Turning to the Mystics with James Finley Brother Lawrence: Listener Questions
Dec 1, 2025
Kirsten and Jim dive into the profound teachings of Brother Lawrence, addressing listener questions that touch on sin, trauma, and divine rest. They explore practical ways to manage racing thoughts, emphasizing the beauty of stillness in prayer. The podcast discusses the depths of boredom in spiritual life as a longing for union and the illuminating moments of awakening. With reflections on aging, fragility, and the hidden mysteries of contemporary mystics, listeners are invited to embrace the divine amid life's distractions.
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Trauma And Sin As Different Separations
- PTSD and sin both separate us from resting in our true goodness, but they operate differently: PTSD is an ongoing psychological exile while sin is a moral-hardness separation.
- Healing invites experiential re-entry into our goodness through repentance, therapeutic work, or conversion as appropriate.
Anchor A Racing Mind With Focused Practice
- If a racing mind derails stillness, use focused prayer forms like Lectio Divina or scripture meditation to anchor attention.
- Watch your racing thoughts curiously and notice the observing self that sees them, trusting God follows your mind in its restlessness.
Accept Bodily Limits As Presence
- When illness (e.g., Parkinson's) makes physical stillness impossible, accept inability to sit still as participation in God's presence.
- Use deep acceptance and the ordinary tasks of life as avenues into the same divine oneness Brother Lawrence describes.
