Peter Michael Anthony, Interview #145

                            
Name:   Peter Michael Anthony

Where you live:  Palm Springs Ca.

What is your vocation: Motivational speaker, published author/writer/ Astrologer–Numerologist and Life Coach

Two favorite books: A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson The Isaiah Effect by Gregg Braden

Two favorite songs: The Circle of Life by Elton John Crazy by Seal

Why are you interested in spirituality?  Spirituality, unlike religion teaches a very simple philosophy.  “There are many pathways up the mountain. Once you arrive to the top, the view is always the same. Spectacular!”

Your favorite quote: “What time is it? ‘Now!  What are you doing? Living in the moment!   Where are you? Here!”~~Dan Millman, The Peaceful Warrior

Your favorite web sites:  www.newrealitytransmission.com   and www.awakeningasone.com

Your hero:  There are thousands of unsung hero’s on our planet. Firemen, police officers, teachers, rescuers of animals, case workers, emergency medical staff ,Green peace volunteer’s, Red Cross, military and countless others. These are the REAL HERO’S of the planet.

A spiritual lesson I hope to learn: As I write my answers to your questionnaire, I feel that at this very moment I AM learning something about myself.

A place in the world where I feel spirituality connected?
I’m quite fortunate to have relocated to a planetary vortex that many locals call “paradise.”  To live in Palm Springs, California is a miracle of miracles.  And for that, I AM blessed.

Brent N. Hunter, Interview #144

Name:  Brent N. Hunter


Where you live:  Los Angeles, CA


What you do as a vocation or avocation?  I am an author, visionary entrepreneur, social media pioneer, IT executive and international networker with the goal of increasing international friendship/community, understanding and unity worldwide.


Your two favorite books:  There are so many awesome books!  Among many favorites, The Way of the Wizard by Deepak Chopra and Way of The Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman come to my mind first.


Your two favorite songs:  It's impossible to say what two songs are my favorite because I have so many different tastes in music but for the mood I'm in right now, Voices by Dario G and Redemption Song by Moodswings are awesome.


Why you are interested in spirituality?  I feel it is important to deeply understand spirituality to help bring people together during this unique time in history.  It is also important to help facilitate inner peace as well as a connection to the Source.


Your favorite quote:  by Marianne Williamson:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. 

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. 

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves: who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? 

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world. 

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do. 

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. 

As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Your favorite web sites: http://www.klout.com and http://www.empireavenue.com plus many other social networking sites.

Your hero?  President Barack Obama

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn?  Mastering the art and science of abundance and manifestation.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?"  Anywhere we are is sacred, as we are divine incarnations of Spirit in human form.  However, a few places I felt or anticipate feeling particularly connected are Mt. Shasta, India, Istanbul, South Africa, Egypt, South and Central America and Sedona.
 

Verity A. Jones, Interview #143

Name: Verity A. Jones
 
Where you live: Indianapolis, Indiana
 
What you do as a vocation or avocation? I am the director of the New Media Project at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York (www.NewMediaProjectAtUnion.org). We are exploring how religious leaders and their faith communities can be theologically savvy about technology today. Funded by the Lilly Endowment, the New Media Project is a two-year research and writing endeavor with six thinkers and writers sharing their work as it is compiled. I am an ordained minister with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the former publisher and editor of DisciplesWorld magazine.  I also work closely with younger clergy in the Wabash College Pastoral Leadership Program in Crawfordsville, Indiana. 
 
Your two favorite books: Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of my all time favorite novels.  More recently, I have to admit that I have enjoyed the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling immensely.  My daughter is eleven years old and we both think The Order of the Phoenix is the best in the series. 
 
Your two favorite songs: It's impossible to narrow this down to two, so I'll just mention a couple of songs that have caught my attention again recently: Sweet Honey in the Rock's "Wanting Memories" and Paul Simon's "The Cool, Cool River." 
 
Why you are interested in spirituality? Spirituality is not a thing or an object or a subject in which I can have a distinct interest. Instead, the Spirit of God--the wind, the breath, the ruach, to use a Hebrew word--inhabits my entire being, my life, the world.  To be alive is to be spiritual. 
   
Your favorite quote: Shawshank Redemption (the movie). Closing the film, Red says, "I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope."
 
Your favorite web sites: New Media Project (!), Religion Dispatches (informative), Salt Project (beautiful), the Moth Chase (fun)
 
Your hero? Barack Obama
 
A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? Mindfulness, creativity, courage, peace
 
A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" A small alcove or chapel within a larger church or cathedral. Stained glass and soaring organ music helps! 

Jason Byassee, Interview #142

Name: Jason Byassee

Where you live: Trick question: for now Durham NC, in 6 days will live in Boone NC, where I’ll pastor Boone United Methodist Church and my wife Jaylynn will pastor Bethelview & Valle Crucis UMC’s.

What you do as a vocation or avocation? I’m a pastor, writer, theologian, dad, slow runner and mediocre basketball player.

Your two favorite books: Maybe the two most influential are Flannery O’Connor’s short stories & Andrew Louth’s beautiful book “Discerning the Mystery.”

Your two favorite songs: Right now anything by Mumford & Sons (especially “Little Lion Man”) and anything by the Avett Brothers (especially “Go to Sleep”). Now this is really cheating: anything out of Taize and any Charles Wesley hymn would also count.

Why you are interested in spirituality? Christians often speak of God finding them rather than the other way around. I can’t remember a time I wasn’t interested in God-with-us, in Israel, Jesus, and church. It’s as though I wasn’t seeking at all, but rather I got found, and couldn’t give it up now if I wanted to.

Your favorite quote: “If you understand it, it is not God,” St. Augustine

Your favorite web sites: Faith & Leadership (www.faithandleadership.com), The New Media Project at Union Seminary (http://blog.newmediaprojectatunion.org/), Theolog, the blog of the Christian Century (http://christiancentury.org/blogs). 

Your hero? Rowan Williams, precisely for refusing to be a hero, and trying to be a saint, and admitting so freely how often he fails, while contemplating God so profoundly.

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? To be wise. So very different than being smart, it seems to require not only multiple intelligences but also profound love.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" Mepkin Abbey in the coincidentally named Monck’s Corner SC. Or playing sports with my boys, Jack (8), Sam (6) and Will (3).

    

     

Nicole Neroulias, Interview #141

Name: Nicole Neroulias

Where you live: Seattle, WA

What you do as a vocation
or avocation?

Belief Beat blogger, Religion News Service correspondent,  volunteer
(826 Seattle, among others), globetrotter, musician & mom

Your two favorite books:
At the moment? I keep coming back to David Sheff's "Beautiful Boy" and
Michael Chabon's "The Yiddish Policemen's Union."

Your two favorite songs:
The Beatles "Let It Be" 
and Bon Jovi "Living on a Prayer"

Why you are interested in spirituality?

We are what we believe. Among my own family and friends, there's a
diverse range of religious beliefs, which always makes for interesting
-- if not heated! -- discussions. And obviously, faith plays a major
role in world affairs, for better or worse.

Your favorite quote:
"In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at
heart." --Anne Frank

Your favorite web sites:
Belief Beat, Facebook & Television Without Pity

Your hero?
Working moms

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn?

Judge not, lest ye be judged.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?"

The beach, with my fingers and toes in the sand, the sun on my face
and the sound of crashing waves in my ear.

Nicole's Twitter feed: http://www.twitter.com/BeliefBeat