Episode 19 of the Western Friend Podcast features a wide-ranging interview with Barbara Birch, "Elizabeth Fry & Embodied Spirituality." Barbara Barbara is a member of Strawberry Creek Meeting in Berkeley, California. She discusses her research on Elizabeth Fry, embodied spirituality and its relevance to Quakers today, as well as Friendly 12-Step recovery. Click here to read Barbara's article in Western Friend, "Eilzabeth Gurney Fry: A Quaker Mess."
Click here to listen to the complete podcast.
Or first try the "sound bite" below.
The “chapters” in this podcast:
0:00 Introductions
01:42 Spirituality, disordered eathing, and Twelve-Step recovery
11:17 Honesty, reputation, Quaker history, Elizabeth Fry
15:00 Elizabeth Fry, alcohol and laudanum, hardships
20:07 Perfectionism, depression, healing experiences
25:57 Honesty, denial, Twelve-Step
27:27 Addictions
28:56 Jesus as a flawed human
31:41 Addiction and a meaningful life
35:00 Hiding imperfections, social media, Quaker judgyness
39:31 Researching Elizabeth Fry and other historic Friends
41:53 The refiner's fire
48:03 Research on Elizabeth Fry's psychology
50:21 Elizabeth Fry's work in prisons
53:28 Embodiment, spiritual embodiment