Spiritual Longing

In today’s episode, we’re talking about spiritual longing: longing for connection to God, to mystery, to something greater than our individual selves. We explore some of the obstacles and questions that arise around spirituality: Do I need belief to be spiritual? Is my partner wrong for me if I’m on a spiritual path and they’re not? How do I pray when I’m afraid of what God might ask me to do? Victoria shares some of her history with spirituality and religion, including the legacy of her almost-monk grandfather, and a journey that includes Veggie Tales and CCD, desire and despair, writing poetry and e-mailing her ex-boyfriend from a silent retreat at an abbey.  Sheryl shares a poem that expresses her conception of the divine: not an external being that judges and punishes, but a warm and intimate relationship based in reciprocity, realness, and presence.  References: Veggie Tales Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Richard Rohr Blog post by Sheryl: Living God’s Will Jewish with Feeling by Reb Zalman God of Love by Mirabai Starr Mary Oliver Rumi The Power of Ritual by Casper ter Kuile Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast