Support Anamchara through Patreon
Readers like you make this website possible. Anamchara — an online resource for the exploration of Christian and interfaith mysticism, contemplative living, and silent prayer — includes a blog, a …
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 …
Celebrate Your Eternal Heart with these Podcasts (and Video)!
I haven’t created any new videos or podcasts of my own for a while — something I hope to change this fall. One of the reasons why I have been …
Celebrate Your Eternal Heart with these Podcasts (and Video)! Read More »
Online Course: Wisdom of the Desert (September 27-October 22, 2021)
Explore the wisdom, wit, and spiritual insight of the Desert Mothers and Fathers in this four-week online course, sponsored by Columbia Theological Seminary’s Center for Lifelong Learning. The course counts …
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Online Course: Christian Mystics and Spiritual Companionship (September 9-30)
I’m so pleased to be partnering with Spiritual Directors International to offer this four-part series on spiritual direction/accompaniment and the Christian mystical tradition. Watch this video to get a taste, …
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The Wisdom of the Heart (the Eternal Heart Book Launch Celebration!)
Friends, in case you missed it, here is a recording of the Eternal Heart book launch celebration! We gathered on the evening of June 29 — if you missed it, …
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Online Class: Introduction to Christian Mysticism (August 21, 2021)
This online program is sponsored by Zeitgeist Atlanta. For more information or to register, click here. Zeitgeist — Atlanta’s Home for the Spiritually Independent and their friends — is offering …
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Can Contemplatives Have Fun?
Two words I often don’t hear together: “contemplation” and “fun” — or, for that matter, “mysticism” and “fun.” Recently I have been thinking about this, and I decided it was …
Catholic Spirituality versus the Institutional Church: Navigating the Choppy Waters
A friend on Instagram wrote this to me recently: Hello, Carl! I have become so drawn to the Catholic Church and I don’t know what to do. I am an …
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In-Person Retreat: Praying with the English Mystics (August 16-20, 2021)
After almost 18 months of doing only online retreats and programs, I am thrilled to announce my first in-person event of 2021, at beautiful Mepkin Abbey in South Carolina! This …
In-Person Retreat: Praying with the English Mystics (August 16-20, 2021) Read More »
My Latest Initiative, or, What is a “Contemplative in Residence”?
Friends, I am honored to announce that I have embraced a special relationship with one of Atlanta’s most progressive and visionary spiritual communities. I have been named the “Contemplative in …
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Online Day of Reflection for Patrons: Transfiguration (August 7, 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 …
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Online Event: The Path of the Awakened Heart (July 31,2021)
Authors Colette Lafia and Carl McColman join together to lead this special online program celebrating the wisdom of the heart. Sponsored by the East West Bookshop of Mountain View California. …
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Why the Desert Mothers and Fathers Still Matter
In one of his daily emails, Richard Rohr once admitted that he has some issues with the sayings of the Desert Mothers and Fathers — the early Christian hermits and …
Come to the Eternal Heart Publication Day Celebration — June 29, 2021!
Friends, you are invited to a special virtual event: the Eternal Heart Book Launch Celebration! We will gather via Zoom on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 from 7:30 – 8:45 PM (Eastern …
Come to the Eternal Heart Publication Day Celebration — June 29, 2021! Read More »
What I look for when I read contemplative books
I often get asked to recommend “the best” contemplative books. I’m happy to do so (see this post for a recent attempt to list some of the better books), but …