Why did God give us the gift of imagination? If the idea of God giving us imagination puts you off, then why did evolution, or the universe, give it to…
Author: Carl McColman
Soul Friend and Storyteller. Lay Cistercian, Centering Prayer Presenter, Author, Blogger, Podcaster, Speaker, Teacher, Retreat Leader.
Living in the Spirit of Contemplative Prayer
What does it mean to live a contemplative life? Especially for those of us who are not called to live in a monastery or some other form of intentional religious…
Contemplation When Things Seem Out of Control
A reader named Allen writes: With what is going on in the world, how do we as contemplatives take care of our spiritual health? I find it more challenging to…
Five Key Words for Understanding Christian Mysticism
So often people will say to me, “I just don’t know what Christian mysticism is!” Which is perfectly understandable, since not only is mysticism related to mystery, but also the added…
Writing, Quoting, Creating: On the Use of Other People’s Words in the Midst of Your Own
Speaking to the Shalem Institute a few years back, Richard Rohr told an amusing story about a retreat he gave to the monks of Gethsemani Abbey (where Thomas Merton lived)…
In Defense of Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a central tenet of Christian faith and practice. But what exactly is it? Is it an emotional process by which people are supposed to overcome hurt feelings —…
What Happens During Silent Prayer
Brother Elias Marechal, OCSO is a Trappist monk of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Georgia. He is the author of a luminous book on contemplative spirituality, Tears of…
Do Christian Mystics Believe in Redemption?
An email came to me today, with this question: Dear Carl, I read your Big Book of Christian Mysticism a few years back, and it was very helpful for me in…
A Theology of Love: Why Julian of Norwich Matters
Nota bene: I’ve been asked to write a short reflection on why Julian of Norwich matters to me. Here it is. I first “met” Julian of Norwich through reading Evelyn Underhill’s…
Questions After a Retreat: What Books to Read, What Steps to Take Next
Shortly after concluding my Praying with the Spanish Mystics Retreat, one of the persons who participated sent me this follow-up email: Hello. I have your book Answering the Contemplative Call, which…
Praying with the Spanish Mystics
This week I facilitated my second Zoom retreat hosted by the monks of Holy Cross Monastery. Our theme was “Praying with the Spanish Mystics” — this was a follow up…
Spirit of the Celtic Gods and Goddesses: A New Edition for an “Old Friend”
If you are interested in Celtic mythology — and curious about how to integrate the ancient wisdom from the Celtic people into your spiritual life today — then The Spirit of…