James Rees and Keeping the Channel Open

How can we “keep the channel open” for inspiration? In this episode, Lisa Valentine Clark and professional artist James Rees discuss the spiritual side of art. James shares his best practices as an artist and an art teacher, and he and Lisa explore how we can keep ourselves open to transcendental experiences as we live creative lives.

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Family Discovers That Nazi Grandfather Aided French Villagers

Karl Gönner was a Nazi, and his family didn't ask a lot of questions about that time in his life. But after his death, they came to find out, in a most unexpected way, that he'd protected villagers in occupied France against abuse by the Nazi regime. In this episode of Constant Wonder, a family discovers that their history is more inspiring than they'd ever suspected.

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Finding Connection and Community

People will often talk about creative pursuits as a way to make friends--maybe you'll meet people at a pottery class, or you'll find people who are interested in the same music as you. But what we don't often discuss is how creativity connects us not only to the people around us, but also to ourselves! In the episode of The Lisa Show's series on creativity, Lisa talks with friends and experts to find out how being creative can help us understand ourselves, the people around us, and our place in the universe. No small task!

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When Living Longer Conflicts With Dying Well

Dying is inevitable. But medical advancements have made it possible to cheat death in many instances that would have been quickly fatal not so long ago. So it’s become easier to avoid thinking about death and default toward saying “yes” to whatever medical intervention will extend our lives. But when does living longer conflict with dying well? In this podcast episode we’re assessing the common assumption that we can extend life at all costs and still have a “good death” when the time comes. A hospital physician explains the complicated financial and emotional incentives that lead doctors and patients do too many tests, prescriptions and procedures that ultimately do more harm than good. An ICU doctor describes the risks of relying on a “living will” to guarantee a “good death” and what to do instead. If you’ve spent a life saying “yes,” by default, to everything medicine has to offer, it’s traumatic – and not at all straightforward – to know when to start saying “no.” We also hear how a man with terminal cancer navigated end-of-life decisions and what it took for his caregivers to deliver on his wishes for a good death in hospice.

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How Does Podcasting Create Religious Communities?

Steve talks with fellow podcasters from "3 Black Men" and "Mommying While Muslim" about how their different podcasts have created community for their listeners. Steve was able to host this week's guest in studio, because all of them attended the BYU Law School's "Annual Religious Freedom Review," where they spoke together on a panel about this topic. Look for those panel sessions in our extras.

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Jake Van Wagoner and Enjoying the Creative Process

Creativity can be incredibly fulfilling. So why is it so hard sometimes? Lisa Valentine Clark and Studio C showrunner and producer, Jake Van Wagoner, take a look at imposter syndrome and the importance of giving yourself permission to make bad art. They discuss how to enjoy the process rather than putting pressure on ourselves to create something great every time. Plus, Jake improvises a new theme song for The Lisa Show.

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