Contemplify

Anna Tivel on Animal Poem, Short Stories, and Checking Your Shoes

“Through her graceful poetry and pristine instrumentation, the folk singer delivers indictments of modern indignities alongside moments of hope.” — Pitchfork Anna Tivel is an award-winning songwriter and musician from Portland, Oregon. In our conversation we traverse many topics; short stories, poetry, checking for shit on your shoes, and Anna’s latest spellbinding album, Animal Poem. For me, this felt like old friends talking about matters close to the heart despite this being our first real conversation. Anna Tivel is thoughtful, funny, inquisitive, and one of the best working songwriters out there. Pick a copy of Animal Poem at Fluff & Gravy Records.Visit Anna Tivel at annativel.com | IG: @annativel Episode Show Notes Works by Anna Tivel Animal Poem Living Thing Outsiders Anna Tivel’s Full Catalog Resources & People Mentioned Life is Beautiful directed by Roberto Benigni “Sticks” by George Saunders Fidelity by Wendell Berry “Sam Stone” by John Prine Louise Glück Still Life by Jay Hopler Richard Siken Nina Simone and Piano by Nina Simone Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard Drink Recommended Mint tea speckled with the earth it grew in Photo pulled from AnnaTivel.comLinks to book purchases give a kickback to a local New Mexican bookstore and Contemplify

Dr. Martin Shaw on Liturgies of the Wild

“Here is a rosary of soaring myth, gripping narrative, and deep wisdom, all told with breathtaking verve that enchants and sweeps us along, from first word to last. A superb, inspiring read.” — Gabor Maté, author of The Myth of Normal Dr. Martin Shaw a writer, mythographer, wilderness guide, and Christian thinker. In our conversation we delve into his latest book, Liturgies of the Wild: Myths That Make Us. A book that any personal library would benefit from. Shaw delivers a rousing grasp of the mythic life from a poetic lens of the dream of Christianity. A master storyteller with wit and wisdom, that will have you smiling as resonant tears well in your eyes. Visit Dr. Martin Shaw at drmartinshaw.com | IG: @drmartinshaw | Substack: The House of Beasts & Vines Episode Show Notes Works by Dr. Martin Shaw Liturgies of the Wild: Myths That Make Us Courting the Wild Twin Cinderbiter: Celtic Poems Smoke Hole: Looking to the Wild in the Time of the Spyglass Dr. Martin Shaw’s full catalog Resources & People Mentioned Percival Gary Snyder On the Road by Jack Kerouac James Hillman The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard David Abram Iron John by Robert Bly C.S. Lewis Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés The Captain’s Verses: Love Poems by Pablo Neruda Jane Hirschfield W.B. Yeats Ted Hughes William Blake “Fern Hill” by Dylan Thomas Yo-Yo Ma This World by Teddy Macker Federico García Lorca Rainer Maria Rilke Juan Ramón Jiménez Antonio Machado Drink Recommended Negroni Photo credit: Ruth MedjberLinks to book purchases give a kickback to a local New Mexican bookstore and Contemplify

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

“As Christians…we are Ceremony people, story people, poetic people.” — Martin Shaw 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 “VISION FOR A NEW CABINET: A Proposal of Possibilities for the Next American President” written and read by Teddy Macker. First episode of Season 7 will land in February. Photo by Contemplify

The Famous One

“Always keep death before you.” — Rule of St. Benedict Musing on obituaries with your name on it. Photo by Contemplify

Remembering Lerita Coleman Brown on Waiting for a Word in the Heart [Repost from 2023]

“I highly recommend What Makes You Come Alive to churches, religious and educational institutions, and spiritual seekers everywhere who are looking for an inward journey that finds its home in the world of nature, people, and things.” — Walter Earl Fluker – Editor and Director of the Howard Thurman Papers Project Remembering Lerita Coleman Brown (1954-2025) Dr. Lerita Coleman Brown is a retreat leader, speaker, spiritual companion, and professor emerita of psychology at Agnes Scott College. Professor Brown frequently speaks on contemplative spirituality and Howard Thurman. She is the author of What Makes You Come Alive: A Spiritual Walk with Howard Thurman and When the Heart Speaks, Listen: Discovering Inner Wisdom. She has been featured in PBS documentaries about Howard Thurman and the Black church. She lives in Stone Mountain, Georgia. In our conversation, Professor Brown and I talk about the life, mysticism, and work of Howard Thurman, as well as his affinity to emperor penguins. We talk about the contemplative imagination and depth of Thurman, his trust of the Spirit’s activity, and what he called “Working Papers”. Professor Brown has embodied the teachings of Howard Thurman and breathes them out in her own styling and language. More than once in this conversation, Professor Brown opened a window for me that I had painted shut. That is a rare gift. Visit Lerita Coleman Brown at leritacolemanbrown.com | IG: @peaceforhearts Episode Show Notes Works by Lerita Coleman Brown What Makes You Come Alive: A Spiritual Walk with Howard Thurman When the Heart Speaks, Listen: Discovering Inner Wisdom Resources & People Mentioned Howard Thurman Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Walter Fluker Gregory Ellison II, PhD Sue Bailey Thurman Alberta King Gandhi Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman Deep is the Hunger by Howard Thurman The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron Course in Miracles Drink Recommended Mojito with fresh mint photo pulled from leritacolemanbrown.com