What happens when art is created not just with the hand, but from the heart? For contemplative abstract painter Chad Glazener, painting has become a spiritual practice—one that grew from his past life as a pastor and now anchors his present as an artist. His layered compositions and organic marks emerge from silence, forming a visual record of presence that invites viewers to pause, turn inward, and encounter wisdom in new ways.

Rooted in a background of theater and movement, Chad brings an embodied dimension to his art. Influenced by the Viewpoints method and Suzuki training, he explores tempo, space, and stillness as spiritual tools. For him, painting is less about how to hold a brush and more about how to hold consciousness. Returning often to a beginner’s mind, Chad treats art as a playground of self-discovery—an exercise in knowing who he is and what he loves in the present moment.

Silence is central to Chad’s art practice. He describes it as “the fullness of presence in the present moment,” a bedrock that awakens him most intensely. After painting, he often experiences a creative afterglow, where solitude and silence deepen his connection to Spirit. For Chad, the heart space is the seat of divine presence, and art becomes a spiritual pilgrimage that reveals the fullness of life.

In conversation with CJ, Chad shares how he moved from using words to describe Spirit, to embodying Spirit directly through painting and presence. Together they explore the intersection of silence, movement, and art as pathways to awakening—reminding us that painting, like life, is most powerful when lived from the heart space.

For more information on Chad, visit https://www.glazenerstudio.com/ or follow. him on Instagram at glazenerstudio

Want to learn more about CJ Miller? Check out his Spiritual Artist Retreats, 1:1 Personal Coaching, and Speaking Engagements at www.spiritualartisttoday.com. His retreats are designed to help you reconnect with your Creative Intelligence and express your true artistic voice. You can also find his upcoming schedule there, and his book, The Spiritual Artist, is available on Amazon.

My new book, Spiritual Parable As a Daily Practice: Modern Stories for the Spiritually Curious, invites you into a 40-day journey of alignment and inspiration.

Each story was received through my connection with my higher self—spiritual lessons “downloaded” in the form of modern parables. These are not bound by religion or dogma; they are timeless truths that help you return to presence, release fear and judgment, and realign with Creative Intelligence.

Just as I’ve learned to align before painting, this book encourages you to pause, choose a story, and let it guide your day. You’ll find yourself more grounded, open, and ready to create your best work.

Spiritual Parable As a Daily Practice launches September 8 on Amazon.

Want to learn more about CJ Miller? Check out his Spiritual Artist Retreats, 1:1 Personal Coaching, and Speaking Engagements at www.spiritualartisttoday.com. His retreats are designed to help you reconnect with your Creative Intelligence and express your true artistic voice. You can also find his upcoming schedule there, and his book, The Spiritual Artist, is available on Amazon.

What does it mean to create your own personal theology? In this episode, CJ Miller sits down with author and spiritual explorer Larry Jordan to review and unpack his book The Way and to discuss the journey of questioning, searching, and embracing a wide spectrum of wisdom traditions.

Raised Catholic in Western Pennsylvania, Larry found himself in midlife asking life’s biggest questions: Why are we here? Where do we go when we die? His search led him through Christianity, mysticism, Eastern faiths, and even science—discovering along the way that no single tradition holds all the answers.

Together, CJ and Larry explore:

• Why holding beliefs lightly opens space for deeper truth.
• The surprising ways East and West have influenced each other.
• How mystics, quantum physics, and prayer all point toward oneness.
• The difference between faith as certainty and faith as curiosity.
• Larry’s eclectic spiritual practice—drawing from Zen, Quaker meetings, and interspiritual communities.

At the heart of the conversation is Larry’s invitation: “You Might Be Right.” Instead of rigid dogma, he calls for dialogue, openness, and humility in the face of mystery.

If you’ve ever wondered how to honor your roots while remaining open to other traditions, or if you’re curious about blending science, mysticism, and spirituality into your own practice, this conversation will expand your perspective.

Larry Jordan is the author of The Way, contributor to the Patheos column You Might Be Right, and an interspiritual teacher encouraging seekers to ask questions and embrace wonder. Learn more at larryjordanauthor.com.

Want to learn more about CJ Miller? Check out his Spiritual Artist Retreats, 1:1 Personal Coaching, and Speaking Engagements at www.spiritualartisttoday.com. His retreats are designed to help you reconnect with your Creative Intelligence and express your true artistic voice. You can also find his upcoming schedule there, and his book, The Spiritual Artist, is available on Amazon.