"In Touch the Earth, Drew Jackson's poetry offers a word-weary world a new language of engagement, disruption, and insight. As with all great poetry, the words are spare, but the literary images loom large, creating indelible impressions on the reader. Like echoes that reverberate long after the first sound, the poems stay with you, they dance with your spirit. After reading the poem 'Shake the Dust,' I am still considering a much broader definition of power, one no longer confined to the monarchs, governments, and oppressors but with a conscience as sticky as cling wrap that refuses to allow its memories to be shaken loose. This collection is a meditative treasure."

— Barbara Holmes, author of Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church and Crisis Contemplation: Healing the Wounded Village

Drew Jackson is a poet, speaker, and public theologian. He is author of God Speaks Through Wombs: Poems on God's Unexpected Coming and Touch the Earth: Poems on The Way. His work has been widely published. Drew received his B.A. in Political Science from the Univ. of Chicago and his M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He currently works as the Director of Mission Integration for the Center for Action and Contemplation, and lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and daughters.

In our conversation Drew and I talk about the seeds of poetry planted through the lyrical mastery of Nas as well as his immersion into sacred text, why Lucille Clifton's poetry should explored by all, his mystical lineage and, and much more.

Visit Drew Jackson at drewejackson.com | IG: @d.jacksonpoetics

Tracy Cochran is a writer, meditation teacher, and editorial director of Parabola, an acclaimed quarterly magazine that draws on the world's cultural and wisdom traditions to explore the questions that all humans share. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Psychology Today, O Magazine, and New York Magazine to name a few. Her latest publication is her book Presence: The Art of Being at Home in Yourself.

In our conversation Tracy and I talk about owning the gifts and limitations of our presence, her daughter's precocious question about Thich Nhat Hahn, the Buddha's grief, and so much more.

Visit Tracy Cochran at tracycochran.org | IG: @tracycochran_author

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Each solstice and equinox Contemplify offers a public Lo-Fi & Hushed contemplative practice session for both free and supporting subscribers of the Non-Required Reading List. For those interested, go tell it on the mountain…

The third week of Advent salted on joy. Not because of the circumstances, but despite them. The work remains to create the conditions for the gift of joy to emerge. The candlelight had built around the Advent wreath and solstice was breaking into a light jog. The arms of Advent and winter solstice were outstretched, reaching towards embrace. We were so close to completing the circle. Our own sweet darkness yields in a protected and patient trust. Let us welcome the gift.

Wendell Berry's "To Know the Dark" was the vessel for the Winter Solstice Lo-Fi & Hushed Practice Session. You can follow the link to peek at the entire poem.

Welcome this dark knowing into practice.
May we show up with expectation under its seamless cloak.
Advent rejoices within the crackles of reality.
Let us slow our pace to hear this joyful song.

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You know that old story of a successful criminal defense lawyer who quits practicing law to start a bean to bar chocolate factory? Yeah...it's a new story for me too. But that is the story of Shawn Askinosie. Shawn is a remarkable human being. Not because Oprah Magazine named him "One of 15 Guys Who Are Saving the World" or because Forbes named his small batch, award winning chocolate factory, Askinosie Chocolate 'One of the 25 Best Small Companies in America' (both of which are true by the way). It's because Shawn holds a contemplative vision for his life and business to create a more just and loving world.

Askinosie Chocolate is a direct trade business that profit shares with their partners, the cocoa farmers, from around the world. Shawn and his team are recasting how a profitable business can operate in the world with integrity, passion and humility. In this conversation you will get a taste for Shawn's values as he shares about his experience as a Family Brother at Assumption Abbey, how he recognizes the relationship between joy and sorrow, the lasting impact of his 6th grade teacher, why he wanted Askinosie Chocolate to be direct trade, profit sharing and open book management from its inception,... and what the hell he means by the phrase, 'It not about the chocolate, it's about the chocolate.

This is just a taste of Shawn's deeply empowering book, Meaningful Work: A Quest to Do Great Business, Find Your Calling, and Feed Your Soul. You can buy the book, Meaningful Work, wherever beautiful books are sold.

To learn more about Shawn visit (and order chocolate) at askinosie.com.  

"The Sunday Letters are always a thoughtful and welcome stop during my week. You get a moment to pause, to consider and to reflect … and Jana often leaves you with a question to keep you thinking long after you've finished reading. I love these letters and find myself forwarding them regularly to friends and family."

- Reader, The Sunday Letters

Have you ever wanted to be a writer? Maybe the type of writer with an acute eye for detail that maintains a deep connection with your readers. This is how I would describe the curator and writer of The Sunday Letters, Jana Marie. The Sunday Letters is a weekly newsletter on contemplative thinking. I don't know about you, but Sundays continue to hold the air of naps, spiritual questions, and Swedish pancakes.This is how Jana describes Sundays - 'In their characteristically gentle way, Sundays present us with what is so often a much-needed opportunity for stillness. A time to reconnect and re-center, they allow us the space to check in with both ourselves and others.'  It is from this still space that The Sunday Letters have been written by Jana these past 3 years. She has readers spanning the globe, one of which is this lowly podcast host.

In this exchange you were learn how Jana dropped out of business school to discover a path that felt more akin to her way of being in the world, how the Stoic philosopher Seneca has been shaping her view of reality, and how The Sunday Letters came to be in the world.

You can sign up for The Sunday Letters at thesundayletters.com.

Learn more about Jana Marie at jmarie.ca or find her on Instagram @janajm. 

