S15 E05: A Resonance Across The Ages with Barbara Hannigan

Barbara Hannigan is a world-renowned conductor, soprano, and performer whose work pushes the boundaries of classical and contemporary music. Known for her fearless interpretations and deeply expressive performances, Barbara has built a career that defies convention and celebrates the transformative power of sound.

In this episode, Barbara and I discuss her recent album Electric Fields, which offers modern arrangements of centuries-old vocal music. At the heart of the album are the compositions of Hildegard of Bingen — a 12th-century mystic, composer, and visionary whose sacred works still resonate with profound clarity today.

In keeping with the season theme, we explore Barbara’s experience of finding flow in those transcendent, improvisational moments when the music seems to move through her rather than from her — and how this state of creative surrender shapes both her artistry and her life.

Mentioned in this episode:

Electric Fields by Barbara Hannigan
Artist profile: Hildegard of Bingen

Connect with Barbara Hannigan:
https://www.barbarahannigan.com/home|

https://www.instagram.com/hannigan.barbara

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/electric-fields

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flow, finding flow, conductor, sopranoStephen RoachMay 27, 2025finding flow, Barbara Hannigan, opera, Soprano

S15 E04: Imitate The Ocean

In this episode, Stephen Roach explores creative flow as a generative, life-giving way of being. He highlights the need for trust in the process and the vulnerability that comes with sharing one's art. Stephen encourages listeners to embrace rhythms of rest and rebirth and imitate the ocean.

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Support the podcast with a one-time donation.

Learn More about DITA 2025 with Rowan Williams, Malcolm Guite, and others.

Faith and Art, finding flow, flowStephen RoachMay 20, 2025Finding flow, Stephen Roach

S15E03: The Discipline of Inspiration

I would imagine most of us think of inspiration as a sudden flash of insight that hits us out of nowhere and compels us create. It’s not something we control. The wind blows where it wishes and we don’t know where it comes from or where it goes.

But what if inspiration were a discipline?

Brooklyn-based author and artist Carey Wallace has written an incredible book titled, The Discipline of Inspiration. Here, she addresses this question and shines a new light on how we think about our relationship to the things that move us.

Poet and songwriter Patti Smith writes that "This book articulates... the beautiful compexity of what drives us to create and what we encounter when we do."

In keeping with our season theme of finding flow, consider how nurturing our inspirations prepare us for those beautiful moments of creative transport. We’ll be talking more about this in the Makers and Mystics creative collective.

Music by: Some Were At Sea

Faith and Art, finding flow, flow, InspirationStephen RoachMay 6, 2025finding flow, inspiration

S1502: The Faraway Nearby with Leah Song of Rising Appalachia

Leah Song is a storyteller, song-catcher, musician, poet, and community builder. She’s best known as the front-woman of the beloved band Rising Appalachia, which she leads alongside her sister Chloe.

As a solo artist, Leah draws from the rich traditions of Southern soul, the diasporic sounds of the Celtic Isles, and her deep studies of folk music from across the Americas.

In this episode, Leah talks with Stephen Roach about her journey through music, exploring the intersections of various cultural traditions and how the pace of our lives impacts creative flow.

Resources:

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Patreon: Patreon.com/makersandmystics

Music, CommunityStephen RoachMay 6, 2025Finding flow

S15E01: Tuning The Room with Stephen Roach

Welcome to Season 15 of Makers & Mystics. In this opening episode, host Stephen Roach invites listeners into the unfolding journey of Finding Flow—not just as a creative high, but as a sacred rhythm and intentional spiritual practice.

Anchored in a story from his experience as a touring musician, Stephen shares how he developed a pre-show ritual: using a sustained drone and improvised melody to “tune the room”—to draw the audience (and himself) into a space of collective attentiveness. It became more than a musical practice; it became a way of entering flow, of opening space for something beyond performance to emerge.

In this episode, Stephen explores:

What it means to prepare a space for creativity
How flow requires attentiveness and surrender
The parallels between creative flow and spiritual presence
Why the environment we create—internally and externally—matters to our art

Whether you’re a musician, painter, poet, or simply someone longing to move through the world with greater presence, this episode will help you begin to tune your own room—and step into your creative flow.

