The Mystic Cave
An exploration of the spiritual terrain on the far side of conventional religion. A sanctuary for seekers.
Christian Mystic Cynthia Bourgeault: Living Large in the Imaginal Realm
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We dwell within a realm of spacious possibility; and it dwells within us. The mystic experiences this firsthand. So does any seeker alert to the subtle movements of the heart. Cynthia Bourgeault knows the territory well. She's lived it, and she's written about it. But, being human, she's also continuing to learn about it, sometimes by trial and error. Fortunately, our spiritual education is not completed in this lifetime.
Resources
Cynthia's Websites: https://wisdomwaypoints.org; https://wisdomwayofknowing.org
Center for Action and Contemplation: https://cac...
Jules Howatt's Soulful Journey from Bruce to Julianna
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Soul has only one agenda--that we live into who we really are and offer our unique gifts in service to the world. Soul is less concerned about the obstacles that that may plant in our path. So, for rugged mountain guide Bruce Howatt, the call to finally show up in the world--as Julianna--must have felt like the greatest, most intimidating climb of all. And yet, here she is, inspiring the rest of us to discover and to assume our own singular place in the Universe.
Resources
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Knowing Everything: Kim Chestney and the Power of Intuition
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Intuition is our portal to knowing everything. What our rational mind doesn't know, and can't know, is available to us through those flashes of insight that solve problems, give us direction, and suggest meaning and purpose for our lives. Kim Chestney, author of The Illumination Code: 7 Keys to Unlock Your Quantum Intelligence, has spent her life trying to understand intuition and what it does. Only recently, with discoveries from the field of quantum physics, can we begin to answer the question, but how does it work? Her book gives u...
Jessica Waite's "The Widow's Guide to Dead Bastards:" Inside the Writing of a Blockbuster
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By the time an author scores a major publishing deal they are usually beyond the reach of mere mortals. So, when it happens to a friend, there is a unique sense of privilege watching the process unfold from the inside. Such is the case with Jessica Waite, whose memoir, "The Widow's Guide to Dead Bastards" is poised for release this summer. In this episode Jessica and I explore the writing and publishing of her personal story, described as a "lyrical, witty, and deeply moving memoir of tragedy and betrayal"...
From "Them" to "Me Too:" How Writing Groups Can Bring out the Writer in Us
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So many writers hide their light under a bushel, thinking they don't deserve the term "writer." But writing groups can put the lie to that fear, coaxing us and our words out from hiding. The UnderStory Collective is the writing group I belong to. I invited them to the Cave to share the reassuring and emboldening benefits of having writerly friends.
Members of the UnderStory Collective
Suzanne Johnston, Allan Cooper, Jessica Waite, Anne Marie Nakagawa, Brian Pearson
Some Local Resources
Writers Guild of...
"Writing by Heart:” Meredith Heller on How Poetry Can Lead us Home
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You can hear it in her voice. This is a woman who knows herself and her place in the universe. But fortunately for us, she believes that that place is to help others find their voice too. "Writing by Heart" is Meredith Heller's invitation to find the inner path to yourself ... through poetry. It's a book. But it's also a portal. And it's beckoning ...
Resources:
Meredith's latest book: Writing by Heart: A Poetry Path to Healing and Self-Discovery by Meredith Heller; New World Library, 2024
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Making Peace with Impermanence: Zen Teacher Ryushin on True Liberation
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Psychedelics can show us what's beyond our ordinary consciousness. Meditation can help us to live day by day from that place. But in the end all practices fall short: the spiritual journey requires a letting go, not a holding on. Zen teacher Ryushin uses words only to point beyond those words ... to the actual peace and enlightenment we seek.
Resources relative to this conversation:
"Healing with Form, Energy and Light," by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche; Snow Lion (Shambhala Publications), 2002
Body-Mind Centering: https://www.bodymindcentering.com/
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The Way of the Shaman: Healer Wade Prpich and a World of Spirit Helpers
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The Ordinary Reality we experience every day may not be the only reality there is. It may not even be the real one. Non-Ordinary Reality is a fantastical cosmos populated by Spirit Beings—plants, animals, and people—who are devoted to our health and wholeness. It's the job of shamans like Wade Prpich to travel to that world and seek the help of those Beings for the sake of our spiritual healing here in this one. For real!
Links
Wade's Website: http://calgaryshaman.com/index.html
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Spirits Ascending: Reiki Master Jan Thompson on the Light We Cannot See
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It's like we're walking around blindfolded. We feel we are alone in the universe while spirit guides hover close by, waiting for us to acknowledge them. We feel it all comes down to our wills and to our efforts while energy pours into our hearts from a cosmic Source. Reiki Master Jan Thompson knows those spiritual realms, relying upon them for the healing work she does. It makes her humbler than most, and wiser too. Because she knows we only live our lives on this plain because of the...
“How Not to be Afraid:” Gareth Higgins on New Stories for Frightening Times
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There's something encoded in our souls that seeks hope even in the face of hopelessness. That spark, that gene, that impossible dream is what allows us to discover new stories to replace the old ones and to usher in the new world we seek. Activist, storyteller, and writer Gareth Higgins, in his book, How Not to be Afraid, evokes the life-giving possibilities that are hidden within our fears.
Links to Gareth and his work
Gareth's book: How Not to be Afraid: Seven Ways to Live When...
