Mindful Christians: Living Embodied Faith: Recent Episodes
Caroline Vogel
In pursuit of mindfully living an embodied faith imperfectly by grace, I realized so many others are trying to do the same. This podcast shares meditations, nuggets in which to chew, and conversations for Christians wanting to ground and center in their body, mind and soul, connected to a loving God, made ever aware of the light of Christ, and the whispers of the Holy Spirit. Welcome!
This meditation guides you through opening to the peace and love within, receiving peace and love from the world, and sharing a deep sense of peace and love with others. We are created, woven together with peace and love and have a beautiful capacity to intentionally share this peace & love with the world around us. Be sure to join us for live meditations on Insight Time: www.insighttimer.com/ccvogel
Many of us are searching for more joy in our lives. This reflection explores the natural joy that’s already within us because we are created with joy. The Divine weaves us together with holy joy, peace, love. Joy (along with love & peace) is our birthright. Meditation can assist us in opening to the inherent joy within, assist us in receiving pure joy from the world, integrating that joy with the already with, and sharing joy with the world around us. We are vessels of joy. My hope is that this episode opens you to the reality and wisdom that you are a vessel of joy- able to receive, integrate and share joy. ✨
I hope you’ll enjoy this episode where I interview my friend DeeAnn Dean. She has a big passionate heart for health and wholeness and a deep desire to bring people together in sacred community so they can experience Love in Belonging.
This 9 minute meditation will assist you if you’re wanting work with your nervous system by slowing your breathing down using coherent breathing.
This episode is a double dose of good news. We cover the baptism of Jesus and Jesus calling the disciples to follow him. Jesus’ life offers us many insights into how we can live our lives and ways to understand and appreciate the ways God calls us into loving relationship with him and each other. I’ve been asking the Holy Spirit “How seriously do you want me to take you?” Tune in to hear more and ponder for yourself, “How seriously does the Holy Spirit want me to take Her?”
This meditation is designed to work with restlessness in the middle of the night. We can utilize skills from our meditation and mindfulness practices to enhance our ability to shift from restlessness to restfulness.
This meditation moves through grounding in body and breath then moving into grounding in the heart space. As we experience more groundedness in body, breath and heart, we have greater access to peace. The second half of the meditation utilizes coherent breathing to deepens the sense of grounded peace within our being.
In the season of Advent we’re given the opportunity to intentionally wait with patience. We wait for God to be made manifest in the world. It’s an arduous task- waiting. As human beings we often have a difficult time waiting for anything much less the big things in life like waiting for hope to be made manifest in our lives and the world. This episode breaks open the opportunity to consider how we wait… do we wait with patience and trust that ultimately what we’re waiting for will be made manifest and it will be full of joy and wonder? Or, do we give into the negativity bias of our brains and wait in fear and trepidation?
This is a heart meditation that grounds in body and breath and then drops into the heart space to cultivate self-compassion. Every time we practice drawing the mind back to the present moment, the body, breath, our own hearts, the more we have the opportunity to practice non-judgment and self-compassion. Given our practice in formal meditation, the greater our capacity to practice self compassion in our everyday lives.
On this 12th anniversary of my priest ordination, I find myself leaving church, a place I was never called to in the first place. After a dozen years of going where I haven’t been called, I lean into the risk and vulnerability of going where I do. What does it mean to live into the call upon your life? What does it mean to honor the person God has called you to BE regardless of what you DO? Living an embodied faith requires being honest, wrestling, asking tough questions and calling a spade a spade. What do you yearn to live into that would allow you to more authentically embody your faith?
This is a meditation on equanimity. First we’ll ground in body and breath then move to the heart space with intention and compassion. We’ll build on the inherent strength of the heart to broaden awareness of our capacity to weather whatever comes our way in life- whether the storm be outer circumstances or inner emotional waves. Tapping into the wisdom and strength of our hearts can offer grounding and equanimity for our whole being.
Maya Angelou once said “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Jesus asked his disciples “Who do you say that I am?” We would be wise to ask God this question “Who do you say that I am?” And be intentional about listening, understanding and loving from that deep source of wisdom and truth God has woven within our beings.
This sermon weaves scripture from Ezekiel and the gospel of John. Can we let go of what binds us and allow the breath of God to fill us? Setting us free to experience resurrected living?
This sermon was preached Sunday, February 19th and reflects on the Hero’s Journey using the illustration of actress Viola Davis’ memoir Finding Me.
