In this engaging discussion, Dr. Barbara Holmes, a scholar of African American spirituality, and Brian McLaren, an advocate for inclusive Christianity, delve into the transformative journey of life. They explore how experiences of loss can foster personal growth and renewal. Topics include the quest for deeper connection in uncertain times, the importance of solitude, and the balance between ego and soul needs. They also reflect on navigating community expectations and the power of contemplative practices amidst grief. Prepare for insights that inspire a richer understanding of life's complexities!

Connie Zweig, a retired therapist and author known for her work on shadow work and spirituality, dives deep into the complexities of self-identity and authenticity. She discusses the importance of embracing the shadow self in personal and spiritual growth. Connie highlights the healing power of humor in addressing flaws and the dynamics within spiritual communities. The conversation also touches on the tensions between societal expectations and personal desires, emphasizing the need for self-recognition to foster genuine connections and transformation.

In our fast-paced world, how can we cultivate a sense of wonder and open ourselves to the possibility of joy, even amidst life's inevitable hardships?In this episode, we're joined by Christian Wiman as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 10: "A Bright Sadness." In this conversation with Christian Wiman, we explore how suffering and joy can coexist and transform us through a poetic experience of Christianity. Before we dive in to the interview with Christian, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the tenth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it.Christian Wiman is the author, editor, or translator of more than a dozen books of poetry and prose, including two memoirs, My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer and He Held Radical Light: The Art of Faith, the Faith of Art; Every Riven Thing, winner of the Ambassador Book Award; Once in the West, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist; and Survival Is a Style―all published by FSG. He teaches religion and literature at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and at Yale Divinity School.Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. Check out Christian Wiman's latest book, Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair here. We also reference his book, My Bright Abyss. You can find that here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail

Carmen Acevedo Butcher discusses cultivating acceptance and simplicity through contemplative practice. She shares insights on restful stillness, diving into wordless, imageless Love. The conversation delves into shifting practices of contemplation, highlighting the evolving stages of life. Carmen's expertise in translation and spirituality adds depth to the discussion on embracing 'Second Simplicity'.

What if heaven and hell were both present—right now? In this episode, we're joined by The Very Rev. Michael Battle as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 8: "Amnesia and the Big Picture." In this episode, we explore the suffering we experience when we believe we’re separated from God and how this chapter, “Amnesia and the Big Picture” helps us to see how our approach to life can change when we realize we are worthy of love—right here, right now.  Before we dive in to the interview with Rev. Battle, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the eighth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it.The Very Rev. Michael Battle, Ph.D. was ordained a priest by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 1993. Battle’s clergy experience, in addition to his academic work, makes him an internationally sought after speaker, teacher, writer and spiritual leader. In 2010, Battle was given one of the highest Anglican Church distinctions as “Six Preacher,” by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. A distinction given to only a few who demonstrate great dedication to the church that goes back to 16th century England and Thomas Cranmer. Battle has published eleven books, including his latest: Desmond Tutu: A Spiritual Biography of South Africa’s Confessor. Battle’s PeaceBattle Institute works on subjects of diversity, spirituality, prayer, race and reconciliation. In addition, Battle has served as pastor and spiritual director to thousands of clergy and laity. He has also served as chaplain to Archbishop Tutu, Congressman John Lewis, the Episcopal House of Bishops and the Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops. In addition, Battle has served as vice president to the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Arun Gandhi’s Institute for Nonviolence. Battle and his wife, Raquel, were married by Archbishop Tutu and are parents to two daughters, Sage and Bliss, and a son, Zion. All of whom were baptized by Archbishop Tutu as well.Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To learn more about Rev. Michael Battle's work, visit his website here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail

What if we could feel at home wherever we are?In this episode, we're joined by James Finley as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 7: "Home and Homesickness." In this episode, we discuss a lifelong exploration of contemplation, healing, and facing the challenges of our times through a lens of love and finding "home" in a challenging world . Before we dive in to the interview with Jim, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the sixth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it.James Finley, a clinical psychologist and spiritual director, is one of the core faculty members of the Center for Action and Contemplation and is the host of our sister podcast on the CAC network, Turning to the Mystics. A former novice under Thomas Merton at the Abbey of Gethsemani, he is the author of the classic book Merton's Palace of Nowhere: A Search for God through Awareness of the True Self, The Contemplative Heart, and most recently, The Healing Path.Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail

Mirabai Starr, an award-winning author and certified bereavement counselor, discusses the transformative power of suffering. She explores how embracing grief and loss can deepen our connection to the divine and enhance personal growth. Mirabai emphasizes the importance of understanding legitimate suffering and the need for compassionate communication in relationships. The conversation includes personal anecdotes that reveal how grief can lead to profound spiritual insights, ultimately framing suffering as an opportunity for authentic connection and growth.

How do we meet life on its terms instead of ours?In this episode, we're joined by Paula D'Arcy as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 5: "Stumbling Over the Stumbling Stone." We're exploring what it can look like to venture into the luminous dark to find our greatest gifts with a chapter that asks us to lean into our feelings of devastation and loss when life doesn’t go our way. Before we dive in to the interview with Paula, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the fifth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it.Paula D'Arcy, a writer, retreat leader, and conference and seminar speaker, travels widely in the United States, Canada, and abroad. She is also President of Red Bird Foundation, which supports the growth and spiritual development of those in need as well as those invested in the opening of the heart and the healing of this world.A former psychotherapist who ministered to those facing issues of grief and loss, Paula worked with the Peale Foundation, founded by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, from 1980 until his death in 1993, and has written ten books. Today her work includes leading workshops and retreats related to spirituality, writing, women’s gatherings,( including Women’s Initiation and Rites of Passage), and creating venues where men and women experience an opening of the heart and a change in their way of being in the world. In recent years she has teamed with Richard Rohr to present seminars on the Male/Female Journey and Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life (for tapes from the conference on Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life and to purchase Paula’s books, click here.)Paula also serves as adjunct faculty at Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX and Seton Cove Spirituality Center in Austin, TX.Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To learn more about Paula D'Arcy and Redbird Foundation, visit her website here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail

In this episode, we're joined by Kate Bowler, PhD. as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 4: "The Tragic Sense of Life." Kate, along with Richard and CAC staff delve into the flaws of the prosperity gospel as well as the importance of finding meaning in suffering. We explore the ways in which love and suffering intertwine, urging honesty during life's hardships, and celebrate the power of community, especially its irreplaceable gift of "unchosen" love. Before we dive in to the interview, staff from the CAC catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the fourth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it.Kate Bowler, PhD is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, award-winning podcast host, and an Associate Professor of American Religious History at Duke University. She studies the cultural stories we tell ourselves about success, suffering, and whether (or not) we’re capable of change. She is the author of Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel and The Preacher’s Wife: The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities. After being unexpectedly diagnosed with Stage IV cancer at age 35, she penned the New York Times bestselling memoir, Everything Happens for a Reason (and Other Lies I’ve Loved) and No Cure For Being Human (and Other Truths I Need to Hear). She lives in Durham, North Carolina with her family and continues to teach do-gooders at Duke Divinity School.Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To learn more about Kate Bowler and her work, visit her website here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail

"God gives us something better than answers, God gives us people." - Erin Sanzero, our guest today, on the path of falling upward during the first half of life. In this episode, we're joined by Erin Sanzero as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 3: "The First Half of Life." Erin, alongside CAC staff, explore the complexities of the first half of life and the wisdom unveiled during the transition to the second half of life. Together, they reflect on how to embrace the "messy middle", found in-between the first and second half of life, how to forgive the past and engage in spiritual practices along the path of spiritual transformation. Before we dive in to the interview, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the third chapter a decade after he originally wrote it.Erin Sanzero (she/her) is a "geriatric millennial." She's been a brick-and-mortar business owner, digital entrepreneur, musician, teacher, musical director, opera singer, banjo player, and weightlifter. A passionate believer in the arts, Erin holds a bachelor's in music from Manhattan School of Music and master's in music from Mannes College of Music in New York. Currently pursuing her master's of divinity from Duke University School and seeking ordination in the Presbyterian Church (USA), she is the Director of Sunday Express at Fairfax Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, Virginia. Erin is a 2023 alumna of the Center for Action and Contemplation's Living School.Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To read Erin's Oneing Article "Midlife Musings", check it out on our website. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: podcasts@cac.org Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail