Episodes

  • Inward Bound Mindfulness: Bringing Mindfulness to Youth and Those Who Support Them

    Inward Bound Mindfulness: Bringing Mindfulness to Youth and Those Who Support Them
    Apr 17 2025
    Inward Bound Mindfulness is a nonprofit organization offering intensive mindfulness retreats to youth across the country. In this episode, Inward Bound Executive Director Erik Osugi, and Nikki Cistac, the lead for programs and community engagement, talk about the transformative power of mindfulness for a richly diverse community of young people. Resources: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center website: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Inward Bound Mindfulness website: https://inwardboundmind.org/ Contact Erik Osugi: erik@inwardboundmind.org Contact Nikki Cistac: nikki@inwardboundmind.org
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    58 mins
  • Carving Deep Time: Artist and Stonecarver Matt Weir on Creativity and Contemplation

    Carving Deep Time: Artist and Stonecarver Matt Weir on Creativity and Contemplation
    Mar 17 2025
    Matt Weir is a Louisville-based sculptor and stonecarver who has been commissioned to create an outdoor sculpture for the Earth & Spirit Center. In this episode, Matt reflects on his creative process, including the cosmic humility and contemplative practice entailed in working slowly with ancient natural materials. RESOURCES: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Learn more about the Earth & Spirit Center: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Falls Art Foundry: https://fallsartfoundry.com/ Matt Weir’s website: https://mweirworks.com/ Louisville Visual Art: https://www.louisvillevisualart.org/ Information about the Louisville Visual Art’s Curate, Purchase, Inspire program, which is funding the installation of Matt’s sculpture on the Earth & Spirit Center campus: https://www.louisvillevisualart.org/cpi
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    58 mins
  • Something Greater Than Ourselves: Spirituality and Secular Education at Louisville Collegiate School

    Something Greater Than Ourselves: Spirituality and Secular Education at Louisville Collegiate School
    Jan 24 2025
    Louisville Collegiate School is an independent school committed to whole-child education. In this episode, Head of School Rob Macrae and Assistant Head of School Jim McGuire describe how they are introducing spiritual practices and principles in a secular educational context, as a way to cultivate kids with self-awareness, a sense of community, resilience, and a commitment to the common good of people and planet. RESOURCES: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Louisville Collegiate School: https://louisvillecollegiate.org/ Collaborative for Spirituality in Education: https://spiritualityineducation.org/ Awakened Schools Institute: https://spiritualityineducation.org/awakened-schools/
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    54 mins
  • Re-Wilding Spirituality: Will Hunter on Modern-Day Monasticism and Contemplative Practice

    Re-Wilding Spirituality: Will Hunter on Modern-Day Monasticism and Contemplative Practice
    Dec 12 2024
    Will Hunter is a former monk, hermit, and wilderness therapy guide, who currently serves as the retreat director for the Earth & Spirit Center in Louisville, KY. In this episode, Will and I talk about the evolution of monastic life and how the desert or wilderness spirituality of monastic practice is possible – and even essential – for all of us, even in the midst of our built environments and our busy lives. Resources: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Will’s upcoming three-week course on Wilderness Spirituality (in-person and online via Zoom): https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/class/wilderness-spirituality/
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Shelly Sowell on Navigating the Post-Election World

    Shelly Sowell on Navigating the Post-Election World
    Nov 20 2024
    Shelly Sowell is a therapist and well-being coach who integrates mindfulness and self-compassion into her work with individuals and organizations. In this episode, we reflect on how mindfulness provides a helpful path of healing, integration, and hope for individuals and communities in the wake of the 2024 elections. RESOURCES: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Shelly's website: shellysowell.com Shelly’s Instagram: @buildamindfullife Shelly’s blog page: https://www.shellysowell.com/blog Blog Post on Fear: https://www.shellysowell.com/blog/buildamindfullife-workingwithfear Blog Post on Supporting Kids: https://www.shellysowell.com/blog/buildamindfullife-electionanxiety Blog Post from last year on Prepping for Holidays: https://www.shellysowell.com/blog/mindfullyprepfamilyholidays
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Earth & Spirit Podcast Update – 9-30-2024

    Earth & Spirit Podcast Update – 9-30-2024
    Sep 30 2024
    In this brief episode, Earth & Spirit Podcast host and producer Kyle Kramer gives some background on why the podcast feed has been dark for a bit, and what the future holds for the podcast moving forward.
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    3 mins
  • Peace on Earth By 2030: David Gershon’s Grand Vision (and Practice) of Peacemaking and Social Change

    Peace on Earth By 2030: David Gershon’s Grand Vision (and Practice) of Peacemaking and Social Change
    Aug 21 2024
    David Gershon is the co-founder and CEO of Empowerment Institute, author of a dozen books, and is one of the foremost social change experts in the world. In this conversation, David shares his vision of world peace by 2030 and the inspired and inspiring way he is helping create the means to achieve it. RESOURCES: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Registration link for World Building Workshop in Louisville on September 7, 2024: https://poe.earth/POEWBWorkshop Learn more about the Peace on Earth by 2030 Movement: https://peace2030.earth Learn more about the Peace Game and the Peace Game App: https://peacegame.earth https://docs.google.com/document/d/1arS7L8fkp2DgKgfuD3GOAxykugYm3TwGusaZ8Zw5ZA4/edit?usp=sharing https://poe.earth/app Learn more about David’s work and writing: https://empowermentinstitute.net
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Brayton Bowen on Compassion at Work

    Brayton Bowen on Compassion at Work
    Aug 9 2024
    Brayton Bowen is an organizational consultant, author, educator, and speaker, who served as a senior human resources officer for Fortune 500 companies. He’s also a fierce advocate for compassion in the workplace. In this episode, we explore the benefits compassion can bring in organizational life and beyond. RESOURCES: Donate to support the Earth & Spirit Podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Brayton’s website: https://buildingbetterworldsofwork.com/ Brayton’s books: https://buildingbetterworldsofwork.com/success-resources/
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    55 mins