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Many of the people Scott works with as a coach and therapist are reporting that they are experiencing compassion fatigue. In this episode, he talks about what compassion fatigue is and how to address it.  

In this episode, Scott shares a "check-in" process he often uses with individuals, couples, and organizations he works with, called the "internal weather report." He also shares how, in the midst of the deep freeze hitting Wisconsin, where he lives, as well as much of the rest of the country, the universal wish that people extend to one another is "stay warm." What would it mean for us to "stay warm" emotionally and spiritually in the midst of the many storms happening around us today?

Sometimes an encounter changes us so deeply that we cannot return the same way we came. When has that been true for you? The story of the Wise Men being warned not to go back to Herod, but to go home by a different way after they encounter the Christ child, is a metaphor for how when we encounter the Divine, we often choose to move forward in a new way.

Let us celebrate and fully receive the generous gift of God's love at Christmas so that we can go forth and generously share that love with others.  

A Generous Dinner Party Jesus tells this story to remind us what a true Christian approach to generosity and hospitality looks like.  How might you and I practice this in our own lives? Luke 14:15-25 (The Message Translation) 15 That triggered a response from one of the guests: "How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God's kingdom!" 16-17 Jesus followed up. "Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, 'Come on in; the food's on the table.' 18 "Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, 'I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.' 19 "Another said, 'I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.' 20 "And yet another said, 'I just got married and need to get home to my wife.' 21 "The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, 'Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and down-and-out you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.' 22 "The servant reported back, 'Master, I did what you commanded—and there's still room.' 23-24 "The master said, 'Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.'"

Jesus offered a radical, transformational hospitality. What does it look like for us to do the same?

Generosity is amplified when it is practiced together in community. Communities of generosity are essential for our individual and collective wellbeing. 

Opening our hearts and souls to gratitude also opens them to both the receiving and sharing of generosity. When our hearts, souls, and minds are close--it makes it nearly impossible to give or receive gratitude and generosity.  

You may be more familiar with the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Still, the title "The Parable of the Generous Parent" emphasizes the story's primary message: God's extravagant generosity and love.

Our focus for the season of Advent, which this year begins on Sunday, November 30, 2025, is Practicing Generosity with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind. The focus is truly on practicing--not just thinking more about generosity. There are many compasses that compete to guide our lives, and the compasses of the larger culture are strong this time of year. Let's commit to making our spirituality our compass during Advent.  If you don't have a printed booklet of the reflections, you can: Receive the daily reflections in English by email by signing up at https://www.livingcompass.org/advent-signup Read the daily reflections in Spanish at the Facebook Page for Brújula de la Vida at https://www.facebook.com/MiBrujuladeVida  Download a free PDF of both the English and Spanish booklets at: www.livingcompass.org/advent Buy e-books of the English and Spanish booklets on Amazon for $0.99 US each. Search for "Living Well Through Advent 2025" or "Vivir un buen Adviento en el 2025."

There are many compasses that compete to guide our lives. The compasses of the dominant culture are strong this time of year. Observing Advent means making a decision to make the compass of our faith our primary compass as we navigate the journey to Christmas.

We all carry grief and gratitude through the holidays. Learning to be comfortable with fully feeling and expressing both is crucial to our emotional and spiritual wellbeing.  "The work of the mature person is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other and to be stretched large by them. How much sorrow can I hold? That's how much gratitude I can give. If I carry only grief, I'll bend toward cynicism and despair. If I have only gratitude, I'll become saccharine and won't develop much compassion for other people's suffering. Grief keeps the heart fluid and soft, which helps make compassion possible."

The Northern Lights reminded us this week of the power of looking up--the power of awe and the importance of taking a higher perspective on how the Divine infuses and enlightens every aspect of our lives. 

The Wisdom of Indigenous spirituality is captured in this quote from Chief Seattle: "Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect." In this episode Scott explores how this is an expression of nondual consciousness, a topic he has been talking about in the last few episodes.

In response to several listeners' "so what?" questions regarding the previous podcast episode, Scott talks about a few practical applications of non-dual consciousness.