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Katherine May on Enchantment, Building Community, Tasting Words, and a Drink of Lake Water

Release Date: 11/24/2024

Vision for a New Cabinet by Teddy Macker (Season 7 Trailer)

Contemplify

Season 7 is hatching. A series of conversations has come together, mighty and beautiful folks offering feathered insight and story from their unique perch in the world (I am going to shift things up a bit and share a conversation once a month for Season 7). But first, here and now, Teddy Macker is going to share a piece that gave me goosebumps the first time I encountered it. If Contemplify had a poet laureate, Teddy would surely be it. So sit back and receive this “” written and read by Teddy Macker. First episode of Season 7 will land in February.

The Famous One

Contemplify

Musing on obituaries with your name on it.

Remembering Lerita Coleman Brown on Waiting for a Word in the Heart

Contemplify

Remembering Lerita Coleman Brown

Stay Outside (or Non-Liturgical Liturgical Calendar Musing)

Contemplify

Musing on my personal non-liturgical liturgical calendar that runs from December 11 - December 10 each calendar year.

Gail Straub on Embracing Our Human Family

Contemplify

"In radiant, lyrical prose, Gail Straub takes us on a voyage like no other, both into little-known places across the globe and, most memorably, the inner realms of the soul. …..this is a journey that no reader will forget and, I believe, all readers will, in their own way, hope to emulate." — Andrew Carroll Author and empowerment pioneer Gail Straub's latest book . This is Gail's second time on Contemplify (hear our first conversation ), and like our previous conversation we find the heart of the conversation in the flow of presence in the sacred. The writing of Gail Straub inspires me to...

Mark Longhurst on The Holy Ordinary

Contemplify

Mark Longhurst is an author and contemplative guide who has spent years exploring the sacred dimensions of everyday life. In our conversation we talk about his book , a beautiful invitation to discover the divine presence woven throughout our daily movements. Mark draws on his experiences as an activist, pastor, father, husband, art enthusiast as a way to gladly open portals to the sacred. The Holy Ordinary is for all of us mudblood mystics out in the world. Visit Mark Longhrust at | IG: Visit for shownotes.

Haleh Liza Gafori Brings Water to the Thirsty

Contemplify

Haleh Liza Gafori is a translator, performance artist, vocalist, and educator whose work bridges ancient Persian mysticism with contemporary spiritual longing. In our conversation we talk about her latest book , a luminous collection of new translations from the 13th-century Persian mystic Rumi, following her acclaimed debut (you can find in the Contemplify archives). I am moved by Haleh's ability to make these masterworks sing, bringing Rumi's timeless wisdom about surrender, divine love, and ecological awakening to this moment. Visit Haleh Liza Gafori at | IG: visit for shownotes

Contemplative Parenting with Aizaiah G. Yong and Nereyda Yong

Contemplify

“This book is just what the world needs right now. At a time when tensions are hot, divisions are growing, and uncertainty is the order of the day, Sacred Parenting is a call to reconnect with what matters most: our children, our families, ourselves, and our God. The authors offer gentle wisdom and contemplative practices as antidotes to the high-volume, fast-paced, do-or-die world in which we live.” — David M. Csinos, founder and president of Faith Forward, research director for Family Faith Every Day Rev. Dr. Aizaiah G. Yong and Rev. Nereyda “Neddy” Yong, authors,...

[Rebroadcast] Dr. Larry Ward on America's Racial Karma, the Fragrance of Wisdom, and Learning How To Suffer Less

Contemplify

This is a repost of my conversation with Dr. Larry Ward. Dr. Ward passed away on August 19 at his home in Rhode Island. He was a Buddhist teacher, author, and co-founder of . He left behind a legacy of peace and advocacy for healing individual and collective trauma. I only ever interacted with Dr. Ward online, but his big soul, wisdom, and laughter came through with so much heart. My daughter and I tuned into his online memorial which held his spirit… we joined in the prayers and listened to the stories from his students, friends, and loved ones, it impacted us both. Dr. Ward’s wife and...

Amy Frykholm on Journey to the Wild Heart

Contemplify

“You can trust Amy Frykholm as a modern-day amma who knows the terrain of the soul. Reading Journey to the Wild Heart is like going out to the desert for a word. It helps us slow down, let go, unknow in Silence, and embody Love.― — Carmen Acevedo Butcher, author of Practice of the Presence Amy Frykholm is a writer and journalist who makes her third appearance on Contemplify (, ) to talk about her latest book . Amy is an award-winning writer, scholar, and journalist whose work insightfully explores American religion and culture. Her debut novel has been long-listed for the 2025...

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"I love Katherine May’s new book, Enchantment.… It’s a beautiful offering of light, truth and charm in these strange, dark times."

— Anne Lamott

Katherine May is an internationally bestselling author and podcaster living in Whitstable, UK. Her most recent book, Enchantment became an instant New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. Her internationally bestselling hybrid memoir Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times was adapted as BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week, and was shortlisted for the Porchlight and Barnes and Noble Book of the Year. The Electricity of Every Living Thing, her memoir of a midlife autism diagnosis was adapted as an audio drama by Audible. Katherine’s podcast, How We Live Now, ranks in the top 1% worldwide, and she has been a guest presenter for On Being’s The Future of Hope series. Katherine lives with her husband, son, two cats and a dog. She loves walking, sea-swimming and pickling slightly unappealing things.

Katherine and I talk about tasting words, the wisdom of beholding only a handful of pieces in an art museum per visit, and we examine the necessity and importance of community drawing on specifically her chapter titled “Congregation” from her latest book, Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age, and so much more.As always you can visit contemplify.com for the shownotes on this episode and learn more about Katherine by visiting katherine-may.co.uk, signing up her Substack newsletter, and listening to her podcast How We Live Now.

Visit Katherine May at katherine-may.co.uk | IG: @katherinemay_ | Pinterest: @katherinemay_

Visit contemplify.com for show notes for this episode.

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