So many writers hide their light under a bushel, thinking they don't deserve the term "writer." But writing groups can put the lie to that fear, coaxing us and our words out from hiding. The UnderStory Collective is the writing group I belong to. I invited them to the Cave to share the reassuring and emboldening benefits of having writerly friends.…

You can hear it in her voice. This is a woman who knows herself and her place in the universe. But fortunately for us, she believes that that place is to help others find their voice too. "Writing by Heart" is Meredith Heller's invitation to find the inner path to yourself ... through poetry. It's a book. But it's also a portal. And it's beckoning …

Psychedelics can show us what's beyond our ordinary consciousness. Meditation can help us to live day by day from that place. But in the end all practices fall short: the spiritual journey requires a letting go, not a holding on. Zen teacher Ryushin uses words only to point beyond those words ... to the actual peace and enlightenment we seek. Resou…

The Ordinary Reality we experience every day may not be the only reality there is. It may not even be the real one. Non-Ordinary Reality is a fantastical cosmos populated by Spirit Beings—plants, animals, and people—who are devoted to our health and wholeness. It's the job of shamans like Wade Prpich to travel to that world and seek the help of tho…

It's like we're walking around blindfolded. We feel we are alone in the universe while spirit guides hover close by, waiting for us to acknowledge them. We feel it all comes down to our wills and to our efforts while energy pours into our hearts from a cosmic Source. Reiki Master Jan Thompson knows those spiritual realms, relying upon them for the …

There's something encoded in our souls that seeks hope even in the face of hopelessness. That spark, that gene, that impossible dream is what allows us to discover new stories to replace the old ones and to usher in the new world we seek. Activist, storyteller, and writer Gareth Higgins, in his book, How Not to be Afraid, evokes the life-giving pos…

Teresa Hanlon was doing ministry within her church long before she was ordained. But when she became a priest, her Church excommunicated her and inhibited her from doing the work she loved. Providentially, for her and the other women priests ordained within the Catholic tradition (if not in the Roman Catholic Church itself), it was not an ending. I…

Everything we do reflects Soul. Because Soul is about what's inside. How we dress is one way we let our inner self out, to be seen. Barry Foster, known by some as "the best dressed man in church land," knows that our sartorial choices are so much more than fashion statements. They are about who we are. Resources "True Style: The History and Princip…

Here's a song I wrote a few years ago that has become special to me. I often use it to close my performances of music and storytelling. This version is just a demo, meaning the song is still in development. But I wanted to share it with you as is, as a small gift at New Years. Enjoy! Song Credit: Music and lyrics by Brian E Pearson; recorded in The…

Set in 1995, when people still smoked and few had cell phones, this retelling of the Christmas story imagines a young couple overwhelmed by circumstances larger than themselves and by a dark and inhospitable world seemingly incapable of welcoming their newborn. Until the city utility truck arrives, and then a carload of academics. Story Credit: Wri…

After days, weeks, even years of preparation, each Vision Quester headed off for a three-day solo fast on a mountainside in Southwestern Colorado. Every experience was unique. But everyone had an experience, a Soul Encounter, that awakened us to our place in the Universe. Here, Vincenzo Falone and I tell our own stories of going solo. Links to Vinc…

Eleven days camping on a Colorado mountainside, three of those days a solo fast, seeking an encounter with Nature that might grant us a vision of our mythopoetic identities, our unique place in the Universe: it would have been an ambitious undertaking for someone half our age. But somehow Vincenzo Falone, from New Jersey, and I, a Canadian from Alb…

A few gurus and spiritual leaders have given all the others a bad name. But yoga and meditation instructor Vickie MacArthur has a story to tell about Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Zen Master, whose gaze was all it took to change her life, filling her with divine love. It's a story we may need to hear. Vickie's book and web sites "A Lotus on Fire:…

We might deny it, but we're all creative. We might not make a painting, but we might make a garden or a business or a home. Visual artist Jan Handy speaks with me about the challenges and the joys of following our Muse. It's everyone's calling. Resources Jan's email address: jajhandy@gmail.com Books mentioned in our conversation: "The Artist's Way:…

Is our spirituality shaped by our sexuality? Or are we shaped more by the social constructs of that sexuality? Counselling psychologist and professor emeritus Kevin Alderson has spent his career specializing in LGBTQ+ issues and helping people to accept themselves, whatever their sexuality. Only when we love ourselves can we learn how to be "givers…

What if our place in the Universe isn't a job, or a role, or anything the world might recognize as useful? What if it's more subtle and more fundamental than how the world sees us? What would that look like? And how would we even know if we'd found it? Celia McBride's memoir, O My God: An Un-becoming Journey, explores this territory as she shares t…

Jesus told a parable about a wealthy man who increased his holdings and expanded his storage facilities for all his goods, until the day came when he was informed that his soul was required of him. Would that he had cared for his soul before it was taken away. James Hollis has been counselling, writing, and teaching for over fifty years. His acquir…

Prophets don't call themselves prophets. They speak their words or write their books until people start to notice. Then they may open a wisdom school or create magical live events or succumb to interviews with podcasters. All this describes Stephen Jenkinson. When he writes, or speaks, or performs, you feel your world opening up, shifting, changing…

Out here on the far side of conventional religion it is important that the seeker find a few guideposts. Otherwise the open landscape can feel overwhelming. Thomas Moore has been a seeker's lodestar for over thirty years, ever since he reintroduced us to the language of “Soul” in his best-selling book, “Care of the Soul.” His new book, "The Eloquen…

Darold Black loves people and he loves pictures. So it's no surprise that our conversation about wisdom turned into personal stories about life. Wisdom doesn't come to us as lofty ideas. It comes to us as images from the heart. Darold is working on a documentary series called "E5," an attempt to capture the wisdom of elders on film. It's not a gath…

Some would prefer to say spiritual "companionship" rather than "direction," and that would probably be more accurate. Because it's not about directing anyone anywhere, except, that is, to pay attention to the subtle movements within your own heart and soul. And that's what spiritual directors do. My guest on this episode is Lois Huey-Heck, a season…

Words fail us when we try to speak of the mysteries of life and death and the other soulful experiences of our lives. Except, that is, for the words of poets. In the modern age we turn to poetry as if to holy scripture, searching for the images and metaphors that help us express our deepest fears and our highest hopes. Three poets offer their own w…

Many men, having inherited the cultural expectations of former generations, feel they are being shamed in the modern age. Traditional male traits, such as protectiveness, leadership, and strength, are now denigrated for their toxic potential rather than celebrated for their social value. It's a difficult time for men as they try to break the old mo…

If we're searching for a connection with our souls, we needn’t look any further than our voice. Quite apart from the words we use and the intentions behind those words, our voice reveals the state of things within. Are we anxious, are we confident, are we restful? The voice knows. Consequently, so does the world. Jennifer Mason is a trained singer …

Some say before we could sing, we drummed. Whether or not that's accurate, drumming is one of our most primitive forms of communication. Perhaps, it once helped us to "talk" across great distances. Perhaps, it brought us together to unify and strengthen the community. Perhaps, it was just ... fun. Julien Lepage leads modern-day drumming circles whe…

Yoga is not just about poses and posers. It's about a soulful engagement with our own lives that includes both our bodies and our dreams. It's about the rediscovery of the connection we have lost with the Earth, and about the purpose that the Earth itself is dreaming for us. Rebecca Wildbear is a soul guide, a wilderness therapist, and a yoga instr…

"You can be so heavenly minded," the saying goes, "that you're of no earthly use." Ouch for all us lofty-headed idealists! But bringing together heavenly ideals and earthly resources--now that's useful! And that's what Howard Fischer is doing with Gratitude Railroad, his impact investment firm he started with his friend Eric Jacobsen: move investme…

Many of us fear aging. We suppose that the long slow slide on the other side of the hill is a negation of the one life we've been given to live. But what if it's the opposite? What if aging is our crowning glory, all that experience finally adding up to something: meaning, depth, and even wisdom? Judy Steiert trains "sage-ing" guides and leaders, a…

What if the Earth is beyond saving? What if only the abandonment of hope will deliver us to the new world we seek? What if eco-grief is the portal we need to rediscover our role in the natural world, and in its healing? Jodi Lammiman is an eco-awareness counsellor and spiritual guide who connects our fears and sorrows to the work we've each been gi…

Bob had decided to lock Christmas out this year. Given the events of the past year who could blame him? But Christmas had other ideas and snuck in the back door instead, leaving the door ajar. As it must be, if we're to let the Christ Child in. Music Credits (under license by SOCAN 2022) "O Holy Night," from the album Noël by Terry McDade & the McD…

It was indeed intense, but I was learning the ways of Soul and shedding the fears that prevented me from knowing and living out, fully, my purpose on the earth. As we camped in the woods and wandered and drummed and danced and dreamed, I knew something important was happening. I was becoming ... myself. Naturally. To be guided through the threads o…

Morning coffee with one's spouse? Listening to other people's stories? Reading whatever you want? This is spiritual practice? If you've been on the spiritual path all your life, then, yes. Because in the end spiritual practice is whatever works, not whatever others have told you to do. My conversation with retired minister and former spiritual dire…

Some forms of prayer seem to assume that we must capture the attention of a far-off God, like lassoing a star. Contemplation assumes God's already here, deep within, and not just within us, but within all created beings. Liz Rees, a contemplative teacher and guide, talks to me about how contemplative practice connects us deeply to the natural world…

When it comes to change in our lives, our rational minds can carry us only so far. Our bodies take us further. But rituals connect body and mind to Soul, creating transformative experiences that help us move through life's most significant passages. Sarah Kerr, death doula and ritual healing practitioner, speaks to me about the power of rituals, th…

Don't we all want to belong? Don't we miss it, and yearn for it, when we don't? Out here, on the other side of church land, belonging to a community is what seekers miss most about their religious pasts. But not all community is good community, and not every community lasts. In this conversation with Janet Handy, we explore the range of possibiliti…

Out here, on the other side of church land, how do we give voice to the deepest longings of our hearts? Might poetry help us? Reading poems, might they become our sacred texts; writing them, our personal prayers? Poet Richard Osler believes that poetry delivers us to the deep and holy places of our own souls, places of healing, of inspiration, and …

With this episode we launch a new season of The Mystic Cave, with a look at Thomas Moore's 2014 book, "A Religion of One's Own"--for seekers who don't want to give up religious practice just because they've given up religion! In fact, Moore would say, we cannot escape religion, even in the secular world, because our souls will always seek out the s…

As David prepares to leave for home, he knows there is no going back. There is only going on, to wherever life is leading him next. But now, he looks forward to that mystery unfolding before him. He's faced it already, and he's found, in the process, his own soul. Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: https://www.br…

David is breathing easier now. His days on the Coast are coming to a close and soon he will be heading home, and whatever that will mean. But first, he must face the one challenge that has eluded him. He is drawn one more time to the rugged shoreline. Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: https://www.brianepearson.c…

Forgiveness is one thing, but penance is something else altogether. David faces the consequences of his actions, but that means facing his own humanity, which is perhaps what lies at the bottom of our deepest descent. Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: https://www.brianepearson.ca/ Email: mysticcaveman53@gmail.co…

David, desperate to regain some measure of control over his life, makes one last attempt to train his mind on his ministry. But it's futile. The darker forces of Soul will not be repressed by the lofty ways of Spirit. Inevitably, all hell will break loose. Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: https://www.brianepear…

David's dark days are lightened by a beatific vision that raises new life within him. But not new hope. It's a vision whose fulfillment must be avoided, not embraced. Still, love will have its way, for better or for worse. Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: https://www.brianepearson.ca/ Email: mysticcaveman53@gma…

David continues on a downward spiral, all his grand Christmas plans crashing onto the rocks of his flawed humanity. There's not much to give him hope at this darkest time of the year. Except perhaps certain doors closing behind him. Doesn't that always mean new doors opening? Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: ht…

Dark days bring with them dark thoughts, driving David inward. The sparkling lights of Christmas might have offered him a respite. Instead, like a lighthouse, they serve as a warning: Sailors Beware. Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: https://www.brianepearson.ca/ Email: mysticcaveman53@gmail.com Music Credits: I…

David leans into his new job, with all its new possibilities. But a coastal ramble warns him that there are dangers here, too, if he's inclined to mind them. New possibilities seem to be accompanied by new risks. Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: https://www.brianepearson.ca/ Email: mysticcaveman53@gmail.com Mus…

David's West Coast days are beginning to work their magic on him. It's the long nighttime shadows that remind him he still has work to do. But his way is lightened by something he hadn't anticipated finding here--friends. Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: https://www.brianepearson.ca/ Email: mysticcaveman53@gmai…

David faces his two congregations without the practiced decorum he's used to. And he faces his family too, down the long line of a telephone call, without a decent excuse to call his own. Still, he's wondering if there might be something here, just beneath the surface, that's worth paying attention to, some new version of himself perhaps, something…

It is a week of 'firsts' for Father David, chief among them the loss of his honorific. He’s "just David" now. That will have to be enough as he strives to make his mark in his new community and in his new congregations. Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: https://www.brianepearson.ca/ Email: mysticcaveman53@gmail.…

The West Coast reveals itself to Father David in all its eccentric charm. But all the props he might have counted on, to guide him in this strange new world, will not help him here. His ministry--and his life--must now find some deeper source. Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: https://www.brianepearson.ca/ Email…

The church mocks him, the mountains overwhelm him, but the West Coast welcomes Father David, as finally he arrives at his destination. It's not "home," but it may be a place where "home" will reveal itself. Making Contact: Face Book: “The Mystic Cave” Face Book group Web site: https://www.brianepearson.ca/ Email: mysticcaveman53@gmail.com Music Cre…