The Laughing Mystics: Jungian Psychology, Christian Spirituality, and Laughter

Laura Lewis-Barr, Jungian Artist - Marci Madary DMin, Educator, Spiritual Director
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Updated Weekly

The Laughing Mystics: Explore Christianity and Depth Psychology through weekly scripture reflections and lively conversations between friends. Each week, Marci shares her Christian perspective and infectious laughter, while Laura offers insights from Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell. Together, they also explore the profound ideas of Ilia Delio, Richard Rohr, and other evolutionary thinkers of psychology and theology. This happy pair offer as many questions as answers. They invite listeners to reflect on mystery, faith, doubt, spirituality, and personal growth.

  1. 6d ago

    Actions Speak Louder -- 26th Sunday 2026

    (86) 26th Sunday 2026 Our Question: What is a central “cross” in my life? A cross that I bear. Online research says: The Talmud features a famous passage stating that Ezekiel "annulled" a harsh decree made by Moses. Moses stated in Exodus that God "visits the sins of the fathers upon the children." The Talmud explains that Ezekiel came along and declared a more merciful standard: "The soul that sins, it [alone] shall die." Quoted here. what is the “one thing” that Paul is talking about?   “Throughout the biblical story, from Genesis to Revelation, every radical challenge from the biblical God is both asserted and then subverted by its receiving communities—be they earliest Israelites or latest Christians. That pattern of assertion-and-subversion, that rhythm of expansion-and-contraction, is like the systole-and-diastole cycle of the human heart. In other words, the heartbeat of the Christian Bible is a recurrent cardiac cycle in which the asserted radicality of God’s nonviolent distributive justice is subverted by the normalcy of civilization’s violent retributive justice. And, of course, the most profound annulment is that both assertion and subversion are attributed to the same God or the same Christ. Think of this example. In the Bible, prophet sare those who speak for God. On one hand, the prophets Isaiah and Micah agree on this as God’s vision: “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, / and their spears into pruning hooks; / nation shall not lift up sword against nation, / neither shall they learn war any more” (Isa. 2:4 = Mic. 4:3). On the other hand, the prophet Joel suggests the opposite vision: “Beat your plowshares into swords, / and your pruning hooks into spears; / let the weakling say, ‘I am a warrior’” (3:10). Is this simply an example of assertion-and-subversion between prophets, or between God’s radicality and civilization’s normalcy? That proposal might also answer how, as noted in Chapter 1, Jesus the Christ of the Sermon on the Mount preferred loving enemies and praying for persecutors while Jesus the Christ of the book of Revelation preferred killing enemies and slaughtering persecutors. It is not that Jesus the Christ changed his mind, but that in standard biblical assertion-and-subversion strategy, Christianity changed its Jesus.” ― John Dominic Crossan, How toRead the Bible and Still Be a Christian: Struggling with Divine Violence fromGenesis Through Revelation   Deconstructing Christianity Facebook Page Dignity USA Sunday Readings Thank you for listening! You're invited to join our FB community at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need more poetry in your life? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Marci's blog ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and/or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to Laura's new substack ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and receive one of her fresh poems delivered to you periodically. Questions? Comments? Bring your voice to the conversation. We'd like to SHARE THE MIC with you! Send an audio or video from your phone with a question, reflection, or comment to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Laughing.Mystics@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We now have an easier way for you to leave a review or rating, using this link! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmystics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please follow us to be alerted for new episodes. We hope you'll share this passion project with others, write a review, or rate/like our podcast on your favorite platform! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pod.link/1799776273⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ New episodes now released on Thursday mornings! For more on Marci Madary visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more on Laura Lewis-Barr visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://psychescinema.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (0ur show notes are always filled with many links. If your platform doesn't show them, visit the "episode webpage" or our Spotify page.) Music licensed from Artlist #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #richardrohr #progressivechristianity #jungianwisdom #mysticalchristianity #religioustext #transpersonalpsychology

  2. Sep 17

    My Ways Are Not Your Ways - 25th Sunday 2026

    (85) Our Question: How do I react when life seems "unfair?" A World Appears by Michael Pollan "The ego is a master of accounting. It keeps a record of every slight, every debt, and every favor. To awaken is to burn the ledger." Anthony de Mello   "When you stop judging, evaluating, and keeping score of how people treat you or how life unfolds, you step out of the illusion of time. The ego demands fair transactions; the soul breathes in absolute freedom."Deepak Chopra fairness vs. justice image  Sunday Readings Thank you for listening! You're invited to join our FB community at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need more poetry in your life? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Marci's blog ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and/or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to Laura's new substack ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and receive one of her fresh poems delivered to you periodically. Questions? Comments? Bring your voice to the conversation. We'd like to SHARE THE MIC with you! Send an audio or video from your phone with a question, reflection, or comment to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Laughing.Mystics@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We now have an easier way for you to leave a review or rating, using this link! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmystics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please follow us to be alerted for new episodes. We hope you'll share this passion project with others, write a review, or rate/like our podcast on your favorite platform! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pod.link/1799776273⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ New episodes now released on Thursday mornings! For more on Marci Madary visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more on Laura Lewis-Barr visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://psychescinema.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (0ur show notes are always filled with many links. If your platform doesn't show them, visit the "episode webpage" or our Spotify page.) Music licensed from Artlist #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #richardrohr #progressivechristianity #jungianwisdom #mysticalchristianity #religioustext #transpersonalpsychology

  3. Sep 10

    Anger - 24th Sunday in "Ordinary" Time.

    (84) Our Question: How do I deal with my anger? More about the Sunk Cost fallacy   Water molecule images and Dr. Emoto   The deconstruction journey   Further explanation of Family Systems Theory, created by Murray Bowan   Prosperity Gospel "A World Appears" by Michael Pollan Sunday Readings Thank you for listening! You're invited to join our FB community at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need more poetry in your life? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Marci's blog ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and/or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to Laura's new substack ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and receive one of her fresh poems delivered to you periodically. Questions? Comments? Bring your voice to the conversation. We'd like to SHARE THE MIC with you! Send an audio or video from your phone with a question, reflection, or comment to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Laughing.Mystics@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We now have an easier way for you to leave a review or rating, using this link! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmystics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please follow us to be alerted for new episodes. We hope you'll share this passion project with others, write a review, or rate/like our podcast on your favorite platform! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pod.link/1799776273⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ New episodes now released on Thursday mornings! For more on Marci Madary visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more on Laura Lewis-Barr visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://psychescinema.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (0ur show notes are always filled with many links. If your platform doesn't show them, visit the "episode webpage" or our Spotify page.) Music licensed from Artlist #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #richardrohr #progressivechristianity #jungianwisdom #mysticalchristianity #religioustext #transpersonalpsychology

  4. Sep 3

    How Can We Get Along? 23rd Sunday

    (83) Our Question: What is a memory of a healthy group I've known from work or church? “Dynamic Facilitation” • there are no wrong answers • everyone’s input is valued • deeper root causes of problems can be discussed • our diverse opinions are a source of creative solutions. Using four flip charts labeled • Problems (or Situation Statements, or Inquiries), • Solutions (or Possibilities or Options) • Concerns • Data The purpose of the meeting is an “exploration” of an issue, instead of “decision-making.” When Jesus uses the "Son of Man," he is referencing the apocalyptic visions of Daniel. In Daniel 7, the "Son of Man" is a messianic figure who receives everlasting dominion from God, combining true humanity with divine authority.Here is the podcast Laura references: The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Quaker model to make decisions Today's Readings Curious about the Enneagram?? Marci is leading an online ⁠⁠⁠introduction to the Enneagram ⁠⁠⁠in September through the ⁠⁠Franciscan Spirituality Center⁠⁠! Thank you for listening! You're invited to join our FB community at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need more poetry in your life? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Marci's blog ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and/or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to Laura's new substack ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and receive one of her fresh poems delivered to you periodically. Questions? Comments? Bring your voice to the conversation. We'd like to SHARE THE MIC with you! Send an audio or video from your phone with a question, reflection, or comment to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Laughing.Mystics@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We now have an easier way for you to leave a review or rating, using this link! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmystics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please follow us to be alerted for new episodes. We hope you'll share this passion project with others, write a review, or rate/like our podcast on your favorite platform! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pod.link/1799776273⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ New episodes now released on Thursday mornings! For more on Marci Madary visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more on Laura Lewis-Barr visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://psychescinema.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (0ur show notes are always filled with many links. If your platform doesn't show them, visit the "episode webpage" or our Spotify page.) Music licensed from Artlist #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #richardrohr #progressivechristianity #jungianwisdom #mysticalchristianity #religioustext #transpersonalpsychology

