At Sea with Justin McRoberts

Stephen Roach, artist and organizer of Breath and Clay and Makers and Mystics, talks creativity, community, and the spiritual life of making. He describes gatherings as collaborative laboratories, why mystery and space matter in design, and how projects sprout ongoing partnerships. Themes include art as way of seeing, border-walking artists, and the 2026 focus on making space.

 Why “home” is a somatic experience, not just a locationPersona vs personhood — and why the difference mattersThe danger of self-awareness without relationshipWhy stewardship is a better metaphor than ownershipHow shame becomes the most familiar somatic stateWhy healing must be titrated, not rushedThe cost of progress-driven spirituality and productivity cultureReintegrating younger selves instead of rejecting themVisibility, integrity, and the courage to expand again—carefully    Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

This week, Justin sits down with bestselling author Laura McKowen for an honest, layered conversation about sobriety, identity, creative calling, and the slow, often painful work of becoming whole. Together they explore:• Why “place” matters for emotional and spiritual grounding• The strange internal pull that guides creative people long before they have language for it• How early snippets of desire can act as breadcrumbs into a future self• The difference between writing for yourself and writing for publication• Why AA saved Laura’s life—and where its framing can unintentionally keep people small• How relapse, repeated “Day Ones,” and imperfect recovery are part of the human journey• The relationship between money, creativity, and integrity• Why the long work of sobriety is ultimately a long work of identityThe episode closes with a reading from In the Low and a reflection on why wholeness—not speed, not perfection—is the actual goal.Laura's Website - https://www.lauramckowen.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/laura_mckowen Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

• Why “waiting” feels harder now than it did a decade ago• What Arcade Fire’s “We Used to Wait” reveals about our relationship to speed• The spiritual value of slowness—especially during Advent• How desire clarifies identity rather than feeding consumption• A practical invitation: choose something you want, pause before getting it, and explore the desire beneath the desire• Reading from In the Low on longing, disappointment, and hope Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

The false promise of “instant clarity” and “quick fixes.”Why bypassing struggle stunts real growth.How to use AI and psilocybin responsibly—without losing your humanity.The value of failure, pain, and disillusionment.Reflections from In the Low by Justin McRoberts & Scott Erickson on living fully in difficult seasons.  Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

Encouraging imagination in children: why participation beats restriction.Work transitions: how to discern whether to push harder where you are or look for something new.Why Justin doesn’t comment on celebrity-centered current events, and what’s at stake when we confuse spectacle with real importance.Closing with a prayer from In the Low (October 2025 release with Scott Erickson).  Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

Justin shares gratitude for support after a recent car accident.Listener questions addressed:- How to reconnect during seasons of rejection and disconnection. - Managing the overwhelm of life’s constant demands. - Practicing transparency without sharing every detail.Insights from the Ignatian spiritual tradition on consolation and desolation.The importance of paying attention to your own needs and desires.Learning to say no to external demands and focus on what matters most.Setting healthy boundaries in relationships and public life.Actionable advice: Spend time with a coach or spiritual director, learn to disappoint unhealthy systems, and discern appropriate levels of transparency. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

Justin shares personal stories about his kids starting a new school year and the emotions that come with it.The myth of “creative block” and what it’s really about.How the Sabbath helps process endings and prepare for new seasons.Distinguishing between wisdom and fear when making choices.Why calling is more about who you’re becoming than choosing perfectly.Closing with an excerpt from Justin’s upcoming book with Scott Erickson. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

Main Question: How to explain your need for a day of silence to family and friendsResistance: Often comes from good people and deserves thoughtful communicationMaking a Plan: Plans stick; impulses fadeCalendar as a Tool: Helps visualize trade-offs and negotiate responsiblyLife Built by Consent: Recognizing past choices and agreements as part of transformationCoaching and Investment: Why hiring a coach signals seriousness about changeInvitation to Others: Change can become a witness to more life for everyone Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble

Episode Notes:Authenticity in Art: You're a real artist if you’re doing the work—regardless of metrics or recognition.Internal Metrics for Growth: Choose your own measures of progress and satisfaction.Emotional Expression: Not every feeling needs to be shared online. Say less. Process more.Derek Sivers Insight: Sometimes saying your plans out loud gives you the reward without doing the work.New Book Preview: Reading from In the Low, a prayer book for seasons of depression (releasing Oct 7, 2025). Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble