Poema Podcast

Poema S7 056 | The 300th : Ask James Anything with Becky Castle Miller

Today is the 300th episode of the Poema Podcast (despite some numbering issues with iTunes), and to celebrate, my friend Becky Castle Miller is acting as host, in a semi-fun ask me anything!
Many listeners and friends sent in questions, and I had no idea what they were before recording. Questions on podcasts, how the podcast started, on my dreams, on creativity, spirituality, curiosity and a whole lot more.
This episode was so much fun and a perfect way to end 2021 on the podcast. I'll be back in January 2022 with lots more incredible guests and episodes. 

Poema S7 055 | Kristyn DeNooyer on Singleness and Hospitality

Today I talk with fellow singleton Kristyn DeNooyer about the challenges of singleness and stigma around this, and the importance of hospitality to and by single people in order to have healthy support networks. 
Kristyn shares her own story and the challenges she's faced and how its impacted her mental health. She also discusses the stigma single people can often face in spiritual communities and even society and how it can affect us.
And she gives us hope and insight into how we can make the world and churches more welcoming, and accepting of singleness.

Poema S7 054 | Trace Bell & Tina Olsen on Living the Spiral

Today my friends Trace Bell & Tina Olsen join me to talk about everything spiral dynamics - and how we can apply the concept of spiral dynamics to our every day living and grow in awareness and consciousness. 
We talk about what spiral dynamics is, and Trace and Lisa unpack some very practical lessons they've learned about how we can use spiral dynamics as a tool. They explain how living the spiral can help us live more creative, healthy lives, as well as growing in our own level of consciousness. 

Poema S7 053 | Geek Philosophy: The Grief & Deconstruction of Loki with Doug Humphries

My geek philosophy series continues today as writer Doug Humphries and I spend time reflecting on the season one of 'Loki' and the lead characters personal journey. 
We explore how Loki confronts his past, his actions, and his grief and goes through an incredible personal deconstruction & transformation, and how his journey is often reflected in our own.
We also talk about the similarities between TVA and evangelicalism/capitalism, - a system we are part of and seems friendly, but has a sinister side - and a lot more too. This is one of my favourite shows, and one of my favourite episodes in this series.

Poema S7 052 | Geek Philosophy : Drew Brown on Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Today my geek philosophy series continues, as my friend Drew Brown and I sit down to discuss the series 'Falcon and the Winter Soldier'.
We explore the character arcs of the two central characters, their processing of grief and trauma from the events of Avengers Endgame and loss of Steve, and how this journey helps them discover themselves. 
We also explore the issues around systemic racism and white supremacy in the US and how these manifest themselves in the show, and the lessons they can teach us. 
This was a fascinating conversation which covered a number of important topics, and Drew has some great insights to share. 

Poema S7 051 | Deborah Brunt on Spiritual Abuse & Escaping Toxic Religion

Today on the podcast, another in our occasional series of deconstruction / spiritual transformation journeys, this time blogger and author Deborah Brunt. 
Deborah shares with us her experiences of growing up in a toxic religious environment and the spiritual abuse she experienced, and how it impacted her faith & her mental/emotional health.
She tells me how in order to follow what she believed to be a call to ministry and be free of this abuse and toxicity, she had to make tough choices, and let go of everything she'd known in relation to her life and faith.
**TW: Spiritual abuse, toxic religion**

Poema S7 050 | Marie (Mystic Kootenaygirl) on Deconstruction & Liberation

Today my friend Marie joins me to tell her deconstruction story. She talks about how she and her husband found their way into evangelical culture as adults, and how she slowly began to feel trapped in toxic religion.
She shares her experience of purity culture and how this impacted her marriage & her faith. Marie then tells us how she began her journey out of of toxic religion and purity culture, and found true liberation on the other side.

Poema S7 049 | Ana on Narcisstic Abuse & Christian Fundamentalism

**Trigger warning: Narcissistic abuse, spiritual abuse, emotional abuse**
My friend Ana returns to the podcast today, to share her lived experience of narcissistic abuse within Christian fundamentalism. 
It's a powerful, discomforting story which shows us the depths of narcissism within evangelical Christianity and patriarchy, and how challenging it is to break free of it. 
Ana tells us how she found a way to freedom, her deconstruction, the challenges she faced along the way - and still does - and how she discovered freedom to be fully herself & embrace her identity an LGBTQIA native woman. 
 
 

Poema S7 048 | Bridge Livwat on Life Uncaged

Today I'm joined by John Howey, otherwise known as Bridge Livwat, who shares with us his personal, spiritual and creative journey.
He talks about his faith deconstruction and the journey from aspiring worship leader into creating his own music, and his creative and spiritual journeys intertwined and interacted. We talk about our shared love of the work of Rob Bell, and how he's impacted each of our lives and journeys, including the principle of sabbath, and time.
Ultimately, it's a story of how John escaped from a God and life which was caged and restricted, to a an uncaged life and spirituality, with a divine who is not contained by religion or structure.

Poema S7 047 | Cat with the Cards on Journeying into Tarot

My friend Cat, tarot reader, joins me today. They tell their powerful, challenging story from evangelicalism through deconstruction into tarot and spellwork, and coming out. 
They also tell us about how they discovered the transformative power of tarot and spellwork, and the impact it's had on their life. 
It's a discomforting but honest story, of Cat's experiences within an evangelical cult, the struggles of leaving it behind and the freedom from discovering & embracing their true identity.
*****
My podcast is free, but if you want to support my work financially, you can do that either on PayPal or CashApp:
PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jamesprescottwriter 
Cashapp: @£JamesPrescott77