Conversations with Dr. Gabriela Ilie and Guests (Podcast 25): Today’s Guests are Thomas Bruder - Embracing Spirituality and Healing

Episode 25 | Poetry, Perception & the Path Back to Love with Thomas Wang-BruderWhat happens when poetry becomes a spiritual practice—and a way of seeing the world differently?In Episode 25, I sit down with Thomas Wang-Bruder, poet, classical scholar, and longtime student and practitioner of A Course in Miracles (ACIM), for a thoughtful conversation about spirituality, creativity, forgiveness, and our journey from fear back to love.Thomas belongs to the first generation of people raised with the principles of A Course in Miracles  in the home. His spiritual practice has been deeply influenced by the teachings of Kenneth Wapnick and Gary Renard, while his writing draws upon a lifelong engagement with classical languages and European literature.After a major life change in 2018, Thomas began writing spiritually inspired poetry using classical poetic forms to illuminate the experiences of ordinary life. This work eventually became his first book, *Love | Source | Joy*.In our conversation, we explore how poetry can help us look beyond appearances, how the ego shapes the stories we tell about ourselves and others, and how forgiveness can change our experience of the world. Thomas also reflects on the relationship between ancient spiritual writing and the teachings of A Course in Miracles, including his remarkable reimagining of the ancient **Hymn to the Aten and Psalm 104.At its heart, this is a conversation about learning to see differently—and recognizing that beneath our judgments, fears, and perceptions lies something much simpler: love.In this episode, we explore:• Growing up with A Course in Miracles• Poetry as a spiritual practice• The influence of Kenneth Wapnick and Gary Renard• Forgiveness and the undoing of the ego• Fear, perception, and our interpretations of everyday life• Ancient sacred poetry and modern spiritual experience• Finding the sacred within ordinary moments• Love, Source, and Joy as expressions of our deeper natureWhether you are a longtime student of A Course in Miracles, interested in poetry and spirituality, or simply curious about how we might experience our lives and relationships differently, I hope this conversation gives you something meaningful to contemplate.About Thomas Wang-BruderThomas has a background in classical languages and literature, law, and library science. A lifelong reader of European literature, he learned several ancient and modern languages in order to encounter important works in their original form. His spiritually inspired poetry brings classical literary traditions into conversation with contemporary life and the teachings of *A Course in Miracles*.Learn more about Thomas and his work:thomasbruder.comFor more on Drs. Rob and Gabriela Rutledge’s work, including the Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (CancerPEP), visit  CancerPEP.com, PEPLife, pcpep.org, and bcpep.org.Listen to the audio version of the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1094801.rssAvailable on Buzzsprout and most major podcast platforms, including Apple, Google, and Spotify.Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/u8ClILYeNfo#ACourseInMiracles #ACIM #ThomasWangBruder #Spirituality #Forgiveness #Poetry #SpiritualAwakening #Love #InnerPeace #Mindfulness #SpiritualGrowthSpiritual Insights on Cancer Journey, CancerPEP.com