This is a sermon that weaves the wisdom of the persistent widow with Jacob’s wrestling with an angel. We’re all given spiritual gifts in our lives. How do we awake to them, honoring what they are and are not, and live into the fullness of those gifts?
This is a 20m meditation that guides you through connecting to your body, breath and breath of the divine so much so that you become aware of being breathed by the holy. The beautiful vessel of your body moment by moment surrendering to and being breathed by the holy breath of The Spirit.
This sermon was preached Sunday, October 30th at The Episcopal Church of The Ascension. It pulls from the wisdom of Laurie Brock’s new book God, Grace & Horses and weaves the story of Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus. Not always knowing where we are is actually part of the walk of faith. Whether we’re on trails that lead to somewhere or nowhere, God is here and using all of it for good.
This is a sermon preached September 25, 2022. Prompted by a podcast episode on We Can Do Hard Things, I venture into the question must of ourselves ask at some point in n life if not wrestle with on a daily basis in some form or fashion: “Am I a good person?” It is a deeply spiritual question which pulls for a deeply spiritual answer.
This is a meditation using three verses of Psalm 51- a meditation for your heart space to connect with your own breath & the divine breath. Focusing the breath in the heart space allowing the movement of the Spirit to dust off the heart creating a right spirit by way of The Spirit. And, connecting to the joy of receiving God’s help over and over again. We are truly sustained by God’s bountiful Spirit. 🕊
This sermon was preached in August 2022 at The Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Knoxville, TN. This sermon weaves the wisdom of Susan Cain’s latest book Bittersweet with the narratives found in Genesis 15 & Hebrews 11. All of us have a bit of melancholy within us; some of us lead with it… a felt sense of the interconnectedness between the beauty & sorrow of the world. When we have the courage to get in touch with that which we long for, that which creates a homesickness we may just find ourselves drawing ever nearer to God and the heavenly city.
This is a reflection that was offered at the monthly Celtic Service at Church of the Ascension in Knoxville, TN. Have you ever listened to a song and found yourself in tears? The breath of the Spirit often uses music to crack open our hearts & bring us to a feeling of deep aliveness.
This meditation is an opportunity to create sacred space to be with and let be whatever might be restless within your mind, heart space, gut, body, soul &/or spirit. When we turn towards our own experience with compassion we have the opportunity to not only listen to whatever wisdom the restlessness might have to share, we also realize we come home to the presence of a loving God right there with us in the restlessness. Connected with the breath of God (The Holy Spirit) we can experience the divine breath transforming whatever is restless within us into a place of rest in a loving God. Saint Augustine once said "God, Thou hast made us for thyself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee." I might only add to the great saint's words by saying our hearts, minds, souls, bodies, spirits, energy are restless until they find their rest in thee. Meditation offers us the very opportunity to find rest in God allowing the breath of the Spirit to the transform our restlessness into rest in God.
This is a meditation that utilizes both body awareness, connection with the breath, Spirit and your own soul. Towards the end of the meditation is a brief body scan that prompts the opening to receive the fruits of the Spirit in every fiber and cell of our being in addition to our souls and spirits.
This meditation works with how we might open ourselves to receive the fruits of the Spirit. Coming to stillness and coming home to our bodies and breath create the foundation to best connect with the breath of the Holy Spirit. Connected to the Spirit's presence and movement within us, we can open ourselves to receive any or all of the nine fruits of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. The hope is that by the end of the meditation you might be more aware of the presence of the fruits within your own body and soul, able to be guided by the Spirit through these fruits and also better capable of sharing the gifts with others.
This meditation is a Christian version of loving kindness meditation that works with the notion of grace- God’s love and favor towards us. The meditation works with both receiving God’s love, blessings, & gifts of the Spirit, while also offering blessings of loving kindness to others.
This is a meditation crafted after the LIVE meditations I offer every Saturday morning at 8am eastern on Insight Timer. You can find more information about these live events on my website www.carolinevogel.com. You can also find links to more recorded meditations both on my website and on my teacher page on Insight Timer.
This was a sermon preached Sunday, February 27th- Transfiguration Sunday. The sermon explores how part of our walk with God is opening and allowing ourselves to radiate the love of God.
