Welcome to this new series, “Something Psalmic,” in which I invite my guests to share what’s lifting their spirits and offering them healing and hope right now.
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Almut Furchert, a German-American scholar, therapist, philosopher, and founder of Cloister Seminars. Raised in a pastor’s family in East Germany and now living in the American Midwest, Almut brings a deep well of wisdom drawn from psychology, monastic spirituality, and personal experience of cultural exile and spiritual homecoming.
“It's the connection to the soul; it's singing the Psalms. It's like breathing in and breathing out. It's the food for the soul.”—Dr. Almut Furchert
Together, we explore what it means to live a “psalmic” life—one shaped by sacred rhythms, seasons, and the soul's quiet longings. Almut shares how her healing journey was nurtured through the Benedictine monasteries of the Midwest, where the daily chanting of Psalms became food for the soul and a sanctuary for rediscovering sacred work. She also speaks beautifully about Hildegard of Bingen, music as soul-practice, and the quiet yet powerful rituals that anchor her daily life.
If you're longing for peace, grounding, and inspiration in uncertain times, this conversation will offer you a gentle invitation to find your own sacred rhythm, and perhaps, something psalmic in your life, too.
Follow Almut’s Substack at https://cloisternotes.substack.com/
Find Almut’s writings and teachings on www.cloisterseminars.org.
Featured Song:
This first Psalm, set to the Irish traditional tune BánChnoic Éirann Ó, speaks of being like trees planted in streams of water, where we can flourish and thrive.
Find out more about “Summer for the Spirit” at www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/summer
Download your free guide: “7 Spiritual Practices for Wellbeing in Uncertain Times”
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You’ll get:
Complimentary access to the Habits for the Spirit course
Videos of the conversations in Substack
The Psalms for the Spirit Journal ebook
Invitations to future offerings for supporting subscribers throughout the year
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