Caring for the Soul in Difficult Times

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September 14, 2010

Caring for the Soul in Difficult Times

Thomas Moore September 14, 2010

Tami Simon speaks with Thomas Moore, a monk, university professor, and psychotherapist. His work focuses on developing a deepening spirituality, as well as the act of cultivating the soul in everyday life. Thomas is the author of Care of the Soul, and Dark Nights of the Soul. Beginning on October 28, Thomas will begin a three-part online event series at Sounds True called Gifts of a Dark Night, where he’ll discuss periods of loss or failure that we’ll all endure while offering advice and guidance on how to navigate these difficult times. Thomas speaks about the danger of sentimentalizing the spiritual life, the fear of living versus the fear of death, and what it means to live with care. (56 minutes)

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Thomas Moore is the author of the classic bestselling book Care of the Soul and twenty other books on spirituality and psychology. He has a Ph.D. in religious studies from Syracuse University and has degrees in music composition and theology. He has been a university professor, a psychotherapist, a lecturer, a musician, and a monk. He currently lectures around the world on the arts, spirituality, ecology, and psychology. He has also been active in bringing human values to the field of medicine and in training hospice workers and psychiatrists. He has won numerous awards and has been a constant presence in the media. In recent years he has returned to his theological roots and has published Writing in the Sand: Jesus and the Soul of the Gospels and is about to publish his own translation of the Gospels. He has also recently published fiction including The Guru of Golf and Other Stories about the Game of Life.

Listen to Tami Simon's interview with Thomas Moore: Standing for the Spiritual, in a Secular World»

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Founded Sounds True in 1985 as a multimedia publishing house with a mission to disseminate spiritual wisdom. She hosts a popular weekly podcast called Insights at the Edge, where she has interviewed many of today's leading teachers. Tami lives with her wife, Julie M. Kramer, and their two spoodles, Rasberry and Bula, in Boulder, Colorado.

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Also By Author

Standing for the Spiritual, in a Secular World

Thomas Moore is a psychotherapist, former monk, and the bestselling author of the spiritual classic Care of the Soul. Thomas has collaborated with Sounds True on several books and audio programs, including Soul Work, Darkness Before the Dawn, and most recently A Personal Spirituality: Finding Your Own Way to a Meaningful Life. In this week’s fascinating episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Thomas about the definition of “meaning” in a modern context, and how we must stay true to our consciences no matter the social consequence. They discuss the importance of maintaining a personal spirituality and the ways one can borrow practice from other traditions while remaining faithful to one’s core beliefs. Finally, Thomas and Tami ruminate on the contemporary distaste for mystery and how the embrace of the unexplained is necessary for a fully embodied spirituality.
(68 minutes)

Caring for the Soul in Difficult Times

Tami Simon speaks with Thomas Moore, a monk, university professor, and psychotherapist. His work focuses on developing a deepening spirituality, as well as the act of cultivating the soul in everyday life. Thomas is the author of Care of the Soul, and Dark Nights of the Soul. Beginning on October 28, Thomas will begin a three-part online event series at Sounds True called Gifts of a Dark Night, where he’ll discuss periods of loss or failure that we’ll all endure while offering advice and guidance on how to navigate these difficult times. Thomas speaks about the danger of sentimentalizing the spiritual life, the fear of living versus the fear of death, and what it means to live with care. (56 minutes)

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Self-Love is a Superpower

Dear Sounds True friends,

I believe self-love is a superpower.

When we treat ourselves with kindness, it turns on the learning centers of the brain and gives us the resources to face challenges and learn from our mistakes. Transformation requires a compassionate mindset, not shame.

And yet, people often worry that self-love will make them lazy, self-indulgent, or self-absorbed. Science shows just the opposite: people with greater self-love are more compassionate toward others, more successful and productive, and more resilient to stress.

The best news of all: self-love can be learned. We can rewire the structure of our brain and strengthen the neural circuitry of love toward ourselves and others. Each time we practice self-love, we grow this pathway.

My new children’s book, Good Morning, I Love You, Violet!, offers a road map for strengthening your child’s brain circuitry of deep calm, contentment, and self-love.

It is built on principles of psychology and neuroscience and offers a simple yet powerful practice.

As a mother, when asked what I believe is the most important thing we can teach our children, I always answer “self-love.” Learning to be on our own team and to treat ourselves with kindness is life-changing. There is no greater gift we can give our children. There is no greater gift we can give ourselves.

May this book plant seeds of kindness that ripple out into the world.

Shauna's signature

Shauna Shapiro, PhD

P.S. I invite you to download a free coloring sheet from the book, created by illustrator Susi Schaefer, to enjoy with the children in your life.

Shauna Shapiro is a mother, bestselling author, professor, clinical psychologist, and internationally recognized expert in mindfulness and self-compassion. She lives in Mill Valley, California. Learn more at drshaunashapiro.com.

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