042: Be Open to the Unexpected and Find Pure Presence with Tracy Cochran (Editor at Parabola Magazine)

by Swanson

042: Be Open to the Unexpected and Find Pure Presence with Tracy Cochran (Editor at Parabola Magazine)

The winding road of life leads you to beautiful vistas and the shallows of hardship. Tracy Cochran shares her experiences of the vistas and the shallows in our conversation. We touch on the practices that enliven us, vulnerability as a superpower and how she got involved in her work at Parabola Magazine. One thing that particularly struck me about Tracy was her incredible capacity for deep listening. Upon hearing our conversation, you will bear witness to the depth from which Tracy shares her words; written or spoken. 

Tracy Cochran is the editorial director of Parabola magazine, a magazine that holds the sweet spot of being the meeting ground for all of the world’s great spiritual traditions, as they illuminate the central questions of human existence. Tracy’s articles have appeared in all of the best publications, she teaches mindfulness meditation, and mindful writing classes.

You can learn more about Tracy and her work at tracycochran.org and parabola.org.

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EPISODE SHOW NOTES

Resources Mentioned

Drinks Pairings

  • Water from the deepest well

Highlights

  • When you hear the word “contemplative”, how does that moniker relate to you?
  • How does that manifest in your day-to-day life in practice?
  • Can you share about Thich Nhat Hahn’s ‘mantra of true presence’ – ‘Darling, I am here for you.’?
  • If someone were going to teach a class on the formation of Tracy Cochran, what would be the 3 mandatory readings or works that formed you that would definitely be on that syllabus?
  • How did you go from a reader of Parabola to and editor?
  • What Parabola piece would you recommend to a new reader?
  • In your recent article, The Quiet Superpower, you quote one Buddhist definition as that the ego is a defense against vulnerability. How do you see vulnerability as a pathway for connection in our current times?
  • Does the craft of writing cultivate vulnerability?
  • What is the importance of mentors in your life?
  • What projects do you have on the horizon?
  • What drink would pair with this conversation?

Photo credit: Death To Stock Photo