42: Hans Baars on Experiencing the Divine in All Things

Noble Mind

The Franciscan tradition of Catholicism teaches about the interconnectedness of all being. It’s about seeing the divine in ourselves and all of creation. So, what do meditation and mindful self-compassion look like from a Franciscan point of view?

Hans Baars is a former Dutch Franciscan Priest who served in Pakistan from 1959 to 1986, before leaving the priesthood and returning to the Netherlands. There he married and lived until 1996 when he migrated to Australia. Hans speaks fluent Dutch, classical Latin and Greek, French, German and English, and he has translated three books on Francis of Assisi.

In this episode of Noble Mind, Hans joins Kate and Alex to share his experience of the divine in all things, discussing how as a Franciscan he sees all of creation as brothers and sisters. He explains the importance of experiencing the sacred over conceptual frameworks of God and makes connections among different religious traditions. Listen in for Hans' insights about language, the origin of the word compassion, and his experiential approach to meditation and mindful self-compassion.