In the first episode of a five-part Lenten series on despondency, we learn what despondency is (and what it isn't), and how it relates to our experience of time. Ultimately, despondency is a means of escaping the present moment we find ourselves in.

The present moment is a gift from God. But too often, we flee from this "gift of the now" through our mental ideations of the past and future. Today, we're calling that movement despondency and exploring the physical, emotional and spiritual paths by which we escape from the present.

Today we talk about various antidotes to the passion of despondency, which all have the effect of bringing us back to the present moment of heart.

Today we continue our discussion of how to regain God's gift of the present moment. We'll touch on humor, scripture recitation, and prayer.

In this final segment of our lenten series on Time and Despondency, we explore the substance of the present moment—the Holy Resurrection. Thoughts on how to re-present ourselves and our world this Pascha and beyond.

This is the first part of a talk given at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Toronto. In this portion, we look at common approaches to time management as they've developed in Western culture.

Continuing the talk from last week about the difference between managing time for the sake of productivity and redeeming time for the sake of salvation. Follow along!

This episode revisits the question of time in heaven from two different vantage points: Hellenic Greek philosophy and the Old Testament. Greeks and Jews of late antiquity had pretty different beliefs when it came to time and eternity, and both paradigms have implications for how one views the Incarnation.

In the last episode of this miniseries, we talk about "ages" and the phrase "unto the ages of ages" as it is used to signify eternity in the New Testament. Along the way, we'll tackle interstellar space, two-dimensional cubes, and other perplexing boundaries of human knowledge. Moral of the story: keep wonder alive.​

Heaven is eternal—but does that mean it also without time? This question lies at the crux of our understanding not only of heaven but also of earthly existence. In the first part of this miniseries, Dr. Roccas talks about some personal experiences regarding this question and how Orthodox worship prepares us for heaven.

The slower-paced tempo of summertime raises questions about how we relate to leisure as Orthodox Christians. In this episode, we talk about down time and our culture's sense of entitlement towards rest and relaxation. At the end of the episode, I'll also share some changes coming to "Time Eternal" this fall.

This episode kicks off the new "A Year in Time" series with the Church New Year. Find out why we celebrate a new year in September, and what Caesar Augustus and St. John the Baptist have in common. We'll also read through a section of the beautiful Akathist "Glory to God for All Things." Happy New Year!

In the Church, as in nature, September is a time of provision and bounty. It is also a time that re-invites us back into the arena of waiting. In this episode, we'll hear about four feast days in September in which God brings forth something new after long droughts of patience and faithfulness.

Continuing our Year in Time series, today we talk about the various ways the liturgical calendar helps us be present to God through liturgical memory.

oday, I'm talking with friend and author Angela Doll Carlson about living the liturgical year. From logistics and practicalities to marriage and community, there's a little something for everyone in this episode (yes, even men!).

Speaking of time—the new year is upon us! It's a season when lots of people are thinking of goals and self-improvement. In this episode, Dr. Roccas shares some strategies she has learned as a writing consultant about how to set goals without becoming perfectionistic or destructive . . . also, why shell collecting is a perfectly good new year's resolution.

About a year ago on this podcast, I started a five-part Lenten mini-series called Time and Despondency. I'm happy to announce that I've turned this series into a book to be published by Ancient Faith sometime in Fall 2017. As I finish up the manuscript, I reflect on the intersection between time and despondency. Interested in listening to the original series? Check out Part I (of 5) from last year.

Nicole reflects on how the askesis of Great Lent strengthens the tiny, barely perceptible muscles of faith more often than the big, flashy ones.

Today we're talking about apocalypticism. Whether we realize it or not, we all need an apocalyptic story to tell—regardless of our ideology or faith.

Nicole looks back on the biggest thing she took away from the 2017 Ancient Faith Conference, and discusses some changes that will hit the Time Eternal podcast in the fall. Have a blessed summer!

This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what's happening around here at Time Eternal: the relaunch, a giveaway, recording in the dark (aka laziness), and a whole minute of me mispronouncing the word "Akathist." Happy summer!

In this new, relaunched version of Time Eternal, I walk the meditation trail at Antiochian Village and consider what it is we are called to do and become in time. Listen to the end for a special giveaway that ends September 15, 2017! (For quotes and a picture from this episode, see the shownotes in the file attachment above, or subscribe to the Time Eternal blog.)