Featured Music: Songs of Water

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finding flow, flow, Faith and ArtStephen RoachApril 22, 2025finding flow, Stephen Roach

Finding Flow | An Introduction to Season 15

Have you experienced those moments when the grind gives way to an effortless grace? When a poem or painting tells you what it wants to become, or when a melody sings itself into being?

This state of creative flow is one that artists and athletes, saints and mystics alike, each aspire to attain. It is a state where time bends low and reveals a slice of eternity. When our minds are absorbed, the world around us dissolves. Five minutes becomes five hours. Attentiveness and reverie are caught in a kiss that transcends technical ability and becomes magic.

In flow, we become the act we give our hands to accomplish. The painter becomes the painting. The dancer becomes the dance.

We enter into something greater than ourselves, a move of the Spirit that is ever in flux and available to us all.

This season on Makers and Mystics, we’re going to explore how to find flow,

Not just as a creative high—

But as a practice.

A rhythm.

A spiritual discipline

And a way of life.

We’re going to talk about what keeps us from entering it, and why it matters—not just for our art, but for our own development and well-being.

You’ll hear from painters, poets, musicians, and makers of all kinds - each sharing stories of what enables them to find flow and the challenges that have kept them from it.

You’ll hear from theologians and thinkers who see creativity as a sacred conversation.

We’re going to talk about the discipline behind flow, the resistance that rises against it, and the mysterious grace that shows up when we least expect it.

So if you’ve struggled to find flow —

Or if you’ve ever wondered how to maintain your creative inspiration —

Or if you’re simply longing to move through the world more awake and more alive…

This season is for you.

finding flowStephen RoachApril 17, 2025findingflow, flow, flow state, finding flow

BC25 | Risk Art vs. Shock Art

In this final conversation of our BC25 introductions, Stephen Roach, Corey Frey, and Dr. Marie Teilhard discuss the complexities of art that challenge conventional boundaries.

They explore themes of heretical art, the distinction between shock art and risk art, and the importance of trust and exploration in the creative process.

**Trigger Warning: This episode deals with sensitive subject matter such as self-harm and cutting.

Join The Breath and The Clay virtually or in person

Connect with Dr. Teilhard

Connect with Corey Frey

Special Thanks to our patrons and friends who help us keep this train running.

If you've been inspired by the Makers and Mystics podcast and would like to show the love, you can give a one-time donation here or become a monthly patron here.

Stephen RoachMarch 16, 2025

BC25 Presenter | Amanda Cook on Reconciling Art and Faith

Amanda Cook is a writer/musician/lover of books whose music explores the intersections of faith/doubt, love/loss, hope/despair, and fun/notfun.

In this episode, Amanda talks with Stephen Roach about her latest EP Survey: Part 2 along with her thoughts on reconciling faith and art and the motivations behind her creative process.

This episode continues our introductions to the presenters who will be with us at BC25.

Resources:

The Breath and The Clay (virtual & In person tix available.)

Follow us on Instagram

Help us continue our work by becoming a monthly patron or by giving a one time donation.

BC25, WorshipStephen RoachMarch 11, 2025amanda cook, Worship music

BC25 Theme | The Integrating Center of All Things with John Eldredge

What role does contemplative prayer have in healing the fractures of our modern culture and those of our own fragmented lives? And how can our spiritual and creative practices offer an antidote to the chaos of contemporary life?

In today’s episode, we’re exploring these questions with best-selling author, counselor, and teacher John Eldredge.

Drawing insights from his latest book, Experience Jesus. Really: Finding Refuge, Strength, and Wonder Through Everyday Encounters with God, John highlights several themes that align with those of our upcoming Breath and Clay creative arts gathering. He shares insights on what it means to live in the hour of fragmentation and how we can reconnect to the integrating center of all things.

Resources:

Makers and Mystics Creative Collective

The Breath and The Clay event! March 21-23rd in Winston Salem, NC. Use the code DREAM25 for a discount on registration!

