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Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
00:04:41 - Thomas Merton: A Contemplative Life
00:09:00 - The Solitude of Thomas Merton
00:12:26 - Leaving the Monastery: Trauma and Abuse
00:15:25 - Unitive Experiences and Fragility in Spiritual Traditions
00:19:26 - Ascending to Higher States of Consciousness
00:22:53 - The Brokenness Within Oneself
00:26:45 - Abusive Relationships and Healing Processes
00:30:41 - Mystics and Enlightenment in Christianity
00:34:56 - Different Perspectives on Religion and Mysticism
00:38:44 - Awakening and the Path of Transformation
00:42:42 - The Endless Nature of Mysticism
00:46:53 - The Center for Action and Contemplation
00:50:28 - Finding a Healthy Balance
00:54:00 - God's Transcendence and Presence
00:58:32 - The Ocean of Reality and the Religious Experience
01:02:12 - The Play and Display of Divine Intelligence
01:09:28 - The Deathless Beauty of the Beloved
01:13:27 - The Unexpected Nearness of God
01:17:21 - Respecting the Physiology and the Path to Awakening
01:20:49 - The Asceticism of Dying and Letting Go
01:24:37 - Understanding the Crucifixion and Resurrection
01:28:46 - The Mystery of Faith and Resurrection
01:32:24 - The Mystery of the Trinity and God's Self-Expression
01:36:12 - Mystical Consciousness
01:40:05 - Sensitizing ourselves to the beating heart
01:44:18 - The Frustration of Spiritual Practice
01:48:18 - Teaching and Engagement Opportunities with James Finley
01:52:04 - Finding Your Practice and Community
01:55:44 - Farewell and Thanks

As a contemplative practitioner and clinical psychologist, James Finley helps seekers who desire to live a contemplative, whole life. Drawing from his experience as a former monk and spiritual directee of Thomas Merton, Jim offers trustworthy guidance for the spiritual journey through his website, online courses, occasional retreats, and the Center for Action and Contemplation where he serves as a core faculty member of The Living School for Action and Contemplation with Cynthia Bourgeault and Richard Rohr. Jim is the author of several books, including:

Merton's Palace of Nowhere,
The Contemplative Heart, and
Christian Meditation: Experiencing the Presence of God.

James's podcast, Turning to the Mystics is for people searching for something more meaningful, intimate, and richly present in the divine gift of their lives. A clinical psychologist, James offers a modern take on the historical contemplative practices of Christian mystics like Teresa of Avila and Thomas Merton. Leaning into their experiences can become a gateway to hope, healing, and oneness. In each episode, Jim reads an excerpt from a mystical text, unpacks the meaning and symbolism, and then concludes with meditation and prayer. Together with Kirsten Oates from the Center for Action and Contemplation, they explore listener questions and examine their own paths as modern contemplatives in this beautiful and broken world.

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