Loving THIS with Michael Gungor

In this episode, Michael Gungor shares a personal journey of discovering ten acres of land in Nevada City, California, and the dream of turning it into a communal retreat with tiny stays, music, and spiritual gatherings centered on presence and creativity. He reflects on living in the moment, trusting intuition over plans, and the mysterious ways life aligns when following what feels alive. Through stories, reflections on spontaneity and presence, and an open invitation to collaborate, the episode explores how to move dreams forward while staying attuned to reality.

Michael Gungor sits down with comedian Pete Holmes to explore comedy as a form of liturgy — a communal ritual that brings wounds, wonder, and absurdity into the open. They weave personal stories (from trampolines and first‑class flights to playground swings) with reflections on vulnerability, mask work, and the spiritual power of laughter. Together they examine how jokes can heal or harm, the tension between dark and loving humor, and why shared ritual — whether a song, sermon, or stand‑up set — helps people feel seen, connected, and alive.

It's a candid episode where Michael Gungor explores the Yeshua/Christ archetype, the Antichrist as ego and empire, and how language, ritual, and song shape our shared direction. He connects these ideas to our culture's obsession with Donald Trump, shares a mystical experience behind his new song "Yeshua," and invites listeners into presence, love, and practical ways to choose wholeness over fear.

On a mountaintop at the Mystic Hymnal retreat, Michael Gungor recounts a raw, cathartic moment—throwing himself on a grave, screaming into a canyon, and opening space for buried pain, forgiveness, and communal healing. He explains why his final song on the Magnificat album is a reworked Amazing Grace: changing lyrics to reject shame and fear, reclaiming Christian language in a mystical, reforming spirit, and inviting shared ritual and meaning as a path toward love and return.

Host Michael Gunger welcomes songwriter Dave Riffle to discuss the origin and meaning of the song "Be," and how it grew from a meditation into a shared hymn. The episode explores the Mystic Hymnal project and why group singing matters for connection, health, and spirit. They trace the history of communal singing, critique modern worship trends, and explain the three guiding qualities of the project—singable, kind, beautiful—while reflecting on silence, presence, and the simple power of "be."