Today I’m with Fr. Robert Holet, host of the podcast “First Fruits of Christian Living.” We’re talking about our volition to make time in a fast-paced world of distractions. Part two of this episode will air on Fr. Robert’s podcast, so check it out! (For quotations and other information from this episode, see the shownotes in the file attachment above or subscribe to the Ancient Faith blog.)

When my friend Elissa’s daughter was still a baby, she had to undergo a risky liver transplant. Elissa and I think back on that time, and the way our experience of time changes during times of illness, whether it’s we who are sick or a loved one. (For quotations and more information shared in this episode, make sure to check out the shownotes in the file attachment above or subscribe to the Time Eternal blog.)

Public transportation is my temporal kryptonite--it brings out my impatience and inability to cope with the time I “lose” commuting. But a few months ago, I had an experience on the subway that really put things in perspective, a painful reminder that no time is every truly wasted. (For quotations and other information from this episode, make sure to check out the shownotes in the file attachment above or subscribe to the Time Eternal blog.)

My friend Kerry was born in a conservative Mennonite community in rural Manitoba. As she grew up, that community gradually assimilated into the wider culture. But looking back, she says that the temporal rhythms and cycles she still held to during her youth provided a "secure sense of reality." In this episode of Time Eternal, we talk about her experience growing up Mennonite, her life today living in the largest city in Canada, and what she misses about the sense of time she experienced as a child. Make sure to check out the shownotes for quotes, links, and information about this episode, not to mention a photo of me and Kerry the night we recorded this episode!

The day I began reading Fr. Richard Rohr’s book Falling Upward, I had just been fired from my job. This episode is a close reading of his book against that backdrop, as well as an exploration of the struggle for meaning, growth, and encounter in times of struggle.

Does the new year bring up feelings of shame and apathy? Do all those perky new year's resolutions people annoy you? Or are you frustrated by your failed attempts to do better this time around? In this brand-new season of Time Eternal, we talk about the connection between shame and despondency, particularly as it relates to the new (civil) year. Plus, Nicole announces the launch of her book, Time and Despondency, on January 15. Last but not least: Time Eternal just turned two! With that, we're moving to a two-season per year format (hear more about that in the episode). This episode marks Episode 1 of Season 5!

This Lent, I'm walking through my book, Time and Despondency, in tandem with the free Lenten study guide available through Ancient Faith Publishing. In weeks one and two, we're talking about finding God at the grocery store, conquering the protagonist syndrome, and learning to inhabit life without the defense mechanisms of pride and impatience . You can follow along with the book and the free study guide here: http://store.ancientfaith.com/time-and-despondency/ This episode contains the Prayer of St. Ephrem as well as the following music: Kai Engel: "Idea," "Irsen's Tale," and "Remedy for Melancholy" Podington Bear: "Across the River" Chris Zabriskie: "Prelude 10"

Nicole talks about one of the books she's reading this Lent, Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation, by James K. A. Smith. Among other things, she discusses the formative significance of liturgies—both in the Church and in the world—and her addiction to tea and sweets. This episode features the following songs, available by attribution license: "Had You Been" and "How it Fades" by Scott Gratton "Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1" by Podington Bear The intro and outros are "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel.

Nicole reflects on recent #TemporalTuesdays posts that revolve around the liturgical mystery of the first day of creation. Help me produce better Time Eternal content for the upcoming Church year by taking this free and anonymous survey. The intro and outro of Time Eternal are Kai Engel’s “Idea,” and “Remedy for Melancholy,” respectively. His songs “Aspirato” and “Mist and Clouds” are also used in this episode. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/

Meet some of the guests (and questions) that will feature in Season 4 of Time Eternal. Philip Roth once wrote that "in every calm and reasonable person, there is a hidden second person scared witless about death." This episode is dedicated to all those "calm and reasonable" folks out there who are secretly scared out of their minds when it comes to death. In this episode, I mentioned "Death in Orthodox Tradition," a course I am co-teaching with OCA priest Fr. Geoffrey Ready at the Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College (Toronto). Check out our programme (Canadian spelling, people!) here: https://www.trinityorthodox.ca/ Time Eternal is now on Patreon! Find bonus content and resources here: https://www.patreon.com/nicole_roccas This episode featured upcoming TE guests Carla Moberg, Fr. Tay Moss, and Fr. Ted Paraskevopoulos. It also featured the following music by Kai Engel: "Idea" (Intro); "Behind Your Window"; and "Remedy for Melancholy" (Outro). http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/

Just as death entered the world through one man (Adam, according to Romans 5), so death typically enters our personal experiences through one person. This first experience with death has a profound impact on how we view not only death but also life. Today I talk about losing my grandpa, Wilson Lyon, when I was five

The call to remember death is a constant in ascetical theology. But how exactly does one put this virtue into practice? Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos has made this question the focus of his pastoral ministry - and doctoral thesis. Check out Fr. Ted's podcast iSermon. If you're interested in hearing more about Fr. Ted's thesis, complete with practical suggestions for catechists and catechumens alike, you can find our uncut conversation here. And here's his YouTube channel.

While doing his chaplaincy training, an Anglican priest friend of mine was once called to the deathbed of a pre-term baby. It was the hardest death he ever attended to, and we're sharing it in honor of Infant Loss Awareness Month. May God remember all departed infants and the families who grieve them. Fr. Tay has been the priest at the Anglican Church of the Messiah in Toronto for 12 years. The interludes of this episode featured prayers from the Orthodox funeral service for an infant, which you can find here: https://bit.ly/2yYcRud The Engaging Orthodoxy panel at North Park University is available to view on the Time Eternal blog: https://bit.ly/2yuuVga As always, the intro (“Idea”) and outro (“Remedy for Melancholy”) music for Time Eternal is written and performed by Kai Engel: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/

In salutation of 2019, Nicole examines the (surprisingly complicated) historical origins of the January 1st New Year. The intro and outro songs in this episode are "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy," respectively, by Kai Engel.

Nicole reads something she wrote on Lazarus Saturday 2018, during a Lent that was NOT instagram-worthy, and reflects on it now a year later. Intro and outro music: "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy," by Kai Engel.

In this episode, recorded live on Facebook, Nicole discusses her experience of Holy Week prior to becoming Orthodox by reading from the Conclusion of Time and Despondency. Readers from Facebook join in with thoughts about how their impressions and experiences of Holy Week have changed over the course of their lives. The intro and outro of Time Eternal are "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy," by Kai Engel.

My next book isn't the one I asked to write, it wasn't the one I dreamt of creating when I was a little girl with authorial ambitions. But in the end, I think it's the book I needed to write. In this episode, I share the story behind my next book and read the description. Under the Laurel Tree will be released later this fall, 2019, with Ancient Faith Publishing. (The intro and outro songs in this episode were "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel.)

Nicole reflects on an interview she watched this week between comedian Stephen Colbert and journalist Anderson Cooper, in particular, the divergent ways grief affected their sense of time. (Watch the interview here. The intro and outro of this episode is "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel.

Nicole will be taking a break from the Time Eternal podcast during 2020 but hopes to be back in 2021 for more conversations about time and eternity. In the meantime, feel free to check out her other podcasts and blogs: Time Eternal blog (Ancient Faith Blogs): https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/timeeternal/ Nicole's professional blog: www.nicoleroccas.com/blog Time and Despondency book and Lenten study guide: https://store.ancientfaith.com/time-and-despondency/ The Time and Despondency Lenten Reading Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/timeanddespondencyLent/

Time Eternal is back from the abyss! Nicole talks about three ways the pandemic altered her sense of time and how she is trying to re-engage in the sacredness of time. How did the pandemic shift your experience of time for better or worse? Join the conversation on Instagram or Twitter. The intro and outro of this podcast are the songs "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel, available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license.

In which Nicole shares some thoughts on overfunctioning in relationships, work, and time. Connect with Nicole on Instagram or Twitter (@NicoleRoccas). Mentioned in this episode: Episode 183 (“Real Talk about Over Functioning,” 2021) of The Next Right Thing Podcast by Emily P. Freeman Kathleen Smith, “Are you an Overfunctioner?” (2019) (https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/everything-isnt-terrible/201910/are-you-overfunctioner) Verses: Psalm 46(45):10 (NASB version); Joel 2:25 The intro and outro of this podcast are the songs "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel, available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license.

