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To Be a Mystic: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Rev. Marcella Velandia Ciccotelli, M. Div, M. A. Ed
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- 3 weeks ago9 min
Roots of Compassion: Cultivating Loving Kindness
In this episode, we return to a recording from 2025—a gentle Loving Kindness (Metta) meditation. At its heart, this practice is about widening our circle of compassion, starting with ourselves and extending outward to the world around us. Whether you are seeking a moment of stillness in a busy day or looking to cultivate more empathy for those around you, this guided session offers a simple path toward presence and peace.In this episode, you’ll find: A guided meditation focusing on self-compassion, neutral neighbors, and global healing.Deepen the Practice:For a transcript of this meditation and a deeper dive into how nature and mindfulness intersect, join our community at:https://open.substack.com/pub/thegroundedsoulAdditional Resources:If you’d like to read more about the intersection of Loving Kindness and spiritual practice, I recommend this thoughtful resource:https://loyolaspiritualitycenter.org/loving-kindness/
- Jan 18, 202615 min
Finding the Quiet Frequency: A Trial in Sacred Listening (Episode #7)
"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." — Annie DillardWhat happens when we realize our phone is leading our Soul? In this episode, Marcella tells the story of her "wild experiment"—a 100-day journey that started with deleting a favorite app and ended with finding a sacred frequency she didn't know she was missing.If you’ve ever felt "fractured" by the digital glow or noticed your body tightening at the sound of a notification, this conversation is for you. We explore the "Human Experiment" of replacing digital streaks with stillness and how to bring our heart, mind, and body back into sync.In this episode, we discuss:• The Icon Swap: Why Marcella replaced her most addictive app with a meditation tool and what happened 100 days later.• The Science of Soft Fascination: How nature (the "First Bible") physically resets our nervous system and lowers cortisol.• The Integrated Soul: Using the Dallas Willard model to understand why we feel "out of sync" when our attention is divided.• Sacred Listening: Creating the "trustworthy conditions" where your intuition can finally speak.The Grounded Soul Challenge:Ready to find your own quiet frequency? Join our community on Substack to participate in the upcoming 40-Day Lenten "Sacred Listening" Challenge. You’ll get weekly resources, science-backed practices, and a space to reconnect with your own wild and precious life.Join the community and get the Show Notes & Resources here:https://beacons.ai/spirituscreativeLet’s Stay Grounded!Featured Quotes:"The soul speaks its truth only under quiet, inviting and trustworthy conditions." — Parker J. PalmerTags: Spirituality, Mental Health, Nature, Meditation, Christian Living, Self-Awareness, Wellness
- Jan 14, 20265 min
Mini-pod: Milestones, Mail & Winter Sun
How do we find harmony when the world feels fractured? In this "Mini-Pod," Rev. Marcella Ciccotelli shares a celebration of community milestones and a practical tool for spiritual regulation during the grey Ohio winter.In this episode: The Milestone: Celebrating 1,400 downloads and the power of "finding our people." The Theology: A brief introduction to the Willardian Model—how our Mind, Body, and Soul work together to move toward wholeness. The Practice: A 60-second "Input Check" to help you pivot from digital noise toward God’s "First Bible" (Creation).Connect & Grow: Join the Community: For the written guide to "Indoor Forest Bathing" and deeper reflections, subscribe today! Follow the Journey: Visit beacons.ai/spirituscreative for resources, eco-chaplaincy updates, and links to support this ministry. Reflection Question: What is one "marker" of God’s goodness/grace you’ve seen this week?
- Jan 6, 202611 min
Episode 6: Tree hugging, Seminary and the Socially Anxious
What happens when your "star word" contradicts your fear?In this special Epiphany episode, I’m sharing a story I’ve never told in detail: my first year of seminary, hiding in my car during lunch breaks, and the moment a yellow paper star changed the trajectory of my life.We talk about: The "J-Term" struggle: Surviving seminary when you feel like an outsider. The Connection: Why none of us are "qualified" to lead alone. Tenderness: Reflections on my very first star word from 2019.https://open.substack.com/pub/thegroundedsoul/p/tree-hugging-seminary-and-the-socially?r=17n5on&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=trueVisit the link above to see the original 2019 worksheet mentioned in this episode and to join our community of clergy and seekers.About the Host:Marcella Ciccotelli is an Eco-Chaplain and Clergy member currently exploring the intersections of grief, nature, and spiritual rest.#StarWords #Epiphany #ClergyWellness #UMC #VulnerableLeadership
- Dec 21, 202513 min
Silver Maples and the Longest Night (Solstice 2025)
Today is the Winter Solstice—the 'Season of Stories.' It is also my podcast’s 1st anniversary and my grandfather’s birthday. In this special episode, I’m traveling back to a farm in Putnam County, Ohio, to an orange hammock stretched between two silver maples. Join me as we explore the 'cocoon' of the longest night and the farmer’s wisdom of trusting the dark. 🌲✨
- Oct 6, 202514 min
Episode 4: The Mycelial Mystery: Connected in the Soil of God
Podcast Summary: The Mycelial Mystery: Connected in the Soil of GodDescription:In a world that prizes the "self-made" individual, what if the deepest truth of our faith is found not in our isolation, but in our radical connection?Join us this week as we delve into the Mycelial Mystery—a fascinating biological metaphor that illuminates the power of the Church community, based on the principle of the "wood wide web."We explore the hidden life of the forest, where:God is the Earth: The ever-present, fertile soil of Prevenient Grace that sustains every seed of faith.Our Practice is the Water: The consistent spiritual disciplines that allow our faith to flourish.Jesus Christ is the Mycorrhizae: The vast, invisible fungal network that scientists call the "wood wide web," which literally connects the roots of all trees. This network is Christ, the Great Reconciler who, as Paul writes in Ephesians 2, "destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility."Tune in to discover how moving closer to one another is the key to a vibrant, life-giving faith, and how we are all sustained by the shared life that flows through the Mycelial Mystery of Christ.
- Mar 16, 202511 min
Episode 3: Wilderness Moments (Lent 1)
Where is God in our wilderness moments?
- Jan 2, 202511 min
Welcoming Prayer
After a year of praying and leaning on what is known as the Welcoming Prayer within the teachings of Thomas Keating, Pastor Marcella discusses its beauty its difficulty and its mysterious way of moving us closer to God.Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/ak/lost-in-thoughtsLicense code: ENR7BYKOSDATNOCBMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/tree-of-lifeLicense code: B4SIJEFY4KVALPSB*The date I speak of should be December 26, 2024
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About To Be a Mystic
One definition I have always loved in the realm of Christianity is that of a Christian mystic. A Christian mystic is someone who is comfortable with the "mystery" of God, embracing the unknowable aspects of the divine while seeking a deep, personal union with God through spiritual practices. They accept that not everything about God can be fully understood or explained. It seems if we find ways to sit with mystery, we would have more peace. So maybe this is that place? Let’s journey together.
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