Contemplify
The Contemplify podcast kindles the examined life for contemplatives in the world. Through artful musings & conversations with scholars, creatives, and master teachers each episode delivers a subtly intoxicating* exchange on the contemplative lifestyle with practical takeaways to emulate in daily life.
Host, Paul Swanson, is a husband, father and contemplative educator at the Center for Action and Contemplation and co-host of Another Name for Every Thing with Richard Rohr**.
*Contemplify is best served with a pint in hand. Please listen responsibly.
** All shenanigans, tom foolery and bally-hoo posted on Contemplify are my own. Contemplify is not representative of the Center for Action and Contemplation or Richard Rohr on any matter.
- Update frequency
- every 16 days
- Average duration
- 46 minutes
- Episodes
- 175
- Years Active
- 2016 - 2025
Raghu Markus on How John Coltrane, Ram Dass and a Healthy Dose of Self-Inquiry Can Transform Your Life
Raghu Markus is currently the Executive Director of the Love Serve Remember Foundation and has been an associate producer for on-line and television events for Ram Dass and Oprah Winfrey as well as E…
The Courage to Be Present: Moving the World Towards Compassion with Marianne Elliot (Activist, Author, Yoga Teacher, Ultramarathon Runner)
“Marianne is one of the best teachers I’ve experienced and I’ve been a teacher for many years.” - Brene Brown
Marianne Elliot is a human rights advocate and a writer. She served in the United Nations…
Filmmaker and Cultural Anthropologist Jenny Phillips on the Wisdom Found Behind (and Beyond) Prison Bars
“Jenny Phillips is a cultural anthropologist, filmmaker, writer and psychiatric nurse. She has a psychotherapy practice in Concord, MA, specializing in crisis intervention, family and marriage therap…
Your Teacher's Teacher: Mirka Knaster on the Dharma, Quirks and Stories of Munindra (Teacher of Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, Jack Kornfield, Kamala Masters and many more)
"Munindra was one of the most important teachers for Westerners in the establishment of Vipassana and mindfulness meditation."
- Jack Kornfield
“Mirka Knaster is the author of Living This Life Fully…
Trailblazing in Academia, David Germano on the Contemplative Sciences
David Germano is a man who holds many posts at the University of Virginia. Germano's astute and focused work related to the integration of contemplation into all facets of life makes him an easy conv…
Radical Dharma with Lama Rod Owens: A Fresh Approach to Enlightenment and Social Change
Lama Rod Owens (@lamarod1) holds the space for vulnerable conversation to unfold. I was going to write a spot-on bio, but the one posted on his website mirrors my experience and understanding of him:
…
Spiritual Wanderings: The Natural Curiosity of T.D. Mischke
T.D. Mischke (@TommyMischke) is a radioman that has fled the studio for the open road and the stories waiting to be told via his latest project, The Mischke Roadshow. My conversational history with M…
Sit in Your Shack, and Your Shack Will Teach You Everything, Dialogues with Andrew Gingerich
Andrew Gingerich embraces a prophetic, contemplative lifestyle. Of course he would object to this description, because his pursuit is internally driven and extrinsic validation does not go far with h…
Growing Basil and the Art of Eavesdropping, Dar Williams on Building Community through Positive Proximity
Dar Williams (@DarWilliamsTour), "one of America's very best singer-songwriters." (The New Yorker), is thoughtful and charming as she tells stories about her local community, but don't let her laid b…
Creating Empty Spaces, Toinette Lippe on the Mindful Art of Being
"Each day is valuable...Do not compare it with a dragon's bright pearl. A dragon's pearl may be found. But this one day out of a hundred years cannot be retrieved once it is lost." - Zen Master Dogen
…
The Life and Art of Thomas Merton: Morgan Atkinson on Crafting the Contemplative Documentary
Morgan Atkinson has documented the life of Thomas Merton over two films. The poetic contemplative Thomas Merton lived an ever expanding and continual openness to God's love and Atkinson beautifully c…
Simone Weil: Attention, the Agent of Love with Eric O. Springsted
Eric O. Springsted spends some time with Contemplify to explore the life and attention of Simone Weil. The French philosopher, mystic and activist dared to imagine an authentic life based on the att…
Democracy of the Cosmos: John Muir's Prophetic and Moral vision | A Conversation with Donald Worster (Author, Professor)
Donald Worster ( @TheWorster1979 ) connects with Contemplify to traverse the life and passion of John Muir. The American icon who combined intelligence and curiosity with a grounded love for the wild…
Julian of Norwich: Loving Without Annihilating Difference with Amy Frykholm
Amy Frykholm (@AmyFrykholm) joins Contemplify in conversation on visionary 13th century contemplative and mystic Julian of Norwich. Bring some mead to the table because we cover a lot of ground here;…
Drinking Beer with Thomas Merton to Kindle the Examined Life
This episode introduces the premise and possibilities of the Contemplify podcast. Contemplify kindles the examined life for contemplatives in the world through musings and interviews with scholars, c…