Prayer

Spiritual silence is not about the kind of silence that harms relationships or inhibits communication. Rather, the silence of spirituality is the silence of listening, pondering, meditating, contemplating. It can only be freely chosen; never imposed. <a href=/unknowing/mystical-silence/>Read More »</a>

Praying with icons is no longer just something eastern Christians do. Recognizing that the image can be a powerful window into heaven, Christians across the entire Body of Christ have found meaning and spiritual sustenance in the prayerful contemplation of icons. <a href=/unknowing/praying-with-icons/>Read More »</a>

As important as silence is to contemplative and mystical forms of prayer, it's only one of five essential dimensions of Christian prayer. In this post I look at all of these dimensions of prayer: what they are, why they matter, and how to cultivate all the essential ways of praying in your daily spiritual practice. <a href=/unknowing/dimensions-of-christian-prayer/>Read More »</a>

One of the most colorful and beloved of mystics comes from sixteenth century Spain: Teresa of Jesus, who was born in Ávila in 1515. She felt that humility and charity are essential virtues that all Christians need to cultivate, but especially so when entering into a serious and intentional life of prayer. <a href=/unknowing/teresa-avila/>Read More »</a>