Credits:
Episode Sponsor: Be. Make. Do. Podcast.
Music: Some Were At Sea
Produced by Stephen Roach and Brightbell Creative

Stephen RoachMarch 4, 2025

PC Presenter | Kendra Adachi on The Art of Compassionate Time Management

Kendra Adachi is the New York Times bestselling author of The Lazy Genius Way, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, and The PLAN: Manage Your Time Like A Lazy Genius. As an expert in compassionate time management, Kendra helps others stop doing it all for the sake of doing what matters. She Kendra hosts the nationally-ranked The Lazy Genius Podcast and lives in North Carolina with her husband and three kids.

In this episode, Kendra shares about:

bringing our whole self to the table
viewing our life as a painting, not a puzzle
moving past binary perceptions of art and time

Kendra will share a keynote talk and join us for a discussion panel on reconciling art and family at The Breath and The Clay creative arts gathering, March 21-23, 2025, in Winston Salem, NC.

Links/Resources:

Connect with Kendra

Learn more about The Breath and The Clay event

Credits:
Episode Sponsor: MM Creative Collective
Music: Some Were At Sea
Produced by: Stephen Roach

Stephen RoachFebruary 25, 2025

BC25 Presenter | John Mark McMillan | Technology, AI Jesus and Meaning Making

"Technology does a really good job of floating us past all of these inconvenient blessings." - John Mark McMillan

Today on the show, singer-songwriter John Mark Mcmillan joins me to talk about his new music, technology's impact on the arts, confessing to an AI Jesus, and recovering a sense of meaning in our disenchanted world.

If you’ve listened to the Makers and Mystics podcast or have been to any of our Breath and Clay events, then you’ll know that John Mark is no stranger to our community. He’s been a part of the Breath and Clay and Makers and Mystics world since the beginning. We love keeping up with his creative work and appreciate his voice to this community.

John Mark will be bringing his full band to perform some of the new songs for the first time ever in public at The Breath and The Clay March 21-23, 2025.

Topics:

The Impact of Technology on The Arts
AI Jesus
God embraces your whole story

Links/Resources:

Connect with John Mark

Book Mention: I'll Take You There: Pop Music and The Urge for Transcendence by Bill Friskics-Warren

AI Jesus Article

Get Tickets to The Breath and The Clay

BC25Stephen RoachFebruary 18, 2025John Mark McMillan

Makers and Mystics | Live In Boulder, Colorado

This episode offers a preview of the types of panels we'll be hosting at The Breath and The Clay 2025. It includes a live conversation with Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Victory Boyd, gospel recording artist Leeland Mooring, visual artist and curator Corey Frey, and podcast host Stephen Roach."

This conversation was recorded live at the Resound Creative Arts event in Boulder, Colorado.

Reserve Your Spot at The Breath and The Clay March 21-23 in Winston Salem, NC.

BC25Stephen RoachFebruary 12, 2025Makers and Mystics Live, Victory Boyd, Leeland Mooring, Corey Frey, Stephen Roach

BC25 Presenter | Theopoetics and Comic Book Mythology with de'Angelo DIA

In this series of conversations, Makers and Mystics will highlight several of the presenters and themes for the BC25 creative arts gathering, March 21-23, in Winston Salem, NC.

Today’s guest is Theo-poet and mystic Dr. de’Angelo DIA. The conversation explores the intersections of poetry, theology, and personal experience. DIA discusses how his early exposure to literature and comic book mythology shaped his understanding of sacredness and black charismatic spirituality. Stephen Roach highlights BC25 themes of fragmentation and wholeness, the search for the divine in secular spaces, and the influence of neo-Appalachian art on DIA’s work.

Learn more about Dr. de’Angelo DIA

Get Tickets to BC25

Join the Makers and Mystics Creative Collective

Treat us to a cup of coffee for our work on the podcast.

