The Growing Edge

The July Growing Edge Podcast features a poem that illumines the American uprising for racial justice and our role in it. Carrie and Parker explore William Stafford’s poem, "A Ritual to Read to Each Other". Taking one verse at a time, they talk about the light the poem sheds on this moment of national awakening and our response to it. The work now required to rid the U.S. of structural racism has been left undone for 240 years—the road ahead is long and we need light along the way. Photo by Tobias Adams Conversation Starters about The Growing Edge Podcasts (for individual reflection and groups) are available for free download at www.newcomerpalmer.com

In this Growing Edge Podcast, Parker and Carrie talk with author, attorney, filmmaker, and activist Valarie Kaur. In her new book, See No Stranger: A Memoir & Manifesto of Revolutionary Love, Valarie invites us to a revised and renewed version of the historic nonviolent movement for social change.

In this Growing Edge Podcast Parker J. Palmer & Carrie Newcomer have an open hearted conversation about maintaining hope in the time of covid-19. They describe the many layers that come up when we ask one another, "How are you?" There are conversation starter pdf on the Growing Edge website to discuss the topic of this conversation with others in your life.

Carrie and Parker explore many questions about living with uncertainty, disruption, and revelation in this time of coronavirus. What helps us grow and still our hearts?  What comes up personally and emotionally when we slow down? What do we have no control over, and what is in our realm of care and influence? What experiences in the past can help us navigate what we are experiencing now? What new understanding and skills might we acquire. How do we respond to this new window into what it means to be "at risk”? On the other side of this experience, what opening, what invitation to see and do things differently might we embrace? Image for this podcast by Quint Buchholz: Giacomond, 1984 No restrictions on further use.

Carrie and Parker have a heart opening conversation with musicians Karin Bergquist & Linford Detweiler (Over The Rhine). They explore the creative process, the spiritual and personal threads that run through their music, balancing inward and outward engagement, creating community and “thin places in the world.” We discuss of three of their beautiful songs, “Betting on the Muse” “Broken Angels” and “Meet Me At The Edge Of The World.”

In this episode Carrie and Parker explore Wendell Berry's poem "The Wild Geese" and that what we need is here, within us and between us.

Join Parker and Carrie as they explore the idea of New Year’s Revolutions. At the turn of the year many of us engage in the cultural practice of New Year's resolutions. Often these intentions have to do with visiting the gym more frequently, diet or creating a more desirable habit to replace an old one. But what would it be like to begin the year with with a series of New Year's revolutions? What is a New Year's revolution and how could this new way of looking at intention and change be of benefit in the coming year? We hope you'll listen and download our conversation starter pdf, and engage in your own New Year's Revolution conversations by visiting our website www.newcomerpalmer.com/podcast In this episode is a BRAND NEW unrecorded song by Carrie Newcomer called "On The Day You Were Born"

Join Carrie and Parker as they explore Jeanne Lohmann's, "Questions Before Dark” “Be patient toward all that is unresolved in your heart… Try to love the questions themselves… Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given because you would not be able to live them—and the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answers.” —Rainer Marie Rilke

Join Parker and Carrie for a conversation about this powerful Thomas Merton quote, and how they personally wrestle with overactivity and try to reclaim the wisdom of living at the speed of soul.

In our September podcast, Carrie and Parker take on the topic of conflict on the personal, vocational, and political growing edges of our lives. We live in divisive times, culturally and politically. For many of us, navigating these complexities with family, friends, and colleagues has become challenging.  When navigating conflict, what helps you stay true to yourself and your deepest values and beliefs? What touchstones and practices give you guidance in engaging other viewpoints creatively, and help you "know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em?"