Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 27

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She’s a professional dancer… she’s a physicist!! Wait! Which is she? She’s both! Today’s Kintsugi of the Soul* features Merritt of the BBC show The Greatest Dancer. Check out this young woman’s determination and strength!

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 26

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Today’s Kintsugi of the Soul* features an inspiring story of Beth James, a mother “determined to give her [daughter] the most beautiful life.” After a terrible car accident left her daughter Liza unable to walk and talk, her mother began to enter the duo into biathlons and triathlons. Even more than that… the mother-daughter team has now become the first physically-challenged team to finish the Ironman, a grueling competition that includes a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run. There are many folks who enter this race and are unable to finish, but Beth and Liza did!! Together! Watch the whole story here!

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 25

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Today’s Kintsugi of the Soul* features Christian Bagg, a one-time semi-professional mountain biker and snowboarder who injured himself snowboarding. He now creates adaptive mountain bikes, giving others the freedom he once desired and now enjoys for himself!

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Creator’s Healing Power Virtual Bible Study

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The Creator’s Healing Power—Restoring the Broken to Beautiful Virtual Bible Study

Join me, Jody Thomae, author of The Creator’s Healing Power, as I guide you on a healing journey through my newest book via a Virtual Bible Study. You’re invited to join me live on four 75-minute phone calls. The calls will include embodied prayer ministry time and also be recorded for later playback. You’ll also be a part of our private Facebook page where you can share your thoughts and get to know others joining us on this healing journey. The study is hosted by YogaFaith, a Christ-centered yoga training school, and is currently being offered for a sale price of $20 through their website. Continue reading

Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 23

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I’m not quite sure that today’s offering on Kintsugi of the Soul* matches my original intention of sharing stories of wholeness, restoration and healing, but it certainly is inspirational so here it is!!

Keely’s Camp is an organization that exists to inspire, education, empower and connect young women. And in a world that very often tells these girls that they don’t measure up or that they’re not enough as they are, I think that this DOES INDEED bring wholeness, restoration and healing!! Check it out:

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 22

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Today’s Kintsugi of the Soul* features a wonderful story of restoration. And the “main character” in this story is quite possibly the cutest little thing ever! ENJOY!

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 21

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Today’s Kintsugi of the Soul* features singer/songwriter Ryan O’Neal of Sleeping At Last. He is currently creating a series of songs based on the Enneagram, a system of nine “personality types” (that are actually so much more). If you are not familiar with the Enneagram, I encourage you to familiarize yourself with it and perhaps take an inventory to see if you can identify your own type.

Ryan is in the process of releasing a song with an accompanying podcast for each of the nine Enneatypes. I have found these very helpful to not only understand myself but also those I love. Also I love hearing him talk about his creative process as a deep-thinking artist. The podcasts can be found on iTunes here. You can also find them here. I CANNOT recommend these podcasts ENOUGH!! They are amazing!!

Here’s one of my favorite Sleeping At Last songs with lyrics proclaiming “You’re enough!” In a world of comparison that makes us feel as though we can never measure up and consumerism that plays on making us feel inadequate on our own, I know many of us struggle with feelings of being not quite enough.

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 20

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With today’s Kintsugi of the Soul* we are back at Goalcast with 12-year-old author, artist and motivational speaker Nyeeam “King Nahh” Hudson.

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Embodied: How We “Treat” Trauma

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My husband might suggest to you that I’m addicted to the BBC series Call the Midwife, and, perhaps he’s correct. I recently viewed a powerful episode that dealt with the issue of trauma, and more specifically how we “treat” those who’ve been affected by trauma, particularly in our early response to trauma. In my mind, it conjured thoughts of sterile emergency rooms and even more sterile conversations with those required to gather evidence…  of not-so-well-meaning statements of “should’ve-known-better” judgement and “if-I-were-you” advice…  of well-meaning friends who try so very hard, but still fail in their offerings… Continue reading

Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 19

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Today’s Kintsugi of the Soul* is the powerful story of NHL hockey player Theo Fleury, as he shares his story of trauma and healing through writing and sharing his story with others. (Warning: the very beginning is a little graphic so if you are sensitive, you might want to skip the first minute or so.)

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 17

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Today’s Kintsugi of the Soul* features The Gift of the Magi. The story by O. Henry is a Christmas classic and has always been one of my favorites. This is a modern take on the traditional version:

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 16

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As we journey through the CHRISTmas season, in today’s Kintsugi of the Soul,* we hear the story of a miraculous healing of Amber Nesbitt during the Christmas season 2005:

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 15

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Today’s Kintsugi of the Soul* takes you to a short video that discussed the healing potential of art, especially as it relates to mourning, grief and lament. You can find that here. The poem “Talking to Grief” by Denise Levertov that is read at the 2:20+ minute mark is a BEaUtiful example of examining grief through the lens of art as an avenue towards healing:

Talking to Grief
by Denise Levertov

Ah, Grief, I should not treat you
like a homeless dog
who comes to the back door
for a crust, for a meatless bone.
I should trust you.

I should coax you
into the house and give you
your own corner,
a worn mat to lie on,
your own water dish.

You think I don’t know you’ve been living
under my porch.
You long for your real place to be readied
before winter comes. You need
your name,
your collar and tag. You need
the right to warn off intruders,
to consider
my house your own
and me your person
and yourself
my own dog.

Originally found at: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/g_l/levertov/onlinepoems.htm

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Mirroring: You Know Me

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Attendees of Healing Care Ministries Spiritual Formation & the Art of Spiritual Direction Cohort often ask me for an outline of motions for a mirroring demonstration I do to the song “You Know Me” by Stephanie Gretzinger. I’ve been asked to videotape it but I hesitate because it is often a profound experience of the participant being felt and known by God. I feel videotaping is an intrusion of that experience. In the photos above you find me mirroring with my dear friend Sarah.

Mirroring is done to face-to-face and is most powerful with high levels of attunement and empathy from the “minister” to the one being ministered to under the power of the Holy Spirit working through you. It is often used in Dance/Movement Therapy but I have found it to be a powerful tool in spiritual direction and in teaching embodied prayer.

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Poem ‘She dances’ ~ Lilly Hope Lucario

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My next book is all about healing from trauma using the creative process. This poem is a perfect example of it. And it is…
So incredibly powerful… so trUly BEaUtiful….
From blogger Lilly Hope Lucario at
https://healingfromcomplextraumaandptsd.wordpress.com/