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© 2023 Madness of Love
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Join Rev. Peggy Clarke and April Castoldi for lively conversations and be part of our "digital spiritual home." We will share thoughts and ideas about how each of us can nurture our own souls and also be a contribution in the world. We will have guests on to share their views and expand the possibilities. Listeners are invited to share comments and questions on our website, www.madnessoflove.com. Our recordings are made in Rev. Peggy's office at the First Unitarian Society of Westchester, a Unitarian-Universalist congregation in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.
14 Episodes
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Here's a revisit to a favorite episode featuring my friend and fellow early childhood educator Marie Pavia. Enjoy.
"The Low Road;" singing and chanting; wanting words; deep connections & piggyback rides; unmatchable experience of being in it together; fear of FUN; self-consciousness; girl rock band, ukelele, knitting & tap dancing; Zombie Prom; zombie choral reading; finding it.
Life in America--2 years of WTF; the growth of "nones" (not nuns), smallpox vaccine wipes out disease and religion; the "Great Awakening," and itinerant preachers ruin the Protestant work ethic; how to be alive again; Rules of Improv "Yes... And," Active Listening and the Gift of Information; Radical Acceptance; "Beastie Rap" and sweaty palms; Taking risks and being creative; boundaries; hate=bad.
What to call this episode? Cults, narratives that empower, ruining stories by obsessing over facts, favorite Bible stories, God chooses the poor, Seders: a holiday of explanations, from slavery into the unknown; UUism and individualism, boot camp for transformation, desire.
Imagining a world shaped by love. Special guest is Peggy's son Zac, who just turned nine. An end to war, overcoming cynicism, the beloved community, the list of wishes, picking up garbage, "+" signs over your head, letting go of being judgmental (fun as it is). It's okay to start small. And take heart: huge changes can happen. Zac teaches teachers to clean up the playground. Be a role model. Beaming love. The activism of Gen Z.
Conversation with April's artist friends Kat and Greg Nemec. Kat's uber-creative mom; art class without paper; sketching in a sketchy neighborhood; how graphic design is like cooking; Greg's maker childhood; learning to connect with people; teaching art to toddlers and twenty-year-olds; decorating sandwich bags; people who died for a cause and those who inspire; give up the right to judge your art; the mystery of creativity; road trip writing; art: just, y'know, do it.
The mania of the holidays is over, and people are detoxing -- physically and spiritually. Alternate lyrics to Handel's "Messiah." How much does Peggy hate the cold? The bare trees. Hibernation. April's dance of rage. Resisting meditation. Feeling feelings. Decorating houses in your mind. Time and Money. Learning to vacation well. Driving slowly. Simplifying. Silence.
April sits down for a conversation with friend and co-worker Marie Pavia. Marie is an exuberant, playful, brilliant and compassionate human. Like April, she works with very young children with developmental delays. Listen in as April asks what brought her to this field, why she loves it, how she supports parents, and why her team is so important to her. As it says on a t-shirt gifted to her by her Teaching Assistants: "If you think my hands are full, you should see my heart." So true!
Rev. Peggy shares about answing the "clergy call" at the US-Mexico border, and explains how clergy are to "Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." Call to action; when cops thank you; children dying in custody; the absurdiy of lines; remember: seeking asylum is legal; marching in the mud; praying; militarization and dehumanization; what can we do?
Fire is cool. Women ministers are always too young or too old. Unconscious “Santa Claus” thing. Missing being a pacifist. The perfect age is 28. You will never arrive. Acknowledgment as a spiritual practice. Crying while marathoning. Being cheered for by toddlers and pets. Stealing credit. Why old people walk the way they do. Lying under the Christmas tree with your dog. When doctors laugh at you for using birth control.
Play in the dark. Anticipation. Reading from the Lectionary. Getting Menorah candles from the Mitzvah Tank. Christmas cakes and Love Hotel in Japan. Screaming latkes. Fasting as a spiritual practice. Chanting.Taize. Advent calendars. Waiting together. Clergy call at the border.
“A pest and a bother” blesses April and her mom. Unexpected blessing in the Great Depression. Being real about pain and injustice. Making use of anger. Lessons learned from the 2016 election. Setting limits. Delirious maternal rages.
Imperfection is allowed. Peggy’s thesis answers the great question Does God Exist? ‘Sugar Daddy in the Sky.' April loses book of letters to God. Peggy’s awakening -- falling in love. A helper would come in handy. Confronting suffering.
Meet your "Madness of Love Hosts" Rev. Peggy Clarke and April Castoldi, and listen in on our conversation about creating a "digital spiritual home" for all who seek it, where you can nurture your soul and be a contribution in the world. Find out more about who are we and what the podcast is about.
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