Christianity, Perfomance, and Authentic Faith with Rev. Caitlyn Ference-Saunders (Part 1)

In this episode, Rev. Cait Ference-Saunders shares her journey from childhood wonder through her experiences in ballet, church, and yoga practice, illustrating how embodiment and faith intertwine. She explores how her roles as a yoga teacher and clergy member inform her understanding of spiritual embodiment and the importance of consent, ritual, and authenticity. In this episode, Cait Ference-Saunders shares her insights on the relationship between institution and power in our life of faith, and reimagining theological concepts as places of empowerment. Keywords spiritual embodiment, faith, trauma-informed yoga, church, identity, ritual, consent, embodiment, Christian tradition, justice spirituality, nature, wonder, awe, integration, collaboration, theology, ecology, embodiment, sacredness Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Cait's journey and background 04:11 The generative power of being stumped and curiosity 06:00 The impact of outdoor life and environment 07:36 College, disorientation, and land as a grounding force 09:07 Embodiment through dance and ballet 09:57 Wonder as curiosity and awe in spiritual life 11:29 Grieving ballet and finding yoga as a new practice 13:41 Body image, diet culture, and societal expectations 15:02 Integrating nature into spiritual and emotional practice 16:41 Performance, perfectionism, and hypervigilance 20:18 Objectification, consent, and embodiment in faith 22:08 Growing up in bifurcated religious environments 22:31 The journey to ordination and body acceptance 24:37 Clergy clothing as ritual and identity 27:54 The risks and rewards of embodying institutional power 28:09 Accepting and embracing authentic impulses in spirituality 30:49 Balancing justice, faith, and systemic harm 33:35 Integrating faith, trauma, and embodiment practices 34:09 The deep feeling nature and empathy for all beings 37:52 The deep weave of faith and lived experience 40:01 Indigenizing place and the responsibility to relate to land 40:14 The role of ritual, clothing, and embodiment in spiritual practice 43:33 Starting points for exploring spirituality and wonder 45:37 Encouragement for those seeking authentic spiritual connection Resources https://bookshop.org/a/97541/97808232... by Marika Rose https://bookshop.org/a/97541/97988898... by Dean Detloff and Matt Bernico https://bookshop.org/a/97541/97815713... by Robin Wall Kimmerer https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ https://www.traumasensitiveyoga.com/ http://www.withcait.com/ https://www.instagram.com/spiritualem... https://www.samantharedondotherapy.com Disclaimer from Cait: "My words are my own and do not reflect an official statement by the Episcopal Church or the breadth of its doctrine. The things I share are from my lived experience as an individual seeker of God, who is also ordained. Not every priest or member of the church will hold the exact positions I do, but holding disparate things in common is a hallmark of my ordaining church."