Getting Reoriented: Life Update from Stephen Roach

Hello my friends. For those of you who have wondered why we haven’t published our regular episodes, I wanted to let you in on what’s been shaking.

A week ago, my laptop was stolen. This was a brand new computer I had saved for months to purchase and only owned since December. I used this computer to produce, not only our Makers and Mystics episodes, but the additional podcasts I produce for other people. It is also the computer where I have been working on my new book and all of details of life. Needless to say, it has been a pretty hard blow to my business and to my morale. I won’t go into the details here, but I am not in a position to replace the computer.

I believe good will come from this. It always does. I have worked through the emotion of the matter and come to a place where I can genuinely pray for the well-being of those who took it. Of course, I hope to see justice. Of course, I hope to see the computer restored to me. I have received so much mercy in my own life, I can only extend the same to the people who did this as well. God forgive them for they had no clue what they caused.

I’ll be up and running again as soon as possible. Thank you for supporting me during this time.

- Stephen

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP FUND THE RESTORATION OF OUR EQUIPMENT, YOU CAN DONATE HERE.

UPDATE: Thank you everyone! We have fulfilled the fundraiser and are moving into a new season of production!

Stephen RoachJune 26, 2024

S13 E12: Hospitality As Revolution with John Heers

Hospitality is more than the generous treatment of guests or strangers, but is a way of peeling back the layers of separation and getting closer to the heart of a group or individual. In this way, hospitality is the heartbeat of community and true friendship.

The word hospitality comes from the Latin hospes, meaning "host", "guest", or "stranger". Hospes is formed from hostis, which means "stranger" or "enemy" (where we get terms like "hostile.”) So hospitality or coming to a shared table can be a place where strangers transform into friends and enemies can be re-humanized.

In this episode, fellow podcaster, community builder and co-founder of the First Things First Foundation, John Heers shares about how the Art of Hospitality has become a revolutionary act. He shares about a Georgian feast - called a Supra - where he plays the role of a Tamada and invites guests to share in this counter-cultural revolution by coming to the table.

Community, Culture, Food Writing, OrthodoxStephen RoachMay 23, 2024communtiy, John Heers, Supra

S13 E11: A Brutal Love with Kimberly Phinney

Kimberly Phinney is a professor, counselor, poet and writer. She’s been published in Ekstasis Magazine, Fathom, Humana Obscura, and many other publications. She is the editor and founder of the literary community The Way Back To Ourselves. Earlier this year, Kimberly’s poem “An Ode to Hard, Dark Nights” won the Audience Choice Award in our Bright Wings Poetry Contest in partnership with Ekstasis magazine.

In this episode, Kimberly shares how the vision for her creative community and her recent book of poems, Of Wings and Dirt were born out of her journey through an intense season of illness. As a community leader, Kimberly shares her thoughts on how artists and creatives can move against the modern bent toward isolation and disembodiment.

Join The Makers and Mystics Creative Collective

Support The Podcast

S13 E10: Comedy and Context with Andi Marie Tillman

Andi Marie Tillman is an Appalachian comedian and self-proclaimed “recovering Pentecostal.” Her roots in performance began at the early age of 8, when she sang in churches across the Southeast. It was here Andi gathered much of the inspiration for what would later become her well-known cast of original characters. Andi has acted in numerous shorts, feature films, commercials, and music videos including the recent video doc we covered here on the podcast, Come and Save Me by Danielson. But it was Andi’s series of TikTok sketches that elevated her platform and struck a chord with folks both native and new to Appalachian culture.

In this episode, Andi shares about the roots of her acting, her winding journey through Appalachian spirituality and the healing power of comedy.

S13 E09: To Mend The World with Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth

What does it mean to be a culture maker in a world of hurt and wondrous possibility? And what does it mean to mend the world, to bring healing and hospitality through our art and the details of our everyday lives?

Today’s episode features multi-Grammy winner Charlie Peacock and his wife and author, Andi Ashworth. Charlie and Andi have recently published a wonderful book together titled, Why Everything That Doesn't Matter, Matters So Much: The Way of Love in a World of Hurt The book draws from their 50 years of marriage and lifelong experience working with artists in community.

