Eps 78 – Guest, Peter Rollins on Lacking the Lack, Fighting Ghosts, and Reveling in the Raveling

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(on “Hump Day” aka Midweek) for a brief Soul School “lesson”.


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SHOW NOTES:
So many show notes!

Peter Rollins
Peter Rollins

MIN 1:30
How the use of story enhanced Peter’s talks.

Video Example:

The Power of Parable from Peter Rollins on Vimeo.

His book containing parables:

His “friend” Sheamus

Pints and Parables events

4:30
Pub culture in Ireland and not running from doubts and pain.
(Repression is the term in psychoanalysis)

Sharing in each other’s suffering.

[ictt-tweet-inline via=””]Parables are a technology that help us look at painful things not directly so we can cultivate a grace in our lives and toward other people.[/ictt-tweet-inline]

(You can instantly tweet this quote above by clicking the blue bird. Look for other blue birds in these show notes.)

9:00
JRR Tolkien
Eucatastrophe  (a good undoing, like the kind that happen in Fairy Stories)
Irish culture / music / art

Shane Tucker’s podcast

Green Belt Festival

The 18 foot woman in a dress at IKON. Ravel and unravel.

13:30 Pete’s Memento Mori

happyreaper
Pete’s Happy Reaper jacket pin

Something to remind you of death.
• Pete’s happy reaper memento mori.
• Lack and nothingness has a painful side but there is a way to find a fuel from it for life and living.

The painters called the Dutch Masters featured a theme: Vanity / futility of life.

Pieter Claesz, "Vanitas" 1630
Pieter Claesz, “Vanitas” (1630)

The authentic, lively and cohesive pub [juxtaposed with] the vacuous and lonely night club.

The IKON community

[ictt-tweet-inline via=””]We already are depressed and don’t know it.[/ictt-tweet-inline]

We say “Gone and not forgotten.”
The truth is usually “Forgotten but not gone.”

19:00
Believing in ghosts and hauntings.
A ghost is the presence of an absence.

Community can help us with our ghosts and make peace with them.

22:00
Friendly Fire Event (link)

Pyrotheology from Peter Rollins on Vimeo.

PyroTheology – Theory and Technology
5 academics

Engaging the Journal looking at the 5 critiques

Atheism for Lent course

Facebook LIVE events (link)
Philosophy for the streets

26:00
WAKE (2017) Festival in Belfast

Irish way to remember the life of the one who has dies and celebrate life for the living.

30:30
The Divine Magician (book link)


“God talk is often talk about ourselves with a megaphone “ -Karl Barth

The Vanishing Act of God the purposeful ambiguity in the title (Is God vanishing or doing the vanishing?)

Who is the magician? The Priest? The believer? God?
Liturgy is the technology of Theology.

The sacred object: The Forbidden Fruit is the first sacred object.

Video of Pete:

Tearing The Temple Curtain from Peter Rollins on Vimeo.

[ictt-tweet-inline via=””]God is not an object that we love. God is that which we find in the act of love itself.[/ictt-tweet-inline]

3 Elements of the magic trick: The Pledge (The Object), the Turn (The Disappearance), the Prestige (The Object returns as something else)

[ictt-tweet-inline via=””]The Eucharist includes the 3 parts of the magic trick.[/ictt-tweet-inline]

40:00
Pete’s event and speaking schedule

On naps!

45:00
Costs of living and why he lives in LA now.
Freedom from the pursuit of what will make you happy.

[ictt-tweet-inline via=””]The tyranny of happiness is at its worst in Los Vegas and LA[/ictt-tweet-inline]

47:30
The serpent says,
“If you eat the fruit then you will be like God.”
(To lack the lack that we feel.)

• The serpent is called the superego in psychoanalysis.

Crush the head of the serpent.

49:00
Why and how Pete jogs in LA

Some other books by Pete you should check out!

Thank you for listening.
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Eps 59: Desire and Rhythm of Life – Return Guest Shane Tucker


On Sunday April 24 Spark My Muse will be 1 year old!
HOORAY!
Thank you to everyone who has helped by listening, with encouragement, and with gifts to keep the Spark My Muse show going.bestcake

To celebrate there will be some very interesting things happening in the….
#weekofSPARKle —stay tuned!

Want to send a small birthday gift?
Click to give, the baby Spark a present.


 Today, I have a return guest!
My soul friend, Shane Tucker.
He has a new book and you can get it free.
Today we converse about it and Irish culture
–two fire-makers are sparking things…what’s not to love?

Scroll down for essential links and show notes.

Shane-@-Ross-2012-M


SHOW NOTES

MIN 1

Shane is an Anglican Priest and Soul Friend – a fire-maker of souls – sparking fire for souls!

