Episode 5: What I learned from "The Eye of the I"

Episode 14: Awakening to Life's Sacred Moments: Journeying Through "Wake Up Call" with Tom Rapsas

In this episode of "Spiritual but Not Religious" with Jill Dominguez, we delve into the profound insights of Tom Rapsas's book, Wake Up Call . Tom's journey mirrors many of our own as he navigates a departure from the confines of organized religion toward a more expansive spiritual understanding. Through his exploration of various traditions and thinkers, Tom shares with us the realization that true wisdom transcends any single belief system or authority.
Jill guides us through the rich tapestry of Wake Up Call , which is structured as a collection of essays spanning 16 chapters, each offering a daily reflection on themes such as Inspiration, Awareness, and Inner Work. Drawing from the wisdom of spiritual luminaries like Thomas Merton, Eckhart Tolle, and the Dalai Lama, Tom invites us to contemplate profound questions about existence, purpose, and the nature of divinity itself.
Throughout the episode, Jill highlights key passages and insights, from the importance of listening deeply to others and to our own inner voice, to the transformative power of forgiveness and compassion. She shares personal reflections on moments that deeply resonated with her, offering a heartfelt invitation to embrace life's sacred moments and find meaning in the ordinary.
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Links:
About Tom Rapsas and Wake Up Call :
https://www.tomrapsas.com
Andre Dubus essay:
https://sites.up.edu/portlandmagazine/making-sandwiches-for-my-daughters/
NPR interview with Andre Dubus:
https://www.npr.org/2023/08/01/1191357456/novelist-andre-dubus-iii
The Guardian article on awe:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/sep/23/how-getting-more-awe-can-improve-your-life-and-even-make-you-a-nicer-person
Richard Rohr on nonduality:
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-dualistic-mind-2017-01-29/
Eckhart Tolle interview "On Being":
https://eckharttolle.com/listen-on-being-with-krista-tippett/

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Episode 13: My thoughts on a Ramana Maharshi quote about absolute Being

This episode includes a quote about "absolute Being" that I found in Robert Wolfe’s Ramana Maharshi: Teachings of Self-Realization and relates it to my own spiritual journey.

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Episode 12: My takeaways from the novel "The Winding Way Home" by Wesley J. Wildman

In this episode, I discuss my takeaways from the novel by Wesley J. Wildman titled The Winding Way Home. This work of fiction explores the life of Jesse as he navigates his way through the latter half of his life. Along the way, Jesse experiences much joy and much agony, nurturing a journey towards spiritual fulfillment along the way.

In my discussion, I relate the Buddhist teachings of dukkha dukkha, viparinama dukkha, and sankhara dukkha to the characters in the novel and to my own life.

I found these references to be helpful to my understanding of the dukkhas:

• https://www.lionsroar.com/deep-dukkha-part-2-the-three-kinds-of-suffering/
• https://drarisworld.wordpress.com/2020/05/18/concept-of-suffering-dukkha-in-theravada-buddhism/

The book is an advanced review copy that I received from the publisher, Wildhouse Fiction. No compensation was received for this review.

The background music is "Thin Places" by Jesse Gallagher.

Find SBNR episodes and more on the Spiritual But Not Religious Website and connect with me on Mastodon and YouTube!

Episode 11: My takeaways from the book "Higher and Friendly Powers" by Dr. Peg O'Connor

This episode contains my takeaways from reading the book Higher and Friendly Powers: Transforming Addiction and Suffering by Dr. Peg O'Connor, a professor of philosophy at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. Dr. O'Connor shares details about the life and works of philosopher William James, James's influence on the creation of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and how AA could help even more people with recovery from alcohol addiction by using more inclusive terminology in their spiritual tenets. The book also fleshes out James's ideas on spirituality and how they can help anyone trying to better themselves. I found several key ideas in the book that may help us along our spiritual journey. Join me as I delve into it!

For more information on Peg O'Connor, William James, and Alcoholics Anonymous, explore the following links:

• https://gustavus.edu/profiles/poconnor (faculty bio of Dr. O'Connor on the Gustavus Adolphus College website)
• https://pegoconnorauthor.com/ (Peg's author website)
• https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/621 (link to the e-book for The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature by William James on Project Gutenberg)
• https://www.aa.org/ (Alcoholics Anonymous website)

Find SBNR episodes and more on the Spiritual But Not Religious Website and connect with me on Mastodon and YouTube!

Episode 10: Living with Purpose

This episode is a bit of a meditation on a leaf I saw on the ground during a morning walk. That leaf inspired me to think of all the people of the Earth as leaves on a tree. When we nurture the tree, the tree takes care of us all. Our purpose is to nurture the tree and each other, so that the tree will stay healthy and bear new leaves after we are gone.

If you would like to see the imagery that accompanies this episode, you can find the video version on my YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/juukk8GU-Yg.

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