Podcast
At Sea with Justin McRoberts
Hosted by Justin McRoberts · EN
A weekly interview show with culture makers and shakers. In each installment, host Justin McRoberts talks with artists, creatives, policymakers, and theologians that are striving and pushing for humanity to reach new heights.
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How to See Invisible Things With Stephen Roach
Feb 1100:45:59Tap to summarizeBreath and Clay as a “house of refuge” from cultural noiseCommunity as collaboration, not organizationWhy the event works: clarity plus mysteryMakers show up with projects, not just opinionsReal-world outcomes: collaborations that keep growing after the weekendLetting fruit scatter without controlling the pipelineThe 2026 theme: Making Space https://www.thebreathandtheclay.comThe icon: the chairStephen’s new book: How to See Invisible ThingsInner life and outer life of the artist“Border-walker” artists and the liminal, unresolved middleArt as a way of seeing, not a utilitarian productScarcity vs abundance as a spiritual and creative postureMary “treasuring” as a model for creation and formationBook excerpt: John Cage 4’33, Quaker silence, sacramental visionCall to action: make the investment, ditch something else, come to Winston-Salemhttps://www.thebreathandtheclay.com Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble
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Why Healing Can’t Be Rushed (or Automated) with Jamie Lee Finch
Jan 1301:06:11Tap to summarizeWhy “home” is a somatic experience, not just a locationPersona vs personhood — and why the difference mattersThe danger of self-awareness without relationshipWhy stewardship is a better metaphor than ownershipHow shame becomes the most familiar somatic stateWhy healing must be titrated, not rushedThe cost of progress-driven spirituality and productivity cultureReintegrating younger selves instead of rejecting themVisibility, integrity, and the courage to expand again—carefully Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble
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Stop Calling Yourself Broken: A Conversation About Sobriety and Wholeness with Laura McKowen
Dec 1101:14:28Tap to summarizeThis week, Justin sits down with bestselling author Laura McKowen for an honest, layered conversation about sobriety, identity, creative calling, and the slow, often painful work of becoming whole. Together they explore:• Why “place” matters for emotional and spiritual grounding• The strange internal pull that guides creative people long before they have language for it• How early snippets of desire can act as breadcrumbs into a future self• The difference between writing for yourself and writing for publication• Why AA saved Laura’s life—and where its framing can unintentionally keep people small• How relapse, repeated “Day Ones,” and imperfect recovery are part of the human journey• The relationship between money, creativity, and integrity• Why the long work of sobriety is ultimately a long work of identityThe episode closes with a reading from In the Low and a reflection on why wholeness—not speed, not perfection—is the actual goal.Laura's Website - https://www.lauramckowen.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/laura_mckowen Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble
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Why We Stopped Waiting (and What It’s Costing Us)
Dec 500:04:09Tap to summarize• Why “waiting” feels harder now than it did a decade ago• What Arcade Fire’s “We Used to Wait” reveals about our relationship to speed• The spiritual value of slowness—especially during Advent• How desire clarifies identity rather than feeding consumption• A practical invitation: choose something you want, pause before getting it, and explore the desire beneath the desire• Reading from In the Low on longing, disappointment, and hope Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble
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The Hidden Danger of Shortcuts
Nov 600:16:29Tap to summarizeThe false promise of “instant clarity” and “quick fixes.”Why bypassing struggle stunts real growth.How to use AI and psilocybin responsibly—without losing your humanity.The value of failure, pain, and disillusionment.Reflections from In the Low by Justin McRoberts & Scott Erickson on living fully in difficult seasons. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble
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Imagination, Work, and What Really Matters
Sep 1800:14:05Tap to summarizeEncouraging imagination in children: why participation beats restriction.Work transitions: how to discern whether to push harder where you are or look for something new.Why Justin doesn’t comment on celebrity-centered current events, and what’s at stake when we confuse spectacle with real importance.Closing with a prayer from In the Low (October 2025 release with Scott Erickson). Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble
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Navigating Rejection, Overwhelm, and Authenticity
Aug 2800:19:50Tap to summarizeJustin shares gratitude for support after a recent car accident.Listener questions addressed:- How to reconnect during seasons of rejection and disconnection. - Managing the overwhelm of life’s constant demands. - Practicing transparency without sharing every detail.Insights from the Ignatian spiritual tradition on consolation and desolation.The importance of paying attention to your own needs and desires.Learning to say no to external demands and focus on what matters most.Setting healthy boundaries in relationships and public life.Actionable advice: Spend time with a coach or spiritual director, learn to disappoint unhealthy systems, and discern appropriate levels of transparency. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble
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Grieving the End, Embracing the New
Aug 900:23:13Tap to summarizeJustin shares personal stories about his kids starting a new school year and the emotions that come with it.The myth of “creative block” and what it’s really about.How the Sabbath helps process endings and prepare for new seasons.Distinguishing between wisdom and fear when making choices.Why calling is more about who you’re becoming than choosing perfectly.Closing with an excerpt from Justin’s upcoming book with Scott Erickson. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble
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Permission to Change: Silence, Resistance, and Becoming
Jul 3100:16:37Tap to summarizeMain Question: How to explain your need for a day of silence to family and friendsResistance: Often comes from good people and deserves thoughtful communicationMaking a Plan: Plans stick; impulses fadeCalendar as a Tool: Helps visualize trade-offs and negotiate responsiblyLife Built by Consent: Recognizing past choices and agreements as part of transformationCoaching and Investment: Why hiring a coach signals seriousness about changeInvitation to Others: Change can become a witness to more life for everyone Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble
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Being Real, Growing On Purpose, and Feeling Your Feelings
Jul 2400:21:41Tap to summarizeEpisode Notes:Authenticity in Art: You're a real artist if you’re doing the work—regardless of metrics or recognition.Internal Metrics for Growth: Choose your own measures of progress and satisfaction.Emotional Expression: Not every feeling needs to be shared online. Say less. Process more.Derek Sivers Insight: Sometimes saying your plans out loud gives you the reward without doing the work.New Book Preview: Reading from In the Low, a prayer book for seasons of depression (releasing Oct 7, 2025). Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make itHearts and Minds Amazon Barnes and Noble
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