A Big Sur Podcast

Magnus Toren, host
  • 4.8 (38)
  • Places & Travel

A Big Sur Podcast An ongoing conversation with people from near and far about Big Sur's past, present, and future. A Big Sur Podcast interprets “community” to mean ALL people from around the world who are curious about, and who care about, the preservation and restoration of the wild and rural character of Big Sur. Stories are told by visitors and residents, plumbers and linesmen, musicians and authors, dancers and jugglers and others. Sometimes we drift (way) off-topic into the arts, sciences, personal stories, gossip, politics, philosophy, ornithology, Henry Miller, and our zeitgeist in general. We like that! The opinions expressed here belong to the people who express them. They may or may not line up with yours, mine, or your neighbor’s — and that’s exactly the point. Different perspectives, lived experiences, and even wildly clashing views are what make conversations worth listening to: enriching, infuriating, life-affirming, and sometimes all three at once. If you are planning a visit to Big Sur and you listen to some of the folks on this Podcast talk about their love of the place your visit will probably be a lot more rewarding. Please email magnus@henrymiller.org with any comments, critique & suggestions. Music intro clip courtesy John Holm: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO0Rh2QU Sound editing software by Hindenburg: https://hindenburg.com/Please support the podcast by making a donation to the Henry Miller Library, a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization. Thank you!

  1. Jul 20

    # 130 Melting Point: Rachel Cockerell on Family, Memory, and the Promised Land

    Send us Fan Mail Melting Point: Family, Memory, and the Search for a Promised Land A dusty, life-size portrait no one looked at. A family name no one could spell. And a single line in a 1941 obituary — "a household name for Jews across the Russian Empire." At 24, Rachel Cockerell started pulling that thread, and it led her from a messy house in North London to the docks of Galveston, Texas. I talk with Rachel in her home in London about Melting Point. As you'll hear, I'm a big fan of the book, of how it's put together, and of the way Rachel talks about it. I highly recommend both reading the book and listening to our conversation. I wish I could send a copy to everyone! Melting Point: Family, Memory, and the Search for a Promised Land (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, UK / Farrar, Straus and Giroux, US) is her first book — an experimental history told entirely through primary sources, following David Jochelman, Israel Zangwill, and the Galveston movement. Mentioned in this episode: East West Street by Philippe Sands • Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders • The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson • Orbital by Samantha Harvey • The Grocer on Elgin, Notting Hill • and, of course, an open invitation to the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur. >>>>>>>>>>>>>> More from Rachel:   How I told my family's history through the words of early Zionists - The Jewish Chronicle Zionism, the Melting Pot, and the Galveston Project (with Rachel Cockerell) - Econlib Rachel Cockerell's 'Melting Point' revisits chapter of Jewish migration - The Washington Post Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County! Let us know what you think! SEND US AN EMAIL!  😊 magnus@henrymiller.org FaceBook Instagram

    # 130 Melting Point: Rachel Cockerell on Family, Memory, and the Promised Land

  2. Jul 9

    # 129 Love Means I’ll Be Here Tomorrow: Father Cyprian Consiglio on music, monastic life, Big Sur, Rome, and the discipline of staying.

