Soul School – Lesson 52: What is the Meaning of Life? (Part 3)

Welcome to Spark My Muse!

and to SOUL SCHOOL.

Soul School “lessons” are released each Wednesday (aka “Hump Day” aka Midweek).

• On FRIDAYS I feature guests and on a variety of topics!


Have you ever had a “pang of awesome” in your chest when you did a good thing? That’s the feeling you get when you help here.

HOW FUNDING WORKS:
Spark My Muse takes me 25-30 hours per week and costs money out-of-pocket each month to create, produce, and host online. Listeners, like you, give in support to defray the cost so the show can stay alive and well. Thank you for giving today. 

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Today is the continuation in a series on ancient wisdom and further reading and reflection on Ecclesiastes. Be sure to listen to all of it and begin with Lesson 50 to listen the whole way through to get the full understanding and depth intended this series.

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HEAR the OTHER parts in the series:

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

PART 5


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Eps 81: Long-suffering and unanswered prayer, guest Rhiannon Hall

Welcome to Spark My Muse!

DETAILS:
• Each FRIDAY, guests join me in a conversation.
• Come back each Wednesday
(on “Hump Day” aka Midweek) for a brief Soul School “lesson”–something for your interior world and common life.


HOW FUNDING WORKS:
Even though listening twice a week is free, making Spark My Muse costs money out of my own pocket to create, produce, and host online–and takes 25-30 hours of tears and toil per week too. Listeners, like you, give to support the show. LISTENERS make the BIG difference – Thank you for helping, too!

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Today, my guest is singer/songwriter, writer, and voiceover actor, Rhiannon Hall. This episode will also feature her music and song writing. Listen at the end to hear that treat.

 

rhiannon2

SHOW NOTES:

• Read Rhiannon’s article that we discussed in the epsiode

• Rhiannon’s youtube channel featuring songs

• Follow Rhiannon on Twitter
@RhiannonHall47

• Read Rhiannon’s blog

• Here’s Rhiannon’s poem mentioned in the episode: 

• Hear Rhiannon song featured in this episode 

MIN 1:00

Rhiannon’s story

MIN 6:00
Doing unhelpful things when people are suffering.

MIN 6:30
“Being with” others as a way to journey with those who are suffering

MIN 9:30
What were her prayers like?

What did she learn?

MIN 14:15
When we devalue suffering…

MIN  17:30
When we don’t have the right words to say…

MIN 21:00
The lamenting and cursing psalms and using the arts to express and fill in the space when words stop working.

MIN 25:30
True art that reflects reality shows both the light and dark aspects of life.

MIN 27:00
When Christian art or music doesn’t reflect the reality of life that also includes the darkness.

MIN 29:30
The Happy Reaper of Pete Rollins – click for the episode with Petehappyreaper

MIN 31:00
Meeting people in their suffering with reality.

MIN 31:30
Why did Rhiannon start going back to church once again?

MIN 33:30
Church as family

MIN 35:30
The 80% guide for determining whether to stay at a church.

MIN 37:30
Being okay with the mess and being willing to stay long-term.

Long-term sufferers need a long-term connection.

MIN 39:00
Finding God in others happens because we are embodied souls.

MAIN 43:00
Being an introvert and being in pain.

MIN 45:30
What’s a new we can pray for people who are suffering or have unresolved problems?

MIN 47:00
The Theology of Disability (PART I and II)

MIN 49:00
Thinking of healing in a specific way or an ablest way.

• Tanya Marlow‘s website

Praying that a family feels loved and received.

MIN 51:00
Praying for shalom healing and “taking our hands off the wheel”.

Praying for generational healing.

MIN 54:00
The magical thinking that’s so common regarding prayer.

MIN 56:00
Bringing our authentic self and honesty to God

MIN 58:00
Are churches the place to find authentic relationships?
A poem from Rhiannon:

• Vicky Beeching

MIN 1:02:00
Rhiannon performs her original music and lyrics 

• Direct link to hear the song 


THANK YOU for listening!
please check out another episode:


Soul School-Lesson 51: What Is the Meaning of Life (part 2)

Welcome to Spark My Muse!

and to SOUL SCHOOL.

Soul School “lessons” are released each Wednesday (aka “Hump Day” aka Midweek).

• On FRIDAYS I feature guests and on a variety of topics!


Have you ever had a “pang of awesome” in your chest when you did a good thing? That’s the feeling you get when you help here.

HOW FUNDING WORKS:
Spark My Muse takes me 25-30 hours per week and costs money out-of-pocket each month to create, produce, and host online. Listeners, like you, give in support to defray the cost so the show can stay alive and well. Thank you for giving today. 

paypal
What can you give $5, $10, or $20?
It 
takes just 90 seconds a few clicks.


AUDIO PLAYER:

(Want to share a snippet of audio wisdom? Use the Clammr below.)


HEAR the OTHER parts in the series:

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

PART 5


Today is the second in a short series (and the 1st for Ecclesiastes) that explores ancient wisdom text concerning finding the meaning of life and gaining understanding about some of the the most common and nagging questions the plague humans across the ages.

I’d love your feedback!

Eps 80: Exploring Pride, Confidence, and Success, Guest Dr. Jessica Tracy

Welcome to Spark My Muse!

DETAILS:
• Each FRIDAY, guests join me in a conversation.
• Come back each Wednesday
(on “Hump Day” aka Midweek) for a brief Soul School “lesson”–something for your interior world and common life.


HOW FUNDING WORKS:
Even though listening twice a week is free, making Spark My Muse costs money out of my own pocket to create, produce, and host online–and takes 25-30 hours of tears and toil per week too. Listeners, like you, give to support the show. LISTENERS make the BIG difference – Thank you for helping, too!

paypal
Would you like to give $5, $10, or $20, today?
It’s quick and easy.


jessicatracy

Today’s guest is Dr Jessica Tracy, the leading expert on the emotion of pride. Jess is a Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia and a Canadian Institute for Health Research New Investigator. Her work is currently supported by a Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) Operating Grant. She is an Associate Editor at Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Interpersonal Relationships and Group Processes. 


 

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Show Notes:

MIN 2

There are 2 kinds of Pride.

Dr Tracy’s new book on the topic.

The distinction between emotions and how pride is expressed.

Universal expressions of pride in humans around the world.

4:40

Both kinds of pride lead to power–both different kinds.

A self evaluation is needed for the emotion of pride.

Amy Cuddy’s book Presence

(Power poses produce certain chemicals that help us succeed.)

MIN 7:00

Shame

A gobal negative sense of self.

Pride and shame body expression in congenitally blind athletes.

MIN 9

Dr Tracy became interested in studying more complexed emotions. Paul Ekman showed that 6 distinct emotions were recognized all over the world (1960s) and determined through facial expressions. Similarly pride was determined to be an emotion due to bodily expressions.

MIN 13:30

Do other primates have expressions of pride and what is it like?

MIN 17:00

Humans notice high status expressions in pride body language.

18:30

Dominance and Prestige both work to get power.

Dominance and success.

Types of tasks and types of leaders and types of pride.

23:30

Avoiding the wrong kind of pride.

Authentic pride is a huge motivator.

MIN 25:30

Looking for praise (which can lead to bragging) for the feelings of pride instead seeing the accomplishments for the sense of pride.

Social costs to hubristic pride ( which gets you power or status) but creates situations where others don’t like you.

26:30

[ictt-tweet-inline]A big misconception about pride is that it should be avoided.[/ictt-tweet-inline]

Pride strengthens our identity.

Our society determines what we feel the emotion of pride about.

A caution:
Don’t get caught of in the great feelings of pride and get grandiose and forget why you did the good thing you did.

WEBSITE LINK: Emotion Lab and Dr Tracy’s work. ubc-emotionlab.ca


Thanks for listening, today!

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Soul School-Lesson 50: The Fountain of Life EXPLAINED (part 1)

Welcome to Spark My Muse!

and to SOUL SCHOOL.

Episodes are released each Wednesday (aka “Hump Day” aka Midweek).

 


Have you ever had a “pang of awesome” in your chest when you did a good thing? That’s the feeling you get when you help here.

HOW FUNDING WORKS:
Spark My Muse takes me 25-30 hours per week and costs money out-of-pocket each month to create, produce, and host online. Listeners, like you, give in support to defray the cost so the show can stay alive and well. Thank you for giving today. 

paypal
What can you give $5, $10, or $20?
It 
takes just 90 seconds a few clicks.



(Share a snippet of audio using the app below. Click the Clammr logo)


HEAR the OTHER parts in the series:

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

PART 5


SHOW NOTES:

Proverbs and other wisdom literature contain truisms and practical help and guidance for not promises.

Truism – a statement of common obvious truth.

MIN 2 David A Dorsey

Read a chapter in the book of PROVERBS

For the ancients, the heart was not the seat of emotions (like we tend to see it now).
The heart was seen like we might see the mind today. Or a combination of the mind, heart, and will–the core of a person. For the ancients, the emotions resided in the bowels.

The language of the wisdom literature and choosing the right path.


Thank you for listening today!

Hear another episode by clicking below:


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