Thich Nhat Hahn is a world renowned Zen Master, author of more than a 100 books and in my opinion, a winsome meditative stroller. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. Then in 1982, Thich Nhat Hahn founded a community called Plum Village in the south of France. In 2008, a young man was ordained a monk at Plum Village. The young man's brother is a filmmaker, Max Pugh, who was in attendance reflected upon this experience of bearing witness to his brother's ordination as a Buddhist monk.

Later, Max Pugh would Direct and Produce the film Walk With Me: A Journey Into Mindfulness Featuring Thich Nhat Hahn. Max has crafted a remarkably meditative film about the Plum Village that his brother joined. In our conversation, Max shares how he was asked to make a rock and roll road documentary about Plum Village without the sex and drugs, how the ringing of chimes can break the unconscious noise, and what Thich Nhat Hahn taught him about being a parent. You can learn more about Max at maxpugh.com, walkwithmefilm.com or on Instagram @maxpugh1

Ali Kirkpatrick is a writer, speaker, retreat leader, part-time university instructor and business owner. But if i was going to name her post in the world it would be as an ambassador of love.

Ali is taking over reins as host for Contemplify for 5 episodes in this miniseries called, Practice Without Preaching: Creating a Family Spirituality. The central beauty of this mini-series is that it holds the potential for you to reflect, question, celebrate and imagine how your family explores the spiritual terrain. Like all authentic explorations you might be challenged by what you discover...rest assured that Ali is a trustworthy guide and fellow traveler.

This is episode 5 of Practice Without Preaching: Creating a Family Spirituality.

Ali Kirkpatrick is a writer, speaker, retreat leader, part-time university instructor and business owner. But if i was going to name her post in the world it would be as an ambassador of love.

Ali is taking over reins as host for Contemplify for 5 episodes in this miniseries called, Practice Without Preaching: Creating a Family Spirituality. The central beauty of this mini-series is that it holds the potential for you to reflect, question, celebrate and imagine how your family explores the spiritual terrain. Like all authentic explorations you might be challenged by what you discover...rest assured that Ali is a trustworthy guide and fellow traveler.

This is episode 4 of Practice Without Preaching: Creating a Family Spirituality.

Ali Kirkpatrick is a writer, speaker, retreat leader, part-time university instructor and business owner. But if i was going to name her post in the world it would be as an ambassador of love.

Ali is taking over reins as host for Contemplify for 5 episodes in this miniseries called, Practice Without Preaching: Creating a Family Spirituality. The central beauty of this mini-series is that it holds the potential for you to reflect, question, celebrate and imagine how your family explores the spiritual terrain. Like all authentic explorations you might be challenged by what you discover...rest assured that Ali is a trustworthy guide and fellow traveler.

This is episode 3 of Practice Without Preaching: Creating a Family Spirituality.

Ali Kirkpatrick is a writer, speaker, retreat leader, part-time university instructor and business owner. But if i was going to name her post in the world it would be as an ambassador of love.

Ali is taking over reins as host for Contemplify for 5 episodes in this miniseries called, Practice Without Preaching: Creating a Family Spirituality. The central beauty of this mini-series is that it holds the potential for you to reflect, question, celebrate and imagine how your family explores the spiritual terrain. Like all authentic explorations you might be challenged by what you discover...rest assured that Ali is a trustworthy guide and fellow traveler.

This is episode 2 of Practice Without Preaching: Creating a Family Spirituality.

Ali Kirkpatrick is a writer, speaker, retreat leader, part-time university instructor and business owner. But if i was going to name her post in the world it would be as an ambassador of love.

Ali is taking over reins as host for Contemplify for 5 episodes in this miniseries called, Practice Without Preaching: Creating a Family Spirituality. The central beauty of this mini-series is that it holds the potential for you to reflect, question, celebrate and imagine how your family explores the spiritual terrain. Like all authentic explorations you might be challenged by what you discover...rest assured that Ali is a trustworthy guide and fellow traveler.

This is episode 1 of Practice Without Preaching: Creating a Family Spirituality.

Ali Kirkpatrick is a writer, speaker, retreat leader, part-time university instructor and business owner. But if i was going to name her post in the world it would be as an ambassador of love.

Over the past couple of years my friendship with Ali has grown, and so has my awe and respect for her passion to cultivate tools, experiences and resources for families seeking to live out an authentic spirituality. In our conversation today, you will get a sense of who Ali Kirkpatrick is and her infectiously generous spirit, the thoughtful questions and embodied practices that form her spirituality, the path that lead her family to find another spiritual community, and the specific lessons she has learned from her kids and husband, and of course why I asked her to consider creating a mini-series for Contemplify specifically focused on family spirituality.

It is my distinct pleasure to share this conversation with Ali Kirkpatrick in this episode and then I'll get out of the way as Ali takes the reins as host for the remaining 5 episodes over the next 5 days of this mini-series called, Practice Without Preaching: Creating a Family Spirituality. The central beauty of this mini-series is that it holds the potential for you to reflect, question, celebrate and imagine how your family explores the spiritual terrain. Like all authentic explorations you might be challenged by what you discover...rest assured that Ali is a trustworthy guide and fellow traveler.

My guest today is Teresa Pasquale Mateus, a trauma specialist, contemplative practice teacher, author and co-founder of Mystic Soul Project, an organization that engages in a People of Color (POC)  - Centered Approach to Action/Activism and Contemplation/Mysticism. Teresa has written two books, Sacred Wounds: A Path to Healing from Spiritual Trauma and Mending Broken: A Personal Journey Through the Stages of Trauma & Recovery. We cover a lot of ground in our conversation. Teresa shares how the discovery of contemplative practices were integral to her healing process, the significance of language on the spiritual path, her work as a trauma specialist with combat veterans, at Standing Rock and Charlottesville. And lastly, something that I particularly thrilled about, Teresa shares with us about her latest endeavor, Mystic Soul Project and the buzz around the Mystic Soul Conference, a POC-Centered gathering of voices, practices and dialogue on contemplation, action and healing.

