Soul School – Lesson 35: The Mysteries of Mysticism

WELCOME TO SOUL SCHOOL

(released every Wednesday!)

I hear lot of people batting around the terms “mystic”, “mysticism”, and “contemplative” lately, so I thought it might be helpful to speak about what some of these terms and concepts mean and speak about some common misunderstandings too.

If you’d like me to go into more depth in an upcoming episode, send me a note or a question!


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EPS 54: Online “Truth Bombs”, Karma & Deeper Grace – Guest Ray Hollenbach

Today, I’m featuring a returning guest, my friend, Ray Hollenbach: teacher, blogger, writer, former pastor, and now a facilitator of the Deeper Seminars. Ray trains leaders and any one interested in deepening their spiritual maturity and walk of faith in the Fruit of the Spirit in small group settings so lasting transformation is likely.

Included in the show notes are FREE downloads of Ray’s exercises for you (scroll to the bottom to get those). We hope you enjoy them. Be sure to get his powerful book Deeper Grace.


 

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Click image to get to Ray's website.
Click image to get to Ray’s website.

SHOW NOTES

MIN 1

Grace is a rich word we use a lot and simply go shallow with too much. How do Christians most often get the concept wrong?


MIN 4

Karma is the voice of reason and Grace is the voice of Love.

We want karma for others and grace for ourselves.

Justice and Grace

MIN 7

The oppressor is also oppressed.

Victim and victimizer are both held captive.

MIN 10

Roman 8:1

Offering others assurance of not having condemnation.

MIN 11

on GRACE for Difficult people

MIN 14

The person with the problem is the person who thinks there is a problem.

MIN 16:30

Stewardship (of grace) to not expose others and be brutal online or otherwise.

Love covers a multitude of sins.

MIN 21

The medium of being protected by a screen and not going to someone alone and face-to-face to win over a brother or sister.

MIN 22

Truth Bombs

What do we do with our outrage?

MIN25

“The anger of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God”

ASK: How big is your sphere really?

Renevere podcast “not having to have the last word” Dallas Willard

MIN 28

StudentsofJesus.com

The Deeper Seminars (link)

Relationally combining grace and truth

MIN 32 What “Grace teaches” means

Titus 2:11-12

3 movements of grace

  • salvation – forgiveness
  • how to say no to ungodliness
  • how to live upright sensible lives in this present age

Fruit of the Spirit (link to Ray’s first guest podcast) and the biggest misunderstanding about it.

Not attained but instead or the byproduct (result) that show we are living a life with God (Divine Love).

John chapter 15

FREE=to=Download [PDF] Exercises from Ray.

Deeper Grace – Exercise One
Deeper Grace – Exercise Two
Deeper Grace – Exercise Three


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Soul School – Lesson 17- Love What Was Lost

• SOUL SCHOOL comes out every Wednesday!
• On FRIDAYS return for a fascinating guest interview/conversation. (FIND THE other ones HERE.)

IF you enjoy Soul School, you represent the core listeners of Spark My Muse. Kindred Spirits.

Pay close attention for something new this month. I’m calling it Soul School-Varsity Club. (I was going to call it “Master Class” but, well, OPRAH…and it sounded a little pretentious for me to say it like that… So, nope.

Varsity Club is an access point to dig deeper into the Soul School topics because they interest you and you want to hear more. The Varsity Club is like upgrading from just a bite of cake to a slice of cake. MMM cake.

I’ll go into greater depth in video lessons, offer one-to-one opportunities to meet with me once a month if you want to, do some Q & As, have helpful devotional/worksheets resources for you to use, and also some extra goodies for a reasonable subscription cost.

(If you are already a Patreon PATRON  for $5 or more….you are automatically in the Varsity Club. Done. Want to be a Patron? Do that HERE.)

Let me know what you think about the Varsity Club idea and if you’d like to be a part of it. What do you think should be included? I’d love to hear from you as I work out the details…just CLICK HERE to let me know.

More info will come soon.



When I recorded today’s episode I was alluding to Matt Khan’s work, but I used my own analogy of a WHITE FLAG on the hill of your heart.

• Here’s Matt’s book about loving loving what arises.

EPS 24: The Robust (Ignatian) Spirituality of Pope Francis

Right now, one of the most powerful and influential men in the world is undoubtably Pope Francis.

Pope Francis is the first Jesuit Pope, but too few people know the specific qualities of his Order (The Society of Jesus-Ignatian spirituality). His spirituality and training powerfully and uniquely guide his worldview, philosophy of vocation and work, and themes of his prominent, worldwide administration especially when compared with his predecessors.

Through his decisions, he influences Roman Catholics internationally (a staggering 1.1 billion people) and his ideas influence and inspire many of the 2.2 billion people who consider themselves Christian (specifically: a follower of the way of Jesus), including me.

What is most influential to Pope Francis?
His training in the Society of Jesus (the Catholic Order founded by Ignatius of Loyola 400 years ago). This is what guides how he see the world and makes all his important decisions that direct the Catholic Church and influence others worldwide.

Today, we will learn more about these teachings that often come out-of-sync with the ways and structures of established institutions of religion, politics, and power.

Pope_Francis_at_Vargihna

 


 

Spirutal Director, Jeanine Breault, trained in Ignatian Spirituality
Spirutal Director, Jeanine Breault, formally trained in Jesuit Ignatian Spirituality

Today, you will hear from my spiritual director, Jeanine Breault, a Roman Catholic who is formally trained in the Ignatian tradition. We converse about some of the salient characteristics of the Ignatian spiritual teachings and traditions.

Thus, you will find out the manner in which Pope Francis is directed spiritually by his own spiritual director within this 400 year old spiritual tradition; learn how Ignatian spiritual directors (and the current Pope) see the world and how God works in it, and more.