We don't always have 20 minutes to sit in meditation and be mindful of a holy sense of blessing. We oftentimes need to be reminded of God's blessing when we're on the fly, in the midst of our hectic and busy lives. So, this 3 minute meditation was crafted to practice on the fly. Any time you have three minutes and want to come home to a sense of blessing, there you are. This meditation on blessing like the longer version (19 minutes) incorporates the use of John O'Donohue's definition of blessing "a circle of light drawn around a person to protect, heal, and strengthen." This definition comes from his amazing book- To Bless the Space Between Us. Blessings on your practice and a felt sense of blessing going with you throughout your day.
This meditation is created to bring to mind something or someone you're holding in your heart, mind, soul, spirit with a sense of blessing. We work with the definition of blessing offered by John O'Donohue in his book To Bless the Space Between Us. O'Donohue shares, "A blessing is a circle of light drawn around a person to protect, heal, and strengthen." This meditation crafts sacred space for a felt sense of blessing both upon whatever your seeking blessing (whether that be a person, situation, or pain) and you the holder of intention.
This meditation was crafted to assist all of us who get too busy in our lives and forget to come home to a loving God dwelling within us. The meditation offers the practitioner the opportunity to ground in the body and breath and then lean into the wisdom Jesus shares with Mary in Luke 10:38-42. Though Martha truly believes her actions are superior to her sister's, Jesus sheds light on in the reality that Martha is "worried and distracted by many things" when there is really only "need for only one thing." When we take the time to deepen out connection to a loving God, we can more easily access God's presence, love and guidance at any moment in our day.
This sermon was preached Christmas Eve 2021. The sermon highlights the reality that following God rarely leads to a predictable path. From the human eye, our lives of faith can look like one curveball after another. What if the curveballs are portals for God to meet us- the Emmanuel- God with us?
This is an Advent sermon focused on how we can live into a greater sense of joy even amidst the darkness.
This meditation invites the listener into a time of quiet stillness to honor the season of Advent using The First Song of Isaiah. Surely, it is God who saves me; I will trust in him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, and he will be my Savior.
My grandmother didn’t go down in history as famous; she didn’t accomplish anything grand or exceptional. Yet, she was very much a Saint to me in that she shined the Light of Christ into my life, shared God’s love with me, and drew me closer to our loving God. The celebration of All Saint’s Day is an opportunity to remember all the saints in our lives- those we can no longer see or touch or feel, those who continue to walk alongside us, and the saints we’ve yet to meet.
This sermon is a shout out to all my fellow Ted Lasso fans out there woven with the gospel reading Mark 10:46-52. Our belief in God and ourselves can truly set us free to follow The Way. Thanks be to God!
This sermon speaks to the reality that disagreements can be difficult to work through in loving relationships.
Do you ever feel as if you’re carrying around a lot in a metaphorical backpack? Worries, fears, preoccupations? This sermon looks at how lightening our load can empower us to live into the wisdom of Ephesians 4:25-5:2. God can do infinitely more with us when we receive God’s peace that surpasses all understanding.
Ever think about how God uses the pieces of our lives to stitch together a tapestry of Hod’s goodness? This sermon reflects on this idea and how we are called to share with good friends and the world God’s goodness in our lives. Our faith is always emerging, and we have so much to learn from each other. ♥️🕊
Living an embodied faith encompasses worshipping in a mindful way. Over the last year and a half I’ve enjoyed and come to greatly appreciate worshipping in the Celtic Tradition within The Episcopal Church. This episode reflects on the inherent wisdom and mindful practices embedded in the the Celtic Tradition, the ease of rest in the quiet & stillness, and the connections this tradition offers our souls, the earth and the divine.
This sermon was preached for The Diocese of East Tennessee in the celebration of Pentecost. The story of Pentecost is powerful, informative to our faith and relevant to how we live our lives even in 2021. May you experience the Holy Spirit guiding you into all truth and may you have the courage to go where She leads.
A version of this sermon was preached to the Foothills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on May 2, 2021. Everyone has a heartsong- the notes that sing from within that tell the story of who we are and our deepest longings. One of the many gifts of novels, memoirs, movies and tv shows is that we have the opportunity to draw connections and watch patterns emerge as characters develop. Noticing these patterns can become incredibly helpful in understanding our own patterns of relating to others, ourselves and the world. Hearing the heartsong in others helps us identify and claim our own heartsong better which empowers us to be co-authors of our own lives rather than being thrown to and fro by the curveballs of life. May you discover your heartsong and by the grace of God may you sing it aloud.
