From September 28 through November 9, 2020 I’m leading a program called “Contemplation and Practice” through Zeitgeist Atlanta. Here are some of the meditations that participants will have access to….
Tag: practice
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…
The Difference Between Meditation and Contemplation
A reader of my blog writes: As someone new and aspiring to find a more contemplative lifestyle, I’m curious of one thing. Is there a critical difference between sitting time…
Prayer for Beginners: What is the Best Practice for Newcomers to Mystical Christianity?
A reader writes, I am emailing to ask you what particular practice of prayer you would suggest to someone starting out on the mystical path? I have a little experience…
Is the Liturgy of the Hours a Required Practice for Christian Contemplatives Today?
A reader writes, I’ve been leaning into a contemplative way of life for a couple of decades now… I’ve settled down into a daily pattern of Examen, Lectio Divina, and…
A Reason Why Liturgy Matters: "Like Staring Out Into Eternity"
So often, it seems to me, that people who are drawn to the Christian tradition of mysticism and contemplation are eager to learn practices like Centering Prayer or the Jesus…
Is Mystical Spirituality an Appropriate Response to the Social and Political Crises of Our Time? Absolutely.
I am writing these words on a Monday morning following two mass shootings that occurred on the previous weekend — one in El Paso, TX, and the other in Dayton,…
Finding a Mystical or Contemplative-Friendly Neighborhood Church
A reader named Connie wrote to me and asked the following question: Is there a mystic/al church? What would it look like? Does such a thing exist in your experience?…
Do Contemplatives Need the Church?
A post on this blog received the following comment yesterday: Having been with the Catholic Church and seminary trained for all my 71 years of life. I am naturally contemplative…
Seven Reasons to Pray the Divine Office
Everyone knows that monks devote their lives to silence, but also to daily prayer and chanting. Monastic prayer occurs at fixed-hours throughout the day. The rota of Psalms, canticles, scripture readings,…