To better understand who Christ is in our lives, we're exploring a handful of metaphors: Christ as a Mirror (of our True Selves), Christ as Light and Warmth, Christ as a Listening Presence, and Christ as Inter-being. This conversation is for anyone who is Spiritual But Not Religious or exploring new horizons. It's for Christians seeking renewal and new ways of connecting with Christ. And it's for anyone intrigued by the connection between faith and our shared human experience. We hope you enjoy listening! - - - 🌻 Follow along on Facebook or Instagram: @natureasbeloved 💌 Send us your ideas, questions, or feedback: natureasbeloved@gmail.com

From the perspective of Wilderness Christian Mysticism, Christ is not confined to one group, religion, or interpretation. In this episode, we tackle harmful ideas that have distorted Christ’s essence and message, such as exclusionary doctrines and narrow interpretations. And in doing so, we reclaim a Christ who stands with the marginalized, uplifts the oppressed, and calls us to radical love and compassion. Further, we explore how Christian spirituality connects with LGBTQ+ experiences and what it means to transcend gendered views of divinity. Join us as we peel back the layers to rediscover Christ as a universal presence—an open embrace for everyone, everywhere. - - - 🌲 Help us grow! Like, share, and subscribe. 🌻 Follow along on Facebook or Instagram @natureasbeloved 💌 We love hearing from our listeners! We invite you to send us your ideas, questions, or feedback to natureasbeloved@gmail.com

Have you ever heard the phrase “crazy wisdom”? It’s a mystical concept from Tibetan Buddhism that turns normal logic on its head. In our everyday lives, we’re used to thinking of opposites as completely different. In the spiritual world, things work a little differently. It’s not about things logically making sense but about tapping into something deeper. And the best way to do that? Through the power of imagination. In fact, imagination is the only way to truly grasp these paradoxes and mysteries. In this episode, we talk about how opposites can shapeshift into each other, how imagination helps us understand deeper spiritual truths, and how poets and mystics are able to harness the imagination. In addition, we explore the primary ways of relating with God/The Divine, and how we can deepen our understanding and expereince of God via our faculty of imagination. Join us in embracing paradox! - - - 🌲 Help us grow! Like, share, and subscribe. 🌻 Follow along on Facebook or Instagram @natureasbeloved 💌 We love hearing from our listeners! We invite you to send us your ideas, questions, or feedback to natureasbeloved@gmail.com

On this episode of Nature As Beloved, Nature As Self, we continue our journey through time, surveying the landscape of Wilderness Christian Mysticism. We resume our exploration in the 14th century, where we are introduced to Meister Eckhart. A few centuries later we meet the Spanish mystics, most notably John of the Cross and Teresa of Ávila. Along our journey through time, we encounter many more mystics. As we make our way to the modern era, notable figures include John Muir, Thomas Merton, Howard Thurman, Thomas Keating, and Tessa Bielecki. We hope you enjoy and thanks for joining us on this audio journey! - - - 🌲 Help us grow! Like, share, and subscribe to join our community to stay updated about new episodes 🌻 Follow along on Facebook or Instagram @natureasbeloved 💌 We love hearing from our listeners! Send us your ideas, questions, or feedback at: natureasbeloved@gmail.com

What does Christian Mysticism offer us? Many who consider themselves Spiritual But Not Religious (SBNR) sometimes think that Christianity has nothing of value to offer us. Understandably, there are numerous reasons for them to be skeptical. Yet the Contemplative Christian Tradition is not bound to any one institution or denomination. The Spirit of Christian Mysticism is about relationship—deep communion with the Divine, the True Self, and all of Life. Throughout history, from the times of the Jewish and Christian Testaments and up through the centuries to our modern era, countless individuals and communities have sought after God. In their collective search, these mystics have discovered great insights about the contemplative life. Their wisdom has endured and continues to guide and inspire seekers of all kinds to this very day. Join us on Episode 03, the first of a two-part series, as we begin exploring the rich history of Christian Mysticism. This will not be an exhaustive exploration, but a survey of the landscape; a way of introducing listeners to key ideas and distinct figures throughout history. Of course, we will do so with an emphasis on Nature. We hope you enjoy this episode! - - - 📕 If you're interested in learning more about the history of Christian Mysticism, we recommend this book: James Harpur. Love Burning in the Soul: The Story of Christian Mystics, from Saint Paul to Thomas Merton. - - - 🌲 Help us grow! Like, share, and subscribe to join our community to stay updated about new episodes. 🌻 Follow along on Facebook or Instagram @natureasbeloved 💌 Do you have a topic you would like us to explore or a question you would like answered? Do you know anyone who might be a great guest for this podcast? Or would you simply like to send us a note? If so, you are welcome to write to us at: natureasbeloved@gmail.com

Socrates famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." From the perspective of Wilderness Christian Mysticism, spiritual disciplines enable us to reflect upon life more deeply, discover our true selves, and find greater meaning in our lives.

In this episode, listeners are introduced to the disciplines of Wilderness Christian Mysticism. We explore the core disciplines of meditation and contemplation, in addition to silence, solitude, simplicity, and service. Also, we discuss the importance of faith, journaling, and "gathering the fragments of goodness scattered throughout the world."

Listen to learn how you can integrate the spiritual disciplines into your life!

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💌 Do you have a topic you would like us to explore or a question you would like answered? Do you know anyone who might be a great guest for this podcast? If so, you are welcome to write to us at: natureasbeloved@gmail.com

An introduction to Wilderness Christian Mysticism—what it is, why it matters, and how it can help us all live more fulfilling lives.