"Oshida's life and legacy is an experience of the spiritual senses knowing the mystical voice. Biblical in sources and Buddhist in form, reading this book took me as a reader to the great pause of silence."

— Sister Meg Funk, OSB

Lucien Miller received his PhD in comparative literature from Berkely and taught Comparative Literature and Chinese at the University of Massachusetts. He is a deacon, spiritual director, and author. 

Lucien and I talk about his book, Jesus in the Hands of Buddha: The Life and Legacy of Shigeto Vincent Oshida, OP. Fr. Oshida taught with a clarity born of mystical devotion, bent towards right action, flowing from community.  Lucien regales me with stories about Fr. Oshida; his memorable first visit traveling to Takamori Hermitage that landed him in jail, Fr. Oshida's elemental fire-mass, the foundational difference between word-idea and word-event, and much more.

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If you are a regular listener to the Contemplify podcast, you might be scratching your head and wondering why I am pairing a drink with this conversation. Let me explain. My pal Mark Longhurst runs the top-notch website OrdinaryMystic.net reached out to me some time ago inquiring if I'd ever consider being interviewed on Contemplify so my fellow contemplatives could get a better sense of who I am. I agreed on the condition that Mark be the one to take interviewer reins. So today I am in the hot seat. My guest today...is me and Mark Longhurst is behind the microphone.

If you have ever wondered who is this fella that shovels the path to the Contemplify basecamp then this will be a good snapshot. Mark opens the space for me to share my own contemplative journey, answer my favorite interview questions, my fascination (which is the kind way of saying obsession) with a Norwegian author, and to land on my top 3 dream guests.

Learn more about Mark Longhurst at OrdinaryMystic.net  and Paul Swanson here at Contemplify.com

"Written with charming simplicity and wry humor, Midlife is a philosophically rich source of what might be called 'the higher life hacks' – reflective ways of dissolving the sense of emptiness and regret that tends to hit each of us with the onset of middle age. A work of disarming wisdom." 

- Jim Holt (author of Why Does the World Exist?)

Have you ever asked yourself, what would my life have been like if I'd gone down another career path? Or wished you could release some past grudge that sits on your shoulder like a squaking parrot? The Contemplify conversation today revolves around questions of meaning, purpose and regret. My guest today is Kieran Setiya, professor of philosophy at MIT. Our conversation today revolves around his latest book, Midlife: A Philosophical Guide, which outlines a helpful framework for wrestling with existential questions.

Kieran Setiya is a philosopher who enjoys witty banter as much as delving into the depths of foundational life questions. In our conversation we dive into the waters of the stereotypes of philosophers, the rules for midlife crisis prevention, what we can learn from John Stuart Mill's nervous breakdown, and what superman can teach us about the afterlife. What makes Kieran's book Midlife sing is his curiosity and succinct wordsmithing that gleefully ushers you along through the difficult internal terrain. Which you will get a taste of in this conversation. Midlife is for any of you in the early stages, the thrush, or retrospect of the midlife years. Midlife creates a framework for the dizzying existential questions that arrive from new angles as the years accumulate.

Learn more about Kieran Setiya a ksetiya.net.

"Who touches this touches a man. Incredibly moving, risk-taking, original, and deep. I was in tears a number of times while reading it. Magnificent."

- Barry Spacks

Teddy Macker is a guileless poet who incarnates the beauty and struggle of both the internal and external landscapes of this world we share. I would be lying if I didn't say that one of my new life goals is buy Teddy a Lagunitas IPA and shoot the bull on all of life's matter late into the evening. Macker is quick to laugh, invoke the wisdom of elders, and see the truth in and lurking behind boulders and cottonwood trees.  His book of poetry, This World, is masterful.

Like Barry Spacks' words regarding (mentioned above) This World, tears will find you as you saunter through Macker's poetry, and you will find yourself returning to it time and again. In this conversation, Teddy and I talk about Barry Spacks' impact on him, how he holds the sacred and the sensual hand in hand, we bond over our mutual love for the music of Greg Brown, and of course, we are privileged with Teddy reading us some of his poems from This World.

You can learn more about Teddy by reading This World. (Please excuse the number of links to purchase This World, I am just such a big admirer of this book and man that I think everyone should have a copy. Buy yours here.)

"Mark, reading the poetry of Teddy Macker who I will interview on Monday. His poetry stops time. Equal parts Wendell Berry, Gary Snyder, St. Francis and yet completely his own man. I can't recommend enough him. His 'poem for my daughter' was my gateway, and the tears haven't stopped since. I've put a copy of his book, This World, in the mail for you. Best read in the still of night when the boys are in bed and a taste of whisky is not far from your lips."

What you just heard was a text I sent my brother before I interviewed the orchardist, college lecturer and poet, Teddy Macker.

This mini-episode is just a taste of Teddy's poetry. My full interview with Teddy Macker will be released tomorrow (and it includes more poems too). So for now, sit back, sip on something slowly and let Teddy's words wash over you. Here is Teddy Macker reading 'A Poem for My Daughter' from his book, This World.

The winding road of life leads you to beautiful vistas and the shallows of hardship. Tracy Cochran shares her experiences of the vistas and the shallows in our conversation. We touch on the practices that enliven us, vulnerability as a superpower and how she got involved in her work at Parabola Magazine. One thing that particularly struck me about Tracy, was her incredible capacity for deep listening. After hearing our conversation, you will bear witness to the depth that she shares in her words, written or spoken. 

