This week was a rough one for the Christian contemplative community. We lost two major authors: Eugene Peterson and Thomas Keating. Peterson was the author of books like A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society and The Contemplative Pastor, while Keating is known for titles like…… Read more at Patheos
Here is a litany created from the words of Julian of Norwich, 14th Century English Mystic. I put together this litany for a Julian of Norwich quiet day I led at a church in Atlanta a few years ago. Yesterday I was going through some papers and found a copy…… Read more at Patheos
What Richard Foster and Dallas Willard were to my generation – prime tour guides to the spiritual life – I hope and believe Carl McColman will be for the next…
In response to my post Can Christians Use a (Non-Christian) Mantra?, a reader posted this comment on social media: As opposed to being an instrument of thought, when I use a mantra, which now being a Centering Prayer practitioner is rare, what it creates for me is a vibrational, harmonic integration…… Read more at Patheos
“God loves us whether we remain Christian or not.” That’s a statement I made in a previous post, How Should a Christian Respond When a Friend Becomes Interested in Witchcraft and Magic? In response to this, a reader wrote this to me: This is why I love your writing. That said,…… Read more at Patheos
This is turning out to be “James Ishmael Ford” week at my blog. Earlier this week I posted a review of his new book, Introduction to Zen Koans. Check it out if you haven’t done so already. One of the reasons I like his writing so much is that he is…… Read more at Patheos
A Retreat and Pilgrimage on the Isle of Mull (with visits to Iona and other sacred sites) — led by Carl and Fran McColman, Laura Imperial, and Phil Foster This retreat…
Introduction to Zen Koans: Learning the Language of Dragons is the latest book by James Ishmael Ford who is one of my favorite Patheos bloggers (if you don’t know his blog, Monkey Mind, do yourself a favor and check it out). James is a Unitarian-Universalist minister, but also a Soto Zen priest…… Read more at Patheos
This evening I’ve been asked to speak to a small house church in my neighborhood on the spirituality of silence. This particular community is evangelical, and silence is not something that they have traditionally placed a lot of emphasis on. But their pastor (who lives across the street from me)…… Read more at Patheos
A reader, who identifies as a contemplative/mystical Christian, posted this question to me on Facebook: Carl….when I meditate/contemplative prayer…can I use a mantra such as-OM or Hare Krishna or something similar? It’s a great question, and the short answer is, it depends. Some Christians are allergic to the very idea…… Read more at Patheos
Recently I posted this on Facebook: In response, a reader made this comment: Carl, it took time, but about 10 years ago I finally fell In love with silence and the heart of God I find there. This past week though, as so many people on the national stage are…… Read more at Patheos
A reader of this blog wrote to me about the practice of silent prayer. He alluded to a comment I made in an interview where I talked about allowing my breath to be my “prayer word” — in other words, instead of focussing my attention by silently repeating a single…… Read more at Patheos