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Welcome to the Why Behind the What where the 'what' can spark a conversation; the 'why' can open up one's soul. In Season Three, we are discovering the Divine all around us, seeing the Spiritual in everything, and hopefully being surprised by the Sacred. Learn more at nathanalbert.com.
Episodes
Monday May 11, 2020
Monday May 11, 2020
In this episode, I interview singer-songwriter Marielle Kraft about how she spends four days in silence and solitude every year in a tiny cabin. She shares how it impacts her soul, faith, and her songwriting.
Yet, the coolest part of this episode is that Marielle plays a song she has never ever played publicly. Yes, that’s right people, it’s a world premiere performance on the podcast! And, it brought tears to my eyes.
You can find Marielle’s music on Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your music. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. You can also buy some merch on her website.
Subscribe to my newsletter and be sure to check out my website and blog. You can also find me on Twitter or Instagram.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Monday May 04, 2020
Monday May 04, 2020
What does it mean to be a Contemplative Ecumenical? In this episode, I invite you to join me in, what I hope will be, a new movement of people who embrace this mysterious, contemplative, and transformational way of life and begin to identify as Contemplative Ecumenicals.
This episode is based on a former blog series I wrote: On Being an Ecumenical; Part 1; Part 2; Part 3. Resources I reference are The Pocket Meister Eckhart and The Pocket Thomas Merton.
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Review this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Monday Apr 27, 2020
Monday Apr 27, 2020
In this episode, I force us to ask whether social media and our digital devices enhance or inhibit our spiritual life and transformation. The more I use social media, the more I am questioning the value of social media.
I’d venture to say that we serve the god of our smartphones much more than we serve the God of the Universe. We are much more focused on our devices than on the Divine.
Great books you should read on this topic: Digital Minimalism; iDisorder; The Distracted Mind; Reclaiming Conversation; Bored and Brilliant; Irresistible; The Shallows; 10 Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now; I Used to Be a Human Being: An endless bombardment of news and gossip and images has rendered us manic information addicts. It broke me. It might break you, too; How to Break Up with Your Phone;
If you need a few new podcasts on this topic, I recommend: It’s Complicated; Note to Self; Your Undivided Attention.
Subscribe to my newsletter and check out my website.
Find me on Twitter or Instagram.
Review this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Monday Apr 20, 2020
Monday Apr 20, 2020
In this episode, I introduce you to Fixed Hour Prayer and Liturgy; absolutely ancient and foundational practices in the history of the Christian tradition.
Fixed Hour Prayer is pausing to pray throughout our day at regular intervals- usually in the morning, around lunch, in the early evening, and before bed. Liturgy, meanwhile, is the guiding and organizing principles of a church’s worship gathering; the rituals, traditions, and structure within the service.
These are two practices that I was taught to view as too rote and traditional as well as lacking passion and vitality. I was so wrong. These practices have absolutely changed everything for me.
It was Fixed Hour Prayer and the Liturgy that revived my soul; it brought tears to my eyes; it gave me the words I knew I needed to pray but didn’t have the words for; it changed how I viewed and experienced church gatherings; it made me so much more appreciative of church history and global faith community.
Here are some incredible resources to start experiencing Fixed Hour Prayer: The Divine Hours (Volume One); The Divine Hours (Volume Two); The Divine Hours (Volume Three); The Divine Hours: Pocket Edition; Book of Common Prayer; The Online Book of Common Prayer; Hour by Hour.
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Find me on Twitter or Instagram.
Review this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Monday Apr 13, 2020
Monday Apr 13, 2020
Many of us read ancient scriptures like we do a news article or a tweet; for information. But the ancient scriptures aren’t simply meant to be skimmed for info, they are to read for transformation. In this episode, I introduce you to Lectio Divina, Divine Reading, which is by far my favorite way to read and listen to scripture.
And, you might just learn Latin in this episode. Ok, ok, you won’t be fluent, but you might learn four words, which will make you far from even remotely amateur.
Here is a brief summary of how to do Lectio Divina:
Number 1 - Lectio: Read the passage. Listen for a word or phrase.
Number 2 - Meditatio: Read the passage. Define that word or phrase.
Number 3 - Oratio: Read the passage. Write a letter to yourself from God about that word or phrase.
Number 4 - Contemplatio: Read the passage. How do you need to respond? What needs to happen?
