Tara Owens is the founder and executive director of Anam Cara Ministries, where she has been accompanying others in their journeys with God for 15 years as a certified spiritual director and supervisor. Tara holds a Masters of Theological Studies in Spiritual Formation, combined with a certificate in Death, Dying & Grieving, from Tyndale Seminary, and the Advanced Certificate in Supervision from the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education at Fordham University. Tara also teaches rabbinic Scripture study groups, educates spiritual directors, teaches in several spiritual direction programs across the U.S., and teaches a variety of spiritual formation courses. Tara was the Senior Editor of Conversations Journal for 7 years and has authored two books, Embracing the Body: Finding God in Our Flesh & Bone (IVP, 2015), and At Play In God’s Creation: A Contemplative Coloring Book (Franciscan Media, 2016).

In my conversation with Tara, we talk about soul friendship; what it is, how it impacts the world, why Tara refers to it as “living art,” and how soul friendship plays a crucial role in resisting culture. We also talk at length about Tara’s book, Embracing the Body. Tara helps us move away from cultural trends of objectifying or criticizing our bodies, to instead befriend our bodies and see them as good. She reminds us that God speaks through our bodies, so often reminding us of His care and presence in the midst of our own embodiment.