Poetic Pause Podcast

About Poetic Pause Podcast

Poetic Pause podcast explores the journey of change—the roads we can take when we find ourselves at the crossroads of loss, transition, and becoming. Through poetry as meditation and reflection, Poetic Pause Podcast offers a reflective space to slow down, make meaning of what has been lived, and imagine what comes next. Each episode invites stillness, remembrance, and curiosity—meeting listeners wherever they are, and leaving room for what is still unfolding. Hosted by I’m Mathew B. Holloway II, M.Sc, a Conflict Resolution Practitioner, scholar, and poet. Through Conversations by Courage, I help people develop the social-emotional skills and strategies needed to navigate conflict, crisis, and human connection. cbcconnect.substack.com (https://cbcconnect.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Conversations By Courage

Category

religion & spirituality · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Oct 2025

Latest episode

4 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

6 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Sept 2026

   Poetic Pause — The Courage to Heal

   In an era of constant upheaval, Sweet Dirt Journal offers a different rhythm: the rhythm of pausing.Each episode is a small ritual—a stanza, a breath, a question—guiding you back to the inner ground where transformation begins. Rooted in poetic reflection and the philosophy of liminality, this podcast explores what it means to navigate crisis with clarity and care.Here, stillness becomes a compass, imagination becomes a tool, and healing becomes possible. Take a moment.Take a pause.Begin again. To read the full poem, join as a paid subscriber: Get full access to The Sweet Dirt Journal at cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe (https://cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

2. 

   24 Jun 2026

   Poetic Pause — The Aching Heart

   In an era of constant upheaval, Sweet Dirt Journal offers a different rhythm: the rhythm of pausing.Each episode is a small ritual—a stanza, a breath, a question—guiding you back to the inner ground where transformation begins. Rooted in poetic reflection and the philosophy of liminality, this podcast explores what it means to navigate crisis with clarity and care.Here, stillness becomes a compass, imagination becomes a tool, and healing becomes possible. Take a moment.Take a pause.Begin again. Get full access to The Sweet Dirt Journal at cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe (https://cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

3. 

   7 Feb 2026

   Poetic Pause — Owning Our Wanting

   In this episode of Poetic Pause, we sit with a stanza that asks us to reconsider our relationship to desire, discipline, and freedom. So often, we are taught to mistrust our wanting—to see desire as weakness, indulgence, or moral failure. Over time, this denial becomes normalized. We learn to equate suffering with virtue and to place pain at the center of our lives, offering ourselves up at its altar. This stanza invites a different orientation: what if freedom begins with honesty? What if owning our wanting opens a pathway out of unnecessary suffering? Stanza: It is only through owning our wantingthat we own our freedom,that we own the possibility of escaping suffering.To deny our desires—We worship pain over pleasure, placing at itsaltar, sacrificed souls. This episode is not about excess or indulgence. It is about noticing where sacrifice has become reflexive, unquestioned, and costly. The Practice Is Simple Pause for 30 seconds Read the words Sit in silence as long as you need Reflection Question Where in your life are you sacrificing too much? Thank you for pausing.Nothing more. Nothing less.Just a pause. Get full access to The Sweet Dirt Journal at cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe Get full access to The Sweet Dirt Journal at cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe (https://cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

4. 

   9 Jan 2026

   Poetic Pause: Heaven Is Where the Heart Is

   Poetic Pause — Heaven Is Where the Heart Is Sweet Dirt Journal Podcast Episode Description Welcome to Poetic Pause.This is a space to help us breathe—to hold the weight of crisis, conflict, and uncertainty without being consumed by it. Sometimes the only thing we can do is pause.To stop for a moment, sit still, and let silence remind us that we are still here—and that another way of being is possible. In this episode, I share a stanza from my poetry collection—something small to sit with, reflect on, and allow to unravel gently. The practice is simple: Listen to the words Pause Sit in silence as long as you need Today’s Stanza Heaven is where the heart is—meadows of singing lilacs and daffodils,lush grass that chimes in the wind,await those whose hearts are free. This stanza has been a lantern for me in dark moments, a reminder that freedom is not always found in certainty, but in listening—deeply—to the heart. After listening, I invite you to take a breath.Let the words settle.And sit into the silence. Reflection Question What might become possible if I stopped searching for certainty and trusted my capacity to adapt? This episode is part of Poetic Pause, a public poetic memorial inviting us to stop—even briefly—in the midst of uncertainty, crisis, and conflict, and to imagine a world beyond violence. Thank you for being here.Nothing more.Nothing less.Just a pause. Get full access to The Sweet Dirt Journal at cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe (https://cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4) Get full access to The Sweet Dirt Journal at cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe (https://cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

5. 

   5 Dec 2025

   Poetic Pause: The Days of Self-Denial Must Cease

   Episode Title: Poetic Pause: “The Days of Self-Denial Must Cease” In this Poetic Pause meditation, I read a stanza from my poetry collection: “The days of self-denial must cease.We must indulge in delight if we are to do more than simply survive. We must not fear our yes.” This meditation invites you to sit with the words, pause for 30 seconds, and consider how reclaiming delight can be a form of healing.In a world that demands endurance, pleasure becomes resistance. Saying yes becomes an act of liberation. The practice is simple: Listen to the stanza. Pause for 30 seconds. Sit in silence as long as you need. Let one question rise to meet you. Reflection Question: What pleasures do you deny yourself? And why are you afraid of your yes? Thank you for pausing with me.Nothing more. Nothing less. Just a pause. Get full access to The Sweet Dirt Journal at cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe (https://cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

6. 

   3 Oct 2025

   Poetic Pause: A Poetic Meditation

   Get full access to The Sweet Dirt Journal at cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe (https://cbcconnect.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.