+ MUSIC: On the website of The Hotel Cafe Tour (a tour featuring some top and up-and-coming singer-songwriters, such as Dan Wilson, Joshua Radin, Sara Bareilles and Bob Schneider), you can listen to some of the best songs from the touring musicians. The songs blew me away! Light a candle, pour a glass of wine, float around your living room, enjoy.

+ AUDIO INTERVIEW: Back in December, Krista Tippet, the host of radio program Speaking of Faith, interviewed Jean Vanier, who’s now in his 70’s. Vanier founded a community centered around people with mental disabilities, L’Arche, that has now become a global movement. L’Arche communities embody the ideal of power in smallness, strength in weakness and light in the darkness of human existence. (If you’re familiar with Henri Nouwen, you may know that Nouwen spent the last years of his life living in a L’Arche community in Toronto.)

In the interview, entitled “The Wisdom of Tenderness,” Vanier spoke about his understanding of humanity and God.

Our house church recently listened to the interview and we were on the edge of our seats. The interview energized and softened us! Afterward we had a great time sharing with each other the many things from the interview that struck us and touched us.

»Q&A With Michael Dowd About Evolution and Spirituality

Thanks to my subscription to WIE Unbound, I recently discovered Michael Dowd (a former pastor) and his wife Connie Barlow (a scientist). They’ve spent the last five years traveling the country to preach the Gospel of Evolution (i.e., the “good news” of evolution and why having a sacred view of evolution is important for the healthy development of and care for individuals, communities, nations, the earth and the entire universe). Michael and Connie speak to various groups (religious, scientific and otherwise), including a lot of church groups.

I’m incredibly impressed with Michael and his sacred view of evolution! I can’t say that strongly enough! His perspective and views have already been helpful for me in terms of affirming, challenging and expanding my own experiential and intellectual understanding of God and human development. Hold me back … I’m ready to hop in the van with Michael and Connie and preach the Gospel … of evolutionary spirituality.

If I’ve piqued your interest at all, don’t miss the Q&A With Michael Dowd — it’s the perfect place to dive in. Michael answers basic questions (via text and video clips) about what it means to have a sacred view of evolution and why it’s important. He’s a gifted communicator, incredibly articulate, passionate and down-to-earth.

I’m not the only one, by the way, who’s excited about Michael Dowd’s sacred view of evolution (and, to clarify, his view isn’t new … Michael’s following in the footsteps of Thomas Berry, Brian Swimme, Teilhard de Chardin and others … but few people have articulated a sacred view of evolution in such a compelling and integrated — yes, integrated — way). Michael’s recent book, Thank God for Evolution, is getting rave reviews from pastors, rabbis, Buddhists, Hindus, Nobel prize winning scientists, etc. The list of endorsements is incredibly impressive!

Last thing: For a basic primer on evolutionary spirituality and theology, check out the Wikipedia page, Evolution Theology.

»SacredSpace.ie – Guided Meditations

My friend Beth Anne Carlson recently introduced me to SacredSpace.ie, and it’s an example of an effective Web-based spiritual formation tool. It was effective for me anyway … in the sense that it helped me experience God’s presence. The site’s produced by the Jesuit Communication Centre in Dublin, Ireland; they actually publish a new guided meditation every day. Consider taking ten minutes and trying it. It may help you connect with God and yourself in a significant way.

»Other6.com – A Web-Based Spiritual Formation Tool

Other6.com is another effective Web-based tool. It’s produced by Loyola Communications (in Chicago). I’m tellin’ ya, the Jesuits are leading the way in developing Web-based spiritual formation tools.

Other6.com is based on a simple spiritual exercise from St. Ignatius aimed at deepening your awareness of God’s presence. The site is very simple — and unique! — and my experience on the site was simple. But it was also deep, as I took my time to really connect with God and myself (and others) through my experience on the site. Definitely consider giving it a try!

»ARTICLE/INTERVIEW: “Just Say ‘Yes’ to the Moment,” an Interview With Tara Brach (Beliefnet)

I’m a big Tara Brach fan. She’s a psychotherapist and meditation instructor — and I really like her approach to the transformational journey. In this interview, she talks a lot about self acceptance, which is at the core of the transformational journey (and is an area I focus a lot of attention on). She also talks about fear, the “small self” and the integration of Western psychology and Eastern spiritual practices. I hope it’s helpful for you!

»Conference: Jesus and Buddha — Paths to Awakening

“I am awake.” -Buddha | “Stay awake.” -Jesus

Richard Rohr and James Finley are going to explore the essence of Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths and how Jesus’ teaching relates to them. Rohr’s a Franciscan priest and one of my favorite authors and teachers. Finley used to be a Trappist monk (and studied with Thomas Merton); he’s now a renowned psychotherapist and spiritual counselor. I’m definitely considering making the trip to Albuquerque for this one. It’s coming up; the dates are Jan. 25-27.

A side note: Those of you in Chicago, check out Richard Rohr speaking at Loyola University on Dec. 1. He’s talking about his brand-new book, Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality. I wish I could go with you!

»Interview With James Finley: “Experiencing God Through Meditation” (beliefnet)

In this great interview with James Finley (mentioned above), Finley talks about what Christian meditation is, what its benefits are and why some Christians are wary of it. “Christian meditation,” Finley states, “is way of experiencing God beyond what the ego can grasp or attain. It’s beyond thought, beyond memory, beyond the will, beyond feeling.”

Here’s what’s HOT this week:

»VIDEO: “False Self to True Self” (on YouTube.com) by Father Thomas Keating and Ken Wilber

In this fantastic video (which is titled “Religious, But Not Spiritual?” on YouTube), Father Thomas Keating and Ken Wilber talk about the transformational journey from false self to true self and the important role of contemplative practices in the journey. I deeply appreciate Father Keating’s inclusiveness, and he does a great job pointing out that all major religions talk about — and try to help facilitate — this transformational journey from false self (or ego) to true self. It seems to be a universal journey or path, though the major religions have their own way of describing it. I think you’ll love this video. Father Keating is precious (and brilliant!).

»ARTICLE: “Why Be Christian?” an interview with Marcus Borg (on Beliefnet)

This is one of the best and most important articles/interviews I’ve read in a long time. Bible scholar Marcus Borg answers questions about the paradigm shift that’s happening in Christianity, the meaning of “salvation” and being “born again,” the afterlife, and more.

Borg notes, “I don’t want to deny the uniqueness of Christianity. I want to speak of the uniqueness of Christianity, as well as Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and Hinduism. They are all unique in the sense that they are not exactly alike. But what I’m affirming is that beneath their differences is this common path of transformation [of being "born again," of dying to the false self and being born into the true self]. For me, seeing that all the major enduring religions know this path of transformation gives Christianity much more credibility than if it were to claim to know something that no other religion had ever known.”

Here’s what’s HOT this week:

»WEBSITE: beliefnet

Supposedly the largest spiritual website, beliefnet is packed with great resources. There’s so much to explore and enjoy, including guided meditations from Christian and Buddhist faith traditions. I deeply appreciate some of the Christian columnists on beliefnet, such as Marcus Borg, Sue Monk Kidd, Barbara Brown Taylor, and Bishop John Shelby Spong. You can now view short video clips of each of these columnists talking about various aspects of the spiritual journey, Christianity and religion. (To view video clips, just click on a name above.) For example, don’t miss Borg answering the question “How Do I See Jesus?” or Spong talking about “God’s Love” or Taylor answering the question, “How Should I Respond to People of Other Faiths?“

»MAGAZINE & WEBSITE: What Is Enlightenment? (WIE)

If I could work for any magazine, I’d probably choose this one. WIE engages and covers spirituality in a smart, wholistic and inclusive way. WIE asks big, hairy and fascinating questions, such as: Is God All in Your Head?; What Is the Role of Celibacy On the Spiritual Path?; and How Has Enlightenment Evolved? WIE is written by and covers some of the brightest thinkers and deepest souls in the world of spirituality, such as Father Thomas Keating, Ken Wilber and Eckhart Tolle. Enjoy exploring some of the sections on the site, such as: The Evolution of Spirituality; Science, Consciousness and the Soul; The Future of Religion; and Contemplative Christianity. Have fun!

Here’s what’s HOT this week:

»EVENT: Thich Nhat Hanh Speaking in San Diego
Thich Nhat Hanh is a beloved and revered Buddhist monk, poet, and peace activist. On Oct. 2, he’s the keynote speaker at the University of San Diego’s Social Issues Conference. If you live anywhere near San Diego, don’t miss him. Buy a ticket and join me!

»WEBSITE: Spirituality and Practice – Resources for Spiritual Journeys
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat do an amazing job publishing this website, which includes everything from spiritual exercises to book reviews to e-courses. Believe it or not, their current 40-day e-course is Practicing Spirituality With Thich Nhat Hanh, which you can still sign up for. Have fun exploring this site! I subscribed to their email newsletter because I’m finding their stuff to be really helpful as I journey.

»ARTICLE: “Mystical Christianity” by Lynn C. Bauman
Bauman does a great job explaining mysticism and pointing to the mystical roots of Christianity. “If Christianity is not mystical,” she writes, “then it is nothing at all, or at least there is little or nothing left of its origins.” Also, don’t miss Bauman’s other great articles — and have fun exploring the Praxis website!

Each week I’m gonna try to post “What’s HOT,” a brief list of things (e.g., articles, podcasts, books, bands, etc.) that I think are worth a smooch. I hope “What’s HOT” becomes a helpful resource for you! (If your lips get chapped from smooching too much, sue me.)

Let’s get started. Here’s what’s HOT this week:

»ARTICLE: Mother Teresa’s Crisis of Faith (Time)
The article provides a great overview of the much-talked-about new book, Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light (Doubleday), which consists primarily of correspondence between Teresa and her confessors and superiors over a period of 66 years. According to Teresa’s letters, for the last nearly half-century of her life she felt no presence of God whatsoever — or, as the book’s compiler and editor, the Rev. Brian Kolodiejchuk, writes, “neither in her heart or in the eucharist.”

»ARTICLE: Homosexuality and the Bible by Dr. Walter Wink
The debate about homosexuality rages on in the Christian world, and Wink does an amazing job of looking at both sides of the issue, especially in light of what the Bible says (or doesn’t say) about homosexuality. Especially important — and funny! — in this article is the brilliant way that Wink illustrates the different ways that people interpret the Bible, especially the passages about sexuality. (Does the Bible say anything about “smooching”? I’m just asking.)

»SONG: “The Truth About Jayne” by Jeff Winkle
This new song by Wink (not the same Wink as above) is about a friend of his who has been struggling with life for a long time. To listen, visit Wink’s MySpace page.