Poema Podcast

This week Jenna DeWitt returns to the show for a conversation about Taylor Swift's recent album "Midnights" and the enneagram. Jenna briefly introduces the enneagram and we talk a bit about Taylor's likely enneagram numbers 9 (3w4). Then we explore how this relates to the recent fallout with Ticketmaster regarding her tour. Then we talk about how the album is reflective of Taylor's own personal and creative journey, her lived experiences and how she's often been perceived and treated by the media and those who aren't fans.  We also discuss how many of the challenges she can face are typical of her enneagram number, and end by exploring how all of us, whatever our enneagram number can embrace our identities and move into growth and transformation. 

TW: Spiritual abuse, evangelicalism, toxic religion   Today I'm joined by Carissa (@carissaexplainsnothing) who courageously shares her story, including her deconstruction and experience of toxic religion. She talks about her upbringing with evangelicalism, and a path she began to see as already pre-determined and inevitable. Carissa shares some of the spiritual abuse she experienced, and the grief she experienced leaving evangelicalism behind, and at the end of her marriage. And then she tells us about her experience of deconstruction, the risks and the joys of creating a new life, and discovering who she's always been. 

This week I'm honoured to be joined by Candice Czubernat. She is a therapist (known as @lesbiantherapist on IG), and founder of The Christian Closet, an LGBTQ affirming counseling, coaching and spiritual direction organization. She is also the founder of Gloriously Queer a conference for LGBTQ people of faith developed by LGBTQ people of faith. Today Candice shares her own story, talks about her work and her experiences as a therapist, particuarly focussing on grief. We discuss our various experiences of grief, different types of grief - including loss of loved ones, relationships ending, and the grief of deconstruction - and how we can learn to respond to grief and process grief in healthy ways.

Today I'm joined by returning guests Trace Bell and Tina Olsen to discuss grief and the spirituality of dogs.  Tina shares her experience of grief, and both her and Trace share their experiences with dogs, and learning and understanding their consciousness and building relationship with them, and how this can improve our mental health. They discuss how dogs can be extra intuitive and aware of our emotions and needs almost before we are, and what this can teach us about learning to listen to our own intuition and our relationship with the earth.

In this week's episode author Amanda Held Opelt joins me to discuss the cultural and historical impact of the Black Death during the 1300's.  We discuss the collective grief and trauma experienced by the countries impacted by the Black Death, and the longer term consequences for the church, culture and ultimately the history of western culture. We explore the consequences of collective cultural grief and trauma, and talk about what the potential long term impact of COVID has and potentially will be for the world and our culture as a whole. 

In today's episode we return to our irregular pop culture series, with author Marla Taviano joining me to discuss the popular show - and one of our favourites - Schitts Creek.  We talk about the various character arcs, and how these explore personal deconstruction and transformation after a major life change. We also explore the culture of the show which normalised LGBTQ inclusion and was such an inspiration to the LGBTQ community. This was such a fun episode to record, any fan of the show will enjoy it (and even those who don't know the show). 

I'm honoured to be joined today by my friend, colleague Maria Francesca French today. Maria is a professor, theologian, author and coach, exploring all things Christian and post-Christian.  Today she shares her personal journey, and talks about her first book, Safer than the Known Way, and we discuss together the root of the term deconstruction. We explore the concept of event, and how event begins an unravelling which takes us on a journey into what is called deconstruction, which goes way beyond the boundaries of religion and belief, and helps us explore, question and understand our very identity. This was such a great conversation, Maria has such knowledge, wisdom and lived experience in this area.  **** I highly recommend checking out Maria's book 'Safer than the Known Way', available at all online booksellers now.  

**Trigger warning: religious abuse, toxic religion** Today author and podcaster Nikki Pappas joins us to talk about her book "As Familiar As Family: Leaving Toxic Religion". Nikki tells us her powerful story of how she experienced abuse as love from a young age, being brought up in an evangelical family, being groomed for unhealthy relationships and toxic religion.  She talks about she finally broke free of toxic religion, the challenges and the cost - and the freedom she discovered. 

Today author, YouTuber and public theologian Damon Garcia is my guest, as we explore the call of Jesus to social activism. Damon shares his own spiritual journey, and how he discovered a Jesus who takes sides with the marginalised and the oppressed and who fights for their liberation. Damon then explores how we need to follow this example, in the oppressive systems we currently find ourselves in, and take a stand for marginalised, oppressed peoples. 

Today my friend author, podcaster and tik tok star Rev Brandan Robertson joins me to talk about his new book 'Dry Bones and Holy Wars'. In this episode he and I explore how the teachings of Jesus can inspire us bring social and spiritual renewal in a world engulfed by toxic systems of oppression, and where there is so much grief, trauma, inequality, and marginalisation. Brandan talks about what a healthy, deconstructed Jesus spirituality can look like, and how the community of Jesus followers need to reform, evolve and grow to be able to bring about the social and spiritual renewal the world so desperately needs.