The Great Search for the Sacred | John Philip Newell & Cami Twilling
Tue Jan 20 2026
This week we're hanging with wandering Celtic teacher John Philip Newell and Earth & Soul Director Cami Twilling to talk about what it means to connect to the sacred when you're living outside the bounds of formal religious tradition.
John Philip is an ordained-minister-turned-spiritual-exile who spent years with one foot in the church and one foot out in the wilderness, before finally giving back his ordination. He couldn’t reconcile his experience of the sacredness of humans and nature with Christianity’s history of getting “into bed with empire.”
His book The Great Search asks: What are millions of spiritual seekers actually searching for? And how can we nurture those yearnings?
John Philip talks about philosopher Simone Weil's idea of 'the efficacy of desire': that getting in touch with our deepest longings actually helps bring about what we're yearning for. When we name our hungers with clarity, we become better able to serve them.
We talk about:
* Why the wilderness and the temple need each other
* The 8 yearnings at the heart of spiritual searching
* What happens when you "pray until the tears come" and tap into primal flow
* Why regular retreat matters more than occasional long stints
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We make this show with love, lols, and a lot of curiosity. If it lights you up, help us keep it going with a paid subscription 🌿
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The Adventure:
This one’s subtle and luminous. Cami and John Philip drop us into a contemplative space where the main practice is reconnecting with the light that exists at the heart of all things. We watch how the light moves, and in this simplicity, let our awareness touch eternity.
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Let us know in the comments: what does your “great search” look like right now?
Till next time!
🧘🏽♀️ Tasha & Jeff 🧘🏼♂️
Get full access to The Mind Bod Adventure Pod at www.mindbodpod.com/subscribe
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This week we're hanging with wandering Celtic teacher John Philip Newell and Earth & Soul Director Cami Twilling to talk about what it means to connect to the sacred when you're living outside the bounds of formal religious tradition. John Philip is an ordained-minister-turned-spiritual-exile who spent years with one foot in the church and one foot out in the wilderness, before finally giving back his ordination. He couldn’t reconcile his experience of the sacredness of humans and nature with Christianity’s history of getting “into bed with empire.” His book The Great Search asks: What are millions of spiritual seekers actually searching for? And how can we nurture those yearnings? John Philip talks about philosopher Simone Weil's idea of 'the efficacy of desire': that getting in touch with our deepest longings actually helps bring about what we're yearning for. When we name our hungers with clarity, we become better able to serve them. We talk about: * Why the wilderness and the temple need each other * The 8 yearnings at the heart of spiritual searching * What happens when you "pray until the tears come" and tap into primal flow * Why regular retreat matters more than occasional long stints ------------------------------------ We make this show with love, lols, and a lot of curiosity. If it lights you up, help us keep it going with a paid subscription 🌿 ------------------------------------ The Adventure: This one’s subtle and luminous. Cami and John Philip drop us into a contemplative space where the main practice is reconnecting with the light that exists at the heart of all things. We watch how the light moves, and in this simplicity, let our awareness touch eternity. ------------------------------------ Let us know in the comments: what does your “great search” look like right now? Till next time! 🧘🏽♀️ Tasha & Jeff 🧘🏼♂️ Get full access to The Mind Bod Adventure Pod at www.mindbodpod.com/subscribe