Trina Paulus, author of the best-selling Hope for the Flowers, talks about environmental activism, the spirituality of waiting, and two very special butterflies named Yellow and Stripe. September 1997 marks…
Carl McColman
Soul Friend and Storyteller. Lay Cistercian, Centering Prayer Presenter, Author, Blogger, Podcaster, Speaker, Teacher, Retreat Leader.
Contemplation (Contemplative Prayer) — the Heart of Christian Practice
From the earliest centuries of the common era, up to now in the third millennium, the heart of Christian spirituality is the practice of contemplation. The earliest monks read the…
Julian of Norwich
In her work (the first book written by a woman in English), Julian recounts an amazing series of visions she had while suffering from a life-threatening illness; as she reflects on the meaning of her visions, she reveals a profound level of mystical wisdom and insight that, over six hundred years later, remains on the cutting edge of Christian theology.
The Book of My Life
The Book of My Life By Teresa of Àvila Translated by Mirabai Starr Boston: New Seeds, 2007 One of the challenges of being a reviewer is learning the discipline of…
Dancin’ in the Streets with Mickey Hart
Note from Carl: I wrote this in 1990, when I was 29 years old. I am doing everything in my power to keep from editing it, because once I start…
111 Mystics
The following list of books represent those writings by 111 Pagan, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim mystics dating from the beginning of the common era to the present day. Please buy…
My Original Mystical Booklist
Note from Carl: I began this list in 2007, and added to it here and there over the years. Eventually it seemed large and unwieldy, and so I created shorter,…
My Loveliest Dream
It must have been sometime in the early 1980s. I was either still working on my Master’s or had just recently graduated, and my spiritual life was nurtured mostly by…
February 5, 1977
Here is an excerpt from my book The Aspiring Mystic: Practical Steps for Spiritual Seekers (2000), which unfortunately is out of print, although used copies are fairly easy to find….
Sylvia B. McColman (1923-2007)
Sylvia B. McColman, 83, of Hampton, Virginia, passed from this life on January 4, 2007 surrounded by loved ones. She graced the lives of countless friends and acquaintances with her…
Return of An Angel: An Interview with Annie Haslam
How Annie Haslam — the golden voice of the 70’s classical rock group Renaissance — became the spokeswoman for the Angel of Bliss Interview by Carl McColman “I’ve had a…
Answers to Contemplation’s Objectors
I continue to be amazed at how some Christians reject, if not outright attack, contemplative and centering prayer. As best I can tell, the anti-contemplation arguments can be distilled down…