In which Nicole explores the depths of self-care in response to a listener question, and also shares a recent experience with the pre-communion prayers. Connect with Nicole on Instagram or Twitter (@NicoleRoccas). Mentioned in this episode: ● “Is Self-Care Selfish?” from Steve Christoforou/Be the Bee (on Youtube: https://bit.ly/361lQvw) ● The Pre-Communion Prayers, or Prayers in Preparation for Receiving the Eucharist (from St. Maria of Paris Orthodox Mission in Hamilton, Ontario): https://bit.ly/362iusc ● TIME ETERNAL BOOK CLUB - August 12, 2021 - Register on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/2UMvP5r The intro and outro of this podcast are the songs "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel, available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license.

In which Nicole checks in with Orthodox-Twitter’s Favorite Protestant™ Traci Rhoades on the topic of “anniversary reaction.” Connect with Nicole on Instagram or Twitter (@NicoleRoccas). Mentioned in this episode: ● TIME ETERNAL BOOK CLUB - August 12, 2021 - Register on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/2UMvP5r ● Find Traci Rhoades online: ○ Twitter: @tracesoffaith ○ Instagram: @tracesoffaithblog ○ Facebook: @tracesoffaithblog ● Traci’s article on anniversary reaction: The Intersection of Peter’s Passion with the Passion of The Christ” (Medishare, 2021, https://www.medishare.com/blog/the-intersection-of-peters-passion-with-the-passion-of-the-christ) ● Ellen Hendriksen, “5 Ways to Deal With Anniversary Reactions,” (Psychology Today, 2016, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-be-yourself/201609/5-ways-deal-anniversary-reactions) ● Nicole Roccas, “The Love of God and the Calendar of Shame” (Time Eternal Blog, 2016, https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/timeeternal/love-god-calendar-shame/) ● "Every Moment Holy: New Liturgies for Daily Life," www.everymomentholy.com, including A Liturgy for the Anniversary of a Loss, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59764bcb725e2575438613ad/t/603d4da4b9906c6d9e7501b6/1614630309096/Anniversary+of+a+Loss.pdf The intro and outro of this podcast are the songs "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel, available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license. News Theme 2 by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

In which Nicole considers how to check out this summer--in order to truly check in. Apologies to the entire southern hemisphere. Also a unique strategy to reduce addiction to social media. Connect with Nicole on Instagram or Twitter (@NicoleRoccas). Mentioned in this episode: ● Romans 12:2 and Hebrews 12:1-2 ● Akathist of Thanksgiving, Ikos and Irmos 6 ● “Quit Social Media Every Other Day,” James Hamblin, The Atlantic (June 15, 2017): https://bit.ly/3k6Ifj5 ● TIME ETERNAL BOOK CLUB - August 12, 2021 - Register on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/2UMvP5r The intro and outro of this podcast are the songs "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel, available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license.

Why devote an entire podcast to the topic of time? Enjoy this throwback to the first episode of Time Eternal while Nicole is away. Connect with Nicole on Instagram or Twitter (@NicoleRoccas). Mentioned in this episode: ● TIME ETERNAL BOOK CLUB - August 12, 2021 - Register on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/2UMvP5r ● “A ‘Slackness of the Soul’: Finding Hope in the Existential Time Warp of Acedia” by Nicole Roccas, Vita Poetica Summer 2021 (https://bit.ly/3evQa5V). ● The Whole Good News Conference by Missio Alliance (https://bit.ly/3isF6rG).

What is time? St. Augustine seeks to answer this question in his Confessions, which features one of the most famous reflections on the philosophy of time. Enjoy this throwback to the second episode of Time Eternal while Nicole is away. Connect with Nicole on Instagram or Twitter (@NicoleRoccas). Mentioned in this episode: ● TIME ETERNAL BOOK CLUB - August 12, 2021 - Register on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/2UMvP5r

Is God eternal? Or is He time? Enjoy this throwback to the first episode of Time Eternal while Nicole is away. Connect with Nicole on Instagram or Twitter (@NicoleRoccas). Mentioned in this episode: ● TIME ETERNAL BOOK CLUB - August 12, 2021 - Register on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/2UMvP5r ● The Whole Good News Conference by Missio Alliance (https://bit.ly/3isF6rG).

In which Nicole shares what she learned at the recent Whole Good News Conference and the talk she gave there. Also a lesson in time about praying while sick. Mentioned in this episode: The Whole Good News Conference hosted by MissioAlliance (https://www.missioalliance.org/twgn) The Life of Moses by Gregory of Nyssa The Emotionally Healthy Woman by Lisa Scazzero Irresistible: the Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked by Adam Alter The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer The intro and outro of this podcast are the songs "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel, available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license.