Stephen RoachFebruary 4, 2025

S14 Reclaiming Wonder Finale with Stephen Roach

In the season 14 finale of Makers and Mystics, Stephen Roach reflects on the theme of reclaiming wonder. Drawing from personal stories, spiritual insights, and the wisdom shared by this season’s guests, Stephen examines how we can rediscover awe and beauty in our everyday lives, even in a world that often feels disconnected from the miraculous.

Stephen closes the episode with a thought-provoking insight: Wonder is not just an experience; it’s an invitation. It’s the residue of the divine, a call to transformation, and a reminder that we are made for more than survival. When we open ourselves to wonder, we become what we behold and begin to see the possibility for beauty and meaning in every corner of life.

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wonder, Reclaiming WonderStephen RoachJanuary 28, 2025Reclaiming Wonder, Stephen Roach

S14 E22: Etiquette of The Wild with Martin Shaw

Myths and storytelling have been a part of human culture since ancient times. From the oral traditions of indigenous peoples to the epic tales of gods and heroes, stories have shaped our understanding of the world, our place in it, and our deepest desires.

For artists, these narratives offer more than a glimpse into the past—they are a source of guidance, inspiration, and meaning.

In this final conversation of our ‘Reclaiming Wonder’ series, I am joined by renowned storyteller, mythologist and Christian thinker Martin Shaw.

In our conversation, Martin and I discuss the profound relationship between storytelling and the arts. Martin shares the importance of allowing stories to remain wild, to breathe, and not become domesticated by rushing to interpretation. We discuss the concept of being 'wedded to the wild' and the role of artists in re-wilding faith.

You can learn more about Martin’s work here

You can explore our library of over 300 episodes with artists, mystics, theologians, and creative thinkers at http://www.makersandmystics.com

Thank you to everyone who has followed along in this series of conversations. I’d love to hear from you. Which conversations inspired you most? Which ones did you wrestle with or skip over? Send me a line, and if you want to go deeper into these conversations, please consider joining our creative collective at http://www.patreon.com/makersandmystics

We’d love to have you with us.

I hope to meet you all at The Breath and The Clay event March 21-23, in Winston Salem, NC.

When you see me, come say hi. You’ll be in good company with other artists and creative seekers such as John Mark McMillan, Amanda Cook, Sho Baraka, Joshua Luke Smith, Kendra Apache, Elissa Weichbrodt and many others.

S14 E21: An Unexpected Doorway with Mirabai Starr

The new year is a time of reflecting, looking back over the lengths I’ve come, evaluating what has transpired in my life and in my inner life, and then looking ahead, seeking clarity and direction for where I will place my time, resources and attention for the months to come.

I find that a large part of transitioning from one moment in time to another involves letting go of the past, often grieving our losses, and making peace with the life we have rather than pining after the life we thought we would have or wanted to have. Then, through the mystery of the process, finding wonder even in grief, and in the midst of ordinary life.

My guest today is someone who has seen grief and loss in her own life and who also helps others on their journey through grief. She is one who has learned to recognize wonder in the most unexpected places, like grief and in letting go of the past. Her journey has led her through many different faith practices as well as her creative life has taken on many shapes and forms.

Today, I’m speaking with Award-winning author, contemporary translator of sacred literature, international speaker, and world-renowned teacher of contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog, Mirabai Starr.

This conversation was recorded earlier in 2024, but I think as we move into this new year, the conversation offers a timely invitation to find beauty even amidst our losses and to hold space for the every day to become a place of spiritual and creative transformation.

Much of our conversation centers on grief as an unexpected doorway to wonder. Mirabai shares about her most recent book, Ordinary Mysticism, which Ann Lamont calls a gorgeous, transformative, welcoming book for anyone who longs to feel more present, more alive, more joyful, and aware of the holiness of daily life.

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy a longer unedited version of this conversation which includes several additional stories of my own and several from Mirabai. Visit Patreon.com/makersandmystics to learn more.

GET TICKETS TO THE BREATH AND THE CLAY MARCH 21-23 2025.