 

SHOWNOTES: EPS 24: The (Ignatian) Spirituality of Pope Francis

MIN: 1:00

Answering: What is Ignatian Spirituality?

1:20

Finding God in all things. We are invited to notice how God is at work. More than head knowledge but an experiential knowledge.

2:30

God is always at work for the good in my life and in my world and growing in that awareness. How can I respond to God’s call?

3:10

Ignatian Spirituality in contemplative in action.

Francis of Assisi and Saint Dominic are major influences on Ignatius.

3:30 An Intimate relationship with God SO THAT I can labor with God.

Now that there is a Pope who is a Jesuit (the first in history) how does that shift the role and the the way he see the world as the head of the church.

5:00

On Pope Francis’s new letter “The Joy of the Gospel” and the Jesuit flavorings contained within and the influence on his life.

8:50

On the massive changes at the Vatican.

9:20

Who was Ignatius of Loyola? Ignatius_Loyola_by_Francisco_Zurbaran

The story of the man who founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) 

Born in 1491 and his message continues to changes peoples lives.

His war injury and what changed his life.

11:30

The mystical experience he had.

12:30

He work in the discernment of spirits (his work called the Spiritual Exercises) and how these forces work in our lives.

13:10

Discerning and choosing between two goods.

13:30

The rules for discernment that can be applied to anyone at anytime.

14:30

The basic of the rules of discernment.

When a person is oriented to God and desires to please God, then God confirms that and gives graces of peace, joy, and comfort. The opposite feelings do not come from God (fear, anxiety, discouragement, despair, etc).

16:20

Through the Ignatian spiritual exercises, one can figure out what is of God and what is not.

17:40

People coming to direction for the first time are really grappling with a sense of God’s love for them (and not really believing it.)

19:00

Coming to a spirit-led decision and grace is involved.

19:30

Overcoming the obstacle of unworthiness.

20:00

Working at cultivating people’s awareness. Asking questions that create space for inquiry, discovery and discernment.

21:00

We forget that God loves at at some level and it’s a continual process of remembering.

21:50

Her experience with guilt in prayer because of a lack of focus. Apologizing to God about being preoccupied. And the amazing thing God seemed to say in response.

The part of affirming the goodness of God and what God is doing in that person’s life is the job of the director.

23:45

The answer won’t expect to my question: “What do you say or do when people can’t see or sense God, or they have a blindness and are unaware?” (Maybe an “image of God problem”)

24:10

The “director” is not a good word. The Spirit of God is the actual director and it’s God’s business.

25:20

The parallel with gardening and patience for growth.

26:10

“God loves that person more than you do.”

26:00

On not “fixing” things and solving problems.

27:00

Compassionate listening and getting out of the way for God to work better.

28:00

What supervision of a spiritual director looks like so that good listening can keep happening for those directed.

29:00

Finding a director that is properly prepared to direct others is crucial.

Asking Jeanine, “What happens in your mind and heart when you find yourself wanting to solve problems and rescue someone?”

30:00

Remembering the kind of ministry direction is. A prevailing ope that God is at work and in control ultimately. It’s sacred time and time to stay focused. Setting aside things when they come up.

32:40

Do people expect you to be their counselor? And what happens when that happens during direction?

35:00

Helping people know what to expect from direction and how to find someone who is properly trained.

The international listing of trained directors. sdiworld.org

Director will work with people from any tradition.

42:30

The connection of Buddhism and Christian Mysticism in practice. Seeing the goodness in other traditions.

44:00

John O’Donohue and his comments of what Buddhism can brings to Christianity and vice versa.

46:00

Noticing the “now”.

47:00

Coming to a vibrant faith where (you realize) God is working in this very moment.

48:00

Relationships are the ways we become tuned to God and working out our salvation in real life and ordinary experiences.

49:00

Resources to continue on this path.

Ronald Rollhieser The Holy Longing and Prayer: Our Deepest Longing

Carmelite nun Ruth Borrows. Guidelines for Mystic Prayer

Anthony De Mello
Awareness

Joyce Rupp

Learn more about Ignatius of Loyola here.

Special End-of-Summer News and Updates Episode

Here’s a picture of me “at the office” as I write this post. I love creating episodes and posts for you, and it’s especially nice to do it outdoors…but I’m going to need a hoodie…more on that later.

hammock offic

 

This short Sunday episode contains news and info.

I’m debuting my new microphone for you to hear. Tell me if you can hear the difference!


A few Episodes are already in the queue, but after those air, you will hear a much richer and higher quality sound demonstrated in this short episode! Many thanks for your kind response to my need for financial support. I still need to buy more monthly space at the audio hosting site, but it is a landmark accomplishment to upgrade my mic and I had to share my joy, gratitude, (and the new and improved sound) with you!

 

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In September, I will launch a Slack Community just for us!

Slack allows you to connect and collaborate much like Facebook but without all the ads and baloney.

At the Spark for Creatives community, we will be able to share, talk about the podcast topic of the week, connect, collaborate, communication, trade notes, and encourage each other in our communication and creative endeavors.

If you’re calling involves creating or communicating, welcome to your tribe!

(If you feel like reading political, religious, or societal rants, seeing posts from only about 12 people, being inundating with horrible news stories, seeing animated GIFs, playing Pet Saga, or looking at adverts from the places you just visited online, you will still have Facebook to turn to.)

• You must be subscribed to my email update list to get the application to join.

• You can join this community for free if you start as a charter member. In the future there will be a few special access areas, education options, and premium groups options that will be paid add-ons or features, too.

 

Subscribe to the mailing list for the chance to apply (and you also get the latest audio episode links delivered to you, 2-3 times per month.)

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