Falling Upward (Listener Questions Part 3) With Richard Rohr

Welcome to Part 3 of our series responding to your questions. This episode continues the conversation from the previous two episodes responding to listener questions from Season 1 of Everything Belongs. Due to baby ducklings being born in the original conversation, we saved some of your questions and voicemails for Richard to be recorded at a later date. We'll see you soon for Season 2! Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here.

Welcome to Part 2 of our episodes responding to your questions. This episode continues the conversation from the previous episode responding to listener questions from Season 1 of Everything Belongs. About the guest: Cassidy Hall (she/her/hers) (MA, MDiv, MTS) is an author, award-winning filmmaker, podcaster, ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, and leading voice in contemplative spirituality. She is the cohost of the Encountering Silence podcast and the creator of the Contemplating Now and Queering Contemplation podcasts. Her films include In Pursuit of Silence and Day of a Stranger. Her forthcoming book, Queering Contemplation, Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality is set for release in May of 2024. Cassidy is widely published and currently resides in Indianapolis, where she is studying for her DMin degree. Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To learn more about Cassidy Hall, visit her website here. Grab a copy of Cassidy's book, Queering Contemplation, here. Connie Zweig's book The Inner Work of Age: From Role to Soul can be found here.

In this season finale of Everything Belongs, we're diving into the final chapter of Richard Rohr's book Falling Upward and responding to as many listener questions as we could across three parts. Joining Corey, Mike, and Paul for these special episodes is our dear friend Cassidy Hall, the author of Queering Contemplation. Together, we're exploring how her work relates to the themes of Falling Upward and the paradoxical journey of spiritual growth that comes along with it. This episode was recorded during a particularly memorable moment, as a brood of ducklings hatched in Richard's front yard, creating a scene of pure joy and wonder that mirrors the themes of new beginnings and unexpected grace that ran throughout this season. We hope you enjoy it 🦆🐥 About the guest: Cassidy Hall (she/her/hers) (MA, MDiv, MTS) is an author, award-winning filmmaker, podcaster, ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, and leading voice in contemplative spirituality. She is the cohost of the Encountering Silence podcast and the creator of the Contemplating Now and Queering Contemplation podcasts. Her films include In Pursuit of Silence and Day of a Stranger. Her forthcoming book, Queering Contemplation, Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality is set for release in May of 2024. Cassidy is widely published and currently resides in Indianapolis, where she is studying for her DMin degree. Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To learn more about Cassidy Hall, visit her website here. Grab a copy of Cassidy's book, Queering Contemplation, here.

How has the interplay between gain and loss shaped your life's journey, and what new possibilities does this open up for you now? In this episode, we're joined by two members of the CAC faculty Dr. Barbara Holmes and Brian McLaren as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 12: "New Problems and New Directions." In this conversation, we explore the continuous journey of transformation and renewal throughout all stages of life, reflecting on personal experiences, the rhythms of loss and gain, and the deep wisdom that guides us through both the first and second halves of life. Before we dive in to the interview with Barbara and Brian, CAC staff members Mike Petrow and Paul Swanson catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the twelfth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it. About the guests: Dr. Barbara Holmes is a scholar of African American spirituality and mysticism. Dr. Barbara Holmes reveals how the cosmos can expand our limited constructs of religion, race, and power. As faculty at the Center for Action and Contemplation, she teaches how God’s communal presence can inspire imagination and wisdom, especially in times of crisis. She is the author of Race and the Cosmos, Joy Unspeakable, and Crisis Contemplation. She hosts CAC's podcast The Cosmic We. Brian McLaren is the Dean of CAC Faculty. As a former evangelical pastor, Brian is a champion for a more loving, inclusive and contemplative Christianity. A faculty member at the Center for Action and Contemplation, he teaches ways to reconnect with the message Jesus lived and died for—unconditional love. He is the author of Faith After Doubt, The Great Spiritual Migration, and most recently, Life After Doom. He hosts CAC’s podcast Learning How to See. Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To learn more about Dr. Barbara Holmes, visit her website here. To learn more about Brian McLaren, visit his website here. Grab a copy of Brian's latest book, Life After Doom, here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: [email protected] Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail

What is the shadow? How do we understand it? In this episode, we're joined by Connie Zweig as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 11: "The Shadowlands." In this conversation with Connie Zweig, we explore the complex relationship between spiritual communities, the unconscious aspects of ourselves, and the potential for growth within ourselves and these groups. Before we dive in to the interview with Connie, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the eleventh chapter a decade after he originally wrote it. Connie Zweig, Ph.D., is a retired therapist, writer, Climate Reality Leader, and Citizens Climate Lobbyist. Known as the Shadow Expert, she is coauthor of Meeting the Shadow and Romancing the Shadow and a novel, A Moth to the Flame: The Life of Sufi Poet Rumi. Her award-winning book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends her work on the Shadow into midlife and beyond and explores aging as a spiritual practice. It won both the 2021 American Book Fest Award and the 2021 Best Indie Book Award for best inspirational non-fiction. Her newest book, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path: The Dance of Darkness and Light in Our Search for Awakening is available now. It explores shadow-work into the religious and spiritual arena. Connie has been doing contemplative practices for more than 50 years. She is a wife, stepmother, and grandmother. After all these roles, she’s practicing the shift from role to soul. Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To learn more about Connie's work, check out her website here. We mentioned Connie's book, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path, several times in this episode. You can find that here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: [email protected] Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail

In our fast-paced world, how can we cultivate a sense of wonder and open ourselves to the possibility of joy, even amidst life's inevitable hardships? In this episode, we're joined by Christian Wiman as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 10: "A Bright Sadness." In this conversation with Christian Wiman, we explore how suffering and joy can coexist and transform us through a poetic experience of Christianity. Before we dive in to the interview with Christian, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the tenth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it. Christian Wiman is the author, editor, or translator of more than a dozen books of poetry and prose, including two memoirs, My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer and He Held Radical Light: The Art of Faith, the Faith of Art; Every Riven Thing, winner of the Ambassador Book Award; Once in the West, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist; and Survival Is a Style―all published by FSG. He teaches religion and literature at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and at Yale Divinity School. Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. Check out Christian Wiman's latest book, Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair here. We also reference his book, My Bright Abyss. You can find that here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: [email protected] Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail

How can we transform our understanding of life and self to cultivate a deeper sense of acceptance, letting go, and a "Second Simplicity" in the face of life's inevitable challenges? In this episode, we're joined by Carmen Acevedo Butcher as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 9: "A Second Simplicity." In this conversation, Carmen offers thoughts on her shifting practice of contemplative stillness—depending on her stage of life. It’s something she calls “resting in wordless, imageless, Love.” Before we dive in to the interview with Carmen, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the ninth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it. Carmen Acevedo Butcher, PhD, is an author, teacher, poet, and award-winning translator of spiritual texts. Her dynamic work around the evolution of language and the necessity of just and inclusive language has garnered interest from various media, including the BBC and NPR's Morning Edition. A Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year and Fulbright Senior Lecturer, Acevedo Butcher teaches at the University of California, Berkeley, in the College Writing Programs. Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To learn more about Carmen's work, visit her website here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: [email protected] Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail

What if heaven and hell were both present—right now?  In this episode, we're joined by The Very Rev. Michael Battle as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 8: "Amnesia and the Big Picture." In this episode, we explore the suffering we experience when we believe we’re separated from God and how this chapter, “Amnesia and the Big Picture” helps us to see how our approach to life can change when we realize we are worthy of love—right here, right now.  Before we dive in to the interview with Rev. Battle, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the eighth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it. The Very Rev. Michael Battle, Ph.D. was ordained a priest by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 1993. Battle’s clergy experience, in addition to his academic work, makes him an internationally sought after speaker, teacher, writer and spiritual leader. In 2010, Battle was given one of the highest Anglican Church distinctions as “Six Preacher,” by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. A distinction given to only a few who demonstrate great dedication to the church that goes back to 16th century England and Thomas Cranmer. Battle has published eleven books, including his latest: Desmond Tutu: A Spiritual Biography of South Africa’s Confessor. Battle’s PeaceBattle Institute works on subjects of diversity, spirituality, prayer, race and reconciliation. In addition, Battle has served as pastor and spiritual director to thousands of clergy and laity. He has also served as chaplain to Archbishop Tutu, Congressman John Lewis, the Episcopal House of Bishops and the Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops. In addition, Battle has served as vice president to the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Arun Gandhi’s Institute for Nonviolence. Battle and his wife, Raquel, were married by Archbishop Tutu and are parents to two daughters, Sage and Bliss, and a son, Zion. All of whom were baptized by Archbishop Tutu as well. Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To learn more about Rev. Michael Battle's work, visit his website here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: [email protected] Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail

What if we could feel at home wherever we are? In this episode, we're joined by James Finley as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 7: "Home and Homesickness." In this episode, we discuss a lifelong exploration of contemplation, healing, and facing the challenges of our times through a lens of love and finding "home" in a challenging world . Before we dive in to the interview with Jim, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the sixth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it. James Finley, a clinical psychologist and spiritual director, is one of the core faculty members of the Center for Action and Contemplation and is the host of our sister podcast on the CAC network, Turning to the Mystics. A former novice under Thomas Merton at the Abbey of Gethsemani, he is the author of the classic book Merton's Palace of Nowhere: A Search for God through Awareness of the True Self, The Contemplative Heart, and most recently, The Healing Path. Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: [email protected] Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail

What if the goal of the spiritual journey is to understand suffering?  In this episode, we're joined by Mirabai Starr as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 6: "Necessary Suffering." This episode explores how loss, suffering, and grief can be a transformative spiritual path, leading to deeper connection with the divine and a more authentic self, by urging us to confront pain and surrender to a greater reality. Before we dive in to the interview with Mirabai, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the sixth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it. Mirabai Starr is an award-winning author of creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature. She taught Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog. A certified bereavement counselor, Mirabai helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. Her latest book, WILD MERCY: Living the Fierce & Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics, was named one of the “Best Books of 2019”. She lives with her extended family in the mountains of northern New Mexico. Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To learn more about Mirabai Starr and Wild Heart, visit her website here. Connect with us: Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us? Email us: [email protected] Send us a voicemail here: http://www.cac.org/voicemail