Mystics, wonder, Reclaiming WonderStephen RoachJanuary 8, 2025Mirabai Starr, Mystic

S14 E20: Beauty Is Oxygen with Wesley Vander Lugt

Wesley Vander Lugt is a pastor, theologian, writer, and arts advocate. He teaches theology and directs the Leighton Ford Center for Theology, the Arts and Gospel Witness at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte North Carolina. Wes holds a PhD in Theology, Imagination and the Arts from the University of St Andrews, and his latest books are Beauty is Oxygen: Finding a Faith that Breathes and the forthcoming A Prophet in the Darkness: Exploring Theology in the Art of Georges Rouault.

In my conversation with Wes, we discuss his latest book Beauty Is Oxygen and the role beauty plays in our experiences of wonder.

This episode is sponsored by The Breath and The Clay Creative Arts Organization, exploring the intersections of art, faith and culture. Our next gathering is March 21-23 in Winston Salem, NC. and features a diverse roster of presenters and performers, including Sho Baraka, Amanda Cook, John Mark McMillan, and many others. Tickets are on sale now at thebreathandtheclay.com

Author, authors, Beauty, Faith and Art, Reclaiming WonderStephen RoachDecember 31, 2024wes vander lugt, gordon conwell, theologian, beauty

The Breath and The Clay 2025!!

The Breath and The Clay is returning to Winston Salem, NC!! Join us March 21-23rd, 2025, for our annual creative arts gathering!

This event will feature musical performances, an immersive art gallery, keynote talks, various workshops, and community discussions.

Participating artists include Sho Baraka, Kendra Adachi, John Mark McMillan, Molly Parden, Justin McRoberts, and many, many others.

You can find out more about the event and reserve your spot today at thebreathandtheclay.com.

Visual Artists and Film-makers! Submit your works for inclusion in our immersive art gallery here.

Follow the event on Instagram for regular updates @thebreathandtheclay

live event, Live EventsStephen RoachDecember 17, 2024The Breath and the Clay

S14 E19: A Long Curiosity with Rob Bell

Rob Bell is the New York Times Best-Selling author of fourteen books and plays, which have been translated into 25 languages. His visual art can be seen on Instagram @realrobbell. His band is HUMANS ON THE FLOOR, and his podcast is The RobCast.

Today on Makers and Mystics, Rob and I are talking about his Interplanetary tale of love, loss, and bread, his sci-fi fantasy novel Where’d You Park Your Spaceship.

In our conversation, we discuss following creative tangents and the long curiosity that keeps inviting us to follow them.

This episode is sponsored by The Breath and The Clay Creative Arts Organization. Our next gathering is March 21-23 in Winston Salem NC. Tickets are on sale now.

S14 E18: Awakening Wonder In An Anxious Age with author Katherine May

Katherine May is an internationally renowned writer, podcaster and speaker whose work touches on nature, spirituality, slow living and neurodivergence.

Her hybrid memoir Wintering was a global bestseller, adapted as BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week, and shortlisted for the Porchlight and Barnes & Noble Book of the Year. Her most recent title, Enchantment became an instant New York Times bestseller.

In our conversation Katherine and I discuss the common need for rediscovering pathways into enchantment and wonder. We discuss her concept of wintering and how even our most difficult times can become sources of creative and spiritual nourishment.

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an exclusive segment of our conversation where Katherine and I unpack the phrase “secular mystic” as she’s described in the inner sleeve of Wintering.

I’d like to personally invite you to join us at The Breath and The Clay creative arts gathering March 21-23 2025 in Winston Salem, NC. Get Tickets here.

Author, authors, Enchantment, wonder, storytellingStephen RoachNovember 26, 2024author, Katherine May, wonder, reenchantment, enchantment, Best selling, memoir

S14 E17: Heavy Hope with Film Director Thomas Torrey

The question of when it is time to let go of a dream haunts most creatives at one time or another. Living out our sense of fidelity to a creative vision shifts and changes over time, just as the demands of life shift and change over time. But finding a way forward can be challenging, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Film producer Thomas Torrey has tackled this question in his recent musical drama Long December.