“Being a best friend you’ve always wanted.”

• Link to my 1st episode with Shane (if you haven’t heard it yet)

Rhythm of Life book link

Intersection of Arts, Faith and Culture

MIN 5

Dreamers of the Day

MIN 6:30

Classic Principles (walk with me)

Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience

MIN 9:30

Distinctive Practices (work with me)

Two Distinct calls of Jesus:

Walk with me & Work with me

MIN 12:00

Photography in the book

and introspective questions within the book

Stirring desire which is fuel for the journey.

The good, the true, and the beautiful

MIN 15:30

Selfish or corrupted life practices

Dallas Willard

VIM

• Vision

• Intention

• Means (resources and tools -practices and disciplines/space makers for God to rush in)

The process of transformation.

MIN 19

Abundant life and freedom

MIN 20

Offering what little we have up to God and into the world.

MIN 22

Dream Out Loud (book)

…is about the 2nd call on our lives building for the Kingdom of God.

Ode by Arthur O’Shaughnessy

Ode

We are the music makers,

And we are the dreamer of dreams,

Wandering by lone sea-breakers,

And sitting by desolate streams;

World-losers and world-forsakers,

 

On whom the pale moon gleams:

Yet we are the movers and shakers

Of the world for ever, it seems.

With wonderful deathless ditties,

We build up the world’s great cities,

 

And out of a fabulous story

We fashion an empire’s glory:

One man with a dream, at pleasure,

Shall go forth and conquer a crown;

And three with a new song’s measure

Can trample an empire down.

 

We, in the ages lying

In the buried past of earth,

Built Nineveh with our sighing,

And Babel itself with our mirth;

And o’erthrew them with prophesying

To the old of the new world’s worth;

For each age is a dream that is dying,

Or one that is coming to birth.

 

A breath of our inspiration

Is the life of each generation;

A wondrous thing of our dreaming

Unearthly, impossible seeming —

The soldier, the king, and the peasant

Are working together in one,

Till our dream shall become their present,

And their work in the world be done.

 

They had no vision amazing

Of the goodly house they are raising;

They had no divine foreshowing

Of the land to which they are going:

But on one man’s soul it hath broken,

A light that doth not depart;

And his look, or a word he hath spoken,

 

Wrought flame in another man’s heart.

And therefore to-day is thrilling

With a past day’s late fulfilling;

And the multitudes are enlisted

In the faith that their fathers resisted,

 

And, scorning the dream of to-morrow,

Are bringing to pass, as they may,

In the world, for its joy or its sorrow,

The dream that was scorned yesterday.

But we, with our dreaming and singing,

Ceaseless and sorrowless we!

The glory about us clinging

 

Of the glorious futures we see,

Our souls with high music ringing:

O men! it must ever be

That we dwell, in our dreaming and singing,

A little apart from ye.

For we are afar with the dawning

 

And the suns that are not yet high,

And out of the infinite morning

Intrepid you hear us cry —

How, spite of your human scorning,

Once more God’s future draws nigh,

And already goes forth the warning

That ye of the past must die.

 

Great hail! we cry to the comers

From the dazzling unknown shore;

Bring us hither your sun and your summers;

And renew our world as of yore;

You shall teach us your song’s new numbers,

And things that we dreamed not before:

Yea, in spite of a dreamer who slumbers,

And a singer who sings no more.

 

A wondrous thing of our dreaming,

Unearthly, impossible seeming-

The soldier, the king, and the peasant

Are working together in one,

Till our dream shall become their present,

And their work in the world be done.

 

And therefore today is thrilling,

With a past day’s late fulfilling.

And the multitudes are enlisted

In the faith that their fathers resisted,

And, scorning the dream of tomorrow,

Are bringing to pass, as they may,

In the world, for it’s joy or it’s sorrow,

The dream that was scorned yesterday.

 

For we are afar with the dawning

And the suns that are not yet high,

And out of the infinite morning

Intrepid you hear us cry-

How, spite of your human scorning,

Once more God’s future draws nigh,

And already goes forth the warning

That ye of the past must die.

 

Great hail! we cry to the corners

From the dazzling unknown shore;

Bring us hither your sun and your summers,

And renew our world as of yore;

You shall teach us your song’s new numbers,

And things that we dreamt not before;

Yea, in spite of a dreamer who slumbers,

And a singer who sings no more.

 

MIN 25:30

The book title’s connection to the band U2

Streets Have No Name

Always

MIN 27

Hope in Irish culture and in the music. The folk music expresses sadness and joy together.

MIN 29:30

JRR TOLKEIN

eucatastrophe 

“ a good undoing”

a joy that brings tears–a sudden glimpse of truth.

