Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Looking Within - A Contemplative Podcast

This is the final episode for now of “Looking Within,” but we’re very excited to be offering a new Facebook page called the “Looking Within Collective” to help you on your inner journey!

The pearls of wisdom of those who have gone before us would be many! But one pearl sure to make the list would be the reminder that life is short. Don’t waste time on inner offenses, or on inner upset over unfulfilled expectations for life and others. Just get on with doing what you’re meant to do!

Today, we conclude our seven week series entitled, “Imagining a New Life and a New Story.” This week, we have considered Jesus’ practice of being fully present to death. What do we do when we face death or when things don’t work out the way we had hoped? Gently hold this question as you enter into our guided meditation.

To give a blessing is to affirm, to say “yes”, to a person’s belovedness. A blessing touches the original goodness of the other, calling forth his or her belovedness, and can provide the encouragement we need to keep going when life is hard and filled with challenges and uncertainties.

Each Friday’s bonus episode will include a Lovingkindness meditation. Like God’s love, the love offered in this meditation is unconditional.  The meditation starts with the self, for once we start experiencing self-love and self-compassion for ourselves, we can offer the same to others, and to creation itself.

Our Wednesday episodes bring our topic for the week a little closer to home as I invite you to examine something about your own life and journey.  a little more closely. This week, we reflect on what it feels like to be chosen, but also, to  not be chosen.

To grow into becoming the beloved of God, we acknowledge with our whole being that we’re God’s chosen ones -- chosen just like Jesus was. It’s powerful to deeply absorb the feeling of being special, unique, precious, and treasured by God.

What does your own particular brand of ministry look like? You have unique gifts, talents, and life circumstances that create opportunities to love and serve others. How does ministry already show up in your life, or -- how might it show up?

Never underestimate the power of the smallest act of kindness and care. For when our words and actions flow from loving connection with God and others, then the world becomes an increasingly loving place filled with ministry, where the needs of all are noticed and tended to.

Perhaps someday there will be a world where all will know they’re the beloved of the Divine, and where caring community will exist and continue to grow through the momentum of this love. For now, don’t lose heart! Be assured of your belovedness, and then keep practicing helping others to hear that same voice sounding in them.

Community.  It’s a wonderful part of life to be accepted and loved, and taken into a caring circle of friends or family. It’s truly a space in which our belovedness in God meets up with the same in others, and then a flywheel of love, acceptance, and inclusion is set in motion.

Communion, or connecting with God, provides time and some open space when God can tell you who you are, and how much you are loved. It’s a wonderful starting point for each day, and for each task that we encounter,  filling us with enough love to give the same to others.

There is nothing better than a deep, inner knowing of the reality of being the beloved daughter or son of God. No matter what life brings your way, being in relationship with the Divine is living the good life!

Today, we continue the seventh and final week of, “Imagining a New Life and a New Story.” In this season of Lent, we’ve observed many of the practices that formed Jesus’ story and life. This week, we consider what may be the ultimate spiritual practice that forms us and gives us our story -- our encounter with death.

2020 will certainly have its ups and downs for you and me, just like any year does. But we no longer need to be searching for our identity in outer things. Our relationship with God flows from a deep knowing that we are the beloved daughters and sons of God.

Like the wisemen in the Christmas story, we’re on a journey into the unknown. Though we often shy away from acknowledging and embracing our fears, we can befriend our most difficult moments and expect God’s light to shine brightest in those times when we lack hope.

May you complete this Christmas season deeply knowing and trusting in your immense value and belovedness. Let Love discover you, be filled with this Love, and experience the hope, joy, and peace of living in your true identity: a beloved daughter, or son, of God.

Perhaps I’m living in a fantasy world to think that we could possibly find any peace right smack in the middle of the Christmas season! But I believe that we can, that we can carve out even just a few minutes here and there to quiet our minds and hearts.

When we look to the world around us to bring us joy — looking to our activities or to other people — we tend to live in constant frustration, for often life is not giving us what we think we need. Joy actually comes from inside of us — from a conscious presence to the present moment, and from a renewed inner awareness of Christ’s presence.

Optimism is a great start! But the person of hope lives in the moment with a general knowledge and trust that all of life is in good hands, and without the need to know exactly how everything will turn out.

Gratitude has a powerful effect on our bodies, minds, and spirits.  Appreciating even the little things, and seeing the good that is already in your life, helps us stay present to the present moment, and creates a tendency for even more good things to come into your life.T

Am I living my life in the way I’m meant to? Have I rehearsed enough, have I explored enough, have I nailed down some core values and a sense of what I’m called to at this present moment enough that I can say I’m ready for “opening night”?

Today we look at a final aspect of the transition curve: yielding to, rather than opposing the flow of life.  This is surrender, a stance we can choose which greatly affects our next beginnings, and our ways of interacting with life and with God.

Liminal space -- a “threshold,” in-between time of “what was” and the “next”. Simultaneously we may experience excitement and anticipation mixed with lots of uncertainty and confusion. It’s a natural time to say, “I’m lost here. Help me, God!” 

Today, we begin the seventh and final week of, “Imagining a New Life and a New Story.” In this season of Lent, we’ve observed many of the practices that formed Jesus’ story and life. This week, we consider what may be the ultimate spiritual practice that forms us and gives us our story -- our encounter with death.

Beginnings.  They end up being just as life-giving, or challenging, as endings. Life is restored, but different. It may even take time to recognize the new beginning, but we’re encouraged to just be where we are, learning to stop seeking control, being okay without figuring everything out... allowing our hearts to be cracked open to God’s presence and leading.

Every transition has an ending, and often the lack of choice is involved, making endings even more difficult. Naming things inside of you like fear, anger, disappointment, and unforgiveness is an important first step. Then this inner processing can lead us to the point of realizing that our minds will never fully understand our endings. 

In every area of your life there is transition. The question is: are you willing to go deeper? Are you willing to examine your thoughts and feelings about your transitioning life situation that go below the surface of the superficial facts? It’s in these deeper places that we most readily find God.

Notice  ways to travel more lightly on your journey -- to discard and let go of things and ways of thinking that no longer serve you. Live as that image and likeness of the Divine that you are.

Life can be wonderful when it’s full and busy, but we do well to also include some times to allow our souls to catch up with our bodies. Doing is wonderful, but being is key to your spiritual journey.

Sometimes we need reminders (and painful ones at that!) to wake up -- to be aware and conscious of what’s going on in our life. Being on autopilot, or worse, resisting things about our life, makes it hard to spot and surrender to God’s activity on our journey.

Today we examine scarcity vs. abundance -- Part 2 of a two part series on the Dr. Phil question of “How’s that working for you?” Our approach to life strongly influences our journey. The openness of the portals of our hearts and minds to the abundance of God and the universe makes all the difference in the world.  
(Part 2 of 2, continued from Sept. 9)

The letters B-E-V stand for bitterness, entitlement, being a victim.  Life doesn’t feel or work very well when we frequently live in the darkness of BEV.  These three letters can be a helpful diagnostic when we find ourselves angry, offended, or miffed at something or someone.  (Part 1 of 2, continued on Sept. 16)

Today we’ll consider Part 2 of a two part series on what it looks like to contemplatively experience God’s presence and activity in our lives. See how these first-hand, “heart” encounters with God can bring comfort and direction into your daily life. (Part 2 of 2, continued from Aug. 26)

Contemplation is a deeper way of being in relationship with God. It’s a way that goes beyond “head” information or a set of beliefs to having “eyes” to see and experience God everywhere.  We can experience comfort, direction, and new meaning when we have these first-hand, “heart” encounters with the Living God. 
(Part 1 of 2, continued on Sept. 2)

Each Friday’s bonus episode is a guided meditation inviting you into silence and solitude. This week, we have considered Jesus’ practice of taking the one seat: What do we do when life gives us a challenging situation and there is no way out? Gently hold this question as you enter into our guided meditation.

Today we’ll consider Part 2 -- the giving end -- of a two part series on “blessing.”  As there are those in our lives who bless and encourage us, may we be this loving presence in the lives of others.

In a world of uncertainty, negativity, and fear, we can easily become discouraged, losing heart on our journey. Words from another -- the gift of a blessing -- can renew your courage, and draw a circle of light around you to protect, heal, and strengthen you. This is part one of a two part series that will conclude with part two on August 19.

Like an eagle soaring on the currents of the wind, life can be more of a “relaxing into” than a stress-filled pressing and pushing to make things happen.

How do you tend to spend your daily supply of inner spiritual energy? Today’s quiet moments of looking within can help you to be mindful of how you use and conserve the precious and finite inner energy that you’ve been given each day.

Both “looking within” and “living it out” are essential on your journey. The natural and human worlds desperately need our sense of God’s presence and love to be lived out in very tangible, hands-on ways.

Looking Within is a podcast for the spiritual explorer in each of us. Weekly episodes, led by Julie Stevens, invite the listener to explore the inner life using a contemplative lens. Through contemplative practices and ways of looking at the spiritual journey, we hope you gain a sense of hope, meaning, joy, and love.

Looking Within is a podcast for the spiritual explorer in each of us. Weekly episodes, led by Julie Stevens, invite the listener to explore the inner life using a contemplative lens. Through contemplative practices and ways of looking at the spiritual journey, we hope you gain a sense of hope, meaning, joy, and love.

This week, we continue our series of Lenten podcasts, entitled, “Imagining a New Life and a New Story.” We are paying close attention to the practices that formed Jesus’ life. This week, we consider the practice of “taking the one seat.” Today, we observe how Jesus taught and lived out this practice with his disciples.

Today, we begin week six of our series, “Imagining a New Life and a New Story.” In this season of Lent, we’ve observed the practices that formed Jesus’ story and life. This week, we consider the very challenging practice of “taking the one seat,” when we have only one option in life and it is not a good option.

Each Friday’s bonus episode will include a guided meditation inviting you into silence and solitude. This week, we have considered Jesus’ practice of “Self-Inquiry, Our Old Story has Worn Out.” As we enter into a time of silence and solitude, let’s open our hearts to letting go of a life that no longer works for us, a life based on worthiness rather than the abundant love of God.

Today, we continue our Lenten series, “Imagining a New Life and a New Story.” During this season of Lent, we’re paying close attention to the practices that formed Jesus’ life, giving him a new story and a new life.  This week, we consider the practice of “Self-Inquiry, Our Old Story has Worn Out.” On Monday we heard the story of Oskar Schindler. Today we consider how Jesus practiced this in his life.

Today, we begin week five of our series, “Imagining a New Life and a New Story.” During this season of Lent, we’re paying close attention to the practices that formed Jesus’ life, giving him a new story and a new life.  This week, we consider the practice of “Self-Inquiry, Our Old Story has Worn Out.” We tell the story of Oskar Schindler.

Each Friday’s bonus episode will include a guided meditation inviting you into silence and solitude. This week, we have considered Jesus’ practice of surrender. As we enter into a time of silence and solitude, let’s open our hearts to surrender, “not my will but yours be done, Lord.”

We are not always good at waiting, are we! It can be annoying to have to wait for things or people, seemingly taking up many moments of our life. But although we don’t like waiting, it is often the most important part of the spiritual journey.