Navigating a Material World: Spiritual Life In The Modern Era with April Stevens Artwork

EarthRising Podcast

EarthRising is a podcast about connecting to our planet through the arts, spirituality, and conservation. We will explore how to be in greater connection with the natural world in order to benefit our mental and emotional well being. Show guests will include artists, authors, spiritual teachers, and guardians of the natural world. By listening to their stories, we will learn how they honor the environment through their insights, service and actions. In turn, we may gain insights about how to be better stewards of the earth. This podcast will aim to create a framework to weave together various art forms, spiritual thought, and environmental conservation throughout the episodes. This will reveal universal themes that encourage self-growth, community empowerment, and environmental stewardship for those who feel called to take action on behalf of the planet. With your host Erin Haley

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EarthRising Podcast

Navigating a Material World: Spiritual Life In The Modern Era with April Stevens

November 06, 2020 • Erin Haley • Season 1 • Episode 9

In this episode, spiritual thinker and artist April Stevens and I explore what a meaningful spiritual life looks like during our modern era. We consider teachings from Buddhist meditation masters Chogyam Trungpa and Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche that provide a deeper insight into our mind’s interconnection with the natural world. We also discuss living through pandemic times, and April closes our conversation with a powerful poem by Naomi Shihab Nye.

April Stevens is a seasoned meditation practitioner in the Buddhist tradition, as well as a trained artist and art educator. She runs the Meditation Training Center of Denver with her husband Jeffrey Stevens, providing a space for people to come together to explore spiritual practice and cultivate community.

Episode Links:

In Love with the World: A Monk’s Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying By Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche with Helen Tworkov

Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior By Chogyam Trungpa