MIN 32

The Trips Shane Guides to Ireland

Featuring ancients stories, heroes, and revered saints, landmarks, pubs, and historic features.

Find Shane on Twitter:

@dreamingbig

His website: artistsoulfriend.com

Lesson 28: Soul School-The Myth of “It Is What It Is”

gategarden


Soul School, Lesson 28 is special – You can access PART II for just a buck. (Ten dimes. Or, Four Quarters.)

Normally, Soul School, Part II is weekly just for Varsity Club members who support the show on an ongoing basis for $5 per month or more. NOT TODAY.

For Lesson 28, you get a PREVIEW access special for only a dollar!
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(The link and details are below)



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LESSON 28:
What does “It is what it is” mean to you?

Today, I talk about what we can change and the work of Carol Dweck.

The pivotal and transforming power of “growth mindset” as seen in her work and case studies could change dozen of things you thought were unchangeable in your life: your health, relationships, circumstances, living arrangements, learning, lifestyle, career, and much more.

Dweck shows that we tend toward two main ways of thinking. Making a strategic switch and using a particular word as we frame our thinking and describe our situations has a profound impact on outcomes. Her case studies prove it–listen in.

• After you listen to PART I (click the audio button below) be sure to watch the video lesson, PART II here (a Varsity Club PREVIEW special-for just $1).


• The lesson also comes with a handout and videos links to Carol’s talks. Get in on this Preview of Varsity Club, featuring Lessson 28–Varsity Club is the way learners and listeners support the show.
Find it here and start now.

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Thanks for listening today. Be sure to subscribe (see below) and listen to the Friday episode with my guest and soul friend, Shane Tucker on the topics of desire and rhythm of life.



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Episode 15 Shane Tucker and the listening art of “soul friendship”

Today: A conversation with Shane Tucker!

Shane is a Soul Friend (Spiritual Director) with a focus on artists and creatives, be they “yuccies”, “slashies”, painters, musicians, or any one in need of deeper and more sustaining, soul-level communing.


 

How we find spark:
Together, we make the Spark My Muse podcast happen.
I prepare something and you digest it.

 I invite you to just listen, read the show notes and click on links, and give what you can.
That’s all. :)

 

• If it’s worth nothing…um what? Are you serious? This just got more awkward..Aw…snap! I sincerely apologize. Let me know what I can improve and please come back and listen again soon!

• If it’s worth one dollar, five dollars, twenty-five dollars, six hundred dollars, a billion-zillion dollars… you get the idea…

simply, tap into the river of gratitude in your heart and contribute what you can– HERE or use that Paypal button, over yonder.

 

(Of course, since money isn’t everything, you can say “thanks” and help with something that is not monetary, just let me know here. You make fruit pies, right?)

• Use the social share buttons, spread the word, leave a great a review at iTunes…these are all ways to help too.  Thanks in advance for your generosity!

Every little bit helps a lot.
Thank you, listeners for making the show heard in 96 countries and a,l 50 of the United States!

With Love,
~Lisa


SHOWNOTES with links and highlights.

Wine Segment:
MINUTE 1:30 On meade and Irish wine

Snapshot of the segment:

• Meade is fermented honey and herbs added.

• Irish wine is (usually) white wine, with some honey and herbs.
• It is still often used during the wine toast in Irish wedding ceremonies.

 

Sparking your muse!

Shane-@-Ross-2012-MA conversation with Shane Tucker:

His website

His Twitter

Shane is…
• An ordained Anglican Preist

• A trained Anam Cara (soul friend in the Irish Tradition).

• He lived with his wife and family in Ireland for 11 years!


Conversation (podcast) notes:

MINUTE 3:00

How Shane and his wife and family happened to live in Ireland for 11 years.

4:15
How God begins to grow dreams in us

Working at the Willow Creek Church

People have long said that still seems true. When foreigners come that end up being more Irish than the Irish themselves.

7:20

One of the most potent lessons learned from the Irish was the necessity to put people first. They take time to connect with each other and share life.

9:00 A sense of call to minister to artist and creatives.

9:40 On why he feels a passion to serve the creative community: “I believe the creative of today is the prophet of old”. It is a prophetic call.

10:10

“Creatives are called to paint a picture of the future that God is calling us all into. His Kingdom coming.”

10:50

“When a creative (person) using their gift…it taps into something deep inside of us and reverberates…and it feels like echoes of home.”

12:00

Jesus invites us to “walk with me and work with me.”

12:20

answering: What is Spiritual Direction (or soul friendship) actually?

13:00

A soul friend is “the best friend you’ve always wanted.”

and the Saint Bridgette quote…

13:50

A good picture is in the New Testament of the friends walking to Emmaus and then Jesus come in their midst. Unpacking life.

