Fire and Light
A New Podcast, Hosted by Tessa Bielecki and David DennyComing in January 2023!We are two old friends who lived in monasteries out in the wilderness for fifty years. Now we're "urban hermits" in Tucson, Arizona and long to share conversations with you about living sanely and contemplatively in the midst of engaged lives in the world. We wonder how to keep love alive and celebrate everyone in the great Circle of Life. We're honest about what sometimes keeps us awake at night and offer stories of hope that can bring us light and set our hearts on fire. Join us as we ponder life, love, and soul.
Episodes
19 episodes
Christmas Joy and Gladness
In their final Fire and Light conversation, Tessa and Dave celebrate the Twelfth Day of Christmas, or Feast of the Epiphany. Take a break from commercialized Christmas, latch onto a star, and linger in B...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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36:33
The Seed and the Space That Changed You
What is the most important transitional moment in your life? Or are there several? Tessa and Dave look back on their early years in Sedona, Arizona. There they discovered an earthy mysticism of gardening, reading, and moonrises that kindled a f...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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32:55
The Desert Experience
What comes to mind when you think of the desert? Does it sound beautiful? Ominous? Both? Find out how "desert rats," from author Edward Abbey to artist Georgia O'Keeffe, express the wonder and solace they find in desert landscapes. Learn ...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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31:43
Joy As Resistance
Is your life joyful? Do you think everyone has a right to joy? How do we keep joy alive in the midst of so much sorrow in the world? Can we practice it? And what do we mean by joy as resistance? Dave and Tessa grapple with these que...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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35:26
Return to the Wild
Is wilderness important in our lives? Tessa and Dave describe a recent trip to Death Valley and reflect on what struck them most in that vast, wild, empty landscape. They discuss the “practice of the wild” and the joy of encounterin...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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29:49
Ordinary Plenty: Celtic Spirituality
According to the Celtic calendar, February 1 marks the first day of spring and celebrates the increasing daylight. In our February Fire and Light podcast, “Ordinary Plenty: Celtic Spirituality,” Dave Denny and Tessa Bielec...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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33:47
Animal Guides
Do you love animals? How might a swallow, a salmon, a stag or a unicornspeak to our souls? We explore the world of symbols and the beauty ofanimal images, archetypes, and legends that speak to us of holiness. Wewelcome the season of...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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33:36
Day of the Dead and the Marigold Path
Explore the Day of the Dead and the colors and customs surrounding death, especially joy and hope, beautifully expressed in the film Coco. Learn about building an altar of remembrance for your ancestors. Find out what dying people most...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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42:24
Humor and Halloween
Humor and HalloweenOctober brings longer nights and warm-toned leaves to the northern hemisphere. It also brings Halloween. Tessa and Dave reflect on the origins, playfulness and profundity of Hallowee...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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27:50
Before, After, and the Atomic Bomb
Tessa and Dave begin by remembering the “before” and “after” of their lives in Sedona, Arizona and relate this to “before” and “after” the dropping of the atomic bomb. They respond to “...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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37:34
A Taste of Place
Where do you place yourself? How does it taste? Tessa and Dave share a taste of the Sonoran Desert as they savor picking saguaro fruit with guidance from local Tohono O’odham neighbors. They relish the physical act of picking fr...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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37:19
Going Against the Grind
We welcome the month of June by remembering the summers of our youth: Dave in Indiana and Tessa in Connecticut. We explore how leisure, not work, is the basis of culture. Our conversation includes insights from Tricia Hersey, “the Nap Bishop.” ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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38:28
My Story, Your Story
Tessa and Dave introduce the Irish saying, “my story, your story.” They explore how the concrete details, joys and sorrows of our unique life stories have an uncanny power to communicate across time and cultures. Allow yourself to slow down and...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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37:26
Breathing Room for the Sprit
Tessa and Dave explore ways to create breathing room for our spirits in a world of speed and utility. They describe a recent desert camping trip and Dave recites “Superbloom Toast,” a poem celebrating the spectacle of a desert bursting with fl...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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34:58
Alchemy of Earth and Soul
Tessa rhapsodizes on the beauty of compost. She celebrates the season of Lent as alchemy: allowing the cast-off peelings, the inedible “garbage” of our lives to be transformed into fertile soil for future flowers. She recommends we get our han...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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39:58
Candles and Good Trouble
Tessa and Dave explore the beauty of candlelight and the Feast of Candlemas. In honor of Black History Month they reflect on the spirituality of civil rights activist and congressman, the late John Lewis. Noting the universal appreciation of ...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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32:38