In this conversation, Charlie and Andi share from their book on what it means to mend the world through honest, meaningful relationships and a hopeful imagination.

Patrons of the podcast can hear additional interview segments with Charlie and Andi on the power of writing letters and keeping a consistent practice of journaling.

Visit patreon.com/makersandmystics to gain access.

S13 E08: Come And Save Me with Danielson and Chris White

Film director Chris White and songwriter Daniel Smith of The Danielson Family have crafted an 8-minute short film/music video titled "Come and Save Me," a poignant exploration of acceptance and community as a cure to the loneliness epidemic of our post-pandemic world.

In this episode, Daniel and Chris share about the film’s inception, working with lead actor and comedian Fred Armisen, and why the arts play a central role in addressing social concerns.

S13 E07: Mastery & The Flow State with composer Christen Lien

Christen Lien is a multi-disciplinary artist who creates an innovative brand of musical storytelling. She disrupts the classical genre by integrating innovative technology and collaborating with artists and musicians from many mediums. Christen has performed for a diverse network of audiences around the globe, from the Dalai Lama to the Burning Man festival.

Through her lifelong devotion to the viola and her innovative use of guitar pedals, loops and electronic soundscapes, Christen’s compositions and performances create a multi-faceted musical landscape that bridges worlds and ideas.

In this conversation, Christen shares about her pursuit of mastery, the role of discipline and spontaneity in her work and how she experiences the flow state in her performances.

S13 E06: Creativity And Community Live at Square Halo Conference

I recently traveled to Lancaster, Pennsylvania where I participated in THE 2024 SQUARE HALO CONFERENCE:

RETURN TO NARNIA—CREATIVITY, COLLABORATION, AND COMMUNITY.

As part of the event, I hosted a live podcast recording on the topic of creativity and community. Joining me for this conversation is graphic designer, children’s book illustrator, author, and printmaker, Ned Bustard. Ned is the creative director at Square Halo Books and co-author of my book Naming The Animals.

Joining us alongside of Ned, is author and community leader, Brian Brown. Brian is the founder and director of the Anselm Society, a Colorado-based organization dedicated to a renaissance of the Christian imagination.

In our conversation, we address the questions, why does community matter to the artist and what are its challenges? How can we foster healthier relationships between artists and communities of faith and how can we move beyond the impact of social disruption into new experiences of communal life.

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy my live discussion from Square Halo on The Mischief of God In Art—Exploring Subversive Themes in Scripture and Creative Practice:

Visit Patreon.com/makersandmystics to learn more.

S13 E05: Why Community Matters with Stephen Roach

This week's episode is a collaboration with Lisa Smith of the Be. Make. Do. Podcast!

We are flipping the mic around for this one and inviting fellow podcaster, Lisa Smith to ask MM host, Stephen Roach a few questions about the importance of community in the life of the artist and why gathering together now is such an important part of our creative work and the process of healing from social isolation.

You can learn more about Lisa’s community of artists at soulmakers.org or see the show notes of this episode.

In just a few weeks Lisa and several of the artists from her community will be joining us at The Breath and The Clay creative arts gathering to host a workshop on Curating Wholeness: Building A purposeful world through Art.

Join the Makers and Mystics Creative Collective

S13 E04: The Art of Lament with Amanda Held Opelt

Amanda Held Opelt is an author, speaker, and songwriter. She writes about faith, grief, and creativity, and believes in the power of community, ritual, shared worship, and storytelling to heal even our deepest wounds.

In today’s episode Amanda discusses the art of lament and how deep-rooted communal practices of shared grief can help us heal and grow through the difficult experiences of our lives.

Drawing from her book Holy Unhappiness: God, Grief and the Myth of the Blessed Life, Amanda shares her journey of grappling with experiences of disillusionment when life with God didn’t feel the way she expected it to feel.

*In just a few weeks, you can join Amanda live at The Breath and the Clay creative arts gathering where she will be conducting a workshop called “Let There Be Grief: Rituals and Remembrances As a Path to Healing.”

Support the podcast.

