EP 217: Ordinary Mysticism - Everyday Beauty, Grief, Sexuality and Mystical Awareness with Mirabai Starr

Kimberly and Mirabai Starr engage in a rich and intimate exploration of mysticism, personal loss, spirituality, and the intersection of sexuality and the sacred. They consider how they have each found spirituality in their everyday lives while being mindful of their journeys, cultures, ancestry, and the complexities involved. They discuss Mirabai's new book, "Ordinary Mysticism," which delves into the nature of mysticism and its accessibility to everyone every day. Mirabai emphasizes that mysticism doesn't require institutionalized religion and can be found in ordinary moments. They discuss the profound impact of loss and grief in Mirabai’s life. She describes how these experiences deepened her connection to the sacred and the beauty intertwined with suffering.

 

Bio

Mirabai Starr is an award winning author of creative nonfiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature. She taught philosophy and world religions at the University of New Mexico, Taos for 20 years, and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog. A certified bereavement counselor, Mirabai helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. She has written over 15 books, and the latest is “Ordinary Mysticism.” But you'll hear her talk about “Caravan of No Despair,” “Wild Mercy,” and some of her translations from Spanish to English, “In The Mystics,” “The Great Mystics.” She lives with her extended family in the mountains of northern New Mexico.

 

What you’ll hear:

• Mirabai's views on spiritual, literary and poetic writing.

• The origin story of her new book "Ordinary Mysticism" - including it’s connection to Anne Lamott

• The ease in finding the mystical if you are open to it.

• The challenges of having that openness in the everyday

• The intersections of grief and the sacred

• Cultivating mystical awareness in daily life

• Searching for spiritual grounding

• Uprootedness of being spiritual but not religious

• How to understand your relationship to different spiritual technologies

• How to tap into spiritual bounty without colonizing and appropriating

• Intention and attention are crucial for recognizing the sacred in the mundane.

• The integration of sexuality and spirituality

• The common split many women feel between the sexual and the sacred aspects of their lives. How healing from/through sexual abuse can lead to sacredness in intimacy

• What’s a responsible and mindful approach to drawing from various spiritual traditions?

• How does storytelling and reflecting on shared struggles lead to insights within the spiritual journey?

• And how ending an abusive sexual and spiritual relationship can lead to healing through new forms of intimacy.