Nature As Beloved, Nature As Self

Using Spaciousness to Ground Us in Troubled Times

How do we find an inner center to ground us when our personal circumstances, our nation and the world seem so shaky?  Spacious landscapes and the traditions of Buddhism and Christian Mysticism teach us to find an interior spaciousness that causes our troubled thoughts and feelings and the events swirling all around us to feel less solid and claustrophobic.  Within this spaciousness dwells the realm of endless potential, where creative new thoughts are born, and that shows us what to do NEXT.

Exploring the Sacred Masculine

At a time when “toxic masculinity” often makes headlines and the “sacred feminine” is increasingly celebrated, what does it mean to speak of the sacred masculine? This episode explores masculinity at its best—and at its worst—while reclaiming a vision of its sacred potential. Drawing from the wisdom of Contemplative Christianity and Wilderness Christian Mysticism, the conversation considers what healthy, mature masculinity looks like beyond stereotypes and distortions. Here, the sacred masculine emerges as a life-giving force that complements the sacred feminine and contributes to balance, wholeness, and healing in our lives and communities. Listeners are invited to reflect on their own relationship to masculinity and to imagine how the sacred masculine might be renewed and embodied in ways that nurture both the individual soul and the collective good. Tune in for a thoughtful exploration that seeks renewal, balance, and hope. Stay connected! Follow on Facebook or Instagram @natureasbeloved, or share ideas, questions, and feedback at natureasbeloved@gmail.com [natureasbeloved@gmail.com]

Beauty & Bread - The Life & Spirituality of John Muir

John Muir, a wilderness Christian mystic himself, once famously said: "Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, places where people can play in and pray in, where nature may give strength to body and soul alike." This is just one of the many lasting insights left behind by Muir. More than just a mountaineer, naturalist, or preservationist, Muir was a mystic of mountains and alpenglow.  His writings reveal a person whose faith was shaped not by dogma, but by the ecstatic beauty of the natural world. In this conversation, we explore why Muir still matters—how his exuberance, reverence for nature, and visionary conservation ethic continue to speak powerfully today. The episode traces Muir’s spiritual awakening and his unique contribution to Wilderness Christian Mysticism. Drawing from his journals and personal reflections, we discuss how beauty, joy, and awe can be sources of divine knowledge and renewal.  For Muir, the sacred was never distant—it shimmered in granite, waterfalls, and wind. His way of seeing reminds us that the divine is not confined to temples or texts, but revealed in the living world all around us. Carried by the Spirit, his words echo today. No matter how difficult life may seem at times, we still need beauty and bread. For such nourishment keeps us rooted in what is true, good, and enduring. Stay connected! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram @natureasbeloved. Send us your ideas, questions, or feedback: natureasbeloved@gmail.com [natureasbeloved@gmail.com].

Bonus: Guided Wilderness Insight Meditation

This bonus episode offers a guided Christian Insight Meditation designed to support contemplative practice. Listeners are invited to settle into a space of inner stillness and spacious awareness, using breath, imagery, and sacred story to cultivate presence and wonder. The meditation includes: * Breath-based grounding and visualization of a spacious landscape * Reflection on divine spaciousness as a symbol of God’s loving Presence * A mythic framework that imagines God’s unspoken Word echoing within each thought * The use of the phrase “echo, echo” to gently label thoughts and return to stillness * A spacious, imaginative approach to encountering the divine through awareness This contemplative practice is intended as a quiet space for deep listening, spiritual reflection, and awakening to the sacred mystery at the heart of everyday experience. __ Stay connected! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram (@natureasbeloved). Send us your ideas, questions, or feedback: natureasbeloved@gmail.com [natureasbeloved@gmail.com].

Musings - Wilderness Insight Meditation

This mini-episode offers an introduction to Christian Insight Meditation, a contemplative practice grounded in awe and wonder. Drawing from the Christian mystical tradition, we explore how inner spaciousness mirrors the vastness of creation and how thoughts can be seen as echoes of a divine Word never spoken. This episode concludes with practical guidance for engaging in Insight Meditation, inviting a deepened awareness of thoughts, presence, and the divine within. Follow along on Facebook or Instagram @natureasbeloved. Send us your ideas, questions, or feedback: natureasbeloved@gmail.com [natureasbeloved@gmail.com].