CCC · Just published: Fr. John Nepil, To Heights unto Depths; Dr. Thomas McGovern, What Christ Suffered Our Lady: Andrew Apostoli, Fatima for Today; Fulton Sheen, The World's First Love

Master Ki said: Something is blowing on a thousand different holes. Some power stands behind all this and makes the sounds die down. What is this power? — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 39   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!

Clint and Wendy discussed the spiritual side of existence, their religious backgrounds, and their exploration of various theologies and philosophies, focusing on contemplative prayer, mysticism, and the life and works of Christian mystic Thomas Merton. They also explored the challenges of staying focused in a world full of distractions and the concept of obstacles in pursuing divine connection, examining the role of different practices such as meditation, centering prayer, and breathwork. The conversation concluded with a discussion on the concept of remembrance in Sufism and how it can create unity and deepen spiritual experiences.

DateMarch 2, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we conclude our "Holding It Together" series by exploring how anxiety festers in uncertainty and our desperate attempts to control the uncontrollable. Pastor Brent unpacks the Transfiguration story, revealing how Peter's impulse to build tents mirrors our own anxious grasping for security when facing the unknown. The good news isn't found in certainty or control, but in the transformative presence of Jesus who meets us in our fear, touches us, and says, "Get up and do not be afraid." When everything else fades away, we're left with the liberating truth that we don't need to hold it all together because we are already held.ReferencesScripture: Matthew 17:1–9About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

Clint and Wendy discussed the concept of spiritual experiences across different religions, the importance of maintaining a spiritual connection, and the potential application of memory palaces to spiritual development. They also explored the idea of detachment for spiritual growth, the lives and teachings of Christian mystics like Meister Eckhart, Saint Catherine of Siena, and Thomas Merton, and the changing attitudes of younger generations towards spirituality and religious institutions.

Andrew is a registered professional counsellor, a master practitioner in clinical counselling-supervisor, family mediator, instructor, and facilitator with over 10 years of experience supporting children, youth, adults, and seniors in their grief and loss journeys. Through his work with Canuck Place, Friends for Life, Moving Forward Family Services, and his private counselling ‘practice' Andrew is highly skilled and knowledgeable in grief, loss, and bereavement, and he has garnered positive feedback that his empathic, caring, compassionate and sensitive approach has instilled hope and a new sense of purpose to those he has worked with. Andrew is inspired by anyone who has been able to find strength to overcome their personal challenges, and those who are interested and willing to support others. He finds the work of the Dalai Lama inspiring, specifically, his messages that emphasize focusing on others with affection, rather than with anger. Andrew is also intrigued by Thomas Merton's thoughts on racism, social justice, love, and compassion. Andrew believes that learning is infinite, and he regularly participates in professional development opportunities so that he can impart informed knowledge to others, with the goal of contributing to their success. In his spare time, Andrew enjoys hiking, walking by the ocean, fixing, and riding vintage motorcycles, writing, reading, and painting. Andrew is well- travelled, spending over two years travelling the world in his youth and utilizing opportunities to support a variety of poverty-stricken communities. Contact Andrew Bexson at andrew@surreyhospice.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/inspiring-stories--2917948/support.

