We've Lost the Plot 6: Being Worked by Parables

We've Lost the Plot 6: Being Worked by Parables

Author: Kent Dobson June 25, 2019 Duration: 1:07:17
Through the analogy of dreams and how they work on the ego, I argue that parables, because they're archetypal and symbolic, are meant to disrupt, disrobe and dismantle the ego - who we think we are in the world. This week, in my ongoing series on the Bible, I explore how parables can work on us.  They're not just clever stories with moral lessons that need to be deciphered or interpreted correctly.  Listening on this deeper level does not mean you need to believe the stories, or hold certain views about the Bible, or even believe in God.  It's more like we're being invited to open up to the characters, the emotions, the landscape, and images of a parable (or any mythic story for that matter).  This way of listening helps reveal the hidden contours of our own psyche - where we need to grow, where we're stuck, the leading edge of change for us.  Being worked by parables feels like, "Surprise!  You're not who you say you are, or who you think you are.  Change your life!"  Enjoy! 

Kent Dobson hosts Hints and Guesses, a space where curiosity meets the profound questions that quietly shape our lives. This isn't about delivering easy answers or rigid doctrines. Instead, each episode unfolds as a thoughtful exploration, weaving together threads from ancient sacred texts, the wisdom of the natural world, and the raw material of our everyday experiences in culture and society. You'll hear conversations that treat doubt not as an enemy of faith, but as a necessary companion on a genuine spiritual path. The terrain covered is vast and deeply human-from love and soul to mortality and what lies beyond-all approached with a sense of openness and reverence for the mystery. The Hints and Guesses podcast creates room for reflection, inviting you to slow down and consider the subtle whispers of meaning that often get lost in the noise. It’s for anyone who finds themselves pondering the bigger picture, regardless of where they stand on religion, seeking a honest and nuanced dialogue about what it means to live a connected and examined life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Hints and Guesses
Podcast Episodes
The Cult of Identity and the ”True Self” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:08
I'd like to turn to Thomas Merton's writings on the True Self. I find his mystical understanding of identity to be counter-cultural, challenging and ultimately hopeful. I hope you hear a hint or guess from Merton, as I a…
Approaching Deconstruction, Dark Night and Emptiness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:39
What is deconstruction? Or the Dark Night for that matter? And what is it that we are being invited into, during certain seasons of life? These are only hints and guesses.
Ancient Compost:  The Trees are on Fire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:13
This week is about the sacred, the holy ordinary, trees lit from within, Annie Dillard, Moses, and a few suggested practices for deepening our quality of attention. Enjoy!
Ancient Compost: Pilgrimage and the Absence of God [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:22
A podcast about the golden calf, the absence of God, the center which has no center, and the nutrients left in the compost heap of our spiritual ancestors.
Ancient Compost: Babel and Borders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:55
The first in my Monday series on ancient texts, Biblical images, and the compost heap of the wisdom tradition. This episode is a musing on Babel, power, greed, pride, Putin, borders, invasion and the Wind. Enjoy!
The (Re)Rise of Fundamentalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:12
A conversation about the resurgence of fundamentalism, on the left and right, and how to spot it.
Brie Stoner and the Gates of Unknowing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:46
Excited to chat with Brie Stoner. We chat about courage, art, motherhood, divorce, unknowing, mentors and geography. Enjoy!
Wound-Gift [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:06
This episode is about the mysterious relationship between our wounds and our gifts. Perfect for the holiday season. Enjoy!
Born for these Times [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:24
What stories are we carrying about human purpose, or destiny, or about the how any of us are actually here, right now, in this life, in this era? Are we mere accidents, among countless accidents? What needs to be remembe…