  5. Aug 27

    True To My Calling -- 22nd Sunday 2026

    (82) Our Question: When have I had a calling that I couldn't ignore? Edward Edinger's book on the Prophets: ⁠Ego and Self: The Old Testament Prophets From Isaiah to Malachi Edinger quote  - "As early as Jeremiah, we hear about a so-called new covenant, different from the old, which promised that 'I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.'" from The Psyche in Antiquity   Laura used to teach emotional intelligence.  What is that? https://www.6seconds.org/emotional-intelligence/   Thomas Keating --"Divine life is basically the inner freedom to choose the right and the good spontaneously." Today's Readings Curious about the Enneagram?? Marci is leading an online ⁠⁠introduction to the Enneagram ⁠⁠in September through the ⁠Franciscan Spirituality Center⁠! Thank you for listening! You're invited to join our FB community at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need more poetry in your life? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Marci's blog ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and/or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to Laura's new substack ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and receive one of her fresh poems delivered to you periodically. Questions? Comments? Bring your voice to the conversation. We'd like to SHARE THE MIC with you! Send an audio or video from your phone with a question, reflection, or comment to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Laughing.Mystics@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We now have an easier way for you to leave a review or rating, using this link! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmystics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please follow us to be alerted for new episodes. We hope you'll share this passion project with others, write a review, or rate/like our podcast on your favorite platform! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pod.link/1799776273⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ New episodes now released on Thursday mornings! For more on Marci Madary visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more on Laura Lewis-Barr visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://psychescinema.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (0ur show notes are always filled with many links. If your platform doesn't show them, visit the "episode webpage" or our Spotify page.) Music licensed from Artlist #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #richardrohr #progressivechristianity #jungianwisdom #mysticalchristianity #religioustext #transpersonalpsychology

  6. Aug 20

    Naming and Renaming - 21st Sunday

    (81) Our Question: What unlocks the Kingdom of Heaven for you (me)? The Community Fridge Project: Community-run fridges for anyone in need. Details about the Sacrament of Reconciliation Vatican II document about how Catholicism views other religions: Nostra Aetate Edward Edinger's books: The Bible and the Psyche Ego and Self: The Old Testament Prophets From Isaiah to Malachi Transformation of the God-Image: An Elucidation of Jung's Answer to Job The Sunday Readings⁠ Curious about the Enneagram?? Marci is leading an online ⁠introduction to the Enneagram ⁠in September through the Franciscan Spirituality Center! Thank you for listening! You're invited to join our FB community at ⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need more poetry in your life? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Marci's blog ⁠⁠⁠⁠and/or ⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe to Laura's new substack ⁠⁠⁠⁠and receive one of her fresh poems delivered to you periodically. Questions? Comments? Bring your voice to the conversation. We'd like to SHARE THE MIC with you! Send an audio or video from your phone with a question, reflection, or comment to ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Laughing.Mystics@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ We now have an easier way for you to leave a review or rating, using this link! ⁠⁠⁠⁠RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmystics⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please follow us to be alerted for new episodes. We hope you'll share this passion project with others, write a review, or rate/like our podcast on your favorite platform! ⁠⁠⁠⁠pod.link/1799776273⁠⁠⁠⁠ New episodes now released on Thursday mornings! For more on Marci Madary visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more on Laura Lewis-Barr visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://psychescinema.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ (0ur show notes are always filled with many links. If your platform doesn't show them, visit the "episode webpage" or our Spotify page.) Music licensed from Artlist #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #richardrohr #progressivechristianity #jungianwisdom #mysticalchristianity #religioustext #transpersonalpsychology

