The Unity of Mysticism: The Micro and Macro Landscape Of Existence Posted With Henry Cretella and Joel Lesses

In this episode recorded for Alchemical Dialogues, Henry Cretella inteviews Joel about the arts, and how they are instrumental in creating change within ourselves and in the world. The relationship of inner and outer reflects a unity in the mystical experience. Henry and Joel talk about a particular immersion in poetry, and for Joel, this art form is an expression of humanity’s mystical longing. Joel also explores other avenues of change through his podcasts on Unraveling Religion, his commitment to revisioning our conception of mental health issues and treatment, his spiritual practices, and reflecting on his own personal journey. Join us and dive into the change that we all long to embody. [Note this verison is slightly edited from the Alchemical Dialogues post of the same episode]

Link for Alchemical Dialogues: https://www.amberlightinternational.org/podcast/ Alchemical Dialogues are live and unscripted conversations recorded on Zoom brought to you by the great folks of Amber Light International. We choose topics from our current social and cultural climate, with an emphasis on humanism and spirituality.

Bio on Alchemical Dialogues: Joel David Lesses crafts poems about the landscape of our mind and life, capturing the mystical and spiritual elements of being human. He explores our humanness and resilience in the face of true suffering, overcoming these with the transformative power of self-inquiry, introspection, contemplative, and meditative practices. Joel grounds our human experience and spiritual realms in poetry. He has lived in Nepal and Israel, and now resides in Western New York. Joel was previously voted ‘Buffalo’s Best Poet’, founded WNY’s ‘Ground and Sky Poetry Series’, and created the podcast Unraveling Religion, which explores world mysticism and spirituality. His autobiography, Odyssey of Autumn’s Breath, is in-progress, and combines much of his life’s poetry with prose​.​