Animal Guides

In their final Fire and Light conversation, Tessa and Dave celebrate the Twelfth Day of Christmas, or Feast of the Epiphany. Take a break from commercialized Christmas, latch onto a star, and linger in Bethlehem as the violent empire goes back to business. Celebrate wise women and men who still follow stars.

What is the most important transitional moment in your life? Or are there several? Tessa and Dave look back on their early years in Sedona, Arizona. There they discovered an earthy mysticism of gardening, reading, and moonrises that kindled a flame of wonder and sowed the seeds of contemplation that transformed their lives. They encourage you to reflect on the moment and the place that set your life on a new course.

What comes to mind when you think of the desert? Does it sound beautiful? Ominous? Both? Find out how "desert rats," from author Edward Abbey to artist Georgia O'Keeffe, express the wonder and solace they find in desert landscapes. Learn how indigenous desert dwellers describe their homelands. For some souls, the desert is the ideal place to listen for God. And what do we mean by an "inner desert"? We conclude this conversation with a meditation on the Sonoran Desert at dawn.

Is your life joyful? Do you think everyone has a right to joy? How do we keep joy alive in the midst of so much sorrow in the world? Can we practice it? And what do we mean by joy as resistance? Dave and Tessa grapple with these questions and more in our latest podcast.

Is wilderness important in our lives? Tessa and Dave describe a recent trip to Death Valley and reflect on what struck them most in that vast, wild, empty landscape. They discuss the “practice of the wild” and the joy of encountering our liberating smallness in communion with ancient stone and starlit nights. (Good news: we are upgrading our recording equipment this month. Expect improved sound quality in our April podcast.)

According to the Celtic calendar, February 1 marks the first day of spring and celebrates the increasing daylight. In our February Fire and Light podcast, “Ordinary Plenty: Celtic Spirituality,” Dave Denny and Tessa Bielecki share stories of living in Ireland. They highlight the wonder of burning peat fires, ancient megalithic ruins, and meeting Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney. Join them as they celebrate the “ordinaryplenty” in everyday life. Savor the Divine we experience through our five senses, in “each thing that I pursue in my life… and mine ever-living soul.”

Do you love animals? How might a swallow, a salmon, a stag or a unicornspeak to our souls? We explore the world of symbols and the beauty ofanimal images, archetypes, and legends that speak to us of holiness. Wewelcome the season of Advent by presenting a new way of praying for thecoming of Love into our lives.

Explore the Day of the Dead and the colors and customs surrounding death, especially joy and hope, beautifully expressed in the film Coco. Learn about building an altar of remembrance for your ancestors. Find out what dying people most regret. Hear about loved ones who have lived and died peacefully. Join us in meditating on what we may learn from our ancestors’ lives and deaths, and how they may inspire us to live.

Humor and HalloweenOctober brings longer nights and warm-toned leaves to the northern hemisphere. It also brings Halloween. Tessa and Dave reflect on the origins, playfulness and profundity of Halloween, from jack-o’-lanterns to the Resurrection. They introduce us to Philip Neri, a seriously silly 16th-century saint, and emphasize the importance of laughter, “holy folly” and good cheer.

Tessa and Dave share their vibrant experience of the Ninth Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago, which focused on freedom and the rights of women, indigenous peoples, and the earth itself. Dave reflects on Palestinian-Israeli relations and Tessa suggests two practices: celebrating differences and being vulnerable to conversion. Join their meditation on commitment to interfaith cooperation.