Brian Harnetty's recent record, Words and Silences, takes voice recordings made by the famed American Trappist monk Thomas Merton and sets them within Harnetty's musical compositions. The meditative and revealing result has been lauded by critics in The Wire, MOJO, and Aquarium Drunkard.  In this episode, we share a Phantom Power exclusive: a brand new narrative piece that Brian created about the making of his record. “Words and Silences: The Thomas Merton Hermitage Tapes” is much more than a behind-the-scenes look at Brian's process. Harnetty's audio diary is its own moving meditation on Merton, solitude, sound, media, and the self.  This is the second piece that Brian has shared with Phantom Power–you may remember his Forest Listening Rooms episode. Like that episode, this is something special. We highly recommend taking a walk in the woods or finding a quiet space to listen to this beautiful meditation. And after we listen, Mack talks to Brian about what we've heard.  (And, of course, we'll have a longer version of the interview and our What's Good segment for our Patrons.) Who was Thomas Merton? Thomas Merton was an author, mystic, poet, and comparative religion scholar who lived from 1915 to 1968. It's hard to imagine a spiritual superstar quite like Merton appearing in America today. His first book, 1948's “The Seven Storey Mountain,” became a best-seller and led to a flood of young men applying to join Catholic monasteries.  Merton had a major influence on spaces such as the progressive Catholic church Mack grew up going to. He was outward facing, committed to leftist causes, and fascinated by other religions, but at the same time, he retreated from his fame into his hermitage in KY. In The New Yorker, Alan Jacobs called him “perhaps the proper patron saint of our information-saturated age, of we who live and move and have our being in social media, and then, desperate for peace and rest, withdraw into privacy and silence, only to return.” Brian Harnetty Brian Harnetty is an interdisciplinary sound artist who uses listening to foster social change. He is known for his recording projects with archives, socially engaged sound works, sound and video installations, live performances, and writings. His interdisciplinary approach has been compared to “working like a novelist…breathing new life into old chunks of sound by radically recontextualizing them” (Clive Bell, The Wire). Brian is currently a Faculty Fellow at Ohio State University's Global Arts and Humanities Discovery Theme (2022-23), Harnetty is a two-time recipient of the MAP Fund Grant (2021, 2020), and received the A Blade of Grass Fellowship for Socially Engaged Art in Contemplative Practices (2018) and the Creative Capital Performing Arts Award (2016). He has also twice received MOJO Magazine's “Underground Album of the Year” (2019, 2013). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Brian Harnetty's recent record, Words and Silences, takes voice recordings made by the famed American Trappist monk Thomas Merton and sets them within Harnetty's musical compositions. The meditative and revealing result has been lauded by critics in The Wire, MOJO, and Aquarium Drunkard.  In this episode, we share a Phantom Power exclusive: a brand new narrative piece that Brian created about the making of his record. “Words and Silences: The Thomas Merton Hermitage Tapes” is much more than a behind-the-scenes look at Brian's process. Harnetty's audio diary is its own moving meditation on Merton, solitude, sound, media, and the self.  This is the second piece that Brian has shared with Phantom Power–you may remember his Forest Listening Rooms episode. Like that episode, this is something special. We highly recommend taking a walk in the woods or finding a quiet space to listen to this beautiful meditation. And after we listen, Mack talks to Brian about what we've heard.  (And, of course, we'll have a longer version of the interview and our What's Good segment for our Patrons.) Who was Thomas Merton? Thomas Merton was an author, mystic, poet, and comparative religion scholar who lived from 1915 to 1968. It's hard to imagine a spiritual superstar quite like Merton appearing in America today. His first book, 1948's “The Seven Storey Mountain,” became a best-seller and led to a flood of young men applying to join Catholic monasteries.  Merton had a major influence on spaces such as the progressive Catholic church Mack grew up going to. He was outward facing, committed to leftist causes, and fascinated by other religions, but at the same time, he retreated from his fame into his hermitage in KY. In The New Yorker, Alan Jacobs called him “perhaps the proper patron saint of our information-saturated age, of we who live and move and have our being in social media, and then, desperate for peace and rest, withdraw into privacy and silence, only to return.” Brian Harnetty Brian Harnetty is an interdisciplinary sound artist who uses listening to foster social change. He is known for his recording projects with archives, socially engaged sound works, sound and video installations, live performances, and writings. His interdisciplinary approach has been compared to “working like a novelist…breathing new life into old chunks of sound by radically recontextualizing them” (Clive Bell, The Wire). Brian is currently a Faculty Fellow at Ohio State University's Global Arts and Humanities Discovery Theme (2022-23), Harnetty is a two-time recipient of the MAP Fund Grant (2021, 2020), and received the A Blade of Grass Fellowship for Socially Engaged Art in Contemplative Practices (2018) and the Creative Capital Performing Arts Award (2016). He has also twice received MOJO Magazine's “Underground Album of the Year” (2019, 2013). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sound-studies

We began our study of The Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton. We discussed excerpts from a Study of Chuang Tzu.   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!

Peter has been a Professor at Duke Divinity School since 2020. Before Duke, he taught at Notre Dame and was the founding director of DePaul's Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology. He has published a monograph, Word as Bread: Language and Theology in Nicholas of Cusa. On November 15, 2024, his edited volume of the essays of Louis Dupré, Thinking the Unknowable, appeared with the University of Notre Dame Press.​In this conversation, Peter and I explored the relationship between art and theology with a focus on both theological aesthetics and the prophetic role of art. We discussed the influence of the Holy Spirit in the creative process, the significance of cultural symbols, and the contributions of Santero artists in Latin American culture. Our dialogue also touched on the impact of Thomas Merton in visual art, the role of reredos and moradas in Christian art history, and the blending of Spanish and indigenous traditions in Latino art as a reflection of cultural identity and spirituality.

