To Be a Mystic

Episode Overview & Show NotesIn this episode of To Be a Mystic, we explore how sacred mysteries are embodied in the everyday—through intuition, conscious awareness, and the people who hold us steady when the wind is cold. Drawing from Howard Thurman’s 1980 Spelman College commencement address and a quiet family memoir written by my great-uncle John H. Blackburn, we reflect on the tender tradition of keeping life alive and the profound power of mundane, everyday choices.Credits & AttributionPodcast Host & Production: Marcella Ciccotelli (The Grounded Soul)Featured Memoir: Corinn’s Story (January 2000), written by Dr. John H. Blackburn.Opening Citation: Howard Thurman, Spelman College Commencement Address (1980).Closing Citation: Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way.

As we cross the threshold of the summer solstice, this episode is an intimate invitation to slow down, breathe, and ground yourself in the living energy of the natural world. Through a series of sensory reflections, we explore what it means to be fully present to the small miracles around us—from the rhythm of an ancient oak to the quiet sigh of a resting cat. Grab a warm cup of tea, find a comfortable space, and let yourself connect with the deep peace of the Great Artist’s creation.Opening stanza adapted from the poem "Blessings" by Joyce Rupp (from her book, "May I Have This Dance?").In This Episode, We Explore: The Senses of Summer: Tuning into the unexpected joy of warm rain on a hammock, the scent of fresh soil, and the electric blue of blooming Salvia. The Wisdom of the Trees: Recognizing the constant protection, grounding energy, and heartbeat-like rhythm of the trees that surround our homes. The Miracle of Growth: Cultivating a deep, healthy pride in nurturing life from a tiny seed into a delicate bloom. An Inward Journey: Closing with a guided body awareness reflection to help you sense your body from the inside out and step into Kingdom presence.Connect & Deepen Your Practice Read the Written Reflection: You can find the full text of today's poem, along with regular essays and nature photography, on our Substack newsletter at The Grounded Soul / link here. Visit the Website: Explore more nature-based wellness practices, podcast archives, and creative works at www.marcellaciccotelli.comSubscribe & Review: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform—it helps our community grow! Breath Practice for the Week: Sometime today, kick off your shoes, close your eyes, and try to feel the skin of your toes from the inside. Take a deep breath, sigh it out, and let yourself rest.

In this episode, we explore what it means to step out of the frantic rush of daily life and anchor ourselves in the present moment. We dive into the profound practice of constant, minute-by-minute awareness - treating our routine tasks not as distractions, but as living invitations to connect with the universal spirit. From the simple physical surrender of our daily actions to the realization that the divine is closer than we think, this episode is an invitation to slow down, breathe, and find the sacred in the ordinary.Resources & Deep Credit to the Creative Souls Who Inspired This Episode:Frank Laubach (The Game with Minutes): A massive thank you to the revolutionary spiritual practice of Frank Laubach. His lifelong experiment of turning his mind to the creator for just one second out of every minute completely reshaped how we view mindfulness today.Gift for Listeners: You can explore his original, life-changing practice for free! Access the online PDF of The Game with Minutes by Frank Laubach and start your own gentle experiment today.https://levaire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/The-Game-with-Minutes-Frank-Laubach.pdfJoyce Rupp: We extend our deepest gratitude to Joyce Rupp for her profound written wisdom on intentional living and spiritual grounding. Her books beautifully guide us on how to nurture the soul through the natural rhythms of life.Thomas Merton: We reflect on the timeless and contemplative words of the great monk and writer Thomas Merton. His beautiful quotes remind us that the divine spirit is not a distant concept, but a presence wrapped into the very fabric of our immediate reality.Eric Weiner (The Concept of "Thin Places"): Special appreciation to author Eric Weiner for his brilliant insights into how certain spaces and moments across the globe become "thin places"—moments where the distance between the physical world and the divine spirit completely fades away, allowing us to perceive the sacred all around us.Connect with the JourneyIf this episode brought a sense of stillness to your day, please consider subscribing, leaving a warm review, or sharing it with another soul who might need a moment to pause and breathe today.Join our written community on Substack:If you want to dive deeper into these reflections, view our companion photography, and join a gentle community of like-minded souls, subscribe to our publication: The Grounded Soul on Substack https://open.substack.com/pub/thegroundedsoulEnjoying the podcast? Help keep this sacred space blooming by supporting the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thegroundedsoul

In this episode, we return to a recording from 2025—a gentle Loving Kindness (Metta) meditation. At its heart, this practice is about widening our circle of compassion, starting with ourselves and extending outward to the world around us.  Whether you are seeking a moment of stillness in a busy day or looking to cultivate more empathy for those around you, this guided session offers a simple path toward presence and peace.In this episode, you’ll find: A guided meditation focusing on self-compassion, neutral neighbors, and global healing.Deepen the Practice:For a transcript of this meditation and a deeper dive into how nature and mindfulness intersect, join our community at:https://open.substack.com/pub/thegroundedsoulAdditional Resources:If you’d like to read more about the intersection of Loving Kindness and spiritual practice, I recommend this thoughtful resource:https://loyolaspiritualitycenter.org/loving-kindness/