    Send us Fan Mail Magnus, a secular Swede in Big Sur, speaks with Father Cyprian Consiglio — musician, Camaldolese monk, former prior of New Camaldoli, and now Secretary General of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue in Rome — about vocation, music, solitude, Rome, Iran, God, and why real love may simply mean: “I’ll be here tomorrow.” >>>>>>>>> Magnus speaks with Father Cyprian as an old Big Sur friend and as a secular Swede trying to understand what Christian depth can mean when inherited church culture has grown thin. The conversation moves from childhood memories of Chicago museums and the upheavals of 1968 to Phoenix rock-and-roll years, crisis, faith, New Camaldoli, chastity, silence, interreligious friendship, Iran, Rome, and love as the choice to stay. Along the way, Father Cyprian reflects on his latest book, Epiphanies of Nature and Grace, the solitude and community of the Camaldolese life, and the one practice he protects wherever he travels: Silent Meditation. Link to episode # 41 with Cyprian Consiglio and Pico Iyer. Link to Animas Ensemble Music >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Places, people, organizations, books, music, and ideas mentioned: Main places New Camaldoli Hermitage — Father Cyprian describes it as a Camaldolese hermitage where monks live in separate cells, gather for prayer, share work, and try to live “a contemplative life in community." Sant’Anselmo — the Benedictine house/institution in Rome where Cyprian participates in community life and works near “the boss.”  The Vatican / St. Peter’s / Vatican Office for Interreligious Dialogue — in current Vatican language this is the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. The Angelicum — Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. St. Charles Borromeo High School / Seminary High School — formative high-school seminary experience. DePaul University — he attended during that Chicago period. St. Meinrad Monastery / Archabbey, Indiana — formative monastic/theological exposure. Mount Madonna — yoga community/center near Watsonville; he mentions doing yoga teacher training there. Tassajara Zen Mountain Center — mentioned as part of California’s alternative spiritual/meditative landscape. Tangaza University — a School of Theology and an Institute for Interreligious Dialogue and Islamic Studies. People mentioned or strongly implied Father Bruno / Bruno Barnhart — former prior of New Camaldoli, major Camaldolese thinker and influence on Cyprian’s theology. Your research file identifies Barnhart as a decisive source for Rediscovering the Divine. Romuald — The Camaldolese founder Saint Romuald. Robert Hale — former prior of New Camaldoli; Cyprian identifies him as prior when he first arrived. Meister Eckhart — medieval Christian mystic/theologian; Cyprian found his monastic name while reading a book about Eckhart by Cyprian Smith. Cyprian Smith — author/scholar whose book on Meister Eckhart helped trigger Cyprian’s choice of name. Bede Griffiths — Benedictine monk central to Hindu-Christian dialogue; major influence on Cyprian. Abhishiktananda / Henri Le Saux — Benedictine monk and Hindu-Christian contemplative pioneer; major influence on Cyprian. Martin Luther King Jr. — childhood memory of his assassination in 1968. Wisława Szymborska — Polish poet quoted by Cyprian; verify the exact poem before show notes. Professor Mohammad Ali Shomali — Shi‘a Muslim scholar involved in Christian-Muslim dialogue. DIM·MID’s 2026 page references Professor Mohammed Shomali in relation to Kenya and Shi‘a dialogue. William Skudlarek — Cyprian’s predecessor in the DIM·MID role. John Pennington — longtime percussion, music, recording collaborator; OCP lists his collaborations with Cyprian. Aldous Huxley — Cyprian mentions having The Perennial Philosophy in Italian. Organizations / institutions New Camaldoli Hermitage — Camaldolese Benedictine monastery in Big Sur. DIM·MID — Dialogue Interreligieux Monastique / Monastic Interreligious Dialogue — Cyprian’s current work; as Secretary General for Benedictines and Cistercians worldwide. DIM·MID’s website presents current reports from Cyprian as Secretary General. Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue — Vatican office connected to his work. Focolare Movement — hosted/sponsored the Week of Unity event. World Meditation Day Foundation — he mentions helping co-host an event connected to it. European Network of Buddhist-Christian Studies — he was about to travel for this meeting. Tangaza University — Nairobi Catholic university / theology and interreligious context. Orbis Books — publisher of Rediscovering the Divine and Epiphanies of Nature and Grace. Liturgical Press — publisher of Spirit, Soul, Body and other Cyprian books. Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County! Let us know what you think! SEND US AN EMAIL!  😊 magnus@henrymiller.org FaceBook Instagram

    # 129 Love Means I’ll Be Here Tomorrow: Father Cyprian Consiglio on music, monastic life, Big Sur, Rome, and the discipline of staying.

  3. Jun 26

    # 128 From Tehran to the Akasha: Rohini Moradi on grief, ancient wisdom, and the search for meaning

    Send us Fan Mail From Tehran to the Akasha: Rohini Moradi on grief, ancient wisdom, and the search for meaning Raised in a Hindu temple in Tehran before emigrating to the United States, Rohini Moradi brings an unusually personal perspective to ideas that are often presented only as modern spirituality. Meet Rohini Moradi at the Henry Miller Library on July 14 for a book reading. Reserve your spot here. Share this episode!!! Our conversation ranges from her childhood in Iran, her family's connection to India and the Vedic tradition, the death of her young daughter that transformed her life, and her new book Tapping into the Akasha (available at the HMML!). Along the way we explore intuition, ritual, meditation, the relationship between science and spirituality, the ethics of translating ancient traditions for modern audiences, and the enduring human search for meaning. Whether you approach these ideas as a believer, a skeptic, or simply someone who enjoys thoughtful conversations, this episode asks larger questions about grief, consciousness, and what it means to live a meaningful life. Thank you Rohini! Links  Official website Tapping into the Akasha Courses and teachings  Rohini on SpotifyConcepts discussed  The Vedas  The Upanishads  Bhagavad Gita  Akasha / Akashic tradition  Pranayama (breath practice) People mentioned  David Bohm  Rupert Sheldrake  Nikola Tesla  Carl Jung  Helena Blavatsky  Rudolf Steiner Places  Rishikesh  Triveni Ghat  Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County! Let us know what you think! SEND US AN EMAIL!  😊 magnus@henrymiller.org FaceBook Instagram

    # 128 From Tehran to the Akasha: Rohini Moradi on grief, ancient wisdom, and the search for meaning

  4. Jun 14

    # 127 Letting People In on the Secret: Stuart Thornton on Big Sur, Guidebooks & the Crowds They Create

    Send us Fan Mail Travel writer, guidebook author, former Big Sur ranger, and old friend, Stuart Thornton, returns to Big Sur—at least in spirit—to reflect on a career spent encouraging people to visit the very places he sometimes wishes they would leave alone.  We talk about discovering California's coast, writing guidebooks, the challenge of over tourism, and whether AI will help travelers find deeper experiences or simply send more people to the same beautiful places. Along the way, Stuart shares stories from Big Sur, the road, and a lifetime of chasing the next hidden corner of the map. Stuart traces his path from a Richmond, Virginia upbringing to a campsite at Andrew Molera, a ranger job that came with a phone book and a dorm bed, years living in the old naval housing at Point Sur, and a writing career that runs from the Monterey County Weekly to National Geographic to a shelf of Moon guidebooks.  Along the way: a condor egg airlifted from the backcountry, an interview with James Cameron fresh from the Mariana Trench, a settlement after Anthropic ingested four of his books, and the contradiction he's lived with for years — a man who spends his days off chasing empty beaches while writing the books that fill them.  Plus monks and silence at New Camaldoli, Gary Clark Jr. winning over the Monterey Jazz crowd, and a novel about "Billy the Brewer." LinksStuart Thornton — personal site · Moon author pageJoe Burnett / Ventana Wildlife Society — condor biologist who got Stuart access to the egg storyGary Clark Jr at Albert HallJames Cameron — record Mariana Trench dive (National Geographic)Pico Iyer — author; wrote on New Camaldoli and on Henry MillerWilliam T. Vollmann — The Atlas — Stuart's early influenceRyan Masters — Monterey County Weekly writer; band SuborbitalsEric Johnson — longtime Monterey County Weekly editorKem Nunn — "surf noir" novelist (Tapping the Source, The Dogs of Winter, John from Cincinnati)Martin Gurri — The Revolt of the Public — Magnus's earlier guestHipólito Bouchard — Argentine raid on Monterey, 1818Kayla Anderson — Moon Northern California Road Trips (co-author)"Billy the Brewer" — California's first beer brewer; subject of Stuart's novel-in-progressPlaces Henry Miller Memorial LibraryNew Camaldoli HermitageAndrew Molera State Park (and Pico Blanco above the Big Sur River)Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park / Big Sur StationPoint Sur State Historic Park & Lighthouse — site of the former naval housingPartington Cove (Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park)Monterey State Historic Park — Custom House, Casa Serrano, California's First Theatre"Shipwrecks: Every Broken Piece Tells a Story" — Casa Gutiérrez exhibit (opened June 12; the Natalia, wrecked 1834)Monterey Bay Aquarium — Stuart's tip: Tue–Thu, 2–6 pmHenry Cowell Redwoods State Park (albino redwoods)The Dyerville Giant — Humboldt Redwoods State ParkMusic & events Monterey Jazz FestivalFolk Yeah! (Britt Govea)Pixies — played the Henry Miller LibraryBonnie "Prince" Billy / Will Oldham — the first Folk Yeah show at FernwoodGary Clark Jr. — Stuart wrote an early national profileRelix MagazineTaj Mahal — Magnus's Fiji/Stockholm anecdoteBooks, publishers & other Moon Travel Guides (incl. Moon California Road Trip, IPPY Gold Medal 2016)Monterey County Weekly / Monterey County NOWNational Geographic EducationJohn Steinbeck — The Pastures of Heaven · Sweet Thursday · East of Eden — Netflix series, fall 2026The Anthropic copyright settlement ($1.5B; Bartz v. Anthropic) Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County! Let us know what you think! SEND US AN EMAIL!  😊 magnus@henrymiller.org FaceBook Instagram

    # 127 Letting People In on the Secret: Stuart Thornton on Big Sur, Guidebooks & the Crowds They Create

  5. Jun 1

    # 126 What Are We Really Protecting? Carol Olson, Wilderness, and the Future of Big Sur

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode Magnus has a conversation with Carol Olson, Executive Director of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance, about wilderness, responsibility, and the increasingly difficult art of protecting a place people love. GOOD LINKS: Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act Full text — Congress.govPublic Law details — GovInfoSummary — Ventana Wilderness AllianceVentana Wilderness Alliance Official websiteWikipediaBig Sur LUP Download Big Sur LCP Defense Committee — download pageCounty of Monterey — LUP Tables & FiguresBig Sur Coast LUP Update project pageAdler Ranch / Esselen Land Transfer KQED — California Tribe Regains Ancestral LandsWestern Rivers ConservancyEsselen Tribe official newsThe Wilderness Act / Definition of Wilderness The Wilderness SocietyU.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceFull text PDF — USDALand Back Movement LANDBACK.org — the movement's own siteNPR overview (2024)Sierra Club featureYale Environment 360It's time to rethink the idea of the "Indigenous"Shelley Alden Brooks Monterey County Weekly profileBook — UC PressBook — Amazon Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County! Let us know what you think! SEND US AN EMAIL!  😊 magnus@henrymiller.org FaceBook Instagram

    # 126 What Are We Really Protecting? Carol Olson, Wilderness, and the Future of Big Sur

  6. May 16

    # 125 OUT OF THE SKY by Matti Friedman

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of A Big Sur Podcast, I speak with the writer and journalist Matti Friedman about his remarkable book Out of the Sky — a work that begins with four words from the Bible, “Out of the sky,” and unfolds into a meditation on fear, memory, survival, aviation, mythology, Jewish history, and the strange psychological atmosphere that has surrounded Israel since October 7, 2023. We carry Matti Friedman's books at the Henry Miller Library. Important links: Matti Friedman's Website Matti Friedman with Dan Senor Nicholas Kristof in NYT Magnus Substack about some of this. Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County! Let us know what you think! SEND US AN EMAIL!  😊 magnus@henrymiller.org FaceBook Instagram

    # 125 OUT OF THE SKY by Matti Friedman

  7. Apr 26

    # 124 The Language of Trees — and the World We’ve Forgotten How to Read

    Send us Fan Mail A conversation with artist Katie Holten about life and art, climate and action, walking and inaction! Katie's website Announcement for her new book! Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County! Let us know what you think! SEND US AN EMAIL!  😊 magnus@henrymiller.org FaceBook Instagram

    # 124 The Language of Trees — and the World We’ve Forgotten How to Read

  8. Apr 1

    # 123 "Condors: Guardians of the Wild" with Joe Burnett

    Send us Fan Mail "At intervals the condor passed, huge as an ocean liner.” Henry Miller in Big Sur and the Oranges Besides marveling at the exceptional beauty and almost mysterious power of these amazing birds Joe Burnett and I discuss work in Big Sur and Monterey.  We talk about the rebuilding of the Ventana Wildlife Sanctuary after the 2020 Dolan Fire, how the sanctuary supports releasing, feeding, monitoring and recapturing condors to test for lead poisoning—the leading mortality threat—using radio and GPS transmitters to track a flock of 113 birds, including wild-born untagged chicks.  VWS outreach now centers on getting ranchers and hunters to switch to non-lead ammunition, which the program helps by providing free ammo, though non-lead .22 availability is a major hurdle.  Joe describes vaccinating about 90% of the population against highly pathogenic avian influenza, ongoing disease and blood-lead testing, wildfire impacts, public engagement while tracking birds, and resources and documentaries available through the organization’s website. Thanks for listening! Magnus  Ventana Wildlife Society The beautiful documentary Condor Canyon Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County! Let us know what you think! SEND US AN EMAIL!  😊 magnus@henrymiller.org FaceBook Instagram

    # 123 "Condors: Guardians of the Wild" with Joe Burnett
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
38 Ratings

About

A Big Sur Podcast An ongoing conversation with people from near and far about Big Sur's past, present, and future. A Big Sur Podcast interprets “community” to mean ALL people from around the world who are curious about, and who care about, the preservation and restoration of the wild and rural character of Big Sur. Stories are told by visitors and residents, plumbers and linesmen, musicians and authors, dancers and jugglers and others. Sometimes we drift (way) off-topic into the arts, sciences, personal stories, gossip, politics, philosophy, ornithology, Henry Miller, and our zeitgeist in general. We like that! The opinions expressed here belong to the people who express them. They may or may not line up with yours, mine, or your neighbor’s — and that’s exactly the point. Different perspectives, lived experiences, and even wildly clashing views are what make conversations worth listening to: enriching, infuriating, life-affirming, and sometimes all three at once. If you are planning a visit to Big Sur and you listen to some of the folks on this Podcast talk about their love of the place your visit will probably be a lot more rewarding. Please email magnus@henrymiller.org with any comments, critique & suggestions. Music intro clip courtesy John Holm: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO0Rh2QU Sound editing software by Hindenburg: https://hindenburg.com/Please support the podcast by making a donation to the Henry Miller Library, a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization. Thank you!

Information

  • Creator
    Magnus Toren, host
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    128
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 A Big Sur Podcast
  • Show Website
    A Big Sur Podcast

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