Thomas Torrey is a writer/director/producer based in the Southeast. His production company, Bad Theology, has produced three feature films, including the 2017 ride-share thriller FARE, which the Los Angeles Times called “stunning” and Bloody Flicks named as one of the Ten Best Films of the Year; the 2020 mind-bender MINOR PREMISE, which Forbes called “one of the best sci-fi thrillers of the past decade”; and the newly released musical drama LONG DECEMBER, winner of the 2024 One In A Million Award at the Sun Valley Film Festival. Thomas continues to produce films under Bad Theology and also founded a company called Protagonist, with a mission to help entrepreneurs and business leaders communicate and craft their stories through documentaries and social media content. You can follow Long December @longdecember.movie, Bad Theology @badtheology, and Protagonist @protagonist.company.

I caught up with Thomas in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, to discuss the new film and the creative process behind its making.

Many of our listeners will be familiar with several members of the cast, including long-time friends of the podcast, John Mark McMillan and Stephen Williams of Jude Moses.

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an additional interview segment with Thomas on the power of community in the creative process. Visit patreon.com/makersandmystics to learn more.

S14 E16: The Gift of The Elders with Petra Bagust

Makers and Mystics has teamed up with New Zealand's Sunday Sanctuary Podcast for a special collaborative episode.

For the November 10th episode of Sunday Sanctuary, Stephen Roach joins host Petra Bagust for a chat about poetry, creativity, and the different ways that noticing the small wonders of the world can reopen, restore, and change our lives.

In this segment of the conversation, Petra and Stephen discuss the wonder found in Maori culture, storytelling, and the gift of our elders.

Petra Bagust is a multi-talented Aotearoa, New Zealand media personality, writer, and advocate. Her passion for creativity and ethical living resonates with a wildly diverse audience, making her one of New Zealand’s most sought-after radio and television hosts since the nineties.

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Community, Culture, Reclaiming Wonder, storytellingStephen RoachNovember 12, 2024Petra Bagust, New Zealand

S14 E15: Contours of Enchantment with Cheryl Bridges Johns

For many people, and perhaps even for some of our listeners, the Bible elicits a very different response from one person to another. For some, it is a source of comfort and spiritual nourishment, even a great source of creative inspiration, while for others, it brings up difficult questions or even negative emotions and uncomfortable associations.

But as we’ve talked this season about disenchantment and reclaiming wonder, I’m curious if taking a second look at this collection of stories, songs, and spiritual directives may be yet another unexpected doorway into wonder.

My guest today is author and scholar Cheryl Bridges Johns. Cheryl is the author of four books including Re-enchanting The Text: Rediscovering the Bible As Sacred, Dangerous and Mysterious.

In our conversation, we discuss the impact of looking at scripture solely from a didactic viewpoint and what may occur in the reader who instead approaches the Bible as a mystical text with the uncanny ability to change and transform, even re-enchant its reader with a renewed spiritual vitality and understanding of God and the human condition. Cheryl and I also discuss the importance of nature as God’s second book and the role of imagination in creating the world around us.

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an additional interview segment with Cheryl offering several practices to unlock a renewed vision on your creative and spiritual life.

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S14 E14: Catharsis with Lacey Sturm

Lacey Sturm is a Grammy-nominated queen of hard rock who secured a place in rock history as the first solo woman to top the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart with her debut album Life Screams. With a career spanning songs like “All Around Me,” “I’m So Sick,” “Again,” “Impossible,” “State of Me'' and most recently “Awaken Love,”

Lacey Sturm has proven herself as one of the most powerful and enduring voices in hard rock. She is also a sought-after speaker and author, penning the autobiographical books The Reason, The Mystery and The Return. Also a dedicated wife and mother, Lacey tours with her family, supported on stage by her guitarist husband Josh Sturm. You can connect with Lacey at www.laceysturm.com

In this episode, Lacey shares openly about walking through devastating experiences early in life and the role music played in helping her find healing. She shares about her life now and how changing seasons bring out unexpected encounters with beauty and hope.

*Also, just a heads up, our talk today includes sensitive subject matter, including mental health, abuse, and domestic violence.

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