I had a conversation with several members of my Patreon circle the other day. We talked about the kinds of challenges people face when it comes to learning about contemplation…
Author: Carl McColman
Soul Friend and Storyteller. Lay Cistercian, Centering Prayer Presenter, Author, Blogger, Podcaster, Speaker, Teacher, Retreat Leader.
Mystical Recital: Keren Dibbens-Wyatt’s Divine Prose-Poem
Some of the greatest mystics in history have written lyrical, imaginative poetry and prose in which they express the voice of God. From Catherine of Genoa’s Spiritual Dialogue to the poetry of…
Mysticism, Esotericism, Exotericism, Occultism… Sorting Through the Spiritual Wilderness
A reader posted this recently on my Facebook feed: I have a question, have you covered the differences between exoteric vs. esoteric spirituality? thanks. huge and vast topic… My reply:…
Eternal Heart: The Mystical Path to a Joyful Life (Pre-Order Now)
St. Augustine said that the human heart is restless until it rests in God. I certainly have a restless heart, and I suspect most people do. But what if the…
Imagination, Creativity and Spirituality (They Go Together Well)
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…
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…