  7. Aug 13

    God and Dog - 20th Sunday

    (80) Our Question: How do I feel about laws? Am I comfortable breaking any laws? Laughing Mystics is a podcast loved by Progressive Christianity!   Kohlberg’s seven stages of moral development   Thomas Merton book: Opening the Bible Einstein's idea of spooky science and quantum mechanics   We wonder about healing vs. cures and Anointing of the Sick The Sunday Readings Curious about the Enneagram? Marci is leading an online introduction to the Enneagram in September through the Franciscan Spirituality Center! Thank you for listening! You're invited to join our FB community at ⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/⁠⁠⁠ Need more poetry in your life? ⁠⁠⁠Visit Marci's blog ⁠⁠⁠and/or ⁠⁠⁠subscribe to Laura's new substack ⁠⁠⁠and receive one of her fresh poems delivered to you periodically. Questions? Comments? Bring your voice to the conversation. We'd like to SHARE THE MIC with you! Send an audio or video from your phone with a question, reflection, or comment to ⁠⁠⁠ Laughing.Mystics@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠ We now have an easier way for you to leave a review or rating, using this link! ⁠⁠⁠RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmystics⁠⁠⁠ Please follow us to be alerted for new episodes. We hope you'll share this passion project with others, write a review, or rate/like our podcast on your favorite platform! ⁠⁠⁠pod.link/1799776273⁠⁠⁠ New episodes now released on Thursday mornings! For more on Marci Madary visit ⁠⁠⁠https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/⁠⁠⁠ For more on Laura Lewis-Barr visit ⁠⁠⁠https://psychescinema.com/⁠⁠⁠ (0ur show notes are always filled with many links. If your platform doesn't show them, visit the "episode webpage" or our Spotify page.) Music licensed from Artlist #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #richardrohr #progressivechristianity #jungianwisdom #mysticalchristianity #religioustext #transpersonalpsychology

  8. Aug 6

    Sink or Swim - 19th Sunday

    (79) Our question: What are my associations with storms or being in deep water? Thomas Keating's thoughts on silence. Thomas Merton's thoughts on silence. A mystery that we chew on - From Sean J. McGrath on Psychology and the Cross podcast. McGrath explores the common idea of Jesus as one of the symbols of the Self that Jung explored. I'm still capitalizing the word to show that it is different than our regular conception of the ego/self . "...I think that what we see in the Christian revelation of the Christ is that Christ is not primarily a symbol of the Self; he’s a symbol of God. He’s a symbol of God, and the God is not the Self. The Self, then, we’d have to say, from a Christian perspective, that unconscious center of the soul, the Self is an image of God. And Jung says as much, he says, it’s imago dei, it’s an image of God. We have that in Genesis. And so it points toward God. But Christ doesn’t simply express the human reality; he does that, of course, but he also expresses the divine reality. We get both." Sunday Readings Thank you for listening! You're invited to join our FB community at ⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/laughingmystics/⁠⁠ Need more poetry in your life? ⁠⁠Visit Marci's blog ⁠⁠and/or ⁠⁠subscribe to Laura's new substack ⁠⁠and receive one of her fresh poems delivered to you periodically. Questions? Comments? Bring your voice to the conversation. We'd like to SHARE THE MIC with you! Send an audio or video from your phone with a question, reflection, or comment to ⁠⁠ Laughing.Mystics@gmail.com⁠⁠ We now have an easier way for you to leave a review or rating, using this link! ⁠⁠RateThisPodcast.com/thelaughingmystics⁠⁠ Please follow us to be alerted for new episodes. We hope you'll share this passion project with others, write a review, or rate/like our podcast on your favorite platform! ⁠⁠pod.link/1799776273⁠⁠ New episodes now released on Thursday mornings! For more on Marci Madary visit ⁠⁠https://www.insideoutspirituality.com/⁠⁠ For more on Laura Lewis-Barr visit ⁠⁠https://psychescinema.com/⁠⁠ (0ur show notes are always filled with many links. If your platform doesn't show them, visit the "episode webpage" or our Spotify page.) Music licensed from Artlist #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #richardrohr #progressivechristianity #jungianwisdom #mysticalchristianity #religioustext #transpersonalpsychology

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The Laughing Mystics: Explore Christianity and Depth Psychology through weekly scripture reflections and lively conversations between friends. Each week, Marci shares her Christian perspective and infectious laughter, while Laura offers insights from Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell. Together, they also explore the profound ideas of Ilia Delio, Richard Rohr, and other evolutionary thinkers of psychology and theology. This happy pair offer as many questions as answers. They invite listeners to reflect on mystery, faith, doubt, spirituality, and personal growth.

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