The Spiritual Forum
The Spiritual Forum
Welcome to The Spiritual Forum, a space curated by Rev Carol Saunders for extraordinary conversations that explore the realms of spiritual living. Join us weekly for heart-to-heart dialogues with captivating individuals, delving into themes like love, faith, awakening, forgiveness, healing, spiritual practices, and divine encounters. These transformative narratives aim to inspire, fostering a deep connection to the profound experiences that shape our lives. Rev Carol’s guests include authors, filmmakers, experts, and everyday individuals who authentically share their journeys toward wholeness. These discussions transcend the ordinary, offering insights into navigating the complexities of our current world with authenticity and grace.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 2, 2021 • 1h 1min
Episode 142 - Bringing Heaven Home - Part 1
In this episode, Rev. Carol engages with DNA scientist, Dr. Brent Satterfield, about his five personal and highly detailed crossovers with the divine, similar to near-death experiences. Each of these crossovers provided a unique perspective and through them, Dr. Satterfield experienced pivotal realizations that liberated him from the quagmire of inherited societal norms and more rigid religious traditions into an understanding of his own inherent worth and inner light. Brent’s most recent book, Bringing Heaven Home – We Were Never Meant to Do It Alone, catalogues his journey. This is Part 1 in a two-part conversation.
Jun 18, 2021 • 1h 22min
Episode 141 - Using Your Powers
As we continually develop our spiritual nature, we become more conscious of our inner divine powers and call on them to do the work of Spirit in our relationships, work, life challenges, and creative endeavors. We become masters of our inner gifts and use them for Good. In this episode, we share how we use these powers in our lives and reflect on how they work cooperatively to balance, temper, and complement each other. Since it was our last time together as a group, those who were moved shared what the ministry of The Spiritual Forum has meant to them. Going forward, The Spiritual Forum podcast will be in a new format consisting of interviews, focus groups, and Rev. Carol's occasional reflections.
Jun 4, 2021 • 1h 10min
Episode 140 - Divine Life
Life is our ability to energize, vitalize, enliven, animate, and invigorate. It is also the energy of healing and restoration. So many people today live in fear, cut off from Life Itself. Fear of death. Fear of illness. Fear of failure. Fear of connection. Fear of living. Life calls us to be bold. It calls us to care for our bodies and heal. It calls us to create. In this episode, we share our experience of life and delve into the question, “How alive are we?”
May 21, 2021 • 1h 12min
Episode 139 - Seize the Day! (Got Zeal?)
Zeal is our ability to start and be motivated. Nothing is begun, birthed, sustained, or progressed without the gift of zeal. We may know zeal more as joy, enthusiasm, or passion. It is the inner igniting power that gets us up and keeps us going. After a year of COVID lockdowns and restrictions, many people are feeling unmotivated, apathetic, and lethargic. But those are not natural expressions! In this episode, we share the ways zeal expresses through us and how we can make our passion happen and live a zealous life no matter what.
May 7, 2021 • 1h 6min
Episode 138 - To Be Willing or Willful
Will is the directive power in us that chooses a course of action. When we don't use our spiritual understanding to inform our choices, we can be willful -- imposing our will on others or on a circumstance/process. But when we use our spiritual understanding, we make choices in line with Divine Will, and we are willing partners with Spirit/Source/God. In this episode, we explore our willingness and willfulness, and how the choices we make define our character.
Apr 23, 2021 • 56min
Episode 137 - Already Free Part 2
In the last episode, Rev. Carol spoke with Dorrie van Roij-Houtappels and Norberto Rodrigues who were featured in the documentary, Already Free, In this episode, she engages Director/Producer Kim Shelton about the making of the film, the spiritual process of filmmaking, how the topics of her film select her, and her own spiritual journey. Kim has been making award-winning independent documentary films for over 35 years. Among her films are The Lost Borders: Coming of Age in the Wilderness, The Welcome, A Thousand Mothers, and Already Free.
Apr 9, 2021 • 1h 6min
Episode 136 - Already Free Part 1
ALREADY FREE is a beautiful award-winning film that documents the profound transformation of Dorrie van Roij-Houtappels and Norberto Rodrigues. Though living thousands of miles apart (New Zealand and Portugal) they travel the same path to awakening – a life cultivation path called Ren Xue. The practice opens them to the true freedom of mind and heart that is the ultimate promise of most spiritual traditions. In this episode, Rev. Carol engages Norberto and Dorrie in conversation about their transformation and the healing methodology of Ren Xue, which includes the Yuan Gong method of Qigong and a deep dive into the essential qualities of the heart.
Apr 2, 2021 • 54min
Episode 135 - The Order of Life
Order is our ability to organize, balance, sequence, and adjust. The intelligence of the Universe expresses Itself as Order. The seasons, tides, and cycles of growth all happen in perfect sequence. Stories all have a beginning, middle and end. On the spiritual path, it is good to be mindful of the order in our lives. Experiencing 'disorder' is often an indication that we may need to establish order within. Are we clear about our priorities? Are we living in alignment with them? Are our minds cluttered with negative thoughts? Are we trying to circumvent or control a natural process? These are some of the questions we consider during this episode as we engage in inquiry on the spiritual gift of Order.
Mar 23, 2021 • 1h 11min
Episode 134 - Self-mastery and Creative Power
We are each endowed with inner spiritual power – the kind of power we can exercise over our own selves, not over others. This is our ability to master or have dominion over our thoughts, feelings, and habits, and to move energy from one state of consciousness to another. The center of power resides in the throat chakra, for it is our voice that often brings the invisible (ideas) into the visible world (manifestation). Power in its purest form is self-mastery - the recognition that nothing and no one has power over us. In this episode, we share where we are with self-mastery and how we use the power of our word to create.
Mar 9, 2021 • 59min
Episode 133 - Wisdom to Know the Difference
Wisdom is our ability to discern, evaluate and make decisions. It is also our inner guidance/intuition and judging with spiritual discernment. With wisdom, we draw upon Spirit for guidance and make the highest and best conclusion for all. It’s a completely different function from the intellect which draws upon knowledge and tries to figure things out. On the spiritual path, we learn to use our inner wisdom rather than look to the outer world to discern what is right - be it right direction, right choice, or right action. In this episode, we share how we have evolved in Divine wisdom and how it serves us when we are faced with lofty decisions or uncertainty.
