

Turning to the Mystics with James Finley
Center for Action and Contemplation
Turning to the Mystics is a podcast for people searching for something more meaningful, intimate and richly present in the divine gift of their lives. James Finley, clinical psychologist and Living School faculty, offers a modern take on the historical contemplative practices of Christian mystics like Teresa of Avila, Thomas Merton, John of the Cross among others. Leaning into their experiences can become a gateway to hope, healing and oneness. Together with Kirsten Oates from the Center for Action and Contemplation, they explore listener questions and examine their own paths as modern contemplatives in this beautiful and broken world.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 28, 2020 • 1h 1min
Dialogue: The Sixth and Seventh Mansions (Part 2)
In this episode, Jim and Kirsten have their second dialogue around the sixth and seventh mansions of Teresa of Avila's The Interior Castle and discuss the path it provides for spiritual transformation. In this episode, Kirsten references a translation of the Interior Castle by Mirabai Starr. You can get it here.Resources:
Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about Jim, visit jamesfinley.org
For the transcript to this podcast, you can find it here.
The book being used for this season can be found here.
Check out our online course on the Interior Castle, details are here.
Connect with us:
We also produce other podcasts you might enjoy. To learn more about them and our other offerings, visit cac.org
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at cac.org/podcastsupport Thank you!

Sep 21, 2020 • 1h 6min
Dialogue: The Sixth and Seventh Mansions (Part 1)
In this episode, Jim and Kirsten have their first dialogue around the sixth and seventh mansions of Teresa of Avila's The Interior Castle and discuss the path it provides for spiritual transformation. In this episode, Kirsten references a translation of the Interior Castle by Mirabai Starr. You can get it here.Resources:
Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about Jim, visit jamesfinley.org
For the transcript to this podcast, you can find it here.
The book being used for this season can be found here.
Check out our online course on the Interior Castle, details are here.
Connect with us:
We also produce other podcasts you might enjoy. To learn more about them and our other offerings, visit cac.org
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at cac.org/podcastsupport Thank you!

Sep 14, 2020 • 1h 3min
Bonus: Richard Rohr on Turning to Teresa of Avila
Today on the show we have our friend Richard Rohr on the show. In it, we talk about how he discovered Teresa of Avila, the impact she made on his life, and what her work means for us today.Resources:
Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about Jim, visit jamesfinley.org
The link to the transcript can be found here.
The book being used for this season can be found here.
Check out our online course on the Interior Castle, details are here.
Connect with us:
We also produce other podcasts you might enjoy. To learn more about them and our other offerings, visit cac.org
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at cac.org/podcastsupport Thank you!

Sep 7, 2020 • 41min
Teresa of Avila: Session 6
Dive into the profound world of Teresa of Avila as the conversation unfolds on the spiritual ascent through the seven mansions of the soul. Explore the challenges mystics face in articulating prayer amid personal suffering and how divine grace sustains them. Reflect on the transformative power of recognizing divine presence during struggles. Lastly, engage in a contemplative prayer session that invites meditation, setting the stage for future discussions on spiritual teachings.

Aug 31, 2020 • 54min
Teresa of Avila: Session 5
This is the fifth session that focuses on the mystic, Teresa of Avila. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley begins with a passage from the sixth mansion of Teresa’s The Interior Castle, and reflects on the qualitative essence of the spirit of this text, and finishes with a meditative practice.Resources:
Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about Jim, visit jamesfinley.org
For the transcript to this podcast, you can find it here.
The book being used for this season can be found here.
Check out our online course on the Interior Castle, details are here.
Connect with us:
We also produce other podcasts you might enjoy. To learn more about them and our other offerings, visit cac.org
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at cac.org/podcastsupport Thank you!

Aug 24, 2020 • 1h 13min
Bonus: The Life and Work of Teresa of Avila feat. Mirabai Starr
Before we venture into the 6th and 7th mansions, we wanted to pause and air this bonus episode in which Jim, Kirsten, and special guest Mirabai Starr explore the life story of Teresa of Avila, and what it means for us today. Mirabai is a scholar, a translator, a teacher, and a bereavement counselor who has led many retreats—including several with Jim—and an award-winning author of multiple books, 3 of which focus on Teresa, and most recently Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics. You can learn more about her at www.mirabaistarr.comResources:
Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about Jim, visit jamesfinley.org
The transcript for this episode can be found here.
The book being used for this season can be found here.
Check out our online course on the Interior Castle, details are here.
Connect with us:
We also produce other podcasts you might enjoy. To learn more about them and our other offerings, visit cac.org
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at cac.org/podcastsupport Thank you!

Aug 17, 2020 • 59min
Dialogue: The Fifth Mansion
In this episode, Jim and Kirsten have a dialogue around the fifth mansion of Teresa of Avila's The Interior Castle and discuss the path it provides for spiritual transformation. In this episode, Kirsten references a translation of the Interior Castle by Mirabai Starr. You can get it here.Resources:
Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about Jim, visit jamesfinley.org
The transcript for this episode can be found here.
The book being used for this season can be found here.
Check out our online course on the Interior Castle, details are here.
Connect with us:
We also produce other podcasts you might enjoy. To learn more about them and our other offerings, visit cac.org
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at cac.org/podcastsupport Thank you!

Aug 10, 2020 • 48min
Teresa of Avila: Session 4
This is the fourth session that focuses on the mystic, Teresa of Avila. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley begins with a passage from the fifth mansion of Teresa’s The Interior Castle, and reflects on the qualitative essence of the spirit of this text, and finishes with a meditative practice.Resources:
Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about Jim, visit jamesfinley.org
For the transcript to this podcast, you can find it here.
The book being used for this season can be found here.
Check out our online course on the Interior Castle, details are here.
Connect with us:
We also produce other podcasts you might enjoy. To learn more about them and our other offerings, visit cac.org
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at cac.org/podcastsupport Thank you!

Jul 27, 2020 • 53min
Dialogue: The Fourth Mansion
In this episode, Jim and Kirsten have a dialogue around the fourth mansion of Teresa of Avila's The Interior Castle and discuss the path it provides for spiritual transformation. In this episode, Kirsten references a translation of the Interior Castle by Mirabai Starr. You can get it here.Resources:
Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about Jim, visit jamesfinley.org
The transcript for this episode can be found here.
The book being used for this season can be found here.
Check out our online course on the Interior Castle, details are here.
Connect with us:
We also produce other podcasts you might enjoy. To learn more about them and our other offerings, visit cac.org
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at cac.org/podcastsupport Thank you!

Jul 20, 2020 • 35min
Teresa of Avila: Session 3
This is the third session that focuses on the mystic, Teresa of Avila. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley begins with a passage from the fourth mansion of Teresa's The Interior Castle, and reflects on the qualitative essence of the spirit of this text, and finishes with a meditative practice.Resources:
Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about Jim, visit jamesfinley.org
For the transcript to this podcast, you can find it here.
The book being used for this season can be found here.
Check out our online course on the Interior Castle, details are here.
Connect with us:
We also produce other podcasts you might enjoy. To learn more about them and our other offerings, visit cac.org
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at cac.org/podcastsupport Thank you!