14:00

“The Soul Friend is someone who helps us see how God has been at work in our lives…so we can (as St. Ignatius says) “to recklessly abandon ourselves to his loving care.”

15:20

The problem with the phrase “Spiritual Director” on two counts so I use “soul friend”.

18:00

How he was trained in soul care and soul friendship

21:00

On becoming an Anglican Priest…

25:00

What he find to be the deepest needs of the creative community he works with?

Affirmation and Presence

30:00

Living in a Creative Age (moving from head to heart)

31:30

There’s an affective moving in society leading with Beauty first and then Truth that leads to freedom.

32:00

Alan Crieder

Behave Belong Believe (in which order should be in what era)

33:20

“What the heart loves, the will chooses, and the mind justifies.”

35:00

The error of focusing too much on trying to convince people just intellectually.

36:00

Ignatian Spirituality

Celtic Spirituality

Soul Friendship
by Rev Ray Simpson (Church of England)

The Celtic Way of Prayer
by Ester De Waal

Holy Companions

42:30

on the hospitality and generosity of Irish spirituality.

The story of an Inn with 7 doors for the 7 roads.


Thank you so much for listening to the show!


 

To get alerts of the topics and the new and interesting folks coming to the podcast in future episode click HERE.

Here’s a tasting of who’s coming in the next few months:

Mako Fujimura

Nicole Unice

Shane Claiborne

and, yes, more!

 

More Mystery: Video, Lady Gaga PRAYS (yes, to God)

Several times I have covered Lady Gaga on this blog. She is a complicated person, and now she’s openly speaking of spiritual things. So, this is my tuff (area of expertise and education), and I want to weigh in. You can too.

It’s the habit of most who comment about Gaga to past judgement on her, but that is not the point of this post, or my other posts. While I welcome your comments, I ask that you attempt to be thoughtful and intelligent in your responses. You don’t have to like her to comment, but if you want to bash her,  find a different blog to barf on.

It seems she’s the archetype of a person who is (seemingly) easy to pigeon hole. But this mega star, and so many like her (who are not in the limelight) are just people who are trying to find their way in the world. You may think differently, but maybe you should watch the footage below, first.

I provide this engagement on the topic of the person who is  the singer and performer Stefani Germanotta because so many are watching her and following her.

When she asks people to do things, millions respond. This strikes me as important to note for Christians, as we interact with those God loves, and enact the messge of the gospel of God’s grace poured out on us, in Jesus Christ.

Also, I think it helps (as Christians) to engage the struggles of many people, all while questioning our motives and the hidden influencers of our interactions with people that sound, look, dress, and act differently than we prefer. I’d say it takes to task our enactments of grace and love toward God, ourselves, and others. I hope it will challenge this in you.

Besides, it’s really a gawker vortex, seriously, no?

So, here is the topic de jour. Let’s talk about this. I found this recent video footage quite curious:

The scoop:
Unlike many stars, Lady Gaga prays before concerts (to God, not herself as some might first assume or expect).

This prayer footage (from her upcoming HBO special) begins at the 2:40 marker. (The first part of the video is somewhat of a breakdown in her confidence. Quite a bit of crying, part pep talk, some non sequitur stuff, and some emotional hysteria. But, to me, it also seems to be, at least in part, some genuine footage of the acute struggle this 25 year old has performing and living life larger than life in front of millions of fans and foes.)

Will her public prayers to God encourage others to rely on him too? Perhaps. What do you think?

And, yes, in case you’re wondering…I could speak to what seems like a bit of flawed theology, but I’m waiting for her to phone me, so we can talk it over.

Actually, I think many would be good to follow her lead in seeking God’s help, as she does here.

Yes, I question her use of the word “worship” when  speaking about her fans. It strikes me as overdone, misguided, and/or unhealthy, unless she is actually referencing serving and loving them selflessly. And, yes, it could all be just a stunt, as pop stars are given to do. I’m not naive.

Nevertheless it provokes a deeper look at the spiritual.

Let’s face it, how many super stars pray, and ask for God’s help before a show, let alone allow the world to see them do it? Don’t say “Amy Grant”. That doesn’t count.

Remember this also, her core fans aren’t Christians, or praying types, in particular. What does it behove her to be so “old fashioned”? Isn’t it much cooler to be “over Christianity” and be Buddhist or wear a red string Kabbalah bracelet?

Sign up to continue the conversation/see future posts.

NOTE: If you watch the first part, or the very end after, marker 3:46, be aware that there is some cussing. You have been warned.

3:46
Lady Gaga Presents: Gaga Revealed by HBO