“What you gaze upon, you become,” says Fr. Bill McNichols. “We need to gaze on truly conversational, truly loving images.” Those words are a mystical invitation that challenge us to look with greater intentionality at the many images in our lives. These words come at the very beginning of a new book called “All My Eyes See: The Artistic Vocation of Fr. William Hart McNichols,” a book meant to stir in us wonder at a God who works through the creative spirit of people the world over. This book just so happens to chronicle the vocational journey of the great iconographer, Bill McNichols. It's a story told through conversation, a dialogue recounted between Fr. Bill and today's guest—and the book's co-author—Dr. Chris Pramuk. Dr. Pramuk is the Regis University Chair of Ignatian Thought and Imagination where he teaches courses in theology and spirituality. He is also a renown scholar of Thomas Merton and the author of several books. Long-time listeners may remember when Chris was on the pod before to discuss his great book, “The Artist Alive.” Today's conversation centers on the work and life of one man: Fr. Bill McNichols. But as you'll soon find, reflecting on Fr. Bill's vocation is actually an invitation to reflect on the creative spirit alive in us all. How is God challenging us to pray with art and image? How is God's Spirit working in our own vocations? If you'd like to learn more about Fr. Bill's work or pick up more of Dr. Pramuk's books, check out the links below: https://www.regis.edu/academics/faculty-finder/faculty/chris-pramuk https://orbisbooks.com/products/all-my-eyes-see-the-artistic-vision-of-fr-william-hart-mcnichols https://frbillmcnichols-sacredimages.com/

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.

When the world gets chaotic and uncertain, we need spiritual practice more than ever—not just to sustain our souls and restore our inner peace, but to recharge and prepare ourselves to take on challenges with effective action. A few years ago, Philip Goldberg, the author of “Spiritual Practice in Crazy Times” and host of the Spirit Matters podcast. interviewed twelve spiritual leaders to help us get through the pandemic. We're now re-releasing the interviews as an encore series, because the messages are as relevant today as when they first aired.   James Finley is a clinical psychologist and a spiritual director, who, early in life, was a cloistered monk in a Trappist monastery and a novice under the tutelage of the renowned ystic and author Thomas Merton. After leaving the monastery, Dr. Finley became a clinical psychologist, a popular leader of retreats and workshops, and a recognized authority on contemplative Christianity and mysticism. He is currently a faculty member at the Center for Action and Contemplation and a core teacher with The Living School, both organizations founded by Father Richard Rohr. Dr. Finley is also the author of several books and audio sets, including Merton's Palace of Nowhere; The Contemplative Heart; Christian Meditation: Experiencing the Presence of God; and his latest, The Healing Path: A Memoir and an Invitation. Learn more about Jim here. Get the book Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times by Philip Goldberg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump administration live updates: Trump issues executive orders to declassify assassination files on the Kennedys, MLK Jr

For this BCR series I have been asking American peacemakers: “What are we talking about when we talk about ‘The American'?”This program looks to a Jesuit priest and peacemaker Thomas Merton. At the end of “The Root of War” published in The Catholic Worker in 1962 – Thomas Merton wrote – “The first job of all is to understand the psychological forces at work in ourselves and in society.” That in a nutshell is the purpose of my conversations with American peacemakers.Merton's autobiography -- “The Seven Storey Mountain” -- is about “a young man who led a full and worldly life and then, at the age of 26, entered a Trappist monastery.” In Kentucky, Merton focused his thoughts and prayers on nonviolence and influenced all the major peacemakers of the second half of the 20th Century -- Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tuto, the Berrigans, Dorothy Day and on and on -- Father John Dear will help us delve into Merton's non-violence. Dear was born in North Carolina – graduated with top honors from Duke University – received two masters degrees in theology – and was ordained a Catholic Jesuit priest in Baltimore in 1993. John has worked with people scheduled to executed – served at a community center for low-income African-American women and children in Virginia – worked as pastor to parishes in the high desert of New Mexico and founded Pax Christi New Mexico. Worked at a Jesuit Refugee camp in El Salvador. On and on –In a recent email, John described himself as follows:Just so you know, like Merton, Dorothy Day, and Dan Berrigan, I consider myself a Christian anarchist. I'm done with America.It helps to be arrested 85 times and spend time in jail and have several felony convictions. I don't believe in America; I think it's all a lie.If anything, we're global citizens, or citizens of God's reign of universal love and peace. We're all one.That's where I'm at; and I get that from those three -- very few hold it. If this sounds like something you want to ask me about, then ok, let's talk,All the best, peace,JohnIn January 2014 Dear left the Jesuits for reasons that become obvious in this conversation.Alan WInsonbarcrawlradio@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“In solitude, I often feel closer to the people I care for than when they're in the same room.” –Pico Iyer In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Pico talk about how the best travels are often counterbalanced with a kind of stillness, in which one can find one’s “best self” (3:00); Pico’s decades-long experiences with monks in a California monastery, the benefits of a “childlike attitude” toward life, and how “fire” can be a metaphor for spiritual life (12:00); how Pico’s solitude is informed by, and in conversation with, nature (22:00); Pico’s engaged relationship with spiritual communities, even though he is not religious (30:00); the “counterculture” spiritual tradition that grew up around Big Sur, California, and the power of longing (39:00); and how solitude can be a gateway to other people (47:00). Pico Iyer (@PicoIyer) is a novelist, essayist, and author. His newest book is Aflame: Learning from Silence. Notable Links: Pico Iyer on what Japan can teach us about life (Deviate episode 73) The Vagabond’s Way, by Rolf Potts (book) Henri Nouwen (writer and theologian) New Seeds of Contemplation, by Thomas Merton (book) The 14th Dalai Lama (spiritual leader) The Snow Leopard, by Peter Matthiessen (book) Richard Powers (novelist) Desert Fathers (early Christian hermits and ascetics) Sign of Jonas, by Thomas Merton (book) Days of Heaven (1978 film) 4′33″ by John Cage (musical composition) New Camaldoli Hermitage (hermitage in Big Sur, California) Rigveda (ancient Indian collection of hymns) The Woman Lit by Fireflies, by Jim Harrison (book) Sarmoung Brotherhood (esoteric Sufi brotherhood) Henry Miller (novelist) Esalen Institute (retreat center in Big Sur) Bittersweet, by Susan Cain (book) Leonard Cohen (songwriter) Ludwig Wittgenstein (philosopher) The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

