The Contemplative Life in Three Easy Steps
Origen of Alexandria came up with the idea first. Unless you’re a Christian history geek, chances are you’ve never heard of Origen. He lived in Egypt from about 185 to …
In Case You Missed It — Here’s a Recording of the Launch of “The Contemplative Study of Mystical Writings”
Over 100 people came out to join me in an exploration of my new initiative, an online course, which I hope will be the first of a series I’m calling …
A Meditation on the Fruit of the Spirit (A Patreon Sneak Peek)
A note from Carl: Friends, I am currently writing a manuscript that I am calling Meditations on the Christian Mysteries. I’ve identified fifty-two key themes, wisdom teachings, and mystical principles …
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A New Thank You Gift for Patrons: “Contemplative” Prayer Cards!
Hello friends, here’s a little video for you to watch… I recently did some training with the folks who operate Patreon, the membership website that provides a way for individuals …
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“Contemplative Prayer is Dangerous — the Way Jesus is Dangerous”
A regular reader of this blog recently named Peter wrote to me: Carl, I’ve been reading about the Jesus Prayer. On the Orthodox sites they stress that if you haven’t …
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A Great Mystical Book — With a Surprising Title
I’ve recently been re-reading one of the most fascinating and unusual books of mystical wisdom to have been written within the last 100 years. This is actually my third time …
The New “My Sweet Lord” Video is Lots of Fun, But Misses the Point of the Song
Last week, the George Harrison estate released a new, “official” video for Harrison’s 1970 masterpiece, “My Sweet Lord” from his magnum opus All Things Must Pass. It’s a playful and fun …
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Two Essential Questions for the Mystical Journey
I was speaking with a few friends of mine who are spiritual directors recently, and we were talking about the work they do accompanying people who seek to draw closer …
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The Most Common Criticism of Centering Prayer — and Why It’s a Fallacy
Sigh. Last night I stumbled across yet another website from a well-meaning, but obviously misinformed, Catholic blogger who attacks Centering Prayer as “un-Catholic.” Not only has she spilled a lot …
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Putting the “Christian” into “Christian Mysticism”
Mysticism crosses all religious and spiritual boundaries. In other words, mysticism — like prayer or meditation or worship or sacrifice — is a universal spiritual/religious concept, not something that is …
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Cindy Lou Harrington (1953-2021)
Friends, I am sad to have learned of the passing of our dear friend Cindy Lou Harrington. If you have read Eternal Heart you met Cindy Lou on page 59. She …
Do the Ten Commandments Still Matter?
N.B. Today’s post is a meditation on the Ten Commandments that I wrote for the people who support this blog through Patreon. I’m sharing this particular post with the public …
In-Person Event: Praying with Thomas Merton and Ignatius of Loyola (July 15-17, 2022)
I’m so pleased to be returning to Ignatius House for my first in-person retreat since before the pandemic! I’ve been asked to revisit one of my most popular retreats, which …
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The Cathedral Beyond the Forest (A Dream)
Last night I had this dream: Fran and I were visiting friends who had a beautiful house out in the woods. The house was covered with natural wood paneling that …
In Person Event: Praying with the Desert Mothers and Fathers (July 8-10, 2022)
I am SO excited to be returning to Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, NY! I was honored to lead several online retreats for this monastic community during the pandemic; …
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