SoulStream, Living from the Heart Podcast

Pearl Nieuwenhuis, a spiritual director with an MA in spiritual formation, shares her profound journey from an internal struggle to co-facilitating "the art of spiritual direction." She speaks to finding God's mystery in the ordinary and the profound transformative effects of contemplative practices.The Evolving Nature of Spiritual DirectionPearl recounts her early experience of spiritual direction and contrasts it with SoulStream’s approach.Nature as a Deep Contemplative PracticeDiscover how early morning walks transformed Pearl's spiritual life, revealing nature as a source of wholeness, healing, and expansive love. She shares touching encounters with the moon and empathetic trees that offered profound spiritual insights.Staying with the Heart's Deeper InvitationExplore the challenge of resisting our human tendency to "figure things out" and "grab and go" when encountering deeper spiritual truths. Pearl shares a personal journey of recognizing and healing old wounds by choosing to stay present with God's immense, unwavering love.Resources Mentioned* Soulstream.org* Pearl’s SoulStream Spiritual Direction Page* FCJ Center (Calgary convent)* The Art of Spiritual Direction* Living from the Heart (course)* Jeff and Steve (”The Imbach Brothers”)* Focusing training (practice)* Gustav Tibonin (author/quote)The last SoulStream Living from the Heart podcast on SoulStream: Trusting the Quiet Work of Love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

In this episode of SoulStream Living from the Heart, Rod Janz sits down with spiritual director and pastor Gordie Lagore for a thoughtful conversation on recovery, contemplative practice, and what it means to live from the heart. Gordie shares how a season of severe burnout reshaped his life, leading him into spiritual direction, deeper self-care, and a spirituality rooted in love rather than striving. Together they explore the limits of performance-based faith, the gift of silence, the role of therapy and trauma healing, and the importance of supervision and accountability for spiritual directors. Gordie closes with a simple Ignatian practice: noticing how God has loved you today and how God has loved through you.Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeGlittering Images, by Gerald MayAn early and formative introduction to spiritual direction and the inner life.Julian of NorwichReferenced for her enduring wisdom and trust in divine love, especially the phrase “all shall be well.”Henri NouwenNamed for his insights on the false self, belovedness, and emotional honesty before God.Thomas MertonMentioned in connection with contemplative spirituality and dismantling the false self.Jeff ImbachGordie’s longtime spiritual director, who played a central role in his healing and formation.SoulStreamReferenced as Gordie’s training context and as a model for safe, accountable spiritual direction.Aging to Saging by Richard RohrUsed as a framework for reflecting on life seasons, eldering, and the gift of aging.Ignatian ExamenHow has God loved me today, and how has God loved me through me?EMDR Trauma TherapyNamed as a helpful companion to spiritual direction in trauma and recovery work.The EnneagramUsed as a tool for self-awareness and compassion, with Gordie identifying as a Type Nine.The last Living from the Heart podcast episode on SubStack: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

In this episode of the SoulStream Living from the Heart podcast, Rod sits down with longtime spiritual directors Sue Vander Woude and Doug Schroeder to explore the art of spiritual direction. Together they talk about how they each discovered this work, how contemplation slowly reshapes a life, and what it means to live from the heart rather than the head. They share reflections on listening, presence, freedom, and the quiet transformation that happens when someone finally has a safe place to be fully themselves. Resources Mentioned* “Working the Angles” by Eugene Peterson* The writings of Henry Nouwen* The writings of Richard Rohr* Thomas Keating’s teaching on centering prayer* The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius* Soul Stream spiritual direction training program* Centering prayer groups and contemplative prayer gatherings* Looking for a spiritual director? Learn more here.* SoulStreamThe last Living from the Heart podcast episode on SubStack: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

Cassidy Hall joins host Rod Janz for a conversation about queerness, contemplation, and living from the heart. Cassidy shares how reading Thomas Merton’s New Seeds of Contemplation led her to visit 19 Trappist monasteries in the United States. That journey opened her to silence as a space of healing and discovery. Together they discuss queering contemplation, mysticism, and how authenticity deepens our connection to God, to one another, and to ourselves.Resources Mentioned:* New Seeds of Contemplation – Thomas Merton* Our Lives Matter: A Womanist Theology – Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey* Upstream: Selected Essays – Mary Oliver* 1946: The Movie (documentary)* Contemplify Podcast with Cynthia Bourgeault* Writings by Thomas Keating, Richard Rohr, and Henry Nouwen* Quote by Alan Watts* SoulStreamCassidy Hall:* Queering Contemplation: Finding Queerness in the Monastic Heart (book)* Day of a Stranger (documentary film about Thomas Merton)* In Pursuit of Silence (documentary film, co-producer)* The Work of Beauty (film project)* Encountering Silence (podcast, co-host)A quote by Thomas Merton from his book, New Seeds of Contemplation:“Many poets are not poets for the same reason that many religious men are not saints: they never succeed in being themselves. They never get around to being the particular poet or the particular monk they are intended to be by God“A quote by Alan Watts (“In My Own Way: An Autobiography 1915-1965”):“I have always done things in my own way, which is at once the way that comes naturally to me, that is honest, sincere, genuine, and unforced; but also perverse, although you must remember that this word means per (through) verse (poetry), out-of-the-way and wayward, which is surely towards the way, and that to be queer—to “follow your own weird”—is wholeheartedly to accept your karma, or fate, or destiny, and thus to be odd in the service of God, “whose service,” as the Anglican Book of Common Prayer declares, “is perfect freedom.”’ —Alan WattsMary Oliver's quote (essay “The Artist’s Task”):“Creative work needs solitude. It needs concentration, without interruptions. It needs the whole sky to fly in, and no eye watching until it comes to that certainty which it aspires to, but does not necessarily have at once. Privacy, then. A place apart—to pace, to chew pencils, to scribble and erase and scribble again. It needs the whole sky to fly in. It needs a field of silence. And the voices of critics should be hushed.”Last Living from the Heart podcast episode on SubStack: The Sacred Work Within: Honesty, Wholeness, and the Journey Through the Low This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

Author and songwriter Justin McRoberts joins us on the SoulStream Living from the Heart podcast to discuss his new book In the Low: Honest Prayers for Dark Seasons.Justin speaks openly about living with depression, navigating ADHD, and what it means to seek wholeness instead of perfection.We talk about faith, burnout, and learning to trust that something good is already growing inside us, even when life feels difficult.Resources MentionedBooks* In the Low: Honest Prayers for Dark Seasons by Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson* Prayer: Forty Days of Practice by Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson* May It Be So: Forty Days with the Lord’s Prayer by Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson* Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression—and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann HariOther Mentions* Wayne Thiebaud—American painter known for his colorful, semi-realist works* Burden Bearers—A counseling and care ministry mentioned during Rod’s story* SoulStream This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

This episode begins with the idea that every life holds a hero’s journey. Ben Katt joins Rod Janz to talk about how his adventure began on a rainy run around Seattle’s Green Lake. That day, a quiet inner voice told him, “If you don’t have your heart, you have nothing.” It marked the start of an inner quest that led him to trade achievement and perfection for presence and authenticity.Ben explains how real change starts with listening for those inner whispers, saying yes to the unknown, and getting help along the way. He shares how mentors and spiritual companions became guides on his path, helping him integrate—not defeat—the parts of himself driven by success and approval.Rod and Ben talk about contemplative practice, simple meditation habits, and the courage it takes to slow down. Ben describes his work teaching meditation in prisons through the Within Project, showing how personal healing can ripple outward into service. They draw from Joseph Campbell, Pema Chödrön, and Richard Rohr to explore what it means to let go, find wisdom in suffering, and keep returning to the heart.In the end, Ben reminds listeners that the hero’s journey isn’t about escaping life—it’s about entering it more fully. The way forward, he says, is always within.Resources Mentioned* The Way Home: Discovering the Hero’s Journey to Wholeness at Midlife—Ben Katt* When Things Fall Apart—Pema Chödrön* The Hero with a Thousand Faces—Joseph Campbell* Falling Upward—Richard Rohr* Atomic Habits—James ClearSoulStreamBen’s Website This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

Our guest today is poet, teacher, and performer Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer.Since 2006, Rosemerry has written a poem every single day. What began as a 30-day challenge with friends grew into a way of living. For her, the page has become a place to practice presence, curiosity, and trust.In this conversation, we explore how a daily creative practice can change the way we see the world and how showing up to the blank page can be life-changing. Rosemerry shares the profound story of losing her son Finn in 2021 and her father soon after. From that grief came her most recent book, The Unfolding, which she describes as written in the key of grief but with a melody of praise.She reads her poem Still Here, about breathing in the first minutes after loss when life insists we keep going, and The Blessing, a meditation on cottonwood catkins and belonging. We talk about the beauty of truth-telling, why authenticity matters more than polish, and how nature is a lifelong teacher.Rosemerry closes with what living from the heart means to her: openness, connection, and the willingness to love and be loved.Resources and MentionsRosemerry’s website: wordwoman.comHer podcast: Emerging FormHer spoken word album: Risking Love (available on YouTube)Her latest book: The UnfoldingSoulStream This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