These conversations with our guests this season have been a profound privilege and truly humbling experience. Together, Colleen and Mark have embraced the role of students, exploring contemplative practice and meditation from diverse perspectives, and our guest in this episode is offering us some profound insights into the wisdom of the mystics within the Christian perspective.We are honored to ‘sit at the feet' of Dr James Finley, a student of Thomas Merton and also a clinical psychologist. Jim teaches how connecting to our divine indwelling can transcend fear and shame, and awaken us to our true self. He is a faculty member at the Center of Action and Contemplation.Jim has authored numerous books, including Merton's Palace of Nowhere, The Contemplative Heart, and Christian Meditation. He also hosts the Center for Action and Contemplation's podcast, Turning to the Mystics.Join us in exploring the way contemplative practices, particularly within the Christian mystical tradition, opens us up to a unitive experience of God's presence in all aspects of life, transforming both suffering and the ordinary into expressions of extraordinary grace.Find out more about Dr. James Finley:On the CAC website: https://cac.org/about/our-teachers/james-finley/The Turning to the Mystics podcast: https://cac.org/podcast/turning-to-the-mystics/To connect further with us:Visit our website: www.contemplativeoutreach.orgFind us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prayerofconsentLike us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prayerofconsentCheck out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@prayerofconsentOr explore our Threads: https://www.threads.net/@prayerofconsentTo learn more about Father Thomas Keating's guidelines for service and principles visit www.contemplativeoutreach.org/vision. Stream and Download the Opening Minds, Opening Hearts Podcast NOW for FREE on Apple Podcast, Google, Amazon and Spotify!

Exorcism interviews have recently exploded in popularity, racking up millions of views on YouTube and social media. But is this focus on demons and their influence on humans a healthy exploration—or could it be playing into Satan's plans, granting him undue attention and power while paralyzing us with fear and superstition? Today, I'm joined by Dr. Sean Tobin, a psychologist trusted by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to evaluate whether individuals should be referred to an exorcist. With years of experience working with those facing demonic oppression and possession, Dr. Tobin shares fresh perspectives on what God might be accomplishing in these situations and offers little-known approaches for dealing with stubborn cases. He also addresses a troubling trend: fear and powerlessness among Christians—something completely contrary to God's design. Dr. Tobin reminds us of the need to reject both fear and demonic forces, reclaiming the Spirit of power, love, and self-control that God has given us (2 Timothy 1:7). His insights are sure to inspire and empower you in the spiritual battles we face.Check Out Sean's Work:-His book: https://biggodlittledevil.com/-His website: https://www.drseantobin.ca/Join our Locals community: https://lilarose.locals.com/Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LilaRose865Check out our Sponsors:-Good Ranchers: https://go.goodranchers.com/lila Purchase your American Meat Delivered subscription today and get a free add-on of beef, chicken, bacon, or salmon! Use code LILA for $25 off!  -Seven Weeks Coffee: https://www.sevenweekscoffee.com Buy your pro-life coffee with code LILA and get up to 25% off!-EveryLife: https://www.everylife.com Buy diapers from an amazing pro-life diaper company and use code LILA and get 10% off!Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:05:17 - The devil can hide behind mental illness00:06:39 - Examples of paranormal activity at work00:07:28 - Good Ranchers00:08:47 - God allows demonic activity for a purpose00:10:19 - The devil always operates within our psychology00:17:39 - Defining our terms00:18:42 - Every Life00:20:30 - The devil wants us to respond00:24:15 - The positive role of fear00:29:19 - Not just getting out of Egypt00:29:55 - Jesus asleep on the boat00:31:25 - Seven Weeks Coffee00:33:46 - Quantity vs Quality of faith00:34:43 - Superstitious faith vs relationship with Jesus00:40:08 - Prayer00:41:44 - Physical War vs Spiritual War00:43:27 - Pregnancy and Passivity00:45:25 - We expect a great power struggle00:46:36 - Clinical Examples01:00:34 - Sometimes it takes years of exorcisms, sometimes 1 session01:07:10 - Thomas Merton and the Spirituality of Satan01:15:59 - Closing in prayer

