Tom Fox interviews Benedictine Br. David Steindl-Rast, spiritual guru
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Benedictine Br. David Steindl-Rast is a spiritual guru, a wise and humble man with a seemingly endless heart. He was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1926, where he studied art, anthropology, and psychology. In 1952 he followed his family to the United States and a year later joined a newly founded Benedictine community in Elmira, NY, Mount Saviour Monastery, of which he is now a senior member. Steindl-Rast has brought spiritual depth into the lives of countless people whom he touches through his lectures, his workshops, and his writings. He has been published widely. Two of his most widely recognized books are Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer and A Listening Heart. He co-authored Belonging to the Universe (winner of the 1992 American Book Award), a dialogue on new paradigm thinking in science and theology with physicist, Fritjof Capra. His most recent book is Words of Common Sense for Mind, Body and Soul. | |||||
Episode 1: Gratitude and the Web of Being (13 min.) "Gratitude is a real practice, as valid as yoga or Zen meditation or Sufi dancing -- if you take it seriously," Br. Steindl-Rast tells Tom Fox. Gratitude, he said, "starts with surprise. We deprive ourselves so much by not allowing ourselves to be surprised." | |||||
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Episode 2: Our Notion of God Steindl-Rast tells Fox: The monotheistic notion of God that we have inherited, the notion that God is separated from us, that God gives us gifts and demands certain things of us and punishes us when we don't live up to the standards, this God is lost for most people and is fast disappearing. Because, he said, deep down in our hearts we know God is not separate from us. | |||||
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Right click to download to your computer | Drag into your iTunes library | ||
Episode 3: Imagine a world "Imagine a world in which people would face the situation that we are in and ask the question: "Isn't there something we can do?' " Steindl-Rast said. "Surely we could do something if enough people were asking the question." | |||||
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Right click to download to your computer | Drag into your iTunes library | ||
Br. Steindl-Rast takes us on a journey of discovery by identifying the wonder of the ordinary found in common sense. In this book he illuminates the teachings that are passed from one generation to the next. These words of common sense bring to light the important virtues and ethics that are valued by human beings worldwide. By becoming aware of the proverbs of the world and by honoring the thread of human experience as expressed in wise sayings, the reader becomes transported to a feeling of connection with other religions and cultures. | |||||
I downloaded Br. David's
I downloaded Br. David's interview with Tom Fox onto my brand new Ipod. This is like opening a new door. what a great way to hear new idea, and inspiring ideas. I will listen again but I love what he says about gratefulness. The most vivid idea is that when we live our lives with more simplicity we make the cup of our lives smaller and therefore our cup overflows more often. For AMericans, it is always that one more possession that will make us happy. It is a little melancholy that this message of simplicty came to me on my new "toy" the Ipod.
JoAnn Walker I feel so
JoAnn Walker
I feel so blessed to be living in an age when I can listen in my own home to one of the great minds of our time. Thank you NCR for making it happen.
I just realized this was a
I just realized this was a new podcast of Br David's. Timing as always is just right. Thank you for the great gift. Br David is also a great gift to this world. His web site-gratefulness.org is filled with hours of joy filled practices and if visited often enough would bring one to greatfulness.