A couple of recommended books are: Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton and Invitation to a Journey by Robert Mulholland.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Monday Apr 06, 2020
Monday Apr 06, 2020
Dear Diary, After forgetting about you for almost 20 years, I picked you up and decided to reread parts of you. Oh dear Lord in heaven. What was I thinking of writing all that stuff? It’s some of the most hysterical, embarrassing, vomit-inducing, fundamentalist stuff I have ever read. It is epic. So, I have decided to read those parts to my podcast listeners. Sincerely, Nathan
Journaling is a powerful spiritual rhythm. It gives voice to our prayers, longings, and desires. It filters our prayers and thoughts to their core and can become a time capsule for our prayer life. It also can be a way to hear the still small voice of God.
My favorite journals are Moleksine. I've always got a handful lying around my office. A good resource about journaling is from a professor of mine: Journaling as a Spiritual Practice.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Monday Mar 23, 2020
Monday Mar 23, 2020
Centering prayer allows you to be in union with God, to be aware of God, and to be as close to God as your very breath. It is a holy act, where you don't have to worry about doing, but instead settle into simply being. And, it's a lot more difficult than you think.
Father Pennington's structure for Centering Prayer: 1. Be with God. 2. Use a word with stay with God. 3. Use the word to return to God. Isn't that great? Be with God, stay with God, return to God.
Two great resources I recommend are Centering Prayer, by Basil Pennington and Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, by Cynthia Bourgeault.
Resources I recommend: Centering Prayer, by Basil Pennington; Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, by Cynthia Bourgeault
Subscribe to my newsletter and check out my website and blog.
Find me on Twitter or Instagram.
Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Thursday Mar 19, 2020
Thursday Mar 19, 2020
So, the last few days have felt like a year or two, right?
I don’t know about you, but I am doing my best not to absolutely panic almost daily. And, it’s been breathing, the breath prayer, as well as meditation that has really been anchoring me and giving me moments of calm. In this short episode, I share just a quick story about how taking a walk somehow enabled me to calm down, become less overwhelmed, and see the beauty around me.
If you haven't listened to Episode Four on the Breath Prayer, be sure to check that out as I think it's an incredibly important practice during this time. It's my hope that as you listen to this and future, episodes, you will be reminded of practices that can anchor you, center you, calm you, and connect you with God.
So, Be safe. Be well. And through all of this, may we all have peace, may we all have calm, may we all have happiness.
If you have yet to do so, please subscribe to my newsletter and check out my website and blog.
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Review this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Monday Mar 09, 2020
Monday Mar 09, 2020
What if you could pray without ceasing? A bunch of monks tried to answer that question and a few hundred years later they came up with an answer- the breath prayer; a mystical and ancient way to connect with the Divine today. The breath prayer also has a 100% success rate at calming my anxiety, so it's worth a try.
If you need a Sesame Street music break, check out the Belly Breathe Music Video.
As mentioned in the episode, here is a list of breath prayers: Yah, Weh; God I can’t, but God you can; God of love and peace, cast out my fear and anxiety; Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief; I will love you, God, You are my strength; Lord make me according to your heart; For God alone my soul in silence waits; God of peace, calm my nerves; Spirit of Love, have your way; Speak, Oh God, Your servant is listening; And of course there’s the classic: Calm the F down, you’ll be ok.
A few resources mentioned include: Centering Prayer; Zen Habits; Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening; The Way of a Pilgrim; The Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Desert Prayer that Tunes the Heart to God: On the Prayer of Jesus: The Classic Guide to the Practice of Unceasing Prayer Found in The Way of a Pilgrim
Subscribe to my newsletter and be sure to check out my website and blog.
Find me on Twitter or Instagram.
Review this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, may you have happiness.
Monday Feb 24, 2020
Monday Feb 24, 2020
In this episode, we talk about solitude; a somewhat boring sounding topic but one that is absolutely essential to spiritual transformation. Solitude always made me lonely, until I realized it was an opportunity to turn toward the Divine and be present to the One who is in all things.
Additional books mentioned in this episode: Thoughts in Solitude, by Thomas Merton; Invitation to Solitude and Silence, by Ruth Haley Barton; The Way of the Heart, by Henri Nouwen.
Subscribe to my newsletter and check out my website and blog.
Find me on Twitter or Instagram.
Review this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, may you have happiness.