The Website of Unknowing

THE WEBSITE OF UNKNOWING (www.anamchara.com) is all about Christian mysticism, Celtic wisdom, interfaith spirituality, the emergent conversation, and assorted other topics.

Click on these book covers to learn more about books by Carl McColman, or click here to buy copies.

Pre-order your copy of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism by clicking here.

Follow this link to subscribe to my email list.

N.B. Sorry, I don't have registration information yet, except that online registration will begin in November. As soon as the links are available, I'll post them here.

A Brief History of Everything through Emory University's "Evening at Emory" Program.

American philosopher Ken Wilber writes books that combine eastern and western spirituality, psychology, biology, cultural theory, and other strands of contemporary thought to create what the author calls “integral theory.” Wilber seeks to bridge the divide between science and religion, explain the dynamics of human consciousness and moral development, and speculate on the future evolution of our species. Despite the complexity of his thought, many of Wilber’s books are written in an accessible style, including the textbook for this class, A Brief History of Everything. In this class we’ll read the book, discuss its merits and flaws, and consider how Wilber’s ideas can impact both the scientific and spiritual communities. Tuition includes textbook.
Textbook: A Brief History of Everything by Ken Wilber.
Instructor: Carl McColman
February 10-March 10, 2010
7:00-9:00 pm
Registration begins November 18, 2009

Introduction to World Mysticism through Emory University's "Evening at Emory" Program.

Madonna is studying the Kabbalah. The Shack is a runaway bestseller. Centuries after he died, everyone's reading Rumi. Yoga, Buddhism and other eastern practices are more popular among Americans than ever. So what gives? At the heart of all these cultural trends is mysticism, a vague word that can be translated as "the spiritual principle at the heart of religion." Many people believe mysticism is the golden thread that unites all the world's religions. Others scoff at the idea. Come decide for yourself in this class as we explore major themes and writings from the world's great mystical traditions. Using Andrew Harvey's The Essential Mystics as our textbook, we'll examine the world's great wisdom traditions — Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, as well as pagan and philosophical forms of mysticism — acknowledging both the common ground and the distinctive qualities of each mystical path. Class is taught from an academic/nonsectarian perspective.
Textbook: The Essential Mystics : Selections from the World's Great Wisdom Traditions.
Instructor: Carl McColman
April 14-May 5, 2010
7:00-9:00 pm
Registration begins November 18, 2009

Carl McColman will be co-leading the following retreats at the guesthouse of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, GA. For more information or to register, click here.

June 4-6, 2010:
Spiritual Writing and Journal Keeping
(with Fr. James Behrens, OCSO)
Explore your personal connection between the inner life and the written word. This weekend includes time for silence, for journaling, and for reflections on the relationship between writing and the spiritual life. Suitable for professional and amateur writers at all skill levels, this weekend does not include personal criticism or feedback. Instead, it simply creates a space where you can write, you can pray, and perhaps even combine the two into a unified spiritual practice. New for 2010: the weekend will include breakout sessions - one for bloggers & journalists, the other for professional (and aspiring professional) writers - where writers with similar goals and interests can gather to share ideas and experiences.

July 23-25, 2010:
Wisdom of the Christian Mystics
(with Fr. Tom Francis, OCSO)
From the Desert Fathers to Julian of Norwich to Thomas Merton, Christian history is filled with stories of men and women who experienced a profound sense of God's presence in their lives. Can the teachings of the mystics still speak to us today? The mystics themselves would say “yes” – and furthermore, that their message is not just for priests or monks or nuns, but is indeed meant for the entire people of God. With this in mind, during this weekend we will look at several ways in which the wisdom of the Christian mystics can provide insight and inspiration for our age. This will include the universal call to holiness – St. Paul 's directive to “pray without ceasing,” and the promise from the Psalms to “be still and know God.”

Looking Ahead:
October 30-31, 2010
Portland, Oregon: Several Events; Times and Locations to be Announced

If you'd like to follow me on Twitter, my user ID is @mccolman.

Whenever I post to this blog, an announcement is generated for my Twitter feed, so you can always keep up to date with what's going on here.

Carl McColman talks about mysticism: what it is, and why it matters, in this interview which originally aired on Atlanta's AM 1690 in September 2008. Click here to listen.

"www.anamchara.com is a beautiful site that lists books and web sites introducing all aspects of Christian mysticism."
"One of the best spiritual blogs around"
"Thanks, Carl, for your fine and much needed work."
"You are a gifted writer, thoughtful person, and wise teacher."
"Recommended website"
"Carl McColman is part Ken Wilber, part Richard Rohr, and part Indiana Jones’ dad."
"As a former professor of education, I tend to critique instructors rather severely. However, Carl McColman, in my opinion, ranks as one of the all-time great instructors. He has an unbelievable mastery of his subject matter & an uncanny ability to translate esoteric matter into understandable form. On top of that, he's very personable. This is my second Evening at Emory Class with Carl and I will sign up for any class that he teaches!"

If you'd like a free Julian of Norwich Prayer Card, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to:

Carl McColman
P.O. Box 1146
Clarkston, GA 30021

I'll send you three cards (one for you and two for friends). Sorry, I can only send these to addresses in the USA.

Email me at

or send old-fashioned mail to:

Carl McColman
Post Office Box 1146
Clarkston, GA 30021
USA

... to Ian-S on Flickr for the use of his beautiful photograph of the Julian stained glass in Norwich Cathedral, which graces the Julian Prayer Card. Used by permission under a Creative Commons Licence.

... to Cindy47452 on Flickr for the use of her Christmas Eve Sunset photo. Used by permission under a Creative Commons Licence.