My hope is for better conversations that can help bridge our divides that are fueled in part by some mix of bad information and limited exposure to the stories of individuals. My hope is that there can be some sort of recognition of wrong that

Strategies for Overwhelmed People

May 25th, 2021 11m 9s

Do you know what it feels like to be overwhelmed? I sure do! If you don't feel overwhelmed because of this pandemic right now, you'll probably never feel overwhelmed. In this episode I wrap up my series on simplicity for the month of May with a

When Does Simplicity Become a Distraction?

May 12th, 2021 20s

Although simplicity has long been a vital discipline for Christian spirituality, it has new look today in pop culture's minimalist movement. While minimalism is certainly preferable to limitless consumption, it can become its own self-serving t

Thoughts on How to Simplify Your Spirituality

May 4th, 2021 9m 9s

We don't need to make drastic changes to our lives in order to make more space for spiritual practices or an awareness of God. By considering how to integrate prayer into what we're already doing and making small spots in our day for prayer wor

How Misunderstandings Prevent Us from Mourning with Others

Apr 27th, 2021 14m 43s

What keeps us from mourning with those who mourn? This week, we wrap up our mini-series on mourning with those who mourn by talking about the ways misunderstandings, narratives, and bias prevent us from seeing the pain and suffering of us. The

Are We Discipled by Twitter or By Jesus

Apr 22nd, 2021 12m 26s

At the risk of making an epic Jesus juke, I ask this week if our interactions on social media tend to reinforce tribalism and prevent us from responding to others with understanding and empathy. We are called to mourn with those who mourn and t

What Happened After Disappearing from Social Media

Apr 15th, 2021 14m 56s

In the middle of Lent my attempt to limit my social media use to 10 minutes per day wasn't working out. I often found an excuse to increase my time just a little bit more. After reading an article by Judy Wu Dominick about getting off social me

How Centering Prayer Helps Us Mourn with Those Who Mourn

Apr 6th, 2021 17m 9s

Social media can overwhelm us with suffering, grief, and anger. Seeing only a shallow digital representation of others online often prevents us from seeing their full humanity. Our challenge today is to remain present for those suffering around

How Levity Brings Us Together

Apr 1st, 2021 16m 29s

I'm sharing about my annual April Fool's Day book release pranks and how a little bit of levity can bring us together. These remain difficult, uncertain times with a looming surge of COVID-19 despite increasing vaccinations. Sometimes the right

Relearning Intention and Awareness After an Emergency

Mar 26th, 2021 8m 59s

As we assess where we are right now, it's fair to say that in America at least, we're encouraged to see the vaccination rates climbing and the COVID-19 infection rates declining. While we aren't returning to "normal," there are plenty of folks

The Practices of Delight, Dignity, and Creativity with Artist and Writer Heather Caliri

Mar 17th, 2021 43m 18s

Heather Caliri didn't think she was the artist of her family, but then a journey of self-discovery and prayerful introspection developed a deeper awareness of God's presence in her creative work. She is currently helping others go on similar jo

How Often Are You Willing to Fail?

Mar 16th, 2021 12m 32s

Making space for prayer, creativity, family, and service to others requires significant boundaries from digital distractions. Yet, setting up those boundaries and using them well often results in failures, changes in plans, and then more failur

What We Gain by "Wasting" Time

Mar 10th, 2021 11m 33s

There's a lot of pressure to be productive or to make progress with our time. Even in the case of spiritual practices, we can feel tempted to seek results. If we don't see the results right away, our time in prayer may feel like a waste. But "w

How can we stop living in "crisis mode" during a crisis?

Mar 5th, 2021 14m 47s

The urgency of our current moment can fuel a constant tension and alertness about the next crisis. I know what it feels like to live with an awareness that something big and important, and potentially bad, could happen at any moment. Plenty of

Should We Reevaluate Our Spiritual Leaders?

Feb 23rd, 2021 10m 52s

This week I'm sharing a short podcast based on my latest blog post about how we evaluate the trustworthiness of our spiritual leaders. What if we are using the wrong criteria? Based on the many popular Christian leaders who have had scandals, w

Are We Too Distracted by Online Hate to See In Person Love?

Feb 9th, 2021 10m 29s

The highs and lows each week often include disturbing news stories or social media posts that leave us concerned about the bad behavior of others. Since social media naturally amplifies agitating content, it's no wonder that the worst behavior

Simple Prayer for Complex Times

Feb 4th, 2021 11m 23s

It feels like the problems we face are only growing more complex during the pandemic. As we feel the weight of so many things piling up, some simple prayers may be what we need the most right now. Using Thomas Merton's book Contemplative Prayer

What can you control today?

Jan 27th, 2021 12m 18s

Control is a complicated word. I have a love hate relationship with it. Control is a source of anxiety and conflict many times when it comes to other people. Yet, self-control is a vital spiritual discipline. What does a healthier relationship

How Can We Practice Hopefulness?

Jan 19th, 2021 15m 14s

In this brief solo episode, Ed Cyzewski, author of Reconnect: Spiritual Restoration from Digital Distraction, asks whether we've started to expect the worst because of our traumatic past four years. How can we remain engaged in the important is

Examine Your Thoughts in Difficult Times

Jan 12th, 2021 11m 44s

After the alarming insurrection at the Capitol building in America, how can we reset our thoughts and regain a sense of mental grounding and spiritual balance? This week's episode offers a few strategies for facing a difficult moment, such as a

What are we expecting in the new year?

Jan 4th, 2021 6m 7s

In this solo episode, Ed Cyzewski asks what we're expecting in the new year. Are we waiting for the worst to happen? Are we immersed in the bad news on social media and news sites to the point that we have lost hope for anything good? Or are we

Examining What Worked and Didn't Work in 2020

Dec 29th, 2020 18m 33s

What worked in 2020? Before you answer "NOTHING!", consider for a moment the areas in your life where you felt at peace and grounded. How can you make more space for that? Are there changes you can make in 2021 that will help you stay rooted in

How Can We Recover from the Trauma of COVID-19?

Dec 16th, 2020 14m 43s

We are going through a unique moment of shared trauma. Even caregivers have to find ways to cope with the trauma of this moment, and that is just the start of the challenges we face since safety measures have been politicized and made controver

Can Our Spiritual Practices Keep Up with the Crazy?

Dec 8th, 2020 12m 49s

As we speculate about what a new year and a new president will bring in America in 2021, there are some larger trends to consider. The nature of politics and social media may prove especially challenging for our spiritual health and mental well

Why We Need More Conversations (and Podcasts)

Nov 30th, 2020 10m 40s

In this solo episode of Paths to Restoration, author Ed Cyzewski shares about the vision for this podcast. Moving forward we need to share more fact-based conversations about pressing issues such as the COVID pandemic and the rise of anti-vacci