Tracy Cochran is the editorial director of Parabola magazine, a magazine holds the sweet spot of being the meeting ground for all of the world's great spiritual traditions, as they illuminate the central questions of human existence. Tracy's articles have appeared in all of the best publications, she teaches mindfulness meditation and mindful writing classes.

You can learn more about Tracy and her work at tracycochran.org and parabola.org.

"Cal Newport is a clear voice in a sea of noise, bringing science and passion in equal measure. We don't need more clicks, more cats, and more emojis. We need brave work, work that happens when we refuse to avert our eyes."

- Seth Godin

Where is your attention right now? Do you find your attention span shrinking in the era of sound bites and clickbait headlines? Do you turn towards social media when a moment of boredom arises? Cal Newport has written a book that will upturn your perception of how you 'should' be engaging in this era of constant connection. His book is called Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. Be forewarned, our conversation and his book will likely reshape your relationship with social media, personal habits and rituals and your overall approach to the work day. Thanks to Cal's book, I have reimagined my tasks lists for the workday, creating rituals for focus, and walk around the social media sinkhole of attention. And Cal has one of my all-time favorites lines so far on the Contemplify podcast...

We do need more brave work, and Cal has questioned assumptions and charted a path for a focused approach to life. In our conversation, Cal shares the importance of Deep Work for personal and societal improvement in life and at work, the rituals of his day that create the most ample space of Deep Work, how is New York Times Op-Ed piece on social media caused such a stir (and backlash) and gives an example of what one comedian friend of his accomplished after they quit Twitter and devoted that time to Deep Work. You might find yourself making some major digital shifts after listening to this conversation.

Now for the official bio on Cal Newport is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University. In addition to studying the theoretical foundations of our digital age, Newport also writes about the impact of these technologies on the world of work.  His most recent book, Deep Work, argues that focus is the new I.Q. in the modern workplace and that the ability to concentrate without distraction is becoming increasingly valuable. He previously wrote So Good They Can't Ignore You, a book which debunks the long-held belief that "follow your passion" is good advice, and three popular books of unconventional advice for students. (from calnewport.com)

You can learn more about Cal and his work at calnewport.com.

Barbara Holmes served as president of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, as well as professor of ethics and African American religious studies. She was ordained in the Latter Rain Apostolic Holiness Church in Dallas, Texas, and has privilege of call in the United Church of Christ and recognition of ministerial standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). In addition to her work with law firms, Holmes has worked with homeless missions, HIV/AIDS ministries, and international ministries in Kenya (the Presbyterian Church of East Africa) and Japan. The author of five books and numerous articles, her most recent publications include: Dreaming (Fortress Press, 2012),Liberation and the Cosmos: Conversations with the Elders (Fortress Press, 2008), and Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church (Augsburg Fortress, 2004). Holmes earned an MS from Southern Connecticut University, an MDiv from Columbia Theological Seminary, a PhD from Vanderbilt University, and a JD from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. (adapted from The Association of Theological Schools' website)

In this episode, Barbara shares about her own contemplative lineage, reflections on the contemplative aspects of the Black Lives Matter movement, the contemplative and social impact of Kendrick Lamar and Beyonce,  and her sense of hope in the next generation.

Dr. Amy Oden is a Professor of Early Church History and Spirituality at the Saint Paul School of Theology. In her latest book Right Here, Right Now: The Practice of Christian Mindfulness Amy draws upon the roots and connection points of mindfulness found in the Christian Tradition. In this episode, Amy shares what 'mindfulness' means to her, her own practices to cultivate mindfulness, and the brilliance of Jesus using mindfulness metaphors such as 'asleep' and 'awake' in his teaching (and some practical application points of those metaphors in our current technology saturated state).

Jeff Johnson has surfed distant shores, climbed mountains you've never heard of and travelled to corners of the world most people couldn't place on a map. All of this is impressive, but what is most striking about Johnson is his authenticity. This genuineness comes across in his photography, his film 180 South and his book Bend to Baja. He is not dazzled by the flash of today, but seeks the wisdom of those who are further down the path of life. In our conversation Jeff shares why he gets up early every day, how skateboarding shaped his outlook on life and work, and the inherent value of friends and mentors who inspire you to take stock of how you are living your days.

You may find yourself as I did after this conversation, stepping outside under the night sky with your bare feet on the earth just happy to have another day on this shared planet of ours. You can learn more about Jeff at jeffjohnsonstories.com.

Follow Jeff on Instagram: @jeffjohnson_beyondandback

"The Sacred Enneagram is not a just book about an ancient personality framework with a funny name. It is a roadmap to self-understanding written by one of the great spiritual practitioners of my generation. Read it now and you can thank me later."

– Jonathan Merritt (Contributing writer for The Atlantic)

How well do you know yourself? Are you able to name your basic desire or fear? The questions that linger around identity and intrinsic drives can be instigation for liberation, but without the right toolkit one may rather stick their head in the sand.

Enneagram teacher Chris Heuertz will help you understand how to utilize the Enneagram to work with these questions with a deeper sense of self-awareness to find your way home to your True Self. He is the author of The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth. For those of you asking, what the hell is the Enneagram anyways? In this episode, Chris will give you a brief and basic overview of the Enneagram as the nine classic archetypes of human character structure, and then furthers the Enneagram conversation by mapping out how the Enneagram can uniquely deepen you on the contemplative path. On multiple occasions in this episode you will hear my own a-ha moments as Chris' teachings sink in.  Also…the Sacred Enneagram drops today! So get your copy wherever beautiful books are sold!

