Today, as we celebrate our mothers and motherhood, we’re exploring the symbols of our Divine Mother hidden throughout ancient Christianity, and what it might mean for each of us—men and women—to cultivate and integrate divine femininity into our own souls.
Our guests are Kathryn and Bob Sonntag, who joined us at Restore last year for a powerful session on ritual, wisdom, and our Divine Mother. Today, we’re bringing that conversation to everyone.
Together, we explore where the symbol of the Mother appears in ancient Christian traditions and grapple honestly with what divine femininity and divine masculinity look like when we strip away the stereotypes that can become rigid and prescriptive. As Kathryn says, the feminine is, by its nature, subtle and hidden—something that has to be cultivated with intention. And when souls or systems overdevelop the masculine and lose touch with feminine wisdom (or vice versa), something essential goes missing. Neither the masculine nor the feminine can truly flourish without the other.
We spend time on practical integration. Bob says that ritual is the way we translate meaning into action—the way spiritual truths become lived realities. And he says that ritual isn’t reserved for temples or holy days, but is available in the texture of ordinary life—in hospitality, shared meals, and the quiet rhythms of each day. When we bring intention to those moments, the mundane becomes sacred, and the deeper work of integration and transformation can take root.
This one is for Mother’s Day, and for anyone ready to engage in this deep inner work. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Kathryn and Bob Sonntag.
You can read more from Kathryn in her book, The Mother Tree, which is available on Amazon and at wayfaremagazine.org. You can read more from Bob at wayfaremagazine.org.
CELEBRATING OUR DIVINE MOTHER
What do we know about Heavenly Mother?
The doctrine of a Heavenly Mother is a cherished and distinctive belief among Latter-day Saints. The Church’s essay on the topic can be found here. Based on that essay, we have published the following videos, podcast episodes, and articles you can peruse as you study this cherished doctrine:
CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY WITH WAYFARE
A subscription to Wayfare would make a beautiful Mother’s Day gift! Become a paid Wayfare subscriber or Faith Matters donor in her name today and we’ll send Issue 7 now and Issue 8 in the fall. Get a peek inside the newest issue below, and email info@faithmatters.org if you have any questions about your subscription or a gift subscription.
If you are already a paid Wayfare subscriber or Friend of Faith Matters donor, you should have seen your copy of Issue 7 arrive this week—please email us ASAP if you haven’t seen it yet and we’ll make sure you’re on the list for the next shipment!
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Preparing Our Hearts to Love God & Others
What does it mean to love God? How can I remember God? What does it mean to be part of God's covenant people? How might we think about sin and temptation? What is the role of a prophet?
Do My Works Bring Me Closer to Christ?
How might we think about obedience? What is the relationship between grace and works? What is the value of scripture in my life? What does it mean to be strong and courageous? What is the meaning of baptism?
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AN INVITATION FROM THOMAS MCCONKIE
Friends,
My wife, Gloria, and I have been holding this community together for over a decade — through seasons of growth, confusion, grief, and joy. And one of the questions that keeps returning to us is this: are we doing justice to both the masculine and feminine styles of spirituality that seek expression through this community?
We’ve learned a lot. We’ve struggled a lot. But I think we’ve struggled well. And this month, we’d like to open up the conversation more to the community.
One question we’re holding, among others, is what would a spiritual community look like if both masculine and feminine energies were valued and fully expressed? We’re not posing this as an abstraction — we’re asking how we, as the Lower Lights community, can continue to live into this question together.
We hope you’ll join us at Bell Hall on May 13th to begin this exploration — an evening of chant, meditation, and soulful conversation.
Love,
Thomas
When: Wednesday, May 13th, 7:30-9pm
Where: Bell Hall (389 East 1st Avenue), Salt Lake City
Who: Anyone looking for authentic spiritual companionship on the journey Home.
Registration required via the following link:
*Please note that due to capacity restrictions at Bell Hall, 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝. We will have a check in at the door to confirm registration, so we recommend arriving early if you can! Please plan on street parking.
