In this episode ordained unity and interfaith minister Rev. Carol Saunders shares her insights on spirituality, compassion, and the intersection of human and animal welfare. A former engineer who transitioned into spiritual leadership, Carol discusses her journey towards a spiritual vocation, emphasizing the transformative power of inner faith and unity principles. Together we explore themes such as the Christ essence within everyone, the significance of embracing one's divine nature, and the spiritual and societal implications of our relationship with animals Carol advocates for a comprehensive spiritual approach that includes all sentient beings in our circle of compassion, which she argues is crucial for true freedom and spiritual fulfilment. The episode delves into complex topics like the challenges of traditional religious interpretations, the importance of personal spiritual awakening and how to orient ourselves towards this, and the ethical dimensions of our interactions with the natural world. Chapters (00:04:07) - From engineer to interfaith minister - Carol’s path to faith (00:10:00) - Inner Christ and Christ consciousness explained (00:14:00) - Original sin and taking responsibility for divine nature (00:22:00) - What is God? Love, energy, and consciousness (00:28:00) - Presence, meditation, and connecting with the divine (00:33:00) - Free will, destiny, and listening to inner guidance (00:37:00) - Understanding evil, shadow, and separation from light (00:44:30) - Waking up from the control matrix and collective fear (00:59:00) - The nature of suffering and why we experience pain (01:08:30) - Compassion for animals, veganism, and spiritual liberation (01:42:00) - End times, manifestation, and envisioning a free world (02:03:00) - Closing reflections - walking the hard path Guest Links Whole Planet Spirituality Forum and Retreat (Link: https://thespiritualforum.org/retreat) The Spiritual Forum Podcast (Link: https://thespiritualforum.org/podcast) YouTube Channel (Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBwtIL7fj92Nwgyn3taDI4Q) Weddings and Ceremonies (Link: https://www.revcarolsaunders.com/) Wolf and the Lamb blog (Link: https://www.wolfandthelamb.com/) References from the episode Do Vegans Who Get a COVID-19 Vaccine Abandon Their Moral Principles? Yes — and No. [Gary Francione] (Link: https://tinyurl.com/5n866949) Affiliate Links Surfshark: VPN / Antivirus / Incogni Fountain: https://fountain.fm/jonnyhodl?code=3a917f606b Podcast Website: http://www.stayingfreepod.com/ Links to all platforms: https://linktr.ee/stayingfreepod Host Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonnyhodl Podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/stayingfreepod Donate to the Podcast: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/stayingfreepod Donate with Bitcoin: https://tippin.me/@jonnyhodl / bc1qvgktg2uurp69cf5xepjhunwhp6skxrf69hmq82 Donate with Lightning: https://tipybit.com/stayingfreepod / ⚡️jonnyhodl@getalby.com Huge thank you to my generous supporters Pim Mark A Parallel Mike