For more information on Chris Heuertz, his Enneagram Workshops and his new book, The Sacred Enneagram, visit sacredenneagram.org or gravitycenter.com. Twitter: @ChrisHeuertz  Facebook: @ChrisHeuertz

"You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves."

— 'Wild Geese' by Mary Oliver

Carmen Acevedo Butcher, PhD, is an author, teacher, poet, and award-winning translator of spiritual texts. Today Carmen and I talk about the importance of practice; chanting, lectio divina,walking meditation, poetry, drawing, and other customized pecularily particular practices. Carmen models what her practices looks, sounds, and feels like shares the impact on her life. This conversation is a reminder that in times of anguish, joy, or suffering, practices keep our heart pumping and our internal hearth fired.

Visit Carmen at carmenbutcher.com | IG: @cab_phd |

Visit Contemplify.com

Looking for a live practice with a dispersed community? A few options...

• Lo-Fi & Hushed Contemplative practice every Wednesday with Contemplify (virtual)
• Center for Spiritual Imagination (virtual and in-person)

'What Richard Foster and Dallas Willard were to my generation – prime tour guides to the spiritual life – I hope and believe Carl McColman will be for the next generation. If you don't know about him and his work, you should.'

- Brian D. McLaren

Have you ever had a dream that shook you to your core? Or been given a book at the exact time you needed it? I know I have and if either of those ring true for you, you will raise your pint glass and cheer with what your ears are hearing from my guest today, Carl McColman.

Carl McColman is an author, blogger, speaker and Lay Cistercian. Carl also has a contagious laugh. I'm sure you'll hear my own laughter deepen and extend with each one of Carl's delightful guffaws. But back to Carl's work...Carl has written numerous books  including Christian Mystics: 108 Seers, Saints and Sages, Befriending Silence, Answering the Contemplative Call and The Big Book of Christian Mysticism. You can also find his writing on Patheos, in The Huffington Post, and Contemplative Journal. In our conversation here, Carl and I dive into the various meanings of the word 'contemplative', how a dream at the age of 18 inspired a friend to give him a copy of Evelyn Underhill's classic book Mysticism, how his image of the Divine changed and deepened in the midst of loss, and the humbling and difficult work of loving our enemies. You can learn more about Carl at carlmccolman.net. Twitter: @CarlMcColman Facebook: @CarlMcColman

'Christopher Pramuk's latest work, At Play in Creation, offers a truly stunning introduction to the long-held but often forgotten Wisdom tradition. Priming our theological imaginations with the rich and sensuous language of poetry and with Merton's poem Hagia Sophia as a guide, Pramuk opens us to the divine music hidden in each of our encounters and allows us to glimpse the unseen Reality whom Merton calls Sophia.'

-- Kathleen Duffy, SSJ

Christopher Pramuk is the author of Sophia: The Hidden Christ of Thomas Merton and Hope Sings, So Beautiful: Graced Encounters Across the Color Line. I highly recommend you locate either one of these books as you also pluck the focus of our conversation today, At Play in Creation: Merton's Awakening to the Divine Feminine. Chris Pramuk is a theologian, author, scholar and lifelong musician who just joined the faculty at Regis University as chair of Ignatian Thought and Imagination, and associate professor of theology. Chris is the type of professor you wished you had in college. In our conversation Chris shares how he uses Pink Floyd in his teaching, the suffering of God with humanity as we explore the meaning of Sophia-Wisdom, and we conclude our conversation with a story about Chris' son, Henry, who when he was two and a half exemplified Sophia-Wisdom breaking forth on the shores of Lake Michigan. With that, here is my conversation with Chris Pramuk. You can learn more about Chris at hopesingssobeautiful.org.

Tasha Wahl is the founder and creator of The Butterfly Effect whose mission statement is so lovely I want to share it here...The Butterfly Effect is an underground movement redefining philanthropy one "butterfly" at a time by providing individuals the opportunity to give to a cause close to their heart. Harnessing the power of social media, we create a ripple effect of contagious generosity through our Butterfly Drops and Wahl2Wall installations. We recognize that we can be the change we want to see in the world by facilitating small acts of kindness, encouraging generosity, and promoting creativity. Learn more at butterflyeffectbethechange.com.

Tasha founded the Wahl Foundation with her husband Erik. They are committed to producing positive change in order to create a better world. Together, they helm The Wahl Group (www.theartofvision.com), which challenges corporate America to shift business-as-usual thinking to a more dynamic paradigm of holding the tension between success and significance.

My guest today is the multifaceted Jules Evans and trying to encapsulate Jules in a brief bio is near impossible, but let me start by sharing some his accolades: his first book, Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations was a Times Book of the Year in 2013 and was integral to the revival of Stoic philosophy that you see happening today, he is a research fellow at the Centre for the History of Emotions, Queen Mary University of London where he researches well-being and ecstatic experiences, while also diving into ways to improve mental health in different countries and cultures. On top of that Jules runs the London Philosophy Club which is the biggest philosophy club in the world. Above all of these pats on the back, Jules Evans is a curious, humble, and damn fine human being. The focus of our conversation is his new book, The Art of Losing Control: A Philosopher's Search for Ecstatic Experience. This book and this conversation is exactly why Contemplify came into being; what do you do when the status quo is no longer working and you want to go beyond mere egoic satisfaciton? This episode is for all of you feel like the schools of thought in your midst taste like a stale cracker. In our conversation Jules shares about his Near Death Experience, how Stoicism helped him form identity and why he still felt called beyond the Stoic container to experiences of surrender, and why despite all of this deep searching, Jules feels like he wrote a book for people like himself, which he calls the 'spiritually mediocre'. As always, links from this conversation, Jules' books and website (philosophyforlife.org) and highlights from this conversation will be available at contemplify.com

Laura Dunn is the documentary filmmaker behind the film The Unforeseen, which took home the Independent Spirit Truer Than Fiction Award and was executive produced by Robert Redford and Terrence Malick. Laura's latest film, Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry in which she teams up Redford and Malick again, is the focus of this conversation. Put this stunningly beautiful documentary on your watch list. I've been an ardent follower of Wendell Berry's work for years and this film is a glimpse into the groundedness of place, community and family that Berry poetically captures with his typewriter. Look & See is not a romanticized version of the farmer poet, but an invitation to see the hardship, character, struggle, neighborliness and rooted love that makes up the agrarian lifestyle in Henry County, Kentucky. Laura Dunn and her crew made a generous film. I say generous because Look & See freely gave me space to ask the beautiful question - how then shall I live?

Laura and I talk about Wendell and Tanya Berry's impact on her life, Wendell's idea of the union of life and art, marriage as a creative partnership, the unspoken farm crisis and its implications for young farmers today, where she finds hope from the Wendell and Tanya Berry and in her community and why are there so many comedians listed in the end credits of Look & See.

Look & See is not only just  for those with a deep admiration for the work of Wendell Berry, but for those seeking to live an engaged life with a sense of place, belonging, and interdependence with the land and community they are rooted in. Go to lookandseefilm.com to pre-order the film, to find out which theaters are screening it and how you can host a screening of Look & See. You can learn more about Laura Dunn at lookandseefilm.com/team and get the show notes for this episode at contemplify.com

Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of Contemplify, the basecamp for budding contemplative whose pursuit is to kindle the examined life through conversations with creatives, scholars and practitioners. My guest today is Andrew Hinton, filmmaker and co-director of the sublime Emmy-nominated documentary film, Tashi & the Monk. If you haven't seen Tashi & the Monk, I can't recommend it enough. It's moving, funny, wise and at times heart-breaking. This film follows former Buddhist monk Lobsang (who was trained under the guidance of the Dalai Lama by the by) who created a community of orphaned and neglected kids in the foothills of the Himalayas and a precocious 5-year old, Tashi, who just joined the community and is trying to find her way. I can't say enough about this film, it brought tears to my eyes and a shot of joy to my soul. Andrew shares the serendipitous story of how he came to meet Lobsang thanks to an email from billionaire Peter Thiel's foundation, the impact Lobsang and Tashi had on him, and how he got started in filmmaking by interviewing people in the lobby of an apartment building. Andrew Hinton makes beautiful films, and you can see this one, Tashi & the Monk, for free by going to this episode's shownotes at contemplify.com/andrew. See this film, actually pause what you are doing now and watch it and come back around to this interview later….okay, you're back, you should also head over to tashiandthemonk.com to find out how you can support this community that Lobsang created and the children bring to life. 

Who is there that can make muddy water clear? But if allowed to remain still, it will gradually become clear of itself. Who is there that can secure a state of absolute repose? But let time go on, and the state of repose will gradually arise.'

- Lao Tzu

It's graduation season. It is all too likely that someone in your circle is graduating from an esteemed institution, be it a university or local high school, or kindergarten. And with graduations comes graduation speakers….politicians, celebrities, authors or that one guy who did that one thing.

I was trying to imagine who I would like to see give a graduation address that would be a bit more off the beaten path, one that would not cater to a limited view of success or climbing the slick ladder of fool hardy self interest.

Bill Murray immediately jumped to mind, Alice Walker came next, then Lao Tzu...

Obviously Lao Tzu has not been taking any personal speaking gigs these last 2500 years. But I was smitten with the idea of it, so… in his stead, I will be sharing what Lao Tzu wrote on the doctrine of inaction, what I imagine was a graduate speech a few millenia ago.

'This is a magnificent book [The Buddha Walks Into the Office] that just happens to be truly fun to read. Accessible, urgent, and life-changing.'

- Seth Godin

Lodro Rinzler is a practitioner and teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage, the founder of the MNDFL meditation studio (which New York Magazine just named the best place to learn meditation in NYC) and the author of numerous books including; Love Hurts: Buddhist Advice for the Heartbroken, the bestselling book, The Buddha Walks into a Bar..., and the book that is the focus of our conversation, The Buddha Walks into an Office.  This episode was sheer delight and will be of significant interest for those seeking to engage a day at the office as place to cultivate fullness of being. We cover such areas as how a conference call can be an opportunity for virtue, how to relate to difficult coworkers and what we can learn from a man named Tilopa who reached full enlightenment in part by assisting a sex worker. Lodro Rinzler is a teacher who is thoughtful as he is funny. You can learn more about Lodro at lodrorinzler.com or connect with social media: Twitter,  Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. (Also check out this article in the New York Times about MNDFL)

This bonus practice episode invites you to ground your being in contemplating the universe. This practice is from Nancy Ellen Abram's book, A God That Could Be Real (pp. 89 - 90)

'You will find that your beliefs are enriched by reading Abrams's [A God That Could Be Real]. I am thrilled that we have the creativity and originality that is exhibited in this book, and I recommend it highly to all, religious or secular, believer or atheist, who are ready to explore honestly their understanding of the divine in our beautiful, expanding universe.'