Hi friends, surprise! I'm sneaking back into your podcast feed because I feel strongly led on this day to record this impactful chapter of Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton, for you! I pray it's a blessing and as clarifying for you as it is for me heading into a new year. Read the whole beautiful book, would you? Blessings on you and yours, friend. I'll see you next time (?). Book: Seeds of Contemplation, by Thomas Merton

Modern mystic Thomas Merton helped to bring contemplative spirituality to the fore during the convulsions of the 20th century. He spins us a powerful, prophetic Christmas story that we don't often hear, but one that is central to our modern self-understanding.

Today on the Christian History Almanac, we remember the 20th century's most famous monk: Thomas Merton. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi Junk Drawer Jesus By Matt Popovits Signup For Free Advent Church Resources for 2024 Clothed with Christ by Brian William Thomas More from the hosts: Dan van Voorhis SHOW TRANSCRIPTS are available: https://www.1517.org/podcasts/the-christian-history-almanac CONTACT: CHA@1517.org SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Overcast Google Play FOLLOW US: Facebook Twitter Audio production by Christopher Gillespie (gillespie.media).

In this episode of The Patrick Coffin Show, mystical theologian David Torkington discusses the urgent need for a return to prayer in today's fast-paced world in an upsidedown Catholic Church.   We're all screwed up because we have forgotten how to pray.” That's the basic gist of this conversation with a master of prayer and meditation. Drawing on themes from his new book Passport to Perfection (Essentialist Press) Torkington points out the biblical and apostolic roots of contemplative prayer, while exposing the faux versions so popular today. David, at 85 years young, reflects on his journey as a whistleblowing priest, a role that brought him both challenges and clarity to his priesthood as a Franciscan and as a Catholic. He also opens up about overcoming severe dyslexia, sharing how his condition shaped his spiritual life and the development of his theological insights. His message, delivered in his lovely English country gentleman accent, makes real the ideal of recovered hope and a deepened love for God. He says the key is to reconnect with God through persistent and authentic prayer. This conversation sheds light on both the struggles and triumphs that have defined Torkington's unique spiritual path, making his story both moving and practical: the way of the saints.  Topics covered in this episode: David's earliest memories of wanting to pray His decades-long suffering with severe and undiagnosed dyslexia His call to the priesthood as a Franciscan The punishment that ensued when he blew the whistle on priests and superiors who were living perverse double lives Precisely what's wrong with “centering prayer” and why the writings of Thomas Merton are suspect The many examples of God asking impossible things in the New Testament His free online course on prayer Resources mentioned in this episode: Website of David Torkington's work www.essentialistpress.com His website www.davidtorkington.com

Through a litany of trials and grace, Tammy Peterson found her way to the Catholic Church. Today we bring you the first half of an hour-long conversation she had recently with Bishop Barron. The two explore the call of God, the power of the Rosary, the wisdom of Thomas Merton, and more. 00:00 | Intro 01:24 | Relating to God as a called child 06:25 | Attracting people into community 10:16 | Understanding true love 13:20 | Begin with prayer 14:19 | Prayer: sacred, centering, habitual, and “useless” 20:43 | The beauty of monastic life and practice 22:34 | The wisdom of Thomas Merton 24:18 | Distinguishing a natural spirituality from a properly supernatural one 28:05 | Learning to pray the Rosary 38:18 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Link: Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/ NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.