Ep. 40 - The Thread Between Traditions with Joshua Michael Schrei

Omid Safi and mythology expert Joshua Michael Schrei explore the shared threads of spiritual traditions, discussing ecstasy, discernment, and the courage to cultivate a heart that becomes a refuge for others.This episode was originally recorded for The Emerald, a podcast that explores the human experience through a vibrant lens of myth, story, and imagination. Brought to life through the wise, wild, and humorous vision of Joshua Michael Schrei — a teacher and lifelong student of the cosmologies and mythologies of the world — the podcast draws from a deep well of poetry, lore, and mythos to challenge conventional narratives on politics and public discourse, meditation and mindfulness, art, science, literature, and more. Subscribe to The Emerald on your favorite podcast app for more conversations like this!In this episode, Omid and Joshua navigate:The connecting thread between different faith traditionsThe mythic, the ecstatic, and the embodiedMaking contact with the mysteryBuilding spiritual rhythm through daily practiceReal friendship: holding up the mirror to one anotherStaying consciously open but maintaining wise boundariesSpiritual naivety, working on discernment, and being aware of self-justification  Political activism and taking accountability for our own rolesMaking our hearts a garden in which others can seek shelterAbout Joshua Michael Schrei:Josh Schrei is a podcaster, myth teller, teacher, and a lifelong student of the cosmologies and mythologies of the world—in particular the Indian subcontinent.  Throughout a lifetime of teaching, study, meditation, and yogic practice, wilderness immersion, art, music, and public speaking, Josh has sought to navigate the living, animate space of the imagination and advocate for a world that prioritizes imaginative vision. Josh has taught intensive courses in mythology and somatic disciplines for more than 20 years. Keep up with Joshua on his website and stay tuned for fresh episodes of The Emerald. "When we re-find that ecstatic thread, then we find that thread unifies so many things that we once thought were disparate. The divine has always been accessed musically, through story, through art, in so many different ways, through mythic study. All of this is a different way of getting out of agitated consciousness and into a place where we can find that ecstatic experience."  –Joshua Michael SchreiAbout Omid Safi:Omid Safi is a teacher in the Islamic mystical tradition of Radical Love, and serves as a professor