- Desmond Tutu

Nancy Ellen Abrams is the author of A God That Could Be Real. This episode will be of special interest for those who wrestled with the science vs. religion debate wondering if there was another perspective out there that transcends the typical binary conversation on this debate. In this episode, Abrams unpacks a new vision of God based on an agreed upon cosmology from today's leading cosmologists. The implications have the potential to lead this generation of humans to become the 'esteemed ancestors of the future'. You can learn more about Nancy Ellen Abrams work at nancyellenabrams.com or follow her on Twitter @cosmicsociety.

Dr. Kim Haines-Eitzen is a Professor of Religious Studies with specialties in Early Christianity, Early Judaism, and other ancient Mediterranean Religions at Cornell University. Her book Sonorous Desert: What Deep Listening Taught Early Christian Monks—and What It Can Teach Us explores the dynamic relationships between ambient environmental landscapes and the religious imagination, especially in the case of desert monasticism. Dr. Haines-Eitzen was born in Jerusalem and grew up in Nazareth. Exploring the Negev and Sinai deserts in her formative years has shaped her interest in deserts and solitude. She now divides her time between the lush Finger Lakes Region of New York State and the high desert of Southeastern Arizona.

Dr. Haines-Eitzen and I talk about the Mennonite hymnal, learning to listen more deeply to our surroundings, the sounds of the desert monasticism, mediocrity, slow thinking, and practicing the cello in the dark, and much more.

Visit Kim Haines-Eitzen at kimhaineseitzen.wordpress.com

Visit contemplify.com

'You get the sense that this guy practices what he preaches.  There's a confidence and peace that inspires.'

- Modern Sage Magazine

David Michie is a presenter, mindful safari guide and author, best known for his novel series The Dalai Lama's Cat.  In our conversation we focused on the importance of meditation through the lens of his book, Hurry Up and Meditate: Your Starter Kit for Inner Peace and Better Health. You will hear David share how to overcome the usual hurdles to starting a meditation practice, how meditation is like going to the gym, the practical benefits he has seen in his own life thanks to his practice and we conclude our conversation with David unpacking the common philosophical statement 'Know Thyself' from a non-conceptual perspective. I think you will enjoy the light-hearted yet wise musings of David Michie. To learn more about David's work, visit davidmichie.com.

Scott Hartley is venture capitalist and author. In 2016 he was a finalist for the Financial Times and McKinsey & Company's Bracken Bower Prize for the best business book proposal by an author under 35. He has served as a Presidential Innovation Fellow at the White House, a Partner at Mohr Davidow Ventures (MDV), and a Venture Partner at Metamorphic Ventures. Prior to venture capital, Scott worked at Google, Facebook, and Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet & Society. He has been a contributing author at MIT Press, and has written for the Financial Times, Forbes, Inc., Foreign Policy, and the Boston Review. He holds three degrees from Stanford and Columbia, has finished six marathon and Ironman 70.3 triathlons. He is a Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations, and has visited over 70 countries. You can learn more about Scott's work at fuzzytechie.com and hartleyglobal.com. (from hartleyglobal.com)

In our conversation we touch on Scott's interest in Stoicism, how many leaders of the tech world have backgrounds in philosophy, how the liberal arts prepares one for the many ethical questions facing innovation today and how his father in his late 60s designed an app for the iPhone without any prior technical training. I'm going to do a giveaway for a copy of Scott's book, The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why The Liberal Arts will Rule the Digital World. If you want to enter the giveaway for a chance to get Scott's book, all you have to do is rate and review Contemplify on iTunes and then email me at hello@contemplify.com with your biggest takeaway from this conversation. As always, thanks for listening!

"Henry David Thoreau, by no means the most conventional man of his time, lamented on his death bed, "What demon possessed me that I behaved so well." He would have taken comfort in Holy Fools. They remind us of a deeper sanity that is sometimes hidden beneath apparent lunacy: the treasure of a God-centered life."

- Jim Forest (Praying with Icons)

Jim Forest is the author of numerous books, including The Root of War is Fear: Thomas Merton's Advice to Peacemakers. He serves as International Secretary of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship. In this episode, Jim shares tales about his friendships with Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Daniel Berrigan and Thich Nhat Hahn. The gentle straightforward nature of this conversation rallies around a pilgrim way of living in pursuit of embodying love and justice. Jim offers reflective wisdom on marriage, works of mercy, and guidance for those in the earlier stages of life. You can learn more about Jim's work at jimandnancyforest.com.

Russell James Pyle (russelljamespyle.com) is a national touring Musician and Ecopsychologist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Russell is one of a kind--an ambient folk troubadour,  Buddhist, ecopsychologist, flyfisherman, avid hiker, comic book enthusiast, and with deep roots in the Pamunkey tribe. You will find that all of these elements flow through Russell and are expressed articulately through his music. We cover a lot of ground, Russell's shift into a more contemplative way of being, the appearance of ecopsychology on TV, the joy of hiking alone, how the internal landscape is in relationship to the external and how Russell expresses that through music.

"The thing about Alana [Levandoski] is that she's gifted. She's not just gifted as a musician, which she is, but she's gifted as a lyricist...she teased these words, kind of like mantras, highly evocative mantras. She strung them together in a developmental expansion. So it was really a stroke of creative insight. It was really lovely how she brought it together."

- James Finley (via interview with Ordinary Mystic)

After Alana Levandoski attended and graduated from the Living School for Action and Contemplation, Alana experienced a rebirth as an artist, finally opening to a way of integrating her spirituality, her craftsmanship and her lifestyle.  Abiding by a monastic rule inspired by her time living with the Benedictines, Alana and her husband Ian have committed to a life of minimalism and sacred simplicity.

