I recently had a conversation with my friend and colleague Alice Camille (author of books like Isaiah and the Kingdom of Peace) about our shared love for Star Trek. Well, before…
Author: Carl McColman
Soul Friend and Storyteller. Lay Cistercian, Centering Prayer Presenter, Author, Blogger, Podcaster, Speaker, Teacher, Retreat Leader.
Between Thomas Keating and Teilhard de Chardin: On Finding Your Own Personal Spiritual Style
Have you ever heard of the Enneagram or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator? These are psychological tools that we can use to discover the unique characteristics of our personalities. Are you…
Online Event: Invitation to a Deeper Spiritual Life (Dates: January 10-February 7, 2022)
Columbia Theological Seminary has a splendid certificate program for spiritual formation, and this four-week online course is the introductory program for those who wish to participate. But even if you…
Questions About Different Methods of Contemplation
Recently I had an email exchange with a long-standing reader of this blog. With that person’s permission, I am sharing the conversation here, edited to protect the reader’s privacy. The…
Online Evening Program: Gratitude in the Chaos of Life (November 11, 2020)
My friends at Friendship Presbyterian Church in Athens, Georgia (home of the B-52s and R.E.M.!) have invited me back to facilitate another one of their online forums. Here’s the details: registration…
Online Retreat Day: At the Edge of Waiting: Centering Prayer and Celtic Spirituality (October 30, 2021)
In celebration of the Christian feast days of All Saints and All Souls — and the ancient Celtic New Year, which happened at this same time — you are invited…
Online Retreat: The Spiritual Imagination of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis (October 22-23, 2021)
J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia are masterpieces of fantasy literature. Since both authors were committed Christians, these writings also are filled…
Walter Hilton: The Scale of Perfection
The Scale of Perfection is, in essence, a book of spiritual guidance or direction, written by an elder contemplative for a younger reader.
The Problem with Christianity in a Nutshell
We all know that so many people today prefer to remain spiritually independent, intentional about cultivating their interior life but unencumbered by affiliation to a faith community. In other words:…
How Do Contemplatives Make a Difference?
Consider these teachings from Jesus, all taken from just one Gospel (Matthew): “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.” “Sell your possessions, and give (the…
Online Day of Reflection for Patrons: October 2, 2021
Four times a year I offer an online Quiet Day/Day of Reflection for the generous patrons who support the Anamchara website/blog/knowledge base through Patreon. The next such quiet day will…
Even Your Breath Can Be Your “Sacred Word”
A reader of this blog submitted this question: How explicitly Christian does the prayer word need to be in contemplative prayer (e.g., Centering Prayer)? My quiet-time practice is a hybrid…