The Sacred Speaks

John Bucher, mythologist, storyteller, and executive director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation, explores how myth shapes personal and collective life. He discusses theme over plot, favorite stories revealing hidden needs, the loss of shared cultural myths, AI as a new cultural story, and practical rituals and media choices for telling a better story in daily life.

Molly Carroll, therapist, writer, and author of Trust Within, shares how intuition rises from rupture and lived honesty. She tells the story of leaving an engagement and explores grief, codependency, and therapy. Short practices and bodily cues for sensing intuition are discussed. The conversation examines whether intuition steadies or unsettles identity and how courage changes with life stages.

Dr. Douglas Thomas, a Jungian scholar and psychotherapist, dives deep into the psychology of BDSM and kink. He reframes these experiences as essential expressions of the psyche, rather than mere pathology. The conversation uncovers why societal fears around sexuality often lead to moral rigidity. Douglas explores how transgressing societal norms can lead to wholeness and discusses the potential for trauma empowerment within BDSM practices. He emphasizes the importance of consent, community protocols, and the transformative dimensions of these often-stigmatized experiences.

Dr. Jennifer Freed, a psychological astrologer and Jungian psychotherapist, discusses her transformative journey through trauma, therapy, and mysticism. She views astrology as a living map that invites conscious participation rather than predetermined fate. Topics include shadow integration, the importance of romance as daily devotion, and the balance between self-care and serving a partner. Jennifer also tackles contemporary cultural challenges, emphasizing the need for humility and awareness as humanity navigates collective thresholds.

Explore the profound role of ritual as a means to reconnect with the sacred in everyday life. Discover how modern culture often strips away the deeper meaning, reducing rituals to mere habits. Listen to personal stories of transformation through meditation and the importance of integrating mystical experiences. Embrace the concept of ritual as both a rebellion against superficiality and a path back to belonging. Join the conversation about living in harmony with the sacred rhythms of existence.

In a thought-provoking dialogue, Terry Real, a pioneering therapist and author, delves into the hidden struggles of male depression and the warped definitions of masculinity shaped by patriarchal norms. He emphasizes how societal expectations lead men to disconnect from their emotions, often expressing their pain through anger or substance abuse. Terry advocates for a new model of masculinity founded on vulnerability, connection, and love, urging a shift in relational dynamics that empowers both men and women. His insights offer a path toward healing and wholeness in relationships.

In this insightful discussion, Richard Rohr, a Franciscan friar and spiritual guide, explores the deeper dimensions of happiness. He emphasizes that true joy comes not from external comforts but from a balanced 'just right mind' that embraces both ego and humility. Rohr critiques sin management, suggesting instead a focus on radical compassion and acceptance. With warmth, he addresses the significance of community, humor, and facing mortality, ultimately advocating for surrendering to a greater joy that transcends individual circumstances.

Discover the art of blending spiritual practice with everyday life. Explore the significance of emotional experiences as vital initiations on the spiritual path. Dive into the distinctions between outer rituals and inner transformations. Learn how nature and small rituals can reawaken a sense of belonging. Emphasize that rhythm, rather than perfection, shapes our spiritual journeys. Uncover the importance of community and discipline in maintaining a meaningful practice. Remember, even failure can be an opportunity for growth.

In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John W. Price welcomes Mirabai Starr—acclaimed translator of the mystics, teacher of interspiritual wisdom, and luminous guide to the sacred woven through daily life. Together, they explore the heart of ordinary mysticism: discovering holiness not only in monasteries or mountaintops, but in the tender rhythms of our own existence. Mirabai opens her story with radical honesty—her countercultural Jewish upbringing, alternative education, and the teachers and traditions that shaped her. The conversation turns to how rigid ideas of “being spiritual” can keep us from true intimacy with the divine, and how humility, humor, and embodiment restore us to a living spirituality. Mirabai shares how the death of her teenage daughter became a devastating but sacred initiation, revealing grief as one of the deepest portals into divine love. Moving between ancient voices and her own life, Mirabai offers a mysticism that is fiercely tender, humble, embodied, and accessible to all. This dialogue invites us to see our own lives as sacred ground—woven with loss and beauty, pain and joy, shadow and wonder. Key Takeaways Mysticism is accessible in everyday life, not just in monasteries or religious settings. Rigid religious or cultural ideas of “spirituality” can block authentic spiritual experience. Embodiment and emotions—especially grief—are sacred entry points into deeper connection. Translating the mystics is less about history than entering a living dialogue across time. Friendship, humor, humility, and even money can be part of an integrated spiritual life. In This Episode (00:00) Introduction and Welcome (00:20) Introducing Mirabai (01:14) Mirabai’s Background and Influences (02:30) Personal Tragedy and Grief (03:21) Housekeeping and Announcements (05:26) Interview with Mirabai Starr Begins (07:33) Ordinary Mysticism and Everyday Spirituality (08:54) Critique of Organized Religion (13:38) Counterculture Upbringing and Influence (18:39) Alternative Education and Teaching Philosophy (23:29) Feminine Mysticism and Embodiment (38:32) Translating the Mystics as Living Companions (43:33) The Supernatural and the Natural (45:55) Writing as Dialogic Spiritual Practice (51:27) Grief and the Sacredness of Loss (01:00:21) Writing as a Spiritual Path (01:14:02) Navigating Money and Spirituality (01:18:17) Closing Reflections & Resources Connect with Mirabai Starr Company: Wild Heart Community: Holy Lament (online support for grief; opens twice yearly, next in Nov 2025) Book: Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground (HarperOne, Sept 2025) Earlier Works: Wild Mercy, Caravan of No Despair, her translations of Dark Night of the Soul and The Interior Castle, and more - check out Mirabai's website: mirabaistarr.com Connect with John Come and join, The Open Gate. Link on website Website: https://drjohnwprice.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjohnwprice/

What does it mean to think impossibly? How do paranormal events, mystical visions, and encounters with the unknown reshape our understanding of what it means to be human? In this episode, host Dr. John W. Price sits down with Dr. Jeffrey Kripal — J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, and one of today’s most daring scholars of religion — to explore the borders between the possible and the impossible. Together, they trace the line where scholarship meets the mystical, where imagination bends into healing, and where our deepest worldviews determine what we are even able to see. From UFOs and near-death experiences to William Blake, dual-aspect monism, and the future of spirituality, this is a wide-ranging conversation about living at the edges of reality. Be sure to check out Jeff’s latest book, How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, UFOs, Time, Belief, and Everything Else. Key Takeaways Embracing the impossible expands not just our knowledge, but our capacity for awe, healing, and transformation. Worldviews — personal and cultural — filter what counts as “real,” shaping how we encounter extraordinary experiences. Paranormal phenomena aren’t just curiosities; they are symbolic invitations into deeper practice and meaning. Thinking impossibly is less about belief and more about orientation — a way of living that opens us to mystery. Dialogue at the borderlands of science, religion, and imagination may hold the key to the future of spirituality. In This Episode (00:00) Introduction & Guest Bio (01:59) Housekeeping & Announcements (05:13) The Origins of “Thinking Impossibly” (09:52) Stories of the Impossible (13:16) The Role of Worldviews (16:34) Religion, Science, and the Paranormal (22:14) Healing, Suffering, and Transformation (28:32) The Power of Story & Magic (35:12) Teaching the Impossible (42:39) The Future of Spirituality (46:06) Closing Reflections & Resources Connect: Jeffrey: https://jeffreyjkripal.com John: https://www.drjohnwprice.com