A version of this sermon was preached Sunday, April 18, 2021 @ The Episcopal Church of the Ascension. Scripture readings are for the third Sunday in Eastertide including 1 John 3:1-7 & Luke 24: 36b-48.
This sermon is about taking on grace in the wilderness of Lent, trusting God’s love & favor reaches us even, especially in our struggles. A version of this sermon was preached March 14, 2021 on the Fourth Sunday in Lent. Includes verses from Ephesians 2:1-10.
This an Advent sermon for the third week of Advent. It pulls from Isaiah 61, Psalm 126, & 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24. The third week of Advent asks us to lean into the joyful anticipation of Christ arrival. How do we honor the real grief and sorrow of our pandemic reality and adhere to the wisdom of joyful anticipation? Can we integrate our full experience for a greater sense of wholeness?
This is an Advent reflection offered at a Celtic Service. As the darkness of winter sets in and the virus numbers rage on the prophetic words of Isaiah & gospel message take on a new perspective and promise of hope.
A version of this sermon was preached Sunday, November 22, 2020. It reflects on the passages from Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24, Ephesians 1:15-23, & Matthew 25:31-46 and incorporates reflections on Henri Nouwen’s book “Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World.”
This was a sermon preached on Sunday, October 18, 2020 in Knoxville, TN. Scripture readings are from Exodus 33:12-23 & Matthew 22:15-22.
This was a reflection offered at The Celtic Service @ The Episcopal Church of the Ascension on Sunday, September 6th.
This episode accompanied the Adult Christian Formation Class: The Holy Spirit, Jesus & Us. In wilderness times in our lives we tend to run away from, suppress or deny the very things that hold the key to being led into all truth by the Spirit. This meditation is designed to turn towards what we’d normally run away from. We intentionally draw to our awareness a stressful element of living in a pandemic and work with it including bringing to awareness the presence of the Spirit, a loving God and the light of Christ.
This meditation is an invitation to dwell with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and specifically receive the words Jesus heard from heaven at his baptism: With you I am well pleased.
As part of the 4Ms of Mental Health Offering: mindfulness, movement, mastery, meaningful connection, The Episcopal Diocese of East TN is doing a live Zoom call to practice together the 4 mornings of July 2020: 8-8:45 eastern. This recording is a way to practice all 4Ms at any time. 💜
This is a 10 minute meditation to focus on the breath, the connection our breath offers to the Holy Spirit, and intentionally allowing the Holy Spirit to fills us up (inhale) and settle into the presence (exhale).
This is a 5 minute meditation to draw the attention to the breath and into awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit with us with each and every breath.
This is a 15 minute meditation created for the season of Eastertide- the 50 days that follow the celebration of Easter Day. Each day can we open our hearts anew to the promise of a new beginning? May our courage be kindled and our trust be bold enough to open our hearts anew.
This episode is a sermon preached Maundy Thursday, April 9, 2020 @ The Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Knoxville, TN. The sermon was broadcast live on Facebook, only the clergy, musicians and tech person were in the sanctuary due to COVID19.
For anyone wanting to intentionally relax their body, mind and spirit before going to bed at night, hand their worries and fears over to a loving God, and prepare to sleep with ease. About 20 minutes.
10 minute meditation seeking the wisdom of God within us about what needs to die within us so that we may be unbound and set free.
This episode looks at what we can learn and the wisdom we can integrate into our lives concerning the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
This episode weaves together thoughts about where we are in the world coping with COVID19 and the good news from the gospel (John 9:1-41) on this fourth Sunday in Lent. By the grace of God may we have eyes to see... even now, especially now.
For anyone looking to turn to prayer and a bit of mindfulness in the midst of their day. The prayers follow the one page daily devotion for Individuals and Families in the book of common prayer (pg. 138).
This is an opportunity to both say morning prayers and intentionally practice mindfully coming home to a loving God over and over again so that you might find it easier to come home to God within throughout your day. These prayers are found on page 137 of the book of common prayer as part of the Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families. You do not need to read along to move through this recording. Light a candle, sip on some coffee or tea, and open to the loving presence of God who is “full of compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy.” Welcome! 🕯☕️🕊
This meditation follows the prayers at the close of day found in the book of common prayer (pg. 140). The prayers are part of a collection of offerings for individuals and families: In the Morning, At Noon, In the Evening, and this one At the Close of Day. In the middle of the devotion for the close of day is an intentional time to practice mindfulness, drawing your attention into the present moment building awareness and grounding in a loving God and placing all the prayers of your heart into the loving hands of a gracious God.
