Episode 241: Demystifying Mysticism | A Conversation with Kathryn Knight Sonntag

At Last She Said It

Cynthia Winward

Religion & Spirituality, Feminism, Motherhood, Ldswomen, Spirituality, Lds, Thechurchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints, Mormonwomen, Religion, Marriage, Mormon, Faith

5 • 900 Ratings

🗓️ 21 October 2025

⏱️ 74 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Was Joseph Smith a mystic? Searching for the term ‘mysticism’ on the Church website yields, “See: False Doctrine, Sorcery, Superstitions; Traditions of Men.” So it’s no wonder many church members haven’t thought much about mysticism—the role it may have played in Joseph’s experience, or how it might inform their own everyday lives or transform their spiritual practices. But poet Kathryn Knight Sonntag describes it differently: “Trusting the groundless ground, trusting that the darkness or the chaos or the unknown place actually is deeply full of knowing and love and purpose. And that it’s ultimately the path into apotheosis. It’s ultimately where we begin that journey of becoming divine.” In Episode 241, Kathryn joins Susan and Cynthia to explore the concept of mysticism. What might it look like for Latter-day Saints to step off the prescribed map and onto the sacred ground of our own lives in pursuit of personal encounters with God?

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	mystical experiences don't translate perfectly in towards a rational thought, but we are obligated to try anyway.
0:09.8	The alternative is to have a familial and civic life that isn't informed by mysticism at all.
0:16.2	And I think we have seen that that is a very bad idea because anything that lives purely on a surface material level will not survive.
0:25.4	It will not be eternally present.
0:31.3	Hello, I'm Susan Hinkley.
0:33.6	And I'm Cynthia Winward.
0:35.2	And this is at last she said it.
0:37.0	We are women of faith discussing complicated things.
0:40.0	And the title of today's episode is Demystifying Mysticism, a Conversation with Catherine Knight-Sontag.
0:47.4	Hello, Catherine.
0:48.8	Hello.
0:49.6	I'm so happy to be here with you both.
0:51.3	Yay.
0:52.1	We're so happy.
0:53.4	Yeah, it's great. I do have to tell you right
0:56.0	up front I was thinking this morning, the first episode that we recorded with you, I think,
1:00.4	was the most nervous I've ever been to record a podcast. So, really? Oh, no. I really was. I
1:08.2	don't know. I just, I look up to you in very real ways. So, um, so thank you
1:15.5	for coming back. I'm thrilled to be back and I hope you feel less nervous this time. I do feel
1:22.1	less nervous, but then I also feel, um, really privileged to get to call you a friend at this point.
1:27.3	Oh, likewise, Susan. Thank you. Our little, And I also feel really privileged to get to call you a friend at this point.
1:29.3	Oh, likewise, Susan.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Cynthia Winward, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Cynthia Winward and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.