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At the Center of Santa Barbara’s Cultural Conversation | www.VoiceSB.com
Body, Mind, & Spirit Speaker Series
Poet-Philosopher Noah benShea to Speak at The Marjorie Luke
February 7, 2020
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By Mark M. Whitehurst, PhD / VOICE
B
AKING STORIES THAT MAKE SENSE AND A LITTLE BREAD TOO, Noah benShea will bring his wit and wisdom to the Marjorie Luke in a conversation called “An Evening with Noah benShea and Jacob the Baker.” benShea is a local resident and Jacob is an igneous and jocose character in benShea’s books. While it may be hard to tell who is who, for sure the talk will begin at 7:30pm on February 11th. benShea took some of his precious time to answer a few questions from VOICE via email this week.
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VOICE: When did you know you were going to be a poet philosopher? NOAH benSHEA: I had been selected for a US State Department program and was in Calcutta on the eve of my 21st birthday. That night I knew the calling. VOICE: Do you have a favorite philosopher? benSHEA: I have two favorite Noah benShea philosophers: my mother and my father. Their teaching was that love, family, and caring are triumphant. VOICE: What do you enjoy most about writing ~ about Jacob or through his voice? benSHEA: (Noah benShea in the voice of Jacob the Baker) “Jacob the Baker is a reed. And the breath of God blows through him. Makes music of him. My pleasure is also my prayer. And my prayer is that my work will be a source of strength to others... Of all the things you can make in life, why not make a difference.” VOICE: Do you have a big dream for the world? benSHEA: In the land of big dreams, our work isn’t what we do, but who we are. In the latest Jacob book, We Are All Jacob’s Children, please find this ‘big dream’: “People of all faiths are of one faith, if their religion is kindness.” – (Noah benShea in the voice of Jacob the Baker)
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VOICE: When interviewed, what question do you most enjoy being asked? benSHEA: I don’t know if this is the question I most like being asked, but it is surely the question I am most often asked: “Are you and Jacob the same person?” And my reply is: “Yes, Jacob and I are the same person, except I am the one with character flaws.” Now that Jacob and I have been together for fifty years, I find that this reply still holds true. VOICE: Finally, an open ended question: Is there anything in particular you would like to tell our readers? benSHEA: To your readers from an ally on the journey, perhaps give this meditation your pause and reflection: In gratitude find prayer. In prayer find faith. In faith find grace. In grace find peace. In peace find gratitude. - Noah benShea / We Are All Jacob’s Children VOICE: How would you describe your process for writing? benSHEA: Many years ago I woke up in a hotel room in London and discovered next to my bed this note scribbled in my hand, “I write things wiser than I am.” My “process for writing” begins with slipping the bonds of ego. Aristotle wrote, “Honesty is the portal to all wisdom.” Well, if honesty is the portal to all honesty; humility is the portal to all honesty. Noah benShea is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated, internationally best-selling author of 28 books that have been translated into 18 languages, including the Jacob The Baker series. In these books, the central figure is Jacob The Baker, a poor but pious baker living an anonymous life in a timeless world. While waiting for the ovens to heat, Jacob writes notes to himself, trying to make sense of life to himself. One morning while waiting for the ovens to warm, one of his notes fell into the dough and was baked in a loaf of bread. The woman who bought the bread is profoundly moved and rushes to the bakery to see who wrote it. Word spread rapidly and soon people from the village and from far and wide came to the bakery to seek Jacob’s wisdom and teachings. This event is sponsored by VNA Health, Gerd and Peter Jordano, and Naomi and Ben Bollag. The Mind, Body & Soul Series is sponsored by Cottage Health, Pacifica Graduate Institute, and VNA Health. For general seating tickets to this family-friendly event ($25), call 800-838-3006 or visit www.luketheatre.org. This event is the sixth offering of the Mind, Body & Soul Speaker Series at the Marjorie Luke Theatre.
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