Art As Healing, Author, authors, Community, Culture, Grief, The Breath and the ClayStephen RoachFebruary 27, 2024amandaheldopelt, grief, lament

REPLAY: An Ethos of Healing with Elephant Heart

As we prepare for The Breath & The Clay creative arts gathering, I’m going to be highlighting several of the speakers and performers who’ll be joining us at the event.

For today’s episode I reached into the archives and pulled a segment of my conversation with BC24 headliners, Elephant Heart.

Elephant Heart is the Los Angeles-based electronic duo Jason and Victoria Evigan. Elephant Heart’s music Is Rooted in their shared passion for international travels, world beats and global cultures Elephant Heart creates genre-bending music that pulls multicultural influences from far and wide.

This segment of Season 7’s conversation carries a meaningful contribution to our current season’s theme of community and culture.

In this clip, Victoria and Jason share about the healing power of music and its ability to bring people together, the beauty of cultural diversity as well as a candid look into Victoria’s own process of moving past fear into the fullness of her creative expression.

You can listen back to the full episode here.

S13 E03: The Social Instinct with Christa Hardin

Relationships form the heartbeat of community life. The way we interact, the way we understand one another and hold space for the differences between us determines the quality and depth of our societies.

Our guest today is relationship expert and author Christa Hardin. Christa is host of the popular Enneagram and Marriage podcast. She has been working with and researching marriage for two decades, providing hope for couples who are struggling to find their light, love, and mission together in any season of relationship.

In this conversation, Christa unpacks some of the ways she has helped couples foster a deeper understanding of one another through utilizing the Enneagram and her years of research and practice. She shares about our social instinct and how we can move toward finding common ground with those who may see life a bit differently than ourselves. Christa offers ways to cultivate health in our most intimate relationships and how these same dynamics can translate to a larger, cultural level.

Join us at The Breath and The Clay

Become A Patron!

S13 E02: The Vocabulary of Encounter with Kaleb Moten

Kaleb Moten is a singer, songwriter, composer, music producer, and musician, dedicated to revealing beauty and meaning, and liberating other artists to do the same.

Kaleb has released four studio albums to date and is currently producing two more. In addition to his solo work, Kaleb also works as a music producer, with credits for artists such as Victory Boyd and Abbie Gamboa.

In this episode, Kaleb shares one of the foundational encounters that shaped him as an experimental, musician, as well as his journey of developing a vocabulary to encapsulate some of the deeper experiences of his music and life.

In keeping with this season’s theme of community and culture, Kaleb shares about the impact of leaning into particular expressions of art not only as an individual but what happens when an entire movement of people collectively express the same heart.

Kaleb will be joining us along with Victory Boyd at The Breath and the Clay creative arts event, March 22-24, 2024.

S13 E01: An Introduction to Community and Culture with Stephen Roach

This cultural moment may be one of history’s most interesting times to find home among a community of likeminded people with whom we identify. On the one hand we are more connected than we ever have been (thank you internet) and yet at the same time, people feel more disconnected than ever before. Isolation and loneliness have become an epidemic. So much so, in May of 2023, the surgeon general put out a statement calling isolation and loneliness a public health crisis.

In this introductory episode, podcast host Stephen Roach sets the stage for this season’s conversations and discusses how the artist can respond to the need for community and become an agent of healing for our culture.

Build community with us at The Breath and The Clay March 22-24 in Winston Salem, NC

Art As Healing, Community, CultureStephen RoachJanuary 30, 2024Season 13, Stephen Roach, Community, Culture

S13 Trailer: Community and Culture

Community is a vital component to our mental, emotional and spiritual health as well as a formative influence on our creative work. Throughout history, artists have gathered together with other artists for mutual support, inspiration and the sharing of ideas.

Despite the overarching digital landscape of our present day, the need for gathering together is no less important. In fact, it could be argued that it is all the more important so we do not lose touch with what it means to be human, to look another person in the eyes and share our stories around a common table.

Community creates an ecosystem of trusted voices who can appreciate and critique our work, contribute to our artistic growth and create a sense of belonging. And it is within the womb of creative community where seeds of culture begin to germinate.

Creative community contributes to and challenges the larger cultural values, upholds traditions or gives a platform to needed voices of change. Establishing creative/spiritual community facilitates shared experiences and creates a safe place to explore new concepts in art and deeper explorations of theology.

The artist’s role in shaping culture cannot be overstated. Percy Shelley wrote that “poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.” Therefore as artists of faith or those responsible for leading faith communities, if we care about where our culture is headed, we need to take seriously our responsibility to nurture the artist’s voice in our midst.

Starting Tuesday January 30th, we’ll begin a short series of conversations on how creativity, community and culture give shape to the life of the artist. We'll be featuring many of the voices who will be performing or presenting with us at The Breath and the Clay gathering.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to follow along and if you want to take a deeper dive into these topics, you can sign up at Patreon.com/makersandmystics and participate in our regular online community discussions.

Community, CultureStephen RoachJanuary 16, 2024Season 13, community, Culture

Bright Wings Poetry Contest Winner

Stephen RoachJanuary 3, 2024

S12 Finale: Detachment and Desire with Stephen Roach

This season. On the podcast, we have featured quite an array of perspectives on this topic of art and identity. We've talked about how family and heritage informs our sense of self. We've discussed how our belief systems, our childhood memories, even the places we live, each contribute to our identity. We talked about how our bodies, our ethnicity, our relationships to others, our vocations, and of course, how the creative works we make each become identity markers for how we show up in the world. We even discussed the role of emerging technology and how social media shapes the way we think of ourselves and of others.

In this season finale episode, podcast host, Stephen Roach shares how desire informs our sense of self and how the practice of detachment can help us navigate the journey from a false self to embracing our true identity as the beloved of God.

EPISODE SPONSOR: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary is offering a Doctor of Ministry degree in The Arts, Ministry, and Mission as a part of a new initiative in theology, the arts, and gospel witness. Follow this link to learn more and apply.

Read The Transcript

S12 E15: Returning To Eden with Heather Hamilton

One of the core markers of a person’s identity are the beliefs they hold to be true. A person’s faith becomes a fixed point from which they view and understand the world. But what happens when those beliefs are shaken? Or what happens when a person is confronted with a difficult truth that collides with or even contradicts their view of the world?

Our guest today is storyteller and best-selling author of Returning to Eden: A Field Guide for the Spiritual Journey, Heather Hamilton. In this episode, Heather shares what it was like to undergo a nervous breakdown and a subsequent mystical experience that re-ordered her understanding of the universe.

GET TICKETS TO THE BREATH AND THE CLAY

S12 E14: Our Virtual Reflection with Sam Rad

Ours is a fast-paced digital world where technology has become such a personalized part of our daily lives, it’s hard to imagine who we are without it.

Social media, augmented reality, and AI-driven personalization each contribute to the formation of a digital identity which impacts the way we connect with others and how we present ourselves online.

We’ve grown accustomed to how our smartphones and smartwatches intertwine physical and digital experiences. We’ve become accustomed to the ways technology influences the way we perceive ourselves and others but what happens when these technologies progress toward a seeming agency of their own? Or what about when our likeness is replicable in a virtual rendering or when the creative works we make are easily emulated by AI?

For many artists, these capabilities bring up real concerns about intellectual property and the ethics of what constitutes our identity.

Joining us for this discussion today is someone whose creative work intersects the worlds of art, technology and the future in ways that offer a positive look into the influence of emerging technologies on the artist’s life.

Sam Rad is a lifelong student of humanity, storyteller, performer, and musician. She was trained in anthropology, theatre, and movement/embodiment at New York University, British American Drama Academy at Oxford University, and Lee Strasberg Institute in NYC. She started her career as a theater director -- before founding 4 technology companies.

Today, Sam Rad is considered a futurist, one who looks into emerging technologies and helps us understand the coming impacts these tools will have on our lives. She is a published author and highly sought after motivational speaker who merges spirit and science through consciousness, connection, and creativity.

technology, Art & IdentityStephen RoachDecember 5, 2023Sam Rad, AI, Emerging Technology, art and identity

Bright Wings Poetry Contest 2023!

We’re excited to open submissions to our fourth annual Bright Wings poetry contest in partnership with Ekstasis Magazine! We believe in the power of poetry to move the spirit and shake the world. Let’s hear your voice ring loud!

Deadline for entries: Nov. 25th, 2023

Click here to learn more!

Bright Wings PoetryStephen RoachNovember 21, 2023bright Wings, brightwings2023

S12 E13: Healing Our Provisional Personalities with Jay Stringer

How we show up in the world often takes on a wide variety of expressions. Our public and private lives reflect the many roles we play in society and the varying facets of personality traits we form to cope with different situations.

From parent to co-worker, artist or spiritual practitioner, from a social media persona to a dinner guest with friends, even bygone roles remaining with us from childhood, our sense of identity moves through a myriad of shapes and forms.

But what happens when these different aspects of our lives no longer communicate? Or when we are expected to abide by a former version of ourselves that no longer reflects our current view of the world?

Joining me for this conversation is licensed mental health therapist, Jay Stringer. Jay’s academic background includes a master’s degree in counseling psychology from the renowned Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. As well as he has received specialized training under Dr. Dan Allender while serving as a Senior Fellow at the Allender Center.

As we approach our final episodes on this seasons theme of art and identity, I think you’ll find Jay’s perspective to be both rewarding and challenging.

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an additional interview segment with Jay at Patreon.com/makersamdmystics

Get Tickets to The Breath & the Clay

Bright Wings poetry Contest (until Dec.15th)

Art Submissions Now Open!

Stephen RoachNovember 21, 2023

S12 Bonus: Artist's Roundtable: Live at Loom

This Artist’s roundtable discussion was recorded live at Loom creative arts event in Spruce Pines, NC. The conversation centers on the importance of building creative community, the embodiment of the creative process and what it means to be an artist of faith amidst a culture in crisis.

Joining us for this discussion is long time friend of the podcast, author/illustrator Vesper Stamper, photographer and founder of JHS pedals Josh Scott, conversation host Corey Frey and myself, Stephen Roach.

As we prepare for The Breath and Clay 2024 I wanted to share this live discussion to highlight some of the vital community discussions we will be hosting.

S12 Bonus: Abundance & Scarcity: Live at The Guild

This year I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several creative arts gatherings including Loom, Hope Words writer’s conference and here recently, the Guild in Raleigh NC.

The talk I gave at the Guild is a call to take a look at the mindsets we are cultivating in our lives and a reminder that what we feed is what will grow. Are we feeding a mindset of abundance or one of scarcity? Is our inner framework one of hope or one of negative anticipation?

I wanted to share this live talk with you as an encouragement to consider how the mindsets we keep determine the quality of art we make and the lives we live.

- Stephen

Get Tickets to BC24

keynotes, live event, Live EventsStephen RoachNovember 8, 2023Stephen Roach, live events, keynote talk

S12 E12: Remixing The Grand Narrative with Tara Isabella Burton

At one time, religious identity and the Christian narrative formed the social imaginary of our western world. To be a part of a local church or to identify with some aspect of the values of traditional faith was an assumed part of American life. But today, autonomy, self-fulfillment and individual expression seem to have taken the forefront of how a generation defines themselves and lives out the search for meaning and deeper purpose.

My guest today is novelist and prolific writer, Tara Isabella Burton. Tara Isabella Burton is the author of the novels Social Creature, The World Cannot Give, and the forthcoming Here in Avalon (S&S, January 2024), and the nonfiction Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World and Self-Made: Creating Our Identities from Da Vinci to the Kardashians.

She has written on religion and culture for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and more. She received her doctorate in Theology from Oxford in 2017, and is currently a Visiting Fellow at George Mason University's Mercatus Center.

In our conversation, Tara shares about how modern society has not so much abandoned it’s yearning for transcendence in favor of a secular world view but has rather simply re-mixed the grand narrative to fit the values of expressive individualism. Tara also shares about fiction as a catalyst of embodying truth and how fandom, religious affiliation and art play into the shaping of identity.

You can pre-order Tara’s upcoming novel here.

You can join the Makers & Mystics creative collective here

You can get tickets to The Breath & the Clay creative arts gathering here! March 22-24, 2024 in Winston Salem, NC.