In this episode of Soul Stream: Living from the Heart, Rod Janz sits down with writer and podcaster Amy Frykholm to talk about her deep connection with the medieval mystic Julian of Norwich. Together they explore Julian’s famous words, “All shall be well,” her surprising story as the first known woman to write a book in English, and her vision of a Christ who suffers with us.Amy shares how Julian’s writings helped shape her own spiritual journey and how she sees suffering, love, and the voice of God in our lives today. They also talk about Amy’s current work, including her translation of Julian’s Revelations of Divine Love and her weekly lectionary reflections.Amy Frykholm:Amy’s websiteAmy’s Lectionary EssaysSoulStream Links:Living from the HeartSoulStreamUpcoming Events, Courses and RetreatsThe Art of Spiritual Direction Training Course This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

What does it mean to truly come home to yourself? In this episode of the SoulStream Living from the Heart Podcast, I have the privilege of speaking with Tracy Cochran, author of Presence: The Art of Being at Home in Yourself. Tracy is a gifted meditation teacher whose journey has been one of discovering presence not only in peaceful moments but in life’s most challenging circumstances.Join us as we explore how mindfulness can be a refuge, how mystery is an invitation to wisdom, and how Metta—loving-kindness meditation—can transform the way we relate to ourselves and others. Tracy shares stories of resilience, including her experience of embracing a voice tremor that became a profound teacher. She offers insights that bridge the wisdom of Christian contemplation with the gentle compassion of Buddhist practice.This is a conversation about letting go of perfection, embracing the unknown, and finding kindness for yourself along the way. Whether you’re new to mindfulness or a seasoned practitioner, Tracy’s words will resonate with your heart.LinksTracy’s websiteTracy’s Book: Presence: The Art of Being at Home in YourselfSoulStream LinksSoulStreamUpcoming Events, Courses and RetreatsThe Art of Spiritual Direction Training CourseLiving from the Heart This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

On the SoulStream Living from the Heart podcast, we sit down with teacher and spiritual director Laurel Pritchard for a thoughtful conversation about listening, contemplation, and living from the heart. Laurel reflects on how spiritual direction found her during a season of intense study, silence, and a longing for deeper conversation, and how contemplation for her has become less about adding and more about letting go. We talk about the rare gift of being truly heard, learning to live with uncertainty, and meeting our thoughts and emotions with kindness. Resources mentioned in the conversation• SoulStreamA community offering training, courses, and retreats in spiritual direction and contemplative practice.• Regent CollegeA graduate school of theology where Laurel studied during a formative season of her spiritual journey.• Thomas KeatingTrappist monk and teacher of centering prayer • Centering PrayerA contemplative prayer practice rooted in silence and consent to God’s presence and action.• Spiritual DirectionA contemplative practice of listening and companionship focused on noticing God’s movement in everyday life.• The EnneagramA personality framework Laurel references, particularly identifying with Enneagram Type Four.• Desmond TutuReferenced for his wisdom around holding the pain of the world with prayer and compassion.• Brian DoerksenMentioned in a story about embracing the life we are given without wishing for another.The last Living from the Heart podcast episode on SubStack: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

In this conversation, Amy Bratton shares her story of living a multivocational life rooted in love, spiritual formation, and Canadian soil. As a writer, teacher, and leader with the New Leaf Network, Amy invites us into a more profound understanding of what it means to be formed by God, to live from the heart, and to reimagine church in small, faithful ways. We explore the language of perfect love, the tension between passion and practicality, and the reserved beauty of Canadian spirituality.Resources mentioned:New Leaf NetworkAmy’s book Witnesses of Perfect LoveSoulStream Links:Living from the HeartSoulStreamUpcoming Events, Courses and RetreatsThe Art of Spiritual Direction Training Course This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

In this conversation, we sit down with professor, researcher, and Telecare Executive Director Bill Strom for a deeply meaningful exploration of what it truly means to listen. With stories from his life and insights from his research, Bill invites us into the heart of supportive listening as a practice that forms us, heals us, and draws us closer to each other and to God.We talk about the kind of presence it takes to become a good listener, how listening shapes our relationships, and why becoming “small” might be the secret to hearing others well. Bill shares the impact of his work with Telecare Crisis and Caring Line, his studies on active listening, and how his journey of learning to listen has changed his life.Topics we explore:* Common listening habits (and how to move beyond them)* Why face-to-face connection matters more than ever* What Bill’s research reveals about the traits of a good listener* How listening can be a way of healing* The surprising ways listening transforms the listenerResources mentioned:* Telecare Crisis and Caring Line* Free online workshop: Become a Better Listener* Listen Up! half-day in-person workshop (offered each fall)* Bill Strom’s new children’s book on communication, Professor Kipper Kidd Meets Meaning MayhemSoulStream Links:Living from the Heart SoulStreamUpcoming Events, Courses and RetreatsThe Art of Spiritual Direction Training Course This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

Do you long to come home?You’re not alone. Many of us experience a restlessness, a desire to come home to ourselves and to God. We grapple with the masks we wear and at times feel disconnected from our authentic selves in Christ. It’s a journey we all navigate, and together—during the Living from the Heart course—you will be invited to explore and experience a deeper sense of belonging and purpose.An Invitation, Not a ProgramLiving from the Heart is not a program to complete or a set of ideas to master. It is an invitation to slow down, to listen, and to notice the movement of God’s Spirit within and around us. Through guided practice, shared silence, honest reflection, and community, we begin to release the need to perform or protect. We return to the simple and profound truth that we are loved.The Transforming Power of LoveIn time, we discover that this love changes everything. It gently reshapes how we see ourselves, how we relate to others, and how we engage the world. Not through pressure or urgency, but with increasing freedom, curiosity, and grace.A Stirring WithinIf something in you is stirring—a desire for deeper connection, a longing for spaciousness, or a quiet sense that there is more—you are not alone. Many who have walked through Living from the Heart began with that same wondering. And they emerged more grounded, more open, and more whole.The Invitation is NowRegistration for the in-person intensive closes July 18, 2025.*Learn more: https://soulstream.org/living-from-the-heart-course/If you have questions or would like to talk more about what the course involves, feel free to email us at soulstream1@gmail.com and we will connect you with one of the facilitators.*The in-person intensive is held at Carmel Hill in Deroche, BC, and Rivendell Retreat Centre on Bowen Island, BC. The application deadline for the online course is August 30, 2025. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

In this episode, we sit down with Bradley Jersak, author, theologian, and university principal, for a rich and moving conversation about the life and writings of Simone Weil.Bradley shares how Simone's fierce honesty and mystical vision changed his life during a season of deep unravelling. We explore her understanding of affliction, attention, desire for God, and the mystery of divine love in a suffering world.We talk about what it means to pray without striving, the power of contemplative attention, and how Simone's refusal to look away from pain opens a path to compassion and solidarity. We reflect on her decision not to join institutional religion, her deep care for the marginalized, and how her voice helped spark change in the Catholic Church after her death at just 34.This is a conversation for anyone who longs to hold the tensions of love and suffering, silence and action, mysticism and justice, and to live from the heart in the midst of it all.LinksAwaiting God: A new translation of Attente de Dieu and Lettre a un Religieux by Simone Weil, translated by Bradley JersakBradley’s websiteMore books by BradleySoulStream LinksLiving from the Heart Deadline for in-person cohort: July 18, 2025. Learn more today.SoulStreamUpcoming Events, Courses and RetreatsThe Art of Spiritual Direction Training Course This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Peter Traben Haas, author, pastor, and contemplative guide, for a rich conversation about silence, beauty, and the invitation to deeper spiritual union. From his home in the majestic San Juan Mountains of Telluride, Peter shares how landscape becomes liturgy and how the presence of God can be found in quiet walks, sacred words, and the inner stillness of centering prayer.Peter opens up about the joy and challenge of pastoring in a place of overwhelming beauty, the soul’s journey through silence and suffering, and his recent Parkinson’s diagnosis. Together, Rod and Peter explore the long arc of spiritual formation, from early mystical moments in childhood to discovering contemplative community and reintegrating the depth of Christian tradition.LinksCentering Prayers: A One-Year Daily Companion for Going Deeper into the Love of God by Peter Traben HaasChrist Presbyterian Church, TellurideSoulStream LinksLiving from the Heart (Deadline for in-person cohort: July 18, 2025. Learn more today.)SoulStreamUpcoming Events, Courses and RetreatsThe Art of Spiritual Direction Training Course This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

