The Godspeed Institute

REV. CANON GINA CAMPBELL OF WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

"It started because we were friends." In this timely show, Caer Hallundbaek speaks with Rev. Canon Gina Gilland Campbell of Washington National Cathedral. In this engaging hour, Campbell shares in depth regarding the Muslim prayer service at 'the nation's spiritual home' that became more controversial than expected, and how it came about. Other topics include her journey into ministry, inspirations and challenges, and the vision and goals of the Cathedral in years to come.

NICHIREN BUDDHISM, WITH CLARK STRAND

Clark Strand is a teacher, journalist, and former Zen Buddhist monk who previously served as senior editor of the magazine Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. He is the author of the books How to Believe in God: Whether You Believe in Religion or Not and Meditation without Gurus.  His latest book is Waking the Buddha: How the Most Dynamic and Empowering Buddhist Movement in History Is Changing Our Concept of Religion.

The group is the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), the largest Buddhist movement in the world today, with over 12 million members. SGI bases itself on the teachings of Nichiren, the 13th-century Japanese Buddhist reformer.

Through his book, Strand offers broad insight into how and why the Soka Gakkai, with its practical applications and egalitarian approach, is redefining not just Buddhism, but religion itself.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com.

EXPECTING THE GOOD: AN HOUR WITH GOLA WOLF RICHARDS

Gola Wolfson Richards holds a BA in Human Development Psychology, a Master’s in Theology / Philosophy and Psychology of Change in The Book of Changes. His career in Human Development spans more than four decades.

He has lectured on ContemplativeEducation for Global Conflict-Resolution for Dartmouth College's NovelaSymposium, Duke University Graduate School for Environmental Engineering, TheUniversity of Maine's first International Peace Conference, the C.G. JungSociety at Bowdoin College, Education for Peace at the University of Montana inMissoula, and has participated as the Maine faculty of "Religion and theChallenge of America."

Wolf hosts the "Speaking for Virtue" radio broadcast from theUniversity of Southern Maine, featuring early 20th century poetry and prose byauthors such as Frank Crane and Edgar Guest.

In this engaging hour, Wolf joins Caer to talk about consciousness,change, sage qualities and character, his organization Broadcast Wisdom, andmuch more.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

BEYOND THE RIVER'S GATE, WITH DR. STEWART BITKOFF

Stewart Bitkoff holds a doctorate in education and is an avid student of Sufi Mysticism and the Perennial Philosophy.

He is the author of 'A Commuter's Guide to Enlightenment,' 'Sufism for the Western Seeker,' and The Ferryman's Dream.' Bitkoff is a frequent  contributor to “Sufism: An Inquiry” and “Sacred Journey Magazine” and writes for multiple online entities, including the Philadelphia
Spirituality Examiner, Wisdom Magazine, New Age Journal, and more.

In this engaging hour he discusses his latest book, 'Beyond the River's Gate,' a spiritual Q&A on life's most essential questions, from the Sufi perspective.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com and  stewartbitkoff.com

EGYPTIAN-AMERICAN POET YAHIA LABABIDI

Yahia Lababidi is an Egyptian-American thinker and poet, nominated for a Pushcart Prize by World Literature Today magazine.


Lababidi's first book Signposts to Elsewhere, was selected as a 2008 Book of the Year by British publication The Independent. Signposts was followed by well-received collections of literary and cultural essays, Trial by Ink: From Nietzsche to Belly Dancing; a book of poetry titled Fever Dreams; and a series of literary dialogues with Alex Stein, The Artist as Mystic:  Conversations with Yahia Lababidi.

Lababidi was chosen as a Juror for the 2012 Neustadt International Prize for Literature.  

His latest is a remarkable new collection of short poems, BARELY THERE, which he discusses with Caer in in this hour.

For more information visit the Godspeed Institute.

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR DARRELL BOCK ON HIS LATEST BOOK, TRUTH MATTERS

Darrell Bock is Executive Director of Cultural Engagement, and Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. Former president of the Evangelical Theological Society, he is an internationally-renowned Biblical scholar and a widely known author of over 30 books on Biblical topics. The New York Times bestselling author of Breaking the DaVinci Code, his latest book is Truth Matters: Confident Faith in a Confusing World.

Topics in this hour include: The reasons for writing Truth Matters, a book aimed at guiding youth; his story of coming to faith as an adult; the larger questions the church often doesn't answer for young people; depicting faith and Jesus in the media, including biblically-based films and the effectiveness of secular films; US culture and faith; whether Christianity is 'credible'; thoughts on providing youth a quake-proof foundation for a reasoned faith; youth leaving church and then returning later when they become parents; defending faith; and much more.

For more information visit Darrell Bock. 

To learn more, visit the Godspeed Institute.

GLOBAL SPIRIT WITH STEPHEN OLSSON

Stephen Olsson is director of the acclaimed series Global Spirit, which has been called the first internal travel series on national television. Global Spirit is an inquiry into humankind's belief systems, wisdom traditions and states of consciousness, presented by John Cleese and hosted by author and spiritual seeker Phil Cousineau.

Stephen’s work has won numerous national and international awards including the National Emmy Award for Outstanding Director, the Du-Pont Columbia Award for Excellence in broadcast journalism and the George Foster Peabody Award. Formerly, Olsson was co-founder and former vice president of Original Programming at Link TV, where he produced a number of original programs and television series, including the Peabody award-winning Mosaic: World News from the Middle East.

He holds a Master’s degree in Visual Anthropology and Communications from Temple University. Topics in this hour include: his early interest in rituals through the Jesuits; travel in India; the forming of Cultural Educational Media in 1983; John Cleese; Global Spirit; Sufism; Rumi's accessibility in the West; unity consciousness; Olsson's other projects; technology; and much more.

Topics in this hour include: his early interest in rituals through the Jesuits; travel in India; the forming of Cultural Educational Media in 1983; John Cleese; the development of Global Spirit; Sufism; Rumi's accessibility in the West; unity consciousness; Olsson's other current projects; the effect of technology on the spiritual conversation; and much more.

For more information visit godspeedinstitute.com

CHANTEL WRIGHT AND THE SONGS OF SOLOMON INSPIRATIONAL ENSEMBLE

Pastor Chantel Renee Wright loves God, Music and Children—and her life is dedicated to the pursuit of all three. She is the founder and director of the non-profit organization, Songs of Solomon: An Inspirational Ensemble, Inc., and her exquisite gospel choir fires up the soul and transforms hearts, one performance at a time.

The Ensemble has toured the United States and Canada and has performed with opera’s great Jessye Norman and with Elton John at Radio City Music Hall. Today the Ensemble finds itself as a mainstay at the world famous Carnegie Hall. But most of all, the choir is committed to spreading the Good News. 

Wright is pastor and founder of Pneuma Ministries in Harlem, and lends her gifts to the vocal music department of the Steinhardt School of Music at New York University. Prior, she served as Director of the Girls’ Choir of Harlem; Artistic Director of the Queens Symphony Orchestra Youth Gospel Choir; and is a recipient of the New York Times Teachers Who Matter Most award. A native of Chicago, she received her formal education at VanderCook College of Music.

Topics in this engaging hour include: the choir's recent performance in Rockport, Maine; the role music played in Chantel's childhood; how music saved her; the founding of the Ensemble; challenges and failures; a complete turnaround in life; the tradition of gospel music; and much more.

For more information, visit godspeedinstitute.com

 

 

INTERSPIRITUALITY WITH MIRABAI STARR

What is Interspirituality?  It is a term you may be hearing more often these days – as there is a growing awareness of interspiritual wisdom and expression. Joining us to talk about it this episode is Mirabai Starr.

Mirabai Starr is an adjunct professor of philosophy and world religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos.  A writer, speaker and translator, she is well known to readers for her acclaimed translations of the mystic works Dark Night of the Soul by John of the Cross, and The Interior Castle and The Book of My Life by Teresa of Avila. Her latest book is God of Love, a passionate and personal exploration of the interconnected wisdom of the three Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Topics in this lively hour include: Interspirituality, from The Mystic Heart; Interspirituality as compared to interfaith dialogue; Mirabai's experience through childhood; her lifelong interspiritual practice; multiple religious belonging; utilizing practices from different faiths; Llama Foundation; spirituality beyond religion; "spiritual not religious"; union with God; social justice; youth; and much more.

For more information, please visit www.godspeedinstitute.com and http://www.mirabaistarr.com/

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, RUMI - AN HOUR WITH DR. JAWID MOJADDEDI

We celebrate the anniversary of the death of beloved Sufi mystic Rumi with an engaging and educational hour about Sufism and his work.

Dr. Jawid Mojaddedi is associate professor in the Department of Religion at Rutgers University where he offers courses on Rumi, Sufism, and Islam. A native of Afghanistan, he was raised in Great Britain where he completed his education, and in the US continued postdoctoral research at Columbia University and Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study.

He is the author of The Biographical Tradition in Sufism and Classical Islam: A Sourcebook of Religious Literature. For his translations of Rumi’s Masnavi, he was awarded the Lois Roth Prize for excellence in translation by the American Institute of Iranian Studies. 

His latest book, which we explore in this hour, is Beyond Dogma: Rumi's Teachings on Friendship with God and Early Sufi Theories. Beyond Dogma has been published in the U.K. and is now available in the United States.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com.

GREENFAITH

Join us for on hour with Rev Fletcher Harper about GreenFaith, a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire, educate and mobilize people of diverse religious backgrounds for environmental leadership.

GreenFaith believes that protecting the earth is a religious value, and that environmental stewardship is a moral responsibility. Their work is based on beliefs shared by the world’s great religions – and their executive director is Rev. Fletcher Harper.

An Episcopal priest, Rev. Harper is an award-winning spiritual writer and nationally-recognized preacher on the environment. He teaches and speaks at houses of worship nationwide about the moral, spiritual basis for environmental stewardship and justice. A graduate of Princeton and Union Theological Seminary, he served as a parish priest for ten years and in leadership positions in the Episcopal Church before becoming GreenFaith’s Executive Director.

THE IONA COMMUNITY

The Isle of Iona is a small island off the west coast of Scotland with a rich spiritual history. As early as the year 563 the Isle was a site for a Celtic monastery. In the middle ages it was the site of a Benedictine abbey and over the centuries has attracted many thousands of people on their own pilgrim journeys. Today the isle is the center of the Iona Community, a dispersed Christian ecumenical community working for peace and social justice, rebuilding of community and the renewal of worship. 

To learn more about the Iona Community, Caer Hallundbaek speaks with Reverend Kathleen Roney and Reverend Matilda Chase.

Topics in this hour include: How both women came to be affiliated with the Iona Community; how the community developed; the community's areas of concern and effort; banking; spirituality in the work place; the New World Foundation; Oasis; Kirkridge; the Iona Community Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation commitment; their Family Groups; the role of money; ecumenical and interfaith focus.

The program features the song "If You Come and Follow Me (The Summons)," a meaningful song to the community.

Also, Caer announces and shares from her gorgeous new book, INSPIRED RELATIONSHIPS: 7 Saints' Real-Life Lessons on How to Live, Love and Work, available here.

THE JEW NAMED JESUS - WITH AUTHOR REBEKAH SIMON-PETER

In her new book, The Jew Named Jesus, Rebekah Simon-Peter says that "Jesus was born a Jew, raised a Jew, lived a Jew, died a Jew, and resurrected a Jew. He was no backsliding Jew, but an observant Jew. He honored and observed the Sabbath and the Jewish holidays. But most of all, he honored and observed the Torah, the Hebrew Bible, or what we call the Old Testament. How could he do anything but love his own people?”

Simon-Peter, an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church, was born and raised a Jew, first Reform then later Orthodox. She challenges Christians to rethink Jesus’ identity as a Jew, and in the process, to consider ways traditional Christian theology has contributed to anti-Semitism.

Enjoy Caer Hallundbaek's lively interview with Rebekah Simon-Peter and recall the significance of Jesus' Jewish identity and how to better connect with it through scripture, dialogue and ritual.

For more information, contact the Godspeed Institute.

BENEDICTINE MONASTICISM, WITH SR. ELLEN STEPHEN, OSH

Benedictine spirituality began in the 4th Century, is known for its hospitality - and it is a tradition that remains strong today.  Joiin Caer as she speaks with Sr. Ellen Stephen of the Order of St Helena, a community of Benedictine sisters in the Episcopal tradition, from her 50 years of "welcoming the stranger." Caer also shares from her new book, Inspired Relationships: 7 Saints' Real-Life Lessons on How to Live, Love and Work.

Topics in this engaging hour include St. Benedict, founder of western monasticism; St. Helena; saints. Francis and Clare of Assisi; balanced spirituality; ordained women in the Episcopal church; spiritual direction; the diversity of the sisters; the order's history; silence; the role of the monk; and much more.

For more information, visit the Godspeed Institute and the Order of St. Helena.

THE SECRET TEACHINGS, WITH DR. STEWART BITKOFF

In this lively hour, author and professor Stewart Bitkoff shares with Caer from his new book on the Secret Teachings - and where they are today. Explore the "Elixir," the Perennial Philosphy, the hidden way of inner knowing that has been with us for ages -- and how we can apply it today. Learn how this mystical spiritual message speaks to and unites all faiths.

Dr. Stewart Bitkoff holds a doctorate in education and is an avid student of Sufi Mysticism and the Perennial Philosophy. He is the author of The Ferryman’s Dream, A Commuter's Guide to Enlightenment, and Sufism for the Western Seeker, which was nominated as Book of the Year by 'ForeWord Magazine' in the Adult Non Fiction Religious category.

http://www.stewartbitkoff.com/

http://kirkridge.org/

http://godspeedinstitute.com/

THE PATH FILM TRILOGY, ON DEATH AND REINCARNATION

The death of a loved one can have such a profound effect on one’s perception of life on earth as we know it. Death can make us question the reason for our existence, why we are here, what is our purpose and why on earth do we live only to die?

In 2007, filmmaker and editor Michael Habernig endured a large number of deaths family members, friends and pets in a short period of time. These events sent him on a journey to study and investigate what happens to people after they die.

Michael began to explore the concept of life after death through renowned authors like Wayne Dyer, Fred Alan Wolf and Gregg Braden. By “accident” he stumbled upon interviews with Albert Taylor, William Buhlman and Thomas Campbell.  He began searches on Astral Projection and Out of Body Experiences, leading him to remote viewing, multiple dimensions and past life regressions.  Through the work of Brian Weiss and Michael Newton, Michael entered the realm of spirit guides, angels and healing.

He decided to share what he learned by producing a film about death and reincarnation. He reached out to April Hannah, a holistic healer with a counseling practice first as an interviewee. But she became a producer and the two have created a series of films, The Path Trilogy – to help others understand these transitions. Michael and April join Caer for an intimate conversation.

Caer concludes the program with her "Tip for Your Spiritual Tool Belt," a reflection on Teresa of Avila's breakthrough around co-dependent relationships, from her upcoming book Inspired Relationships.

For more information, visit the Godspeed Institute.

REV. CAROL RICHARDSON, ENERGY HEALER AND TEACHER

Rev. Carol Richardson is a Christian minister with a gift for healing and celestial communications.

Born to missionary parents on the equator in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and raised in three African countries and three different states in the U.S., Carol started out with an interest in public health, receiving her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas Christian University and her Master of Public Health degree from The University of Texas. During this time, she married, had two children, and was widowed at the age of 28.

Feeling called to Christian ministry after her husband’s sudden death by cerebral aneurysm at the age of 34, she received her Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt in December1993 and was ordained the following year into the Disciples of Christ Church.