This episode explores how we might live by the grace of God both being outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls. And how God and his angels may tend to us in these uncertain and fearful times.
This meditation is a loving kindness meditation for self and your community. When you only have 5 minutes and you are wanting to center yourself in God’s love and also offer loving kindness to all those in your town, community, city. May the breath of the Holy Spirit and on the wing’s of God’s angels carry God’s love into you and share it from you. Amen. Be well, friends.
This meditation is an opportunity to ground and strengthen in the present moment by way of centering with the presence of a loving God within and around you. Rounds of loving kindness offered for self, loved one, someone you are worried about, a “sandpaper” person, your community and the world. May you receive the love of God and allow the Holy Spirit to carry God’s love within you into the world. May that offering of being in the flow of God’s love and the movement of the Spirit be a gift to you and others this day. Be well, friends.
This meditation offers a way to practice and be with the words of Jesus spoken to Nicodemus: “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
This episode is about when Jesus says to Nicodemus, “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.”
As we move through the wilderness of this Lenten season, may we be mindful of the presence of a loving God with us along the journey and the breath of the Holy Spirit leading us.
This meditation is a practice of grounding and centering in the present moment mindful of how the Holy Spirit is the one leading us into the wilderness season.
This episode is an expanded offering of the Ash Wednesday sermon preached 2020. It breaks down the invitation to a holy Lent and the life giving, transformative potential of self examination with a loving God.
Author, professor, and fellow Episcopalian Brené Brown explains well that belonging is not about fitting in, saying the right things, believing the “right” things, wearing the right clothes to fit in. This has nothing to do with true belonging. Belonging is showing up as the child of God we are with all our quirks and brilliance, our idiosyncrasies and nuance, so that we get the opportunity to be loved for our essence not our pretence. We get the chance to know we are loved for who we are and who God created us to be rather than who society, anyone else or even our own mind tells us we “should be.”
This episode opens with a 10m meditation to practice being with God’s grace and receiving it. Then it moves into expanded thoughts on receiving grace on Christmas, through Christmastide, and through the entire year.
This 12 minute meditation is a loving kindness meditation offering an opportunity to receive blessings for yourself, receive Divine loving kindness, and extend loving kindness to the world by the grace of God.
This episode shares thoughts about the Scripture readings from Advent Four highlighting how when we resolve to take actions in our lives outside the will of God, God can restore us to His will and redeem our lives. We are called as Christians to discern the voice of God in our lives by practicing being with God, spending time with God. Blessings on your final days of Advent!
This meditation brings to mind a situation that makes you fearful, anxious and/or unsettled. Noticing and being with the physical sensations, emotions and thoughts present when you’re mindful of fear, anxiety, unsettledness. Then we welcome the presence of a loving God to be with us and notice any shifts or changes in our physical sensations, emotions and thoughts. This meditation makes room to notice the presence of a loving God with us.
This meditation is designed to center and ground you in the third week of advent which has the theme joy. We grow joy in our lives by mindfully practicing gratitude.
This episode is about Christian joy as we anticipate the coming of the Lord and all the ways The Light will full our lives and the world. It also discusses how we can grow joy in our lives by intentionally practicing gratitude.
This is an 10 minute loving kindness meditation to center yourself in offering love, kindness and compassion to yourself and someone in your life whether that be a child, pet, relative or friend. It simply needs to be someone for whom you care.
The second week of Advent calls us to prepare for the Coming of the Lord. A way to prepare is giving space for our hearts to share whatever is getting in the way or receiving God’s love and light anew.
This 10 minute meditation is designed to help you ground and center in the present moment by way of anchoring in the breath or sound. In coming back to your chosen anchor over and over again, you’re coming home to God’s presence with you- within you and around you which is always with you. You’re also staying awake to the present moment being with whatever arises and falls away. In doing this you are strengthening your capacity to wait and trust that a loving and merciful God is with you as you wait- whatever the season. ⭐️
This episode shares about the season of Advent specifically addressing the theme of waiting. Though this is a large theme of the season, there is much wisdom to lift regarding waiting and applying it to every season of our lives.
This episode is an extended version of the blogpost @ Carolinevogel.com. This episode shares a bit about how I came to mindfulness in the first place in addition to a few of the gifts it’s offer long my life which are proving to be fake changers.