Kindreds

What does community look like when we can’t be in person? How do we see community changing and evolving in our lives right now, and how might we reimagine community for the future? We talk about the upsides and downsides of virtual community, navigating work online, and our hopes for how the lessons of COVID-19 will shape us for the better. Full shownotes at: http://kindredspodcast.com/2020/05/13/episode-45-reimagining-community/

On Kindreds Picks, we discuss some of our favorite recommendations that we didn’t have time to get to in our regular episode. This episode we discuss Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid and the Hulu adaption of Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.

Have you been questioning the place of productivity in your life or in our culture as a whole? Is productivity something you cling to or repel from in times of stress? Ashley and Katey are rethinking their relationships with getting things done and how self-quarantining has impacted their feelings about our cultural obsession with output and efficiency. We explore the ways that white supremacy culture show up in our work and faith circles in ways that we often fail to recognize and share a bit about the thoughtful leaders who are showing us a new way of being in the world that isn't all about being productive. Full shownotes: http://kindredspodcast.com/2020/04/14/episode-44-the-cult-of-productivity/

In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, we take a time out from our regular podcast schedule to talk about how we're coping (and not), how we're stayed connected with ourselves and one another in the age of physical distancing, and how we're more committed than ever to dismantling the patriarchy. Full shownotes: http://kindredspodcast.com/2020/03/23/episode-43-in-this-together/

Do you believe in soul mates? In this episode we explore the notion of soul mates, both the more common understandings in terms of romantic partnerships and the more expansive ideas of kindred spirits and soul families. Full shownotes: http://kindredspodcast.com/2020/03/16/episode-42-soul-mates-or-soul-families/

On Kindreds Picks, we discuss some of our favorite recommendations that we didn’t have time to get to in our regular episode. This episode Katey recommends Richard Rohr's The Universal Christ and Ashely shares about the website MommaStrong. Full shownotes http://kindredspodcast.com/2020/03/02/kindreds-picks-the-universal-christ-and-mommastrong/

The stats don't lie. • 1 in 4 U.S. women will have an abortion by the time she turns 45.  • Up to 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage. • 10% of all couples experience some form of infertility. Reproductive loss is common. Incredibly common. So why don't we talk about it more? Because we're uncomfortable with embodiment. With death. With grief. And so in our silence, we isolate those who are suffering in solitude. That's why we decided to dedicate this episode to reproductive loss: to explain what it is (it's way more than miscarriage) and share ways to journey alongside those who are hurting. We can't make anyone's grief go away, but we can help someone feel less alone. Full shownotes: http://kindredspodcast.com/2020/02/17/episode-41-reproductive-loss/

We discuss some of our favorite recommendations that we didn’t have time to get to in our regular episode on mysticism and inner wisdom. Ashley's Pick E-book: Christ Our Black Mother Speaks by Christena Cleveland, activist and public theologian, director of the Center for Justice and Renewal. This is a collection of art, essays, questions and practices to deepen our connection to the Dark Divine Feminine. http://www.christenacleveland.com/shop/christourblackmotherspeaks Katey's Pick Guided Meditation: Meeting an Unexpected Healing Guide by Michael Sealey. "This hypnotic sleep meditation will allow you to take an inner journey into your self awareness and deepest consciousness, where you will imagine meeting a surprising type of healing guide, who will bring you many positive messages and insights into your total self healing - in mind, body, and spirit." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfKSOasvRL8&t=17s Visit www.kindredspodcast.com for more information.  Look out for our full-length episode on reproductive loss coming in a few weeks.

Have you ever been interested in the witchy side of spirituality? You’re in luck! We are talking all about the mystical aspects of our spirituality that we don’t usually tap into during traditional religious services. How do we go about discovering our inner voice? And when we’ve uncovered it, how do we honor it? In this episode we explore different definitions of mysticism, distinguish it from the term “New Age, ” and talk about how we can all be mystics. We look into ancient sacred texts that didn’t make it into the Christian canon, share our thoughts on the gaining popularity of witchcraft, and try to connect the dots between mysticism, sexism, and racism. For the full shownotes, visit http://kindredspodcast.com/2020/01/20/episode-40-mysticism-and-inner-wisdom/

We absolutely love our listeners, and that's why we dedicate our last episode of the year to your questions, comments, and ideas.  This one is chock full of listener thoughtfulness--way more than we could fit into a single episode! But, we did our best to weigh in on a number of topics including deconstructing and reconstructing our faith, reclaiming "blessed" as a theological term, and the complexities surrounding reproductive dignity and freedom, including miscarriage, adoption, and child marriage. We also do a quick recap of where we were at the beginning of this decade and how we're ending it now. (Hint: we're rocking it!)

#Blessed. What about this public display of gratitude makes us cringe? In this episode about gratitude, Ashley and Katey share their thoughts on the perfunctory “thank you” we were taught as kids, what blessings are all about, and the performative nature of #blessed. It goes without saying, but in this season of giving thanks, we are incredibly thankful for our patrons, listeners, and supporters. Y’all are the best! (Want to help us keep making new episodes? Head on over to patreon.com/kindreds to support us today.) Check out the full show notes: http://kindredspodcast.com/2019/11/26/episode-38-gratitude-blessed-and-blessings/

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness month, we discuss gender-based violence and what we can do to end it. GBV can take many forms, affects marginalized groups at higher rates, and starts when folks are young. We talk about how difficult it can be for survivors to come forward, how the church has failed survivors, and how we can access resources to help us become better advocates for ending GBV in all its forms. For the full shownotes: http://kindredspodcast.com/2019/10/31/episode-37-ending-gender-based-violence/

From "life-hacking" productivity and personality tests, to relationship advice gurus and Christian based self-improvement, the genre of self-help is vast and wide. In this episode we dive into the self-help atmosphere with reflections on some of the best self-help books we've read, tried, and continue to live by.  We also explore the ways in which we have been taught that self-help is and isn't compatible with faith. Read the full show notes: http://kindredspodcast.com/2019/09/30/episode-37-adventures-in-self-help/

What brings joy, even for a moment? What do we turn to when life is getting us down? Ashley and Katey share some of their favorite things, from books and podcasts to hair towels and face sprays, that are keeping them going during a tough season of work stress, parenting woes, and political chaos.

Abortion. We're talking all about it in this episode. We dive into the history of Christianity and abortion and how that showed up in our church upbringings. We discuss the state of abortion access today and how abortion fits within the broader framework of reproductive justice. And, we talk about how we are Christians who support abortion and why we need to talk about it more.  Full show notes: http://kindredspodcast.com/2019/07/29/episode-34-the-abortion-episode/