In Person Retreat: Practical Mysticism, Contemplative Spirituality for a Joyful Life

I’ll be returning to one of my favorite monasteries — Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, NY, just north of Poughkeepsie — for a weekend retreat this spring on the topic of “Practical Mysticism: Contemplative Spirituality for a Joyful Life.” 

The 20th century theologian Karl Rahner famously said “The Christian of the future will be a mystic or will not exist.” But what could he have meant by this? What is mysticism, and what does it have to do with ordinary people leading ordinary lives?

This retreat is for anyone who wants a deeper spirituality, and who suspects that the great mystics, visionaries, and contemplatives of the Christian tradition have something to share with us. From medieval saints like Julian of Norwich to more recent figures like Howard Thurman or Thomas Merton, every generation has produced people whose lives are steeped in prayer, silence, and a palpable spiritual joy.

We’ll bring mysticism down to earth and consider how the contemplative life is for everyone — not just saints or nuns and monks. We’ll reflect on what mysticism is, why it matters, and how we can draw on the wisdom of the mystics to find a deeper and more meaningful spiritual life, right here and right now.

Suggested reading for retreat: The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism.

For more information and to register, click here: Practical Mysticism Retreat at Holy Cross Monastery.

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