For episode 166 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks with Reverend Cathy Bristow.
Rev. Cathy is an ordained Interfaith Minister and the founder and principal of Bridges, a consulting agency whose mission is to re-language and provoke recent conversations about race, gender, and variety. She is deeply concerned in social justice work and supplies free seminars on Mind Well being and the influence of spirituality.
Rev. Cathy and Sharon start the dialog collectively, talking about how New York Metropolis is recovering from the results of COVID-19. Rev. Cathy then shares her historical past of how she organically discovered her ongoing prayer life via the observe of “going quiet.” She talks concerning the energy and function of storytelling as a therapeutic vessel in her mentorship work and the way she is embarking on the analysis of storytelling as a contemplative observe as related to mind science for ladies who determine as black. They talk about the ability of affection (and self-love) as a pressure for change and private resilience. Rev Cathy shares the significance of management coaching in her mentorship packages for black girls and the modeling of vertical and horizontal inclusion. In addition they dive into a couple of of the matters of Sharon’s but to be titled new e book: the life cycles of growth and contraction. The episode closes with Rev. Cathy main a Gratitude Follow to shut out the dialog.
NYC & Resilience // Submit-Traumatic Development // Contemplative Follow
Sharon welcomes, ordained Interfaith Minister, Rev. Cathy Bristow to the Metta Hour. They start the podcast with speak about restoration and resilience in a spot very pricey to their hearts—NYC. Does resilience imply going again to what was? Or is it a possibility for ‘Submit-Traumatic Development’ right into a ‘New New York?’ From right here, Rev. Bristow shares an intense real-world situation the place she was immensely helped by intuitively utilizing the contemplative practices of prayer and internal stillness.
“I discovered a spot inside that took me to current second consciousness—I used to be respiration, I used to be protected, I used to be okay, and I didn’t should work together with the exterior for just a bit whereas.” – Rev. Cathy Bristow
One other NYC steeped dharma session explores resilience and contemplation, on Ep. 8 of Strolling Every Different Dwelling
Butterfly Dreamz // Storytelling & Religious Stamina (8:28)
Sharon invitations Rev. Bristow to share concerning the Butterfly Dreamz challenge – younger Black Girls uncovering empowerment utilizing storytelling—each spoken and written—as the muse for change, development, and management via mentorship, scholarship, and youth-led neighborhood motion. Relaying how storytelling is expounded to spirituality and mind science, Rev Bristow explores religious resilience, stamina, & self-love via the lens of slavery and African American cultural historical past.
“Storytelling is remarkably highly effective, and it additionally hyperlinks us along with what was, and the way others who’re bodily exterior of us expertise and undergo life, and offers us a brand new alternative to be future dealing with about what’s subsequent.” – Rev. Cathy Bristow
Discover the transformational energy of feminine storytelling, on Ep. 6 of Strolling Every Different Dwelling
Contraction & Enlargement // Worry, Mentorship, & Vulnerability // Bridges (26:26)
Considering our fluctuating states of contraction and growth, Sharon asks Rev. Bristow for recommendations on working with concern in our every day lives. Sharing how having a powerful relationship with mentors—in addition to the openness to be susceptible—assist her via the contraction of concern, Rev. Bristow empowers us to remodel past our perceived limitations and heal our private and collective traumas.
“I encourage individuals to start out the place they’re. I dwell in an condo constructing, and we began the place I examine on my neighbors. Now, that’s not a circle; nevertheless, they examine on me and I examine on them. So possibly use alternatives that is probably not conventional or typical. Begin stepping out, as a result of that then offers me the braveness to strategy another person.” – Rev. Cathy Bristow
Sharon and Dr. Robert Thurman talk about states of contraction and growth, on Ep. 164 of the Metta Hour
Guided Meditation: Grief & Gratitude (52:25)
To shut the podcast, Rev. Bristow leads a guided meditation observe round grief and gratitude.
