101: Rewire your brain for powerful spiritual connections with Caroline Oakes

Compass Podcast: Finding the spirituality in the day-to-day

Caroline Oakes shares how contemplative prayer and meditation rewire our thinking and open us up for Divine connection. In this episode, you’ll hear how Jesus practiced “the pause”–or took time away for centering and contemplation. You’ll also hear some of the ways that our own contemplative practices can change our thought processes and awaken a heightened awareness for God’s movement in our day-to-day lives.

Caroline Oakes is the author of Practice the Pause: Jesus’ Contemplative Practice, New Brain Science, and What It Means to Be Fully Human. She is a writer/spiritual director/publicist who is fascinated with the shifts in mind and spirit that slowing down and noticing can bring. Caroline has been published by The OnBeing Project (OnBeing.org), the Huffington Post, the Bucks County Herald, Outlook by the Bay, and other online and print publications.

Connect with the Compass podcast at www.umc.org/compass

(00:00) Introduction
(01:45) Caroline’s start in contemplative practice
(09:20) Jesus’ practice of contemplative prayer
(14:54) Building new neurological connections
(19:28) Contemplative neuroscience
(26:40) What is “metanoia” and why is it important?
(30:45) Recommended contemplative practices
(38:35) Connect with Caroline Oakes