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." — Annie DillardWhat happens when we realize our phone is leading our Soul? In this episode, Marcella tells the story of her "wild experiment"—a 100-day journey that started with deleting a favorite app and ended with finding a sacred frequency she didn't know she was missing.If you’ve ever felt "fractured" by the digital glow or noticed your body tightening at the sound of a notification, this conversation is for you. We explore the "Human Experiment" of replacing digital streaks with stillness and how to bring our heart, mind, and body back into sync.In this episode, we discuss:• The Icon Swap: Why Marcella replaced her most addictive app with a meditation tool and what happened 100 days later.• The Science of Soft Fascination: How nature (the "First Bible") physically resets our nervous system and lowers cortisol.• The Integrated Soul: Using the Dallas Willard model to understand why we feel "out of sync" when our attention is divided.• Sacred Listening: Creating the "trustworthy conditions" where your intuition can finally speak.The Grounded Soul Challenge:Ready to find your own quiet frequency? Join our community on Substack to participate in the upcoming 40-Day Lenten "Sacred Listening" Challenge. You’ll get weekly resources, science-backed practices, and a space to reconnect with your own wild and precious life.Join the community and get the Show Notes & Resources here:https://beacons.ai/spirituscreativeLet’s Stay Grounded!Featured Quotes:"The soul speaks its truth only under quiet, inviting and trustworthy conditions." — Parker J. PalmerTags: Spirituality, Mental Health, Nature, Meditation, Christian Living, Self-Awareness, Wellness

How do we find harmony when the world feels fractured? In this "Mini-Pod," Rev. Marcella Ciccotelli shares a celebration of community milestones and a practical tool for spiritual regulation during the grey Ohio winter.In this episode:​ The Milestone: Celebrating 1,400 downloads and the power of "finding our people."​ The Theology: A brief introduction to the Willardian Model—how our Mind, Body, and Soul work together to move toward wholeness.​ The Practice: A 60-second "Input Check" to help you pivot from digital noise toward God’s "First Bible" (Creation).Connect & Grow:​ Join the Community: For the written guide to "Indoor Forest Bathing" and deeper reflections, subscribe today!​ Follow the Journey: Visit beacons.ai/spirituscreative for resources, eco-chaplaincy updates, and links to support this ministry.​ Reflection Question: What is one "marker" of God’s goodness/grace you’ve seen this week?

What happens when your "star word" contradicts your fear?In this special Epiphany episode, I’m sharing a story I’ve never told in detail: my first year of seminary, hiding in my car during lunch breaks, and the moment a yellow paper star changed the trajectory of my life.We talk about:​ The "J-Term" struggle: Surviving seminary when you feel like an outsider.​ The Connection: Why none of us are "qualified" to lead alone.​ Tenderness: Reflections on my very first star word from 2019.https://open.substack.com/pub/thegroundedsoul/p/tree-hugging-seminary-and-the-socially?r=17n5on&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=trueVisit the link above to see the original 2019 worksheet mentioned in this episode and to join our community of clergy and seekers.About the Host:Marcella Ciccotelli is an Eco-Chaplain and Clergy member currently exploring the intersections of grief, nature, and spiritual rest.#StarWords #Epiphany #ClergyWellness #UMC #VulnerableLeadership

Today is the Winter Solstice—the 'Season of Stories.' It is also my podcast’s 1st anniversary and my grandfather’s birthday. In this special episode, I’m traveling back to a farm in Putnam County, Ohio, to an orange hammock stretched between two silver maples. Join me as we explore the 'cocoon' of the longest night and the farmer’s wisdom of trusting the dark. 🌲✨

Podcast Summary: The Mycelial Mystery: Connected in the Soil of GodDescription:In a world that prizes the "self-made" individual, what if the deepest truth of our faith is found not in our isolation, but in our radical connection?Join us this week as we delve into the Mycelial Mystery—a fascinating biological metaphor that illuminates the power of the Church community, based on the principle of the "wood wide web."We explore the hidden life of the forest, where:​God is the Earth: The ever-present, fertile soil of Prevenient Grace that sustains every seed of faith.​Our Practice is the Water: The consistent spiritual disciplines that allow our faith to flourish.​Jesus Christ is the Mycorrhizae: The vast, invisible fungal network that scientists call the "wood wide web," which literally connects the roots of all trees. This network is Christ, the Great Reconciler who, as Paul writes in Ephesians 2, "destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility."Tune in to discover how moving closer to one another is the key to a vibrant, life-giving faith, and how we are all sustained by the shared life that flows through the Mycelial Mystery of Christ.

Where is God in our wilderness moments?

After a year of praying and leaning on what is known as the Welcoming Prayer within the teachings of Thomas Keating, Pastor Marcella discusses its beauty its difficulty and its mysterious way of moving us closer to God.Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/ak/lost-in-thoughtsLicense code: ENR7BYKOSDATNOCBMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/tree-of-lifeLicense code: B4SIJEFY4KVALPSB*The date I speak of should be December 26, 2024

An abbreviated version of Blue Christmas 2024, which we had planned at The Meadow of Ottawa. This is such an important service to be present for one another. This recording won’t do it justice, yet there is much hope in hearing these readings. May you enjoy this first podcast episode.