Carol is now a practitioner at the Washington Institute of Medicine in Washington, DC, as well as a teacher at the Light Worker Training Institute, where she holds classes as well as an Interfaith Light Circle Meditation Group. She is the author of the books Aging Well – Be Your Best Self Forever, and Exodus 2012: A Mission to Save the Earth.

For more information, visit godspeedinstitute.com.

AN ATHEIST WHO PRAYS: SIGFRIED GOLD

An atheist, Siegfried Gold took up prayer out of desperation. Overweight by 110 pounds and depressed, the 45-year-old software designer saw himself drifting from his wife and young son. He joined a 12-step program for food addiction that required — as many 12-step programs do — a recognition of God, or a Higher Power, and a spiritual approach to living.

Four years later, Gold is trim, far happier in his relationships and free of a lifelong ennui. He credits a rigorous prayer routine — morning, night and before each meal — to a vivid goddess that doesn’t exist.  While Gold doesn’t believe there is some supernatural being out there attending to his prayers, he describes himself as nonetheless having had a “conversion” that can be characterized only as a “miracle.”  His life has been mysteriously transformed, he says, by the power of asking. -This, from an article about Mr. Gold by Michelle Boorstein in the Washington Post. 

He joins Caer today to share about his journey.

For more information visit godspeedinstitute.com.

DISTANCE LEARNING & SUFI SPIRITUALITY WITH DR. STEWART BITKOFF

Whoever is initiated by us and follows us and loves us, whether he is near or far, wherever he is, even if he is in the East and we are in the West, we nourish from the stream of love and give him light in his daily life.

In this quote from one of the great Naqshbandi Sufi masters we have a description of one of the natural laws of the universe: how one action affects another, at varying distances. How does this apply to spiritual learning?

Dr. Stewart Bitkoff holds a doctorate in education and is an avid student of Sufi Mysticism and the Perennial Philosophy. He is the author of The Ferryman’s Dream, A Commuter's Guide to Enlightenment, and Sufism for the Western Seeker, which was nominated as Book of the Year by 'ForeWord Magazine' in the Adult Non Fiction Religious category.

Dr. Bitkoff is a frequent contributor to “Sufism: An Inquiry” and “Sacred Journey Magazine” and writes for multiple online entities, including the Philadelphia Spirituality Examiner, Wisdom Magazine, New Age Journal, and more. In this show we  explore spirituality as the ultimate kind of “distance learning.”

For more information visit www.godspeedinstitute.com.

MARY LOU QUINLAN, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE GOD BOX

Join Caer for a moving Mother's Day hour with Mary Lou Quinlan - leading authority on women and bestselling author of The God Box:  Sharing My Mother's Gift of Faith, Love and Letting Go. Mary Lou is the author of three breakthrough books, including What She’s Not Telling You, Time Off for Good Behavior, and Just Ask a Woman.

She’s written inspirational features for Real Simple, O, the Oprah magazine, and a monthly career advice column for MORE.  She’s appeared as a correspondent on the CBS Early Show, among many media appearances.

Her latest book is The God Box, Sharing My Mother’s Gift of Faith, Love and Letting Go, which we explore in this hour. Mary Lou holds an MBA from Fordham University and an Honorary Doctorate in Communications from her alma mater, Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia where she earned a B. A. in English.

For more information, visit  Just Ask a Woman and The God Box Project. Also visit the Godspeed Institute.

AN HOUR WITH MUSICIAN AND HEALER, AJEET KAUR

Join Caer for a musical, mystical hour with Ajeet Kaur -- Sikh musician and healer. Learn about Sikhism, her journey and her music... Plus Caer's "Tip for your Spiritual Tool Belt" on the effects of music, body and soul.

Ajeet Kaur grew up in the beautiful mountains and forests of New Hampshire, with parents who were immersed in the Sikh and Roman Catholic traditions. Her parent's deep connection to their spirituality was quickly shared with their daughter. Ajeet’s spiritual interests and path were formed early in life. Her love of healing through music began at a women's camp in New Mexico that Yogi Bhajan ran each summer.

At the age of eleven she was so deeply moved by the way the music uplifted everyone that she decided there was nothing she would rather do than offer a healing vibration through sound. She turned her attention towards mantras and Shabads (the poems of the Sikh gurus). Ajeet began Kundalini Yoga teacher training with her best friend, when she was sixteen years old. Today she holds a degree in Holistic Psychology with a focus on Counseling, and is a certified Wellness Coach. Music and yoga have remained central in this process. She holds workshops and has a new CD coming out!

For more information: visit http://godspeedinstitute.com and http://ajeetkaurhealing.com

Ajeet's video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q98KyZpC0dE

JUSTINE WILLIS TOMS ON HER LIFE AND SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

Join Caer for a special hour with Justine Willis Toms, author and host of New Dimensions, the seminal radio show heard worldwide for 40 years!

Justine is Co-founder and Managing Producer of New Dimensions Media/World Broadcasting Network and New Dimensions Radio. In this meaningful hour she shares about the show, the recent loss of husband Michael Toms, their journey, wisdom from her book Small Pleasures: Finding Grace in a Chaotic World, Star Trek, the future of money, and much more... Don't miss it!

For more information, visit the Godspeed Institute.

NEXT LEVEL CHURCH

Joshua Gagnon is Lead Pastor of Next Level Church in Portland, Maine. With a futuristic bright green and black motif (that matches its web site), some saythe Next Level Church looks more like a high-tech startup than a house of worship. But Next Level churches in New England have grown from 3 families to 2000 people in only four years, utilizing contemporary music, video and devotional apps. But make no mistake – Pastor Josh is all about faith. In this hour we’ll talk about the church, the needs of today’s members, and what it means to be Christian in the 21st century. For more information, visit Next Level at: http://www.nlc.tv/

RABBI WAYNE DOSICK AND THE REAL NAME OF GOD

 

Wayne Dosick PhD is a rabbi, writer, speaker, spiritual guide and healer, who teaches and counsels about faith and spirit, ethical values, life transformations, and evolving human consciousness.

He is the author of The Business Bible: 10 New Commandments for Bringing Spirituality & Ethical Values into The Workplace; When Life Hurts: A Personal Journey from Adversity to Renewal; Soul Judaism: Dancing with God into a New Era. His latest book is The Real Name of God: Embracing the Full Essence of the Divine, explored in this program.

Topics in this lively hour include: Joy;  Dosick’s childhood;  trying to change the world from within the system and abandoning that approach;  RFK and Grant Park in 1968;  his decision to become a rabbi;  mysticism;  Jewish chanting;  Dosick’s books;  Soul Judaism;  the new era of Judaism;  The Real Name of God;  Anochi;  Passover and Easter;  one God, one people; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Tool Belt – a reflection on the holidays from Dear Little One; and much more.

For more information, visit

www.godspeedinstitute.com.

http://www.rabbiwaynedosick.com/

http://godisanochi.com/

 

 

 

AN HOUR WITH MAYAN PRIEST TOM HART

He grew up in Northern Ireland in at atmosphere of intolerance between Catholics and Protestants that made him reject religion entirely. As an adult, Tom Hart became a country director with Health Poverty Action and found a mystical connection and healing as a Mayan spiritual guide in the Guatemalan Highlands. Listen to this fascinating hour about the Mayan culture and faith, the earth, celebrations, the truth about 2012 and much more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com. To learn more about Tom Hart and Health Poverty Action, visit: http://www.healthpovertyaction.org and http://www.healthpovertyaction.org/testupgrade/httpdocs/where-we-work/spotlight-stories/tom-hart/

LIVING IN THE SUPERMIND - WITH MAURIE PRESSMAN MD

MAURIE D. PRESSMAN, M.D. is the Medical Director and Founder of the Pressman Center for Mind/Body Wellness in Philadelphia. For over forty years, Dr. Pressman has studied the potential of the human mind and soul, exploring the connections between traditional psychiatry and holistic-spiritual psychotherapy. He is the author of Enter the Supermind; Visions from the Soul; and in this segment he discusses his latest book: Living in the Supermind - From Personal Mind to Spiritual Mind. Also in this program: Caer’s Tip for Your Spiritual Belt on Catherine of Siena and the mystical symbol of the bridge.

AN HOUR WITH FILMMAKER FRANK HUGUENARD

FRANK HUGUENARD left a career in Silicon Valley and embarked on a journey of healing. Today he is a spiritual filmmaker and has recently completed a trilogy of documentaries on Science and Spirituality – Beyond Me, Beyond Belief and Beyond Reason. To learn more, visit the Godspeed Institute.

THE AFTERLIFE OF BILLY FINGERS, WITH ANNIE KAGAN

Join Caer for a spirited talk with Annie Kagan, author of the upcoming book, The Afterlife of Billy Fingers: How My Bad-Boy Brother Proved to Me There's Life After Death. When her brother Billy died unexpectedly and began speaking to her from the afterlife, Annie agreed to accompany him on his journey through the mysteries of death. As Billy reaches from the “other side” to change his sister’s life and the lives of those around her, he shares secrets about the bliss and wonder to come...  For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com and www.anniekagan.com

KAREN VORBECK WILLIAMS ON WITCHCRAFT IN NEW ENGLAND

Join Caer in a conversation with Karen Vorbeck Williams, award-winning author of My Enemy’s Tears: The Witch of Northampton — a novel inspired by her ancestor in 17th century New England. Karen grew up hearing the stories about her ancestor, Mary Bliss Parsons, who was indicted, imprisoned and tried for witchcraft in 1675. For 20 years Karen researched the truth. What actually happened, and why? Includes Caer’s  ‘spiritual sci-fi‘ story Absolution. For more information, visit The Godspeed Institute.

SR. MIRIAM MACGILLIS OF GENESIS FARM

Join Caer for a talk with Sr. Miriam MacGillis, co-founder of Genesis Farm, a 200 acre farm in New Jersey rooted in a belief that the Universe, Earth, and all reality are permeated by the presence and power of the ultimate Holy Mystery… A winner of the Thomas Berry Award (2005), Grist magazine named her one of the world’s top 15 green religious leaders.   Topics in the hour include: the events that led to the founding of Genesis Farm; sustainability; cosmological connection; Thomas Berry, Brian Swimme, and Teillhard de Chardin; relationship with the earth; connectedness of all things; the need to pause for reflection; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more.   For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com and www.genesisfarm.org

THE SPIRITUALITY OF RECOVERY

Caer speaks with JIM LAPIERRE, LCSW, a Recovery Ally and addictions counselor specializing in assisting people in recovery – whether from drugs, alcohol, trauma, depression, or anxiety – to overcome obstacles and improve their quality of life.  For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

AN HOUR WITH THE CREATOR OF KWANZAA

Dr. Maulana Karenga is professor and chair of Africana Studies at California State University, Long Beach. He holds two Ph.D.’s – his first in political science with focus on the theory and practice of nationalism; and his second in social ethics with a focus on the classical African ethics of ancient Egypt.  Dr. Karenga is also widely recognized as the creator of Kwanzaa, an African American and Pan-African holiday celebrated throughout the world. He is the author of the authoritative book on the subject, Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture.  For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

AN HOUR WITH NOEL PAUL STOOKEY OF PETER, PAUL AND MARY

Caer speaks with Noel Paul Stookey, the "Paul" of Peter, Paul & Mary – legendary singer, songwriter and musician who passionately believes in bringing the spiritual into the practice of daily life.Now, at 74, with Betty, his spouse of 48 years, the Stookeys share about their life and what has touched them and upheld them, including music, faith and love. Don't miss this very special show. Noel Paul Stookey has been altering both the musical and ethical landscape of this country and the world for decades. He moved to New York City when he was 20, looking for independence, but what he found were “Peter” and “Mary,” and a career that took on a life of its own. Their very first album soared to the top of the charts, where it stayed for two years.

He has performed in intimate coffeehouses, at the White House, and in massive stadiums. At the 1963 March on Washington when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, Peter, Paul and Mary delivered the compelling “If I Had a Hammer” and “Blowin’ in the Wind.”

Generations have been touched by his enduring classics, including “The Wedding Song” and “In These Times.”

To learn more, please visit The Godspeed Institute,  noelpaulstookey.com, www.onelightmanycandles.org, and www.music2life.org.

RELIGION AND ECOLOGY, WITH DR. JOHN GRIM

Dr. John Grim is a Senior Lecturer and Research Scholar at Yale University, where he has appointments in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies as well as the Divinity School and the Department of Religious Studies. Dr. Grim is co-founder and co-director of the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University, along with Mary Evelyn Tucker.  His published works include: The Shaman: Patterns of Religious Healing among the Ojibway Indians, and Indigenous Traditions and Ecology: The InterBeing of Cosmology and Community. He teaches courses in Native American and Indigenous religions and World religions and ecology.  For more information, visit http://www.godspeedinstitute.com

Dr. John Grim is a Senior Lecturer and Research Scholar at Yale University, where he has appointments in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies as well as the Divinity School and the Department of Religious Studies.  Dr. Grim is co-founder and co-director of the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University, along with Mary Evelyn Tucker. His published works include: The Shaman: Patterns of Religious Healing among the Ojibway Indians, and Indigenous Traditions and Ecology: The InterBeing of Cosmology and Community. He teaches courses in Native American and Indigenous religions and World religions and ecology. Topics in the engaging hour include: the new World Bank report on climate change;  the Forum on Religion and Ecology; shamanism; indigenous peoples and spirituality; religions on connectedness and dominion; Thomas Berry, Brian Swimme and The Universe Story; the moral nature of the ecological crisis; how the religions can be part of the development of ethics toward sustainability; a cooperative universe; religious environmentalism; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt – The Canticle of the Creatures, by Francis of Assisi; and more. Read more: http://prn.fm/2012/11/25/77636/#ixzz2DMjXaPK1 Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Dr. John Grim is a Senior Lecturer and Research Scholar at Yale University, where he has appointments in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies as well as the Divinity School and the Department of Religious Studies.  Dr. Grim is co-founder and co-director of the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University, along with Mary Evelyn Tucker. His published works include: The Shaman: Patterns of Religious Healing among the Ojibway Indians, and Indigenous Traditions and Ecology: The InterBeing of Cosmology and Community. He teaches courses in Native American and Indigenous religions and World religions and ecology. Topics in the engaging hour include: the new World Bank report on climate change;  the Forum on Religion and Ecology; shamanism; indigenous peoples and spirituality; religions on connectedness and dominion; Thomas Berry, Brian Swimme and The Universe Story; the moral nature of the ecological crisis; how the religions can be part of the development of ethics toward sustainability; a cooperative universe; religious environmentalism; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt – The Canticle of the Creatures, by Francis of Assisi; and more. Read more: http://prn.fm/2012/11/25/77636/#ixzz2DMj6AZ36 Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Dr. John Grim is a Senior Lecturer and Research Scholar at Yale University, where he has appointments in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies as well as the Divinity School and the Department of Religious Studies.  Dr. Grim is co-founder and co-director of the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University, along with Mary Evelyn Tucker. His published works include: The Shaman: Patterns of Religious Healing among the Ojibway Indians, and Indigenous Traditions and Ecology: The InterBeing of Cosmology and Community. He teaches courses in Native American and Indigenous religions and World religions and ecology. Topics in the engaging hour include: the new World Bank report on climate change;  the Forum on Religion and Ecology; shamanism; indigenous peoples and spirituality; religions on connectedness and dominion; Thomas Berry, Brian Swimme and The Universe Story; the moral nature of the ecological crisis; how the religions can be part of the development of ethics toward sustainability; a cooperative universe; religious environmentalism; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt – The Canticle of the Creatures, by Francis of Assisi; and more. Read more: http://prn.fm/2012/11/25/77636/#ixzz2DMj6AZ36 Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY – WITH LEADING SCHOLAR, DR. JAMES S. CUTSINGER

Dr. James S. Cutsinger is Professor of Theology and Religious Thought at the University of South Carolina, where he has been honored with several teaching awards, including most recently the Michael J. Mungo Distinguished Professor of the Year for 2011.

A prolific writer and editor, he is a widely recognized authority on the Sophia Perennis and perennialist school of comparative religious thought.

His books include Paths to the Heart: Sufism and the Christian East, and Not of This World: A Treasury of Christian Mysticism. He is perhaps best known for his work on the Swiss philosopher Frithjof Schuon.

Dr. Cutsinger is also deeply interested, in both a personal and professional way, in the theology and spirituality of the Christian East, which we also explore in this engaging hour.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

http://www.cutsinger.net/

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DR. BETTINA SCHMIDT ON AFRO-CARRIBEAN RELIGIONS AND SPIRIT RITUALS

Dr. Bettina Schmidt is senior lecturer in the study of religions at the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David. She holds a PhD in anthropology, and an MA in Anthropology and Religious Studies. Currently she serves as Honorary Secretary of the British Association for the Study of Religions, and sits on the editorial board of Diskus, the association’s journal.  A prolific writer and editor, her areas of expertise include Afro-Caribbean religions, spirit rituals, the anthropology of violence and conflict, the presence of St. Patrick in Haitian vodou, and much more.  For more information, visit http://www.godspeedinstitute.com/

FAITH BEYOND BELIEF, WITH MARGARET JOHNSTON

Margaret Placentra Johnston has spent most of her life helping people see better. Literally. A practicing optometrist, she examined eyes, one pair at a time, in Springfield, VA for twenty-five years before detecting the need to offer clearer vision of a different kind, on a larger scale.

 

In her new book, Faith Beyond Belief: Stories of Good People Who Left

Their Church Behind, Margaret shares how a bird’s eye view of the religious belief versus non-belief debate from a spiritual development perspective can lead to a kinder, more gentle world.

 

Topics in this hour include: What inspired Margaret to write this book; the trend toward “spiritual, not religious”; spirituality; the core of faith; rejecting religion; the stages of spiritual development; faith beyond belief; the stages as represented by personal stories in the book; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more.

 

For more information, visit http://www.godspeedinstitute.com

 

 

 

 

 

WILLIAM BLOOM: THE POWER OF THE NEW SPIRITUALITY

William Bloom, PhD. is Britain’s leading author and educator in the mind-body-spirit field with over thirty years of practical experience, research and teaching in modern spirituality. He is founder and co-director of The Foundation for Holistic Spirituality and the Spiritual Companions project.   Dr. Bloom’s holistic background includes a two-year spiritual retreat living amongst the Saharan Berbers in the High Atlas Mountains, twenty-five years on the faculty of the Findhorn Foundation, and 10 years as co-founder and director of St. James’s Church Alternatives Programme in London.

He is a meditation master and the author of 24 books, and in this program we discuss his latest book, The Power of the New Spirituality: How to Live a Life of Compassion and Personal Fulfillment.

Topics in this hour include: what inspired him to write this book; a definition of spirituality; growth; advancements that connect spirit, psyche and sustainability; the ‘6 ways to a great life quickly’ trend of self-help; why it doesn’t always help; compassion and love in action in today’s society; the importance of authenticity; how he helps people connect with the magic and wonder of life; how he helps people achieve a greater sense of personal integrity, purpose and calm, whatever their beliefs or background; integrating modern spirituality into professional and daily lives; and more.

For more information, visit http://www.godspeedinstitute.com

RABBIS WITHOUT BORDERS - WITH REBECCA SIRBU

Rabbi Rebecca W. Sirbu is Director of Rabbis Without Borders, and is known

for thinking “outside the box.” Rabbis Without Borders is a program of

CLAL - The National Center for Learning and Leadership – a leader in

religious pluralism, linking Jewish wisdom with innovative scholarship to

deepen civic and spiritual participation in American life.

Rabbi Sirbu is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America

and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Vassar College. A trained hospital

chaplain, she has worked at Beth Israel Medical Center, Lenox Hill

Hospital and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Her

published articles include: “Leadership During Uncertain Times,” and

“Theologies of Suffering: How Judaism can Help You Cope.”

Topics in this engaging hour include: What Rabbi Sirbu means by thinking

“outside the box”; Rabbis without Borders - how it came about, what the

program does; working across denominations to create vibrant Jewish and

civic life; making meaning; life events and celebrations; what drew her to

becoming a rabbi, and how the role manifests today; the core of faith; a

poem by Rabbi Rami Shapiro; the value and wisdom of religious traditions;

tension between religions; religious pluralism; her writings about

suffering, grieving and healing; jewishvaluesonline.org, and other great

resources featuring Jewish response to many questions about life;

religious tolerance; and more.

For more information, http://godspeedinstitute.com/

MIRABAI STARR ON HER BOOK 'GOD OF LOVE'

Mirabai Starr is an adjunct professor of philosophy and world religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos.  A writer, speaker and translator, she is well known to readers for her acclaimed translations of the mystic works Dark Night of the Soul by John of the Cross, and The Interior Castle and The Book of My Life by Teresa of Avila. Her latest book is God of Love, a passionate and personal exploration of the interconnected wisdom of the three Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In it she shares an overview of essential teachings, stories of saints and spiritual masters, prophetic calls for peace and justice, and for the first time in print, engaging narratives from her own spiritual experiences. Topics in this engaging hour include: Mirabai’s parents and childhood; Lama Foundation; Ram Dass; Huston Smith; inter-spirituality; her translations of classic works of Christian mystics; mysticism; God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam; what is at the heart of these three, interrelated religions; Dorothy Day; Jewish mystic Baal Shem Tov; Sufi Rabia Al-Adawiyya; the way forward for the Abrahamic faiths; more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

CATHERINE ANN LOMBARD ON PSYCHOSYNTHESIS

Psychosynthesis is one of the few psychologies today that incorporate a Higher Self as part of the model of the human psyche. Catherine Ann Lombard is a psychosynthesis psychologist, counselor, writer, and teacher specializing in activating the will and bringing meaning to the workplace. A published writer of essays, poetry, and news articles, she teaches academic writing at the University of Twente in the Netherlands.  Her latest book is From Culture Shock to Personal Transformation: Studying Abroad and the Search for Meaning. Topics in this engaging hour include: the events in Lombard’s life that led her on her journey toward psychosynthesis; the outer journey as reflection of inner journey; how do we make meaning of suffering; what psychosynthesis is; the 4 kinds of will and balancing them; relationship; finding meaning in the workplace; the Higher Self; her article ‘Love and Will in a Tea Cup’; compassion as developed through willful choice;  her latest book; culture shock;  inculturation, the personal journey towards authentic self; and more.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

 

CHARLES THOMAS JR., AUTHOR OF 'SCARS, EXILE, AND VINDICATION'

Charles Thomas Jr. is the author of the book ‘Scars, Exile, and Vindication: My Life as an Experiment,’ newly published by Tate Publishing. It tells the autobiographical story of a young man born and raised in Flint, Michigan whose journey led him from devastation to inspiration. In his words, “Scars remind us that the past is real and give us motivation to move forward into the future with an attitude of optimism and a promise of better days to come.” Topics in this hour include: Flint, Michigan and the 1989 film ‘Roger & Me,’ by Michael Moore; some of Thomas’ experiences of fear and violence growing up in Flint; the effect of these experiences; the critical role of a supportive family; the role of adversity in life; education; failures and scars in a culture of material achievement and awards, and what they hold for us; fear; the spiritual aspect of his journey; faith; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolkit; and more. For more information visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

 

THE GODSPEED INTERVIEW: RABBI RAMI SHAPIRO

Rabbi Rami Shapiro is an award winning author, poet, essayist, and educator whose poems have been anthologized in over a dozen volumes, and whose prayers are used in prayer books around the world. Rami received rabbinical ordination from the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion. A congregational rabbi for 20 years, he is currently Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies at Middle Tennessee State University. In addition to writing books, including The Angelic Way, The Divine Feminine in Biblical Wisdom Literature, and The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness, Rami writes a regular column for Spirituality & Health magazine and is an adviser for Our Jewish Community.org. Topics in this hour include: what led Rami into his ministry; what gives him strength and joy in the practice of faith; the importance of prayer; language, poetry; silence; his ecumenical passion; the emergence of mysticism as a kind of common language, or bridge, between faiths worldwide; the Neti Neti document; One River Wisdom School; integrating body, heart, soul, mind; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt that you wrap around yourself each day: making different skills sets work at the office; more. For more information, please visit http://godspeedinstitute.com/.

THOMAS SCIRGHI S.J. ON ST. IGNATIUS AND THE JESUITS

Thomas Scirghi S.J. is Associate Professor of Theology at Fordham University, focusing on areas including Sacramental theology, Liturgical theology and ritual studies. Previously he served as Professor of Liturgical Theology at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. He is a member of the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, founded by St. Ignatius Loyola 450 years ago. Currently, his interests have turned toward “practical theology,” that is, an understanding of theology through both practice and theory. He is co-author of the book ‘Living Beauty: The Art of Worship,’ and his journal articles include “This Blessed Mess: An Embodied Worship”;  “A Return to Noble Simplicity”; and “Go in Peace, Then What?” Topics in this engaging hour include: Scirghi’s childhood experience of faith in an Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY; how he learned of the Jesuits; the remarkable story and legacy of Ignatius Loyola; the formation of the Jesuits; Ignatian values; finding God in all things; cura personalis; contemplation in action; social justice; the role of reflection; how Caer came to faith as an adult through the RCIA program of St. Ignatius Loyola parish in Manhattan; the spiritual journey in today’s world; how Ignatian principles apply today; baptism; marriage; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt that you wrap around yourself each day:  St. Clare of Assisi; and more.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

ACTOR JONATHAN BURGARD, AUTHOR OF THE JOURNEY TO REDEMPTION

Jonathan Brent Burgard was born near an air-force base in Mount Holly, NJ. As his father was in the Air Force, he moved often – attending 3 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 3 high schools. With all that movement, he couldn’t really settle down or get very comfortable in any one place.  As a teenager, the need for friendship and attention moved him toward to the arts, and he began acting in high school productions. Theater became his passion and his profession. At 6’ 6” tall, with a great singing voice and quote “biceps like tree trunks,” Jonathan landed the role of Gaston, the villain in Beauty and the Beast, whom he has played in more than 400 performances across the United States. He has starred in over 30 different productions, working with some of the top names on Broadway, and is currently the face of Slim Goodbody – touring nationally, educating children about good health. But his is not merely a lonely-kid-makes-good-on-stage story. Jonathan is the author of the new book The Journey to Redemption: An Adventure in Choice & Faith. In this hour he shares with Caer Hallundbaek the spiritual journey of a potentially wayward life changed by faith. To learn more, visit godspeedinstitute.com Related links:

Jonathan Burgard: http://www.gooseburg.com

Music is My Prayer: http://bit.ly/MTOMCU

A Fairy Tale God: http://bit.ly/QzK0x2

MYSTICAL PRAYER ACROSS TRADITIONS, WITH LLEWELLYN VAUGHN-LEE

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, Ph.D. is an author and teacher in the Naqshbandi Order of Sufism. He has specialized in the area of dream work, integrating the ancient Sufi approach to dreams with the insights of modern psychology. In recent years the focus of his writing and teaching has been on spiritual responsibility in our present time of transition, and the emerging global consciousness of oneness. His latest book is Prayer of the Heart in Christian and Sufi Mysticism, which explores the inner listening of the heart, and the secret of ‘prayer without ceasing’ in which we discover how prayer becomes alive within the heart. This book brings together the Christian and Sufi mystical traditions in the oneness of love to which they both belong. It will benefit any practitioner of prayer, anyone who is drawn to discover a relationship with God within their heart. Topics in this engaging hour include: Prayer of the Heart in Christian and Sufi Mysticism; what inspired this book; what defines “mystical prayer”;  Llewellyn’s Christian background, discovery of Sufism, and the common ground between the two through mysticism; St. Teresa of Avila, Attar, St. John of the Cross, Rumi; the necessity of prayer; the stages of prayer; the silence within the heart; the mystery of divine presence; oneness; the need to pray for the Earth; devastation from the illusion of separation; the Jesus Prayer and the dhikr; the power of name; the breath as bridge; Divine unity – a merging and melting that transcends the mind and its notions of duality; and much more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

CAER HALLUNDBAEK ON RELIGION AND SCIENCE

In a rare, new one-hour interview, Godspeed Institute founder Caer Hallundbaek shares her own vision and spiritual insights on the roles of faith and science in the modern world -- as the featured guest on Philip Mereton’s program Conversations Beyond Religion and Science. An award-winning author and graduate of New York University, Maryknoll School of Theology and Fordham University, Caer studied cosmology and astronomy as part of her theological education and finds that science informs her faith rather than challenges it. Topics in this lively and engaging conversation include: Caer’s experience of religion in early life; how the event of Supernova 1987A sparked her fascination with the space sciences; what the death of a star tells us about the nature of life; how the stars are mortal and have created the elements that sustain life through their surrender;  her radical view that death and resurrection (or, surrender to new life) are ‘built in’ to the fabric of this universe; dust to dust; dark matter and energy; the film Contact; how science and scripture can be reconciled; science fiction; how the nature of love requires similar surrender to new life; how resisting this natural flow of change leads to pain and suffering in our world, on an individual and corporate level; and much more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

DO YOU QUANTUM THINK? WITH AUTHOR DIANNE COLLINS

Caer Hallundbaek speaks with Dianne Collins – author of the new book ‘Do You Quantum Think? New Thinking That Will Rock Your World.’ Do You Quantum Think? is an excellent example of how more and more people are beginning the process of reevaluating the value system of self centered material greed and suggests making a quantum leap from the archaic industrial age thinking that limits us to a new era of quantum age thinking that is holistically attuned to modern developments in quantum physics, technology and spirituality. Topics in this hour include: what led Collins to write her book; her childhood experience of Judaism and spiritual seeking; the separation of science of faith; the ‘myth of choice’ around our free thinking; the system of thinking that Collins developed into 21 principles; her work as a consultant to major corporations and banks; greed; compassion; how one manager’s actions are directly related to a hungry child in this interconnected world; an inadequate application of spiritual principles; how corporate vision is not enough — that action is required for authentic change in the corporate arena, including sacrifice (i.e. of archaic values such as “profitability first”); the challenge of evolving past the era of greed and its corporate manifestation; that all spiritual growth requires surrender; and more. For more information visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

THE FERRYMAN'S DREAM, WITH AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR STEWART BITKOFF

Dr. Stewart Bitkoff holds a doctorate in education and is an avid student of Sufi Mysticism and the Perennial Philosophy. He is the author of 'The Commuter's Guide to Enlightenment,' 'Sufism for the Western Seeker,' and now 'The Ferryman's Dream,' which he explores at length with Caer Hallundbaek. He is a frequent contributor to Sufism: An Inquiry and Sacred Journey Magazine and writes for multiple online entities including the Philadelphia Spirituality Examiner, Wisdom Magazine, New Age Journal, and more. Topics in this hour include: 'The Ferryman's Dream’ and the journey into spiritual awakening; what inspired him to write the book; the traditional format of combining non-fiction, story and poetry; Vasudeva, from Siddhartha by Herman Hesse; spiritual destiny, or life plan; the Teacher; consciousness has many layers; the energy at the center of the onion; energy and communication; God as Light and Energy; Stars Wars and The Force; Choice and Love; The Treasure; how this philosophy works across religious traditions; and more. For more information visit www.godspeedinstitute.com.

'MUSIC IS MY PRAYER' WITH MEHUMAN JONSON

An East Coast native, Mehuman Jonson is an award-winning singer, songwriter and guitarist. She is also a woman of faith with a lot on her mind… She cut her teeth on old time gospel spirituals, straight ahead jazz, country blues, and classic rock and roll. Establishing herself in the Detroit, Manhattan, Dublin, Cannes, Nashville, and Los Angeles music scenes, Mehuman has toured in the U.S. and Europe delivering a powerful and punchy mix of what she calls “folk hop for hip folk.”  She has performed and toured with artists from Nora Jones to Nona Hendrix; from Sheila E. to Rufus Wainwright. CNN Music has touted Mehuman to be “one of the top 10 burgeoning songwriters to watch.” Topics in this interview include: the role of Christian faith in her life, beginning in her childhood household; community; covenant; coming to faith in adulthood; faith as part of  her musical journey; her musical influences; songwriting; music as prayer; lost in a desert of grief; getting a contract with a major label and losing it all; her journey of healing; healing through art; her upcoming project at kickstarter.com; ‘Love Colored Glasses’; love and relationships; God, the perfecter of love; forgiveness; death and resurrection in relationships; Caer’s reflection on music and the divine from Saints in Love; and much more.

 

Human Natures, of Animal and Spiritual - with Carroll Blair

“The most menacing ailment of the human species is not cancer, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or heart disease, or a multitude of other conditions that endanger its life, but ego, doing the bidding of the lower nature.” – Carroll Blair Carroll Blair is the author of more than twenty books, including five volumes of poetry. His latest book is Human Natures, of Animal and Spiritual, which champions a philosophy of human evolution through spiritual growth. The Sixth Annual National Indie Excellence Awards has recognized Human Natures as a finalist in the category of Philosophy.  Written in poetic vignettes, the book offers thought-provoking insights into challenges that continue to plague humankind – and sheds light on the principles that would enable humanity to move forward. Topics in this program include: Why we do not progress; animal and spiritual nature; the ego; free will; those in history who have transcended; spirituality defined; excerpts from Blair’s book; greed and stagnation; getting unstuck – as individuals and as corporate bodies; true spirituality; integrity; humility; Caer’s Tip for Your Spiritual Toolbelt; The Saints’ Guide to Relationships series; and more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

MOTHER TERESA, PRAYER, AND PSYCHOLOGY – WITH ANTHONY STERN MD

Join Caer in this inspiring conversation with psychiatrist Anthony Stern MD, author of “Everything Starts from Prayer: Mother Teresa’s Meditations on Spiritual Life for People of All Faiths.” Dr. Stern attended Harvard College and Mount Sinai School of Medicine.  He has worked in a variety of settings as a community psychiatrist, currently at a Montefiore primary care clinic in the Bronx near Yankee Stadium. He has written and given talks about the interface between religion and psychology over the last twenty years. Topics in this hour include: Stern’s experience of spirituality at age 8; how he was drawn to prayer as an adult; the external and internal effects of prayer;  his book on Mother Teresa and her guidance on prayer; Teresa’s experiences of doubt; the value and role of doubt; silence; the role of faith in his work as a psychiatrist; hope; spiritual poverty in the West; materialism; Mother Teresa’s interfaith, or universal, approach to prayer; a poem by the young poet who would become John Paul II; Caer’s Tip for Your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

THE HEAVEN AT THE END OF SCIENCE – WITH PHILIP MERETON

Did creation arise in a distant Big Bang and come toward us? Or did creation instead arise from the One Mind and come from us? Philip Mereton is the host of the internet radio show, Conversations Beyond Science and Religion – a program about breaking through the common beliefs and perceptions that control how we think about the world. He is also the author of ‘The Heaven at the End of Science’ – a book about the need to change our materialistic worldview of modern science to create a world of science and of spirit. Topics in the hour include:  Science’s Great Assumption; how science focuses on matter, or ‘stuff’; how the worldview of the Big Bang, Darwinian evolution, the God delusion, and the heat death of the universe affect us; what happens when we turn our focus away from the ‘stuff’ toward the state of mind of the dreamers; how spirit is built within the framework of creation, not outside it; the role of religion in relation to science; materialism; compassion as a law of nature; hope; and much more. For more information, visit the Godspeed Institute.

Sufi Talks: Teachings of an American Sufi Sheikh, with Robert Frager Ph.D.

Caer Hallundbaek welcomes Robert Frager, Ph.D., founder of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, CA, where he is currently Professor of Psychology and Director of the Spiritual Guidance Masters Program. Dr. Frager is a Sufi teacher in the Halveti-Jerrahi Sufi Order, an international order based in Istanbul, Turkey. He is president of the Jerrahi Order of California and has been a Sufi spiritual guide for over 25 years. Additionally he received a 7th degree black belt in Aikido and has been an instructor for over 45 years. His latest book is Sufi Talks: Teachings of an American Sufi Sheikh. Topics in this engaging hour include: an event that touched Robert’s heart and changed his life; Sufi Talks – a collection of conversations about spiritual topics, drawn from his weekly teachings; the Sufi order as an unbroken chain; apostolic succession; saints;  the opening of the heart; the heart as a temple and a mediator; the practice of chanting and energizing the heart; surrender to God; more about his upcoming book; restoring character; ‘waking before we die’; Aikido; and more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

A New Way to Be Human, with Robert V. Taylor

Born and raised in South Africa, Rev. Robert V. Taylor saw firsthand the difference that could be made when oppressed people are given the freedom to discover their voices, trust their imaginations, and find the courage to be who they are. In 1980 Taylor was sent to the United States by his mentor, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, to avoid imprisonment for his anti-apartheid activity. Along the way, Taylor found his own voice — and in his book ‘A New Way to Be Human,’ continues to explore integrating personal spirituality and values - driven strategies with the question of how we each leave a footprint of compassion in the world. Topics in this hour include: the importance of sharing our story and connecting it to others’; his experience of spinal surgery as a teen that led to spiritual breakthrough; the cultural environment in South Africa; becoming a protégé of Desmond Tutu; finding one’s voice; the barriers to our authentic selves; his new book, A New Way to Be Human: 7 Spiritual Pathways to Becoming Fully Alive; breaking through enclosures; risky invitations; holy surprises; the ‘Thin Places’ or holiness disguised; the need and importance of tolerance – including religious tolerance; and more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

“The Suffering is Big.” Grace Street Ministry, with Mair Honan

Today on the Godspeed Institute we welcome Mair Honan, UCC minister and co-founder of Grace Street Ministry – a compassionate outreach ministry to the homeless and marginalized in Portland, Maine, offering support through presence, prayer and advocacy. Topics in the hour include: Caer’s reflection on the homeless from The Saints’ Guide to Relationships, Volume 3; a walking ministry; history of Grace Street Ministry; remembering the sacred in the midst of it all; the imagined and real boundaries between those who have little materially and those who have much; how ministry can be as simple as sharing a cup of coffee in Dunkin Donuts… to being with people “who have been beaten and discarded and are sure that God does not exist in the reality of their suffering”; hope; fear; overflowing shelters; being authentic; greed; her personal journey to this ministry; Caer’s Tip for Your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

Daoism, Health and Longevity - with Livia Kohn

Livia Kohn is Professor Emerita of Religion & East Asian Studies at Boston University. Her specialty is Daoism and the study of Chinese longevity practices. A long-term practitioner of taiji quan and meditation, she is also a certified instructor of yoga and qigong. One of the world’s foremost scholars, Livia is expert at placing each practice in its historical and cultural context, relating its current application and effectiveness to modern Western living. Topics in this hour include: the Daoist Tradition – its basic principles; the Three Jewels of the Tao; the Three Pure Ones; how Daoism is practiced; how Daoism relates to our health; energy; taiji quan, meditation, yoga and qigong; Daoism in the West; Chinese longevity practices; Dr. Kohn’s books; how Daoism help us relate to others;  Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt that you wrap around yourself each day. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com.

“There is No Religion Higher than Truth,” With Tim Boyd

“There is No Religion Higher than Truth.” This is the motto of The Theosophical Society in America, founded in New York in 1875 with three main purposes: to form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color; to encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy, and Science; and to investigate the unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent within the human being. The Society is composed of lifelong students belonging to any religion - or to none. Rooted in Ageless Wisdom, and engaging knowledge that is religious, scientific and esoteric, their bond is not the profession of a common belief, but a common search and aspiration for Truth. Joining Caer Hallundbaek to discuss theosophy is Tim Boyd, president of the Theosophical Society in America. Topics in this hour include: what Theosophy is; the beginnings of the Society in America; Oneness of all things; the nature of Divinity; wisdom through the ages; reconciling humanity’s scientific, philosophical, and religious disciplines and practices into a unified worldview; how the Theosophical movement inspired the New Age; ‘the unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent within the human being’; remembering; truth; how ‘all souls are identical with the Universal Oversoul’; study, meditation and service; how Theosophy helps us relate to others and effect religious tolerance; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com.

Quakers: The Light Within, with Barry Crossno

There are many great quotes out there, by Quakers and about Quakers, by people from Harriet Tubman to Woody Allen – but this is one that caught my attention this week: “A good End cannot sanctify evil Means; nor must we ever do Evil, that Good may come of it” – this by William Penn, Quaker leader and founder of the state of Pennsylvania. Today Caer discusses Quaker beliefs and practices with Barry Crossno, General Secretary of Friends General Conference, exploring the Quaker’s spiritual core – the Light Within – which can offer an experience of faith, and worship, without rituals, clergy or other church structures. Topics in this hour include: Friends General Conference; how he learned of Quakers at age 21; how like many Friends, he came into Quaker practice feeling “wounded by traditional Christianity”; his experience of Buddhism; Barry’s blog “The Quaker Dharma”; Quaker history; rejecting the hierarchy and rituals of existing churches, and challenging all people to encounter God directly; Christianity, ‘cleaned and polished down to its very essence’; the subordinate role of scriptures, church authority, tradition, reason, and formal religious education; dispensing with ‘rites and ceremonies, ritualized sacraments, sacred books and buildings, creeds, clergy, and holy days’; “leadings,” or the spiritual call to action; FGC programs & services; interfaith relations and religious tolerance; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more. For more information, visit godspeedinstitute.com.

AN HOUR WITH THOMAS G. WALSH, PRESIDENT OF UPF INTERNATIONAL

“The teacher with whom we have the closest relationship is our heart,” writes the Rev. Sun Myung Moon in his current autobiography. In 1954 he founded The Unification Church – officially the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity. In this millennium, Rev. Moon and his wife, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon have founded the Universal Peace Federation, working with the United Nations, with members in every corner of the globe. In this program Caer Hallundbaek speaks with Dr. Thomas G. Walsh, president of UPF. Topics in this hour include: The life and experience of Rev. Sun Myung Moon, now 92; his Christian ministry; founding of the Unification Movement after WWII; his goals as a minister; misconceptions of Rev. Moon; cults in the 1970s; what led to the development of UPF; the principles of the organization; family – the “school of love and peace”; the sacred core of marriage; how ‘love must have a partner’; peace through cooperation beyond the boundaries of ethnicity, religion, and nationality; the organization’s work with the U.N.; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

THE WISDOM OF DAOISM WITH DR. NORMAN GIRARDOT

Joining Caer in a conversation on Daoism is Norman Girardot, University
Distinguished Professor in Religion Studies at Lehigh University in
Bethlehem, PA. His special research areas include Chinese religious
tradition, especially Daoism, popular religious movements, the rise of the
discipline known as “comparative religions,” and the relation of religion
and outsider or visionary art.

He is the award winning author of The Victorian Translation of China;
Daoism and Ecology; and Myth and Meaning in Early Daoism: The Theme of
Hundun.

Topics in this engaging hour include: Girardot’s course on Jesus, Buddha,
Mao, and… Elvis; the First Church of Elvis the Divine; humor; where
religions come from; creation from a Daoist perspective; the Three Pure
Ones; the Triune God in Christianity, or the Holy Trinity; yin and yang;
when Daoism emerged; Lao Tzu; the Dao Te Ching; the word Dao translated as
"way" or "path”; how Daoism is practiced; Daoist views on ecology; the
growth of evangelical Christianity in China; philosophical and religious
Daoism;  the unity of spirit and matter; humility; Caer’s Tip for your
Spiritual Toolbelt that you wrap around yourself each day; and more.

For more information, visit godspeedinstitute.com

A NEW SPIRITUALITY

Are you struggling with organized religion? Have you left a church or organization and are still seeking a way to feed your soul? Caer explores a new spirituality with Dr. Steve McSwain, author of The Enoch Factor: The Sacred Art of Knowing God, and Dr. Stewart Bitkoff, author of A Commuter's Guide to Enlightenment and the new book Sufism for the Western Seeker. Topics in this engaging hour include: What drew Steve McSwain to be a Baptist minister for 20 years, and the events that made him leave the church; feelings of anger and life unraveling; Stewart Bitkoff's feeling of emptiness in his family's tradition of Judaism; how they found their spiritual awakening; making life a prayer; moving beyond the trappings of religion; the figure of Enoch; his presence in Jewish, Christian Islamic texts; how churches have come to mimic material culture, rather than model spiritual values; fear and reward; the difference between religion and spirituality; the form spiritual living will take; the effect of mysticism on religious tolerance; Caer's Commentary on Viktor Frankl; and more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com.

THE DREAMWEATHER FOUNDATION

Anne Scott is founding director of DreamWeather Foundation, which focuses on bringing the feminine principle back into everyday life by cultivating and respecting the relationship women have to themselves and to each other, so that women trust and follow the innate wisdom they have for healing, leading, and social transformation. She has been developing and leading workshops and retreats for women for over 20 years in the United States and other countries. From her experience she has come to understand that women and the feminine way are critical for the health and well-being of all life – families, communities, societies and the earth. Topics in this hour include: ‘who we are’ compared to ‘what we do’ – or, tasks; how culturally this has it affected women; DreamWeather Foundation, and how it began with a dream;  a formative spiritual experience including a Buddhist chef; how she came to know Sufism; the Divine Feminine and women’s spiritual connection; how knowledge of the feminine became buried deep within us; dreams – what they are, and how they work; dream work; keeping a dream journal; Caer's Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; and much more. For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com.

ESSENTIAL ONENESS

Alex Warden is a Sufi mystic who was born in Argentina and now oversees the Essential Oneness project in Northern California. Its mission is 'to foster a consciousness of the fundamental unity of everything.' Sounds like a daunting task in this seemingly fragmented world - but a spiritual solution is exactly what's needed in our time. Since 1985 Alex has been sharing with groups and individuals the knowing of the infinite unity and relatedness of life through her work in the fields of spirituality, education, dream study, women's wisdom, and energy dynamics. An educator and spiritual counselor, she has recently written about the Occupy movement from the spiritual point of view. Topics in this engaging hour include: a favorite Sufi story; her early life in Argentina; two intense spiritual periods in her life that helped form her; her childhood as a Roman Catholic and discovery and experience of Sufism; he