Alana released a new album in September 2016.  The album is a series of chants and compositions with spoken word in collaboration with contemplative teacher and clinical psychologist James Finley (author of Merton's Palace of Nowhere). It is called Sanctuary ~ Exploring the Healing Path with Alana Levandoski and James Finley. (adapted from alanalevandoski.com)

Stephen Blackmer is founding executive director of Kairos Earth and chaplain of Church of the Woods. Steve comes to this with 30 years of conservation experience, having founded and built conservation organizations including the Five Rivers Conservation Trust, Northern Forest Alliance and Northern Forest Center. A midlife shift led him to Yale Divinity School and ordination as a priest in the Episcopal Church, carrying the question in his heart and mind: "How can being a priest deepen my work to conserve the Earth? What does the Christian tradition have to offer to this work? How can the Christian tradition be re-understood and re-imagined in a time of need? How can the conservation movement recover its understanding of the Earth as holy ground?" (adapted from kairosearth.org)

�Rev. Dr. Peter Traben Haas is the author of several books, including Centering Prayers: A One  Year Daily Companion for Going Deeper into the Love of God. Peter is steeped in the Christian contemplative tradition, passionate about bringing the contemplative mind into church communities and the sheer number of books mentioned in this episode could chart the course for your next year (or two) of reading. 

"Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders."

- Henry David Thoreau

Kevin Dann is a historian, naturalist, and troubadour, and author of ten books, including Expect Great Things: The Life and Search of Henry David Thoreau; Bright Colors Falsely Seen: Synaesthesia and the Search for Transcendental Knowledge; Across the Great Border Fault: The Naturalist Myth in America; and Lewis Creek Lost and Found. Dann has taught at Rutgers University, University of Vermont, and the State University of New York. In the spring of 2009, Dann walked from Montreal to Manhattan to commemorate the 400th anniversaries of Hudson's and Champlain's voyages, and, having crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, decided to stay here. (adapted from drdann.com)

In this episode, Kevin shares his journey with Thoreau with us, the importance of careful attention to reality, and the two questions he would ask Thoreau if he had the chance.  You can learn more about Kevin's work at drdann.com.

"[Charlie] Parr may have been born during the Nixon era, but you can taste the grit of the Dust Bowl in his music."- Dusted Magazine

In this episode, Charlie shares a reflection on Harlan and Anna Hubbard as they sought a simple life on the river and in the woods. You can learn more about Charlie and his music at charlieparr.com.

Christine Koh is a music and brain scientist turned multimedia creative via channels as a speaker, writer, designer and consultant. She spent a decade in academia, during which time she was awarded prestigious fellowships from the National Institutes of Health to fund her Ph.D. research at Queen's University and joint-appointment postdoctoral fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Massachusetts Institutes of Technology. Christine was about to become a professor when she decided to hang up her academic spurs in favor of more flexible and independent ventures.

Since leaving academia in 2006, Christine has forged a new career as a lifestyle expert and influencer. The threads that run through her work are quality and simplicity and common descriptors of Christine and her work are "smart, streamlined, and stylish." Christine is the co-author of Minimalist Parenting: Enjoy Modern Family Life More by Doing Less. Christine lives in the Boston area with her husband Jonathan and daughters Laurel and Violet. (from ChristineKoh.com)

In this episode, we explore the importance of families' naming their values, creating ample time for boredom and the significance of self-care being built into your parenting style.

"I highly recommend What Makes You Come Alive to churches, religious and educational institutions, and spiritual seekers everywhere who are looking for an inward journey that finds its home in the world of nature, people, and things."

— Walter Earl Fluker - Editor and Director of the Howard Thurman Papers Project

Dr. Lerita Coleman Brown is a retreat leader, speaker, spiritual companion, and professor emerita of psychology at Agnes Scott College. Professor Brown frequently speaks on contemplative spirituality and Howard Thurman. She is the author of What Makes You Come Alive: A Spiritual Walk with Howard Thurman and When the Heart Speaks, Listen: Discovering Inner Wisdom. She has been featured in PBS documentaries about Howard Thurman and the Black church. She lives in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

In our conversation, Professor Brown and I talk about the life, mysticism, and work of Howard Thurman, as well as his affinity to emperor penguins. We talk about the contemplative imagination and depth of Thurman, his trust of the Spirit's activity, and what he called "Working Papers". Professor Brown has embodied the teachings of Howard Thurman and breathes them out in her own styling and language. More than once in this conversation, Professor Brown opened a window for me that I had painted shut. That is a rare gift.

Visit leritacolemanbrown.com

Visit contemplify.com for shownotes, NonRequired Reading List, Lo-Fi & Hushed Contemplative Practices Sessions.

Christy Wampole is an assistant professor in the department of French and Italian at Princeton, and the author of "Rootedness: The Ramifications of a Metaphor" and "The Other Serious: Essays for the New American Generation." She has also written for the New York Times and the New Yorker.

"I have a crazy, crazy love of things." - Pablo Neruda

Brie Stoner is a student, musician, and writer at becomingultrahuman.com. Besides contributing to the Center for Spiritual Resources and Contemplative Wisdom blogs, she contributed to the book Personal Transformation and a New Creation: The Spiritual Revolution of Beatrice Bruteau (edited by Ilia Delio). Brie is also my go-to for all things concerning Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.

In this episode, Brie shares a reflection on a poet that has made a deep impact on her contemplative journey, and offers a little insight on how Pablo Neruda might improve my own.

"We would rather be ruined than changed
We would rather die in our dread
Than climb the cross of the moment
And let our illusions die." - W.H. Auden

Interview with James Hollis, Ph.D. on the key elements of a reflective life.