Felicia Murrell joins us to explore the life-changing influence of love in a world increasingly shaped by either/or thinking. Felicia is a spiritual director and companion, author, speaker, and master life coach. A former ordained pastor, she brings decades of lived experience in faith communities—and a profound attentiveness to the presence of love.We speak of her southern upbringing and the spiritual tapestry of her youth, woven from diverse church traditions and a deep intimacy with God. We talk about centering prayer, the language of love, and Felicia’s invitation into a life shaped not by certitude, but by presence, openness, and awe. Along the way, we touch on the influence of mystics like Brother Lawrence, Cynthia Bourgeault, and Father Thomas Keating, and we reflect on nature, community, contemplative practice, and what it means to live with a heart wide open in troubling times.Felicia's book And: The Restorative Power of Love in an Either/Or World, a poetic and courageous offering for our time, anchors this conversation. She reminds us that love is not a concept to be grasped but a presence to be received.LinksFelica’s websiteFelicia’s book: And: The Restorative Power of Love in an Either/Or WorldSoulStream LinksSoulStreamUpcoming Events, Courses and RetreatsThe Art of Spiritual Direction Training CourseLiving from the Heart This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

In this episode of the SoulStream Living from the Heart Podcast, we welcome poet, writer, and visual artist David Gate. David joins us from his homestead in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where he and his partner raise animals and grow food with intention and care.David speaks honestly about his journey, from his roots in the UK and the charismatic church to his evolving spirituality, creative life, and the deep desire to show up with love. We discuss the beauty and messiness of community, the courage required to share your art, and the call to care for one another.He reads from his upcoming book, A Rebellion of Care and shares what it means to live with open eyes and an open heart. LinksDavid’s websiteDavid’s Substack (See his latest post discussed during the podcast, Show the Hand of God or Punch A Nazi?)SoulStream LinksSoulStreamUpcoming Events, Courses and RetreatsThe Art of Spiritual Direction Training CourseLiving from the Heart This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

During this podcast conversation, we have the privilege of visiting with Helen Barry—a SoulStream partner, spiritual director, and Irish truth-teller with a love for poetry, the ocean, and humanity in all its glorious complexity. Helen shares her pilgrimage from Ireland to Canada, from the rigid confines of institutional thinking to the wide-open spaces of contemplative living and loving community.Born a little person, Helen speaks honestly about wrestling with anger toward God, walking through grief, and discovering what she beautifully calls “the gift of going deeper.” She reflects on decades spent living and working alongside people with disabilities in the L’Arche community and on her current calling to offer spiritual direction to those who have lived on the streets.Thanks for listening, and please join the conversation! Add your comments below.SoulStream LinksSoulStreamUpcoming Events, Courses and RetreatsThe Art of Spiritual Direction Training CourseLiving from the Heart This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

This week on SoulStream: Living from the Heart, we’re joined by writer, coach, and spiritual leader Kerry Connelly for a wide-ranging and deeply human conversation.During our conversation we cover the themes of contemplation, justice, and healing.We discuss Pause, her first book—a devotional for busy souls longing to stay grounded in the sacred amid the chaos. We explore how silence can become a spiritual practice of resistance and how reimagining the language we use for God opens up more space for love.During the majority of the podcast, Kerry reflects on her anti-racism work, including her books Good White Racist and Wait—Is This Racist?, and the discomfort—and necessity—of naming systems we’ve been shaped by but often struggle to see and talk about. She speaks with honesty and care about grief, privilege, white identity, and the courageous inner work that leads to authentic action.LinksKerry’s WebsitePhoto: Kerry’s InstagramSoulStreamSoulStreamThe Art of Spiritual Direction Training CourseLiving from the HeartUpcoming Events, Courses and Retreats This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com

Katherine Murray didn’t set out to be an advocate for peace. She simply kept showing up to the silence, leaning into contemplative practice, and listening for the still, small voice. One day, that listening led her onto a train bound for Ottawa—and later, to the United Nations.In this timely conversation, Rod and Katherine explore discernment, courage, and the radical idea that peace begins within. Together, they sit with the sacred, everyday question: “What’s mine to do?” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soulstream926.substack.com