Carl McColman's Blog, page 22

Questions About Different Methods of Contemplation

Recently I had an email exchange with a long-standing reader of this blog. With that person’s permission, I am sharing the conversation here, edited to protect the reader’s privacy. The questions are some that I think many people might ask.

Hi Carl, a very quick question.  Is the Jesus Prayer and Christian Meditation (as taught by the World Community of Christian Meditation) basically the same thing and only the ‘mantras’ are different?

Thanks for your question. Actually, I would not say they a...

Online Retreat Day: At the Edge of Waiting: Centering Prayer and Celtic Spirituality (October 30, 2021)

In celebration of the Christian feast days of All Saints and All Souls — and the ancient Celtic New Year, which happened at this same time — you are invited to a special day-retreat combining Centering Prayer with contemplative insights from the wisdom of the Celtic tradition, facilitated by Carl McColman and sponsored by Contemplative Outreach Atlanta.

To register for this online retreat, click here.

Join us on October 30 for an online retreat day where we explore the connections between Celtic...

Online Retreat: The Spiritual Imagination of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis (October 22-23, 2021)

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia are masterpieces of fantasy literature. Since both authors were committed Christians, these writings also are filled with spiritual insights and mystical wisdom. On this retreat we will reflect together on how Tolkien, Lewis, and their 19th-century predecessor, George MacDonald, offer timeless guidance that remains relevant to followers of Christ today.

This retreat is scheduled as an on-line event. Which means you ...

The Problem with Christianity in a Nutshell

We all know that so many people today prefer to remain spiritually independent, intentional about cultivating their interior life but unencumbered by affiliation to a faith community. In other words: “spiritual but not religious.”

We know that this annoys some religious people, while others seem to roll with it. Even though I remain engaged with Christianity-as-religion, I also try to understand and appreciate the perspectives of those who say “no thank you” to institutional religion.

Yesterday ...

How Do Contemplatives Make a Difference?

Consider these teachings from Jesus, all taken from just one Gospel (Matthew)1:

“Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.”“Sell your possessions, and give (the money) to the poor, and follow me.”“Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.”“Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”“Love your enemies.”

Couple this with a strong theme running throughout the Jewish and Christian scriptures that God is a God of justice and righteousness, and it is apparent that ...

Online Day of Reflection for