The Laughing Mystics: An unorthodox journey through the liturgical year

Our challenging question: How have I betrayed the Divine? Marci offers a pun - joke.We explore a story from Africa from Michael Meade about "moving toward the roaring."Laura shares her process for working with dreams and how this influences her reading of scripture. Here is the process Laura's group uses.We also talk about narrative structure and Campbell's Monomyth. We circle around the many betrayals in the Passion narrative.  The Sunday ReadingsWe won't be recording the Triduum this year. Last years episode is here. Thank you for listening! You're invited to join our FB community at https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/Need more poetry in your life? Visit Marci's blog and/or subscribe to Laura's new substack and receive one of her fresh poems delivered to you periodically. Questions? Comments? Bring your voice to the conversation. We'd like to SHARE THE MIC with you! Send an audio from your phone with a question or comment to [email protected] now have an easier way for you to leave a review or rating, using this link! RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmysticsPlease follow us to be alerted for new episodes. We hope you'll share this passion project with others, write a review, or rate/like our podcast on your favorite platform!pod.link/1799776273New episodes now released on Thursday mornings!For more on Marci Madary visit https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/For more on Laura Lewis-Barr visit https://psychescinema.com/Want to support The Laughing Mystics? We now have MERCH! Visit ⁠https://www.zazzle.com/store/laughing_mystics/products(0ur show notes are always filled with many links. If your platform doesn't show them, visit the "episode webpage" or our Spotify page.)Music licensed from Artlist#jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #richardrohr #progressivechristianity #jungianwisdom #mysticalchristianity #religioustext #transpersonalpsychology

Our question: When or how have I come back from "death?"We talk about the power of imagination as a necessary part of change.  We recall what Fr. Richard Rohr said about Paul's use of the word "flesh" and "spirit." "Paul made a most unfortunate choice of the word sarx, translated “flesh,” as the very enemy of pneuma, Spirit (for example, Galatians 5:16-24). Now we would probably translate sarx as “ego” or “small self,” which would be much closer to Paul’s actual meaning. Remember that Christianity is the religion that believes “the Word became flesh” (John 1:13), and Jesus even returned to the “flesh” after the Resurrection (Luke 24:40)—so flesh cannot be bad. If our spirituality is in any way anti-body, it is never authentic Christianity.Merton rightly recognized that it was not the body that had to “die” but the “false self” that we do not need anyway. The False Self is simply a substitute for our deeper and deepest truth. It is a useful and even needed part of ourselves, but it is not all; the danger is when we think we are only our false, separate, small self. Our attachment to False Self must die to allow True Self—our basic and unchangeable identity in God—to live fully and freely."We explore the many layers and mysteries of the Lazarus story and ask ourselves, "where am I at in the story right now?"We read a mixture of the longer and shorter version of the Gospel.The Sunday ReadingsThank you for listening! You're invited to join our FB community at https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/Need more poetry in your life? Visit Marci's blog and/or subscribe to Laura's new substack and receive one of her fresh poems delivered to you everyday. Questions? Comments? Bring your voice to the conversation. We'd like to SHARE THE MIC with you! Send an audio from your phone with a question or comment to [email protected] now have an easier way for you to leave a review or rating, using this link! RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmysticsPlease follow us to be alerted for new episodes. We hope you'll share this passion project with others, write a review, or rate/like our podcast on your favorite platform!pod.link/1799776273New episodes now released on Thursday mornings!For more on Marci Madary visit https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/For more on Laura Lewis-Barr visit https://psychescinema.com/Want to support The Laughing Mystics? We now have MERCH! Visit ⁠https://www.zazzle.com/store/laughing_mystics/products(0ur show notes are always filled with many links. If your platform doesn't show them, visit the "episode webpage" or our Spotify page.)Music licensed from Artlist#jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #richardrohr #progressivechristianity #jungianwisdom #mysticalchristianity #religioustext #transpersonalpsychology

A deep dive into some familiar readings. And many questions. Our first question (based on the readings) : What ritual(s) in my life have brought me sight or a pouring out of the "Spirit of the Lord."We talk about the innocent "youngest one," here as David and also within ourselves as our "inferior function."We ask: where am I asleep in my life? What darkness in myself might I be asleep to? Do I believe when I hear the voice of the Divine? Where am I in this story right now?We continue to explore these very familiar stories as if they were a dream and the parts of the story live in me.The Sunday ReadingsThank you for listening! You're invited to join our FB community at https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/Need more poetry in your life? Visit Marci's blog and/or subscribe to Laura's new substack and receive one of her fresh poems delivered to you everyday. Questions? Comments? Bring your voice to the conversation. We'd like to SHARE THE MIC with you! Send an audio from your phone with a question or comment to [email protected] now have an easier way for you to leave a review or rating, using this link! RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmysticsPlease follow us to be alerted for new episodes. We hope you'll share this passion project with others, write a review, or rate/like our podcast on your favorite platform!pod.link/1799776273New episodes now released on Thursday mornings!For more on Marci Madary visit https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/For more on Laura Lewis-Barr visit https://psychescinema.com/Want to support The Laughing Mystics? We now have MERCH! Visit ⁠https://www.zazzle.com/store/laughing_mystics/products(0ur show notes are always filled with many links. If your platform doesn't show them, visit the "episode webpage" or our Spotify page.)Music licensed from Artlist#jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #richardrohr #progressivechristianity #jungianwisdom #mysticalchristianity #religioustext #transpersonalpsychology

What is the "Living Water" in your life right now?Hold on to your hats—we are dipping into familiar spiritual waters only to find some big, transformative surprises. In this episode, Marci and Laura explore the intersection of the Gospel and the "folk midrash" of fairy tales. By looking at the Grimm Brothers' The Water of Life, we uncover how archetypal stories provide a parallel commentary on Christian tradition, helping us cross boundaries that dogma sometimes closes.We also tackle the heavy lifting of Atonement Theory, using insights from Joseph Campbell and Fr. Richard Rohr to shift the conversation from "payment" to "participation."In this episode:The Water of Life: Unpacking the fairy tale that mirrors our thirst for the divine.Fairy Tales as Midrash: Why "folk" stories are the key to opening sacred texts from the inside.Rethinking Atonement: Moving toward a more life-giving understanding of the Cross.The Living Water: Identifying the source of vitality in your own psychological and spiritual landscape.The Sunday Readings: A deep dive into the Gospel of John and the woman at the well.Join the community: Facebook group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/Daily Poetry: Visit Marci’s Blog and subscribe to Laura’s Substack for your daily dose of verse.Share the mic: Send a voice memo to [email protected]/review easily: ⁠RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmysticsFollow + listen: ⁠https://pod.link/1799776273New episodes drop Thursday mornings.More from Marci Madary: ⁠https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/More from Laura Lewis-Barr: ⁠https://psychescinema.com/Merch: ⁠https://www.zazzle.com/store/laughing_mystics/products(If your platform hides links, visit the episode webpage or Spotify.) Music licensed from Artlist.#JungianPsychology #FolkChristianity #RichardRohr #JosephCampbell #AtonementTheory #LivingWater #FairyTaleWisdom #DepthPsychology #MysticalChristianity #SpiritualDirection

What is the "topography" of your current existence?If your life were a landscape—with its peaks, valleys, hidden caves, and flowing rivers—what would it look like today? In this episode, Marci and Laura move beyond abstract goals to explore the current design of your life through the lens of mystical experience. We delve into the power of synchronicities, the profound symbolism of the number three, and the continued archetypal journey of The Girl Without Hands.From the heart-opening connection between "God and Dog" to the blinding light of transfiguration, we invite you to look at the patterns emerging in your own story.In this episode:The Power of Three: Unpacking the spiritual and psychological significance of this "complete" number.Synchronicity: How meaningful coincidences act as a bridge to the divine.The Transfigured Life: Moving from the mundane to the mystical in everyday moments.The Girl Without Hands: Exploring the next chapter of this haunting and healing fairy tale.Join the community: Facebook group: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/⁠Daily Poetry: Visit ⁠Marci’s Blog⁠ and subscribe to ⁠Laura’s Substack⁠ for your daily dose of verse.Share the mic: Send a voice memo to ⁠[email protected]⁠Rate/review easily: ⁠⁠RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmystics⁠Follow + listen: ⁠⁠https://pod.link/1799776273⁠New episodes drop Thursday mornings.More from Marci Madary: ⁠⁠https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/⁠More from Laura Lewis-Barr: ⁠⁠https://psychescinema.com/⁠Merch: ⁠⁠https://www.zazzle.com/store/laughing_mystics/products⁠(If your platform hides links, visit the episode webpage or Spotify.) Music licensed from Artlist.#JungianPsychology #LifeDesign #Synchronicities #DepthPsychology #SymbolismOfThree #FairyTaleWisdom #Transfiguration #ProgressiveChristianity #MysticalChristianity #RichardRohr #SpiritualMapping