Desert Rain Community Radio

#127 - Web of the Spirit

David and Dorian sit down to discuss Saint Brigid and transition to a conversation about Indra's Net, and how the Universe is connected.

#126 - The Extraordinary & Unknown

David and Dorian sit down to continue their conversation about death. This is basically a continuation of Episode 13 "A Reconnaissance of Death."

Paul West: A Friend Gone Too Soon

David and Dorian are joined by Danny, Paul West’s son, to honor his memory after he suddenly passed in December 2023. The second half of the episode are some stories in Paul’s own words and voice.

#125 - Integrating Prayer

David and Dorian discuss the idea of integrating different things around prayer into our current prayer life. We also visit how controversial the Sermon on the Mount is in some modern day churches. To find the Rosary that David talks about head to https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShellsRosaryRopes?ref=profile_header

#124 - After the Fire

David and Dorian discuss how fire is a representation of transformation in the 3 Abrahamic religions. The conversation evolves and looks at how the 3 religions also use light to represent the Divine.

#123 - When We Practice...

David and Dorian use a Thomas Merton quote from the book Zen and the Birds of Appetite to dive into a deeper conversation about the importance of spiritual practices, and why they are important.

#122 - Gambling on Love

David and Dorian are back! They sit down and discuss the tension that exists between mourning/sadness and beauty/love. Part of their conversation is based on lyrics from the song Lovers in a Dangerous Time.

#121 - The Sacred Encounter

David and Dorian have a conversation around the miraculous and strange things that happen in the world, and how that can be interpreted in life. We end with St. Patrick's Breastplate prayer, and how that points toward the chaos that exists in the world.

#120 - Resting in the Divine

David and Dorian is joined by Jacob Neria to discuss the idea of rest. Not only a general sense of rest, but how rest is part of the contemplative life style.

#119 - Pathways to Prayer

David and Dorian revisit the topic of Centering/Listening prayer, similar to the Pathways to Presence series, but they are not referencing the book Open Mind, Open Heart by Thomas Keating in this episode. 

Fall 2023 Announcement

Update on our programming schedule for the next several months.

#118 - Holding the Center for God's Whisper

David and Dorian sit town to discuss how busyness cultural and revival have infiltrated the church, as a direct result of Western culture. These two paradigms are not always sustainable, so how do we find our Center, hold it, in able to hear God's Whisper?

#117 - Alone but not Lonely

David and Dorian talk about the idea of being alone with God in nature, and other contexts, and how that opens up the ability to experience a Liminal Space.

#116 - The Silences

David and Dorian sit down to discuss a quote from Ladislaus Boros regarding silence and the importance, and fading use, in today's Christianity.

#115 - Songs for the Road

David and Dorian are joined by Danny West. Danny tells us about his recent trip to Fort Worth, TX to see Greta Van Fleet. We explore how his fandom of the band has come to be and how it has informed his life. The back end of the conversation the three of us explore how live music and live events shape our life.

#114 - Chimes of the Spirit

David & Dorian explore the idea of Shekhina and the etymology in regards to the word 'understanding'. They discuss how this plays into their spiritual evolution.

#113 - Pathways to Presence: Centering Prayer Pt. 7

#112 - Navigating Isolation

David and Dorian discuss the idea of modern isolation, and community in 2023. They also explore the idea of contemplative living to navigate the idea of isolation.

#111 - The Mystery of Faith

David and Dorian discuss the mystery and spiritual ideas surrounds the Trinity & Eucharist.

#110 - Pathways to Presence: Centering Prayer Pt. 6

David and Dorian dive into part 6 of the continued series about Centering Prayer. We have been using the Open Mind, Open Heart by Thomas Keating.

#109 - Claiming God's Unconditional Love

David and Dorian discuss a Henri Nouwen quote from his book Discernment. We look at and breakdown what it takes to get to the place of claiming God's Unconditional Love.

#108 - Revisiting the Wall of Fire

David and Dorian discuss the current books David is writing. They explore some of the new challenges, and lessons learned from the previous book. June 2022 they had a conversation about creative blocks, or Walls of Fire, (see episode here https://share.transistor.fm/s/83bd065b) and this conversation is an unofficial continuation of that episode. Please visit https://www.dreamwalkerway.com and purchase a copy of David's book to help support these future books.

#107 - Drum Beat of the Heart

David and Dorian are once again joined by Jacob Neria. David and Jacob lay out how drumming became an important part of worship at Desert Rain, and how it has evolved over time.

#106 - Pathways to Presence: Centering Prayer Pt. 5

David and Dorian discuss the sacred word that is used during Centering Prayer. We also explore the use of an image or breathing instead of a word. We also start of the episode by talking about Centering Prayer in general if you have missed previous Pathways to Presence episodes.

#105 - Pentecost

David and Dorian dive into the topic of Pentecost, the significance of it, the birth of the Holy Spirit, and how it fits into modern Christianity.

#104 - Doors of Light

David and Dorian sit down and talk about the Road to Emmaus gospel story and transition to a John Andrew Gallery, Quaker author, quote about the inner and outer light taken from an article "Life of the Spirit" published in the Friends Journal. This is a Pre-Pentacost episode.

#103 - Being a Monk in the World

David and Dorian are joined by Jacob Neria to talk how craft informs the spiritual life and navigating the world as a "Ruined Monk". Here are the two previous episodes that Jacob has been on: The Still Point - https://share.transistor.fm/s/78ebd733 Jacob's Road to Desert Rain - https://share.transistor.fm/s/a2ab605a

#102 - The Sacred Earth

David and Dorian explore the idea of how the natural world and spiritual world overlap and inform each other. Many religious try to maintain a separation between the physical world and spirit world, we discuss why this might not work in and around one's spiritual evolution. NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 17 Image Credit: NASA

#101 - Pathways to Presence: Centering Prayer Pt. 4

David and Dorian continue their discussion on Centering Prayer. This month we break down the simple and practical starting point for Centering Prayer.

#100 - Transforming Through The Dark Night

David and Dorian talk about the idea from John of the Cross about the Purgative way, Illuminative way, & Unitive way and how those three lend themselves to transformation.

#99 - The Mysterious Interior Desert

David and Dorian talk about the idea of getting "stuck" in life and how that can inspire a beautiful new set of Questions. The conversation evolves to the point of talking about Howard Thurman's idea of the Inward Sea. Photo credit to David West.

#98 - The Consequences of Seeing

David and Dorian start a conversation in and around the Gospel passage John 9. The blind man being healed and then land on an Annie Dillard passage about learning to see.

#97 - Pathways to Presence: Centering Prayer Pt. 3

David and Dorian continue their conversation about centering prayer inspired from chapter 3 of Thomas Keating's Open Mind Open Heart. Today's chapter focuses on the history and evolution of centering prayers.

#96 - The Commercial and The Awakening

David and Dorian sit down and talk about the recent "He Gets Us" commercial campaign, and transition into the Asbury Revival. We look at the difference between the two, and focus the conversation on revival; past, present, and future.

#95 - Phyllis Tickle: Understanding Emergence Christianity

David and Dorian sit down and discuss how Phyllis Tickle has impacted their spiritual walk individually, and breakdown her profound thoughts around the idea of Emergence Christianity. Below we have posted the two YouTube videos we mention throughout this episode. Part 1 - https://youtu.be/aG-GNvDeFV8 Part 2 - https://youtu.be/2O0gyzU8Dn0 Phyllis Tickle (photo by Teresa Hooper)

#94 - Ethics of the Heart

David and Dorian sit down and discuss the Sermon on the Mount. They look at how it has impacted their personal walk, how it has impacted the Christian world and has been forgotten at times. To see the ASL translation of Desolate Beauty - Click Here

#93 - Pathways to Presence: Centering Prayer Pt. 2

David and Dorian continue their conversation about centering prayer inspired from chapter 2 of Thomas Keating's Open Mind Open Heart.

#92 - Lent: The Blessing Way

David and Dorian sit down and discuss Lent and how it fits into the liturgical calendar, and we end with discussing the significance of the Cross.

#91 - Humility's Children

David and Dorian sit down and discuss the beatitudes, the spiritual significance and why they are ignored, at times, by popular Christianity.

#90 - "... God Could & Would if God were Sought"

David and Dorian sit down and discuss how sometimes people stop Spiritually seeking after they say the Jesus prayer, complete confirmation in the Catholic context, or other similar rituals. They explore that the path is a continued one, and an ever evolving one.

#89 - Pathways to Presence: Centering Prayer Pt. 1

David and Dorian continue the Pathways to Presence series, this year using Father Thomas Keating's book Open Mind, Open Heart as the road map for their monthly discussion.

#88 - Beauty as Faith

David and Dorian look at the relevance of religion now and moving forward. The conversation was anchored by an Einstein quote David had come across about religion.

#87 - The Spirit of Bono

David and Dorian have a broad conversation based on a quote from an upcoming book by Bono of U2 fame.

#86 - Vincent: The Patron Saint of Color

David and Dorian discuss their moving experience at "Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience" and how it has stayed with them over the last 2 weeks. Tickets can be purchased here: https://beyondvangogh.com . We also mention a clip from Dr. Who and that can be seen here: https://youtu.be/ubTJI_UphPk

#85 - A Faith Gone Rogue

David and Dorian discuss David's negative outlook on the evangelical church.

#84 - Pathways to Presence: Celebration

David and Dorian wrap the Pathways to Presence series with celebration. Thank you all for your support.

#83 - Celebrating the Feminine

David and Dorian discuss the divine feminine through the lens of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary, and St. Brigid of Ireland.

#82 - Mystery of the Gospels

David and Dorian sit down to talk about the 4 Gospels and the mysteries that are embedded within.

#81 - Pathways to Presence: Guidance

David and Dorian continue the Pathways to Presence series walking about guidance and the importance of finding guides along the spiritual path.

#80 - Beginning to Pray

David and Dorian sit down and discuss the Jesus Prayer, the origin story of it, how it has been used historically and how it has changed their life.