Digging A Deep Well To Our Spiritual Waters with Mirabai Starr

MP3 Download

Delving into many different spiritual paths can be thought of as digging many shallow wells with the hope of reaching water. However, Mirabai Starr’s experience tells her that she is using many different tools to dig a single deep well. Following the interspiritual path goes beyond simply understanding another’s religion: Rather it means, “Embracing the sacred in multiple traditions with discipline and passion.” She speaks of going through the “dark night of the soul” when we no longer feel a connectedness with our spiritual path. Giving us comfort in the advice of St. John of the Cross she says, “Rest in it and surrender . . . let go of all our old attachments to the way the spiritual path is supposed to be. Let down into that darkness and into that emptiness where we find what he calls an ineffable sweetness that begins to rise into that hollowed out container.” (hosted by Justine Willis Toms)

Bio

Mirabai Starr has taught philosophy and world religions at the University of New Mexico, Taos, for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and the interspiritual dialogue. She’s a certified bereavement counselor and travels the world speaking and giving workshops on contemplative practice and the teachings of the mystics.

Mirabai Starr is the author and editor of many books including:

• Dark Night of the Soul  (Riverhead 2003)
• The Interior Castle: St. Teresa of Avila (Riverhead 2004)
• Devotion, Prayers & Living Wisdom (Sounds True 2008), six-volume series of translations of the writings and poetry of six Christian mystics:
  • Saint John of the Cross (Devotions, Prayers & Living Wisdom)
  • Saint Michael the Archangel (Devotions, Prayers & Living Wisdom)
  • Saint Francis of Assisi (Devotions, Prayers & Living Wisdom)
  • Hildegard of Bingen (Devotions, Prayers & Living Wisdom)
  • Our Lady of Guadalupe (Devotions, Prayers, and Living Wisdom)
  • Saint Teresa of Avila (Devotions, Prayers & Living Wisdom)
• God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam (Monkfish 2012)
• Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics (Sounds True 2018)

Topics Explored in This Dialogue

• How can we embrace multiple traditions while still going deep
• How is the state of longing our birthright as human beings
• What helps when we no longer feel our familiar old connectedness with our spiritual path
• What is a writing practice that will help uncover our true spiritual questions
• What is the difference between interspiritual and interfaith
• Why is keeping a “Sabbath” in our life a radical act

Host: Justine Willis Toms       Interview Date: 7/13/2012     Program Number: 3444

Music Playlist

From Album: Fresh Impressions
Artist: Georgia Kelly & Steven Kindler
1987 Out Front Music #OFM 1010

Opening Essay: Track 09 Pastorale d'eté by Arthur Honegger
Music Break 1: Track 01 Sicilienne by Eric Satie
Music Break 2: Track 05 Gnossienne #2 by Eric Satie
Music Break 3: Track 06 Gnossienne #3 by Eric Satie