In our ongoing focus on forgiveness this week, Scott focuses on forgiving our family and friends. Sometimes, the people we are closest to provide both the most important and the most challenging opportunities to practice forgiveness. 

The reasons for forgiving ourselves are the same as for forgiving others. It is how we become free of the past. It is how we heal and grow. It is how we make meaning out of our suffering, restore our self-esteem, and tell a new story of who we are. If forgiving others leads to an external peace, forgiving ourselves leads to an internal peace. —Desmond and Mpho Tutu, The Book of Forgiving The truth is we actually do love and forgive others as we love and forgive ourselves. If we are loving...

This week Scott focuses on what for some people is the hardest part of forgiveness and that's forgiving ourselves.  

In this episode, Scott continues to discuss the notion that forgiveness is a choice, a decision that we can make alone. He also discusses the many benefits of forgiveness as he reflects on the question, "Why Forgive?"  During Lent, Scott is releasing two weekly episodes that focus on the theme of our Lenten booklet, Practicing Forgiveness. If you don't have a booklet, you can receive the daily reflections via email, download a free PDF of the booklet, or purchase an e-book on Amazon for .99...

In this episode, Scott talks about the idea of forgiveness as a choice. It is a choice that an individual can make without any need for the person they are choosing to forgive to have a part in the process or even know about it. It is important to remember that forgiveness is entirely separate from the process of reconciliation.   During Lent, Scott is releasing two weekly episodes that focus on the theme of our Lenten booklet, Practicing Forgiveness. If you don't have a booklet, you can...

Scott continues to focus on how letting go is an essential ingredient in the practice of forgiveness. He offers an audio version of the prayer practice called "Receive, Release" and talks about how knowing when to release our hurt and anger so that we can forgive is a discernment process that each individual needs to make for themselves, often with the support of prayer, conversations with a clergyperson, a therapist, and/or trusted friends. 

We are entering the second full week of Lent, and continuing our focus is on Practicing Forgiveness. Each week, we focus on a subtheme within the larger theme, and this week, we focus on the connection between Forgiveness and Letting Go. In this episode, Scott talks about the emotional and spiritual growth that comes from knowing when to let go. 

Practicing forgiveness is both the actions we choose, as well as a mindset.  In this episode, Scott tells a story of the time he met Desmond Tutu and how Tutu was a living saint who modeled both the actions and mindset of forgiveness.  

If we try to practice forgiveness simply on the strength of our own best intentions and efforts, we will likely find that our best intentions rarely bear fruit. In this second episode for Lent, Scott talks about the importance of grounding our practice of forgiveness in the deep and nourishing soil of our faith.  During Lent, we are releasing two weekly episodes to focus on the theme of our Lenten booklet, Practicing Forgiveness. If you don't have a booklet, you can receive the daily...

In this first episode for the season of Lent and our focus on "Practicing Forgiveness with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind," Scott talks about the connection between confronting our mortality and practicing forgiveness. During Lent, this podcast will release two weekly episodes focussing on our Lent daily devotional and its theme, "Practicing Forgiveness with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind." You can purchase an ebook of the devotional for .99 cents or sign up for the daily...

Scott continues his discussion of the connection between contemplative practices and wellbeing, focussing on how an essential aspect of each is listening.  

Scott talks about the importance of contemplative practices and then connects how they are a key ingredient in our wellbeing.  

Scott talks about how he has found that when he seeks to replace judgment with curiosity, it helps emotional, relational, and spiritual wellbeing. He also talks about how growning up with a lot of judgment this is an ongoing practice for him.  Practice makes progress, not perfection.

The New Year is a natural time to reflect on what we want to pay more attention to in our lives. This makes it a perfect time to start or renew a commitment to a spiritual practice. On this episode, Scott talks about the whole-person wellness benefits of nurturing our spirituality.  

Merry Christmas!  In this Christmas episode, Scott tells a story of when he recently experienced the power of Wonder to transcend all differences and divisions.  It is this Love that we celebrate today. 

Today is the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Many churches offer "Longest Night" services to support those who are grieving this time of year. These services are a reminder of whatever "place" we find ourselves in this year, God is there with us.  

Thin places are those places and experiences where we awake to how close the presence of God is to our lives. It's not that God comes closer to us, but that our veils, masks, and distractions are removed, and we connect more immediately to the Divine presence. Thin places, by definition, are experiences of wonder.  In this episode, Scott talks about what thin places are for him this time of year and invites listeners to reflect on their own thin places.  You can read the daily Advent...

In this Advent episode, Scott tells a story from a children's sermon that captured the best definition of a saint ever, and how we are all called to be like the people that the child described as what a saint is.  

Continuing to focus on Wonder in this season of Advent, Scott talks about the connection between stories and wonder. And, of course, he has a story to tell--one from when he was in high school that had a profound and life-changing effect on his faith.

Moments of whoa and wonder are all around us. When we have the "eyes to see," we will notice these "God moments" often. In this Advent episode, Scott talks about a few God moments he has experienced recently and invites us to name such moments when we experience them, too.  

For the season of Advent, Scott will focus on the Living Compass theme of "Practicing Wonder with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind." You can subscribe to the daily email reflection for Advent by visiting https://www.livingcompass.org/advent-signup.  In this episode, Scott talks about the connection between wonder and love.  

Scott explores the concept of something that "takes our breath away" and talks about how important it is to make time to catch our breath, especially in these difficult times.  

In this early Thanksgiving episode, Scott talks about the importance of practicing gratitude by reflecting on Anne Lamott's outstanding book "Help. Thanks. Wow."

Scott talks about seeing one of his spiritual mentors in concert last week--the one and only Bob Dylan. Bob sang one of his Christian songs called "Gotta Serve Somebody," and Scott reflects on what the song means to him and how it connects with all things Living Compass. His only regret is that, due to copyright laws, he cannot play any portion of the song on the podcast!

In honor of Halloween, Scott invites us to all pause and reflect on what is "hallowed" in our lives. He notes that the words hallow, holy, whole, and healthy all share a common etymology.  He also invites us to see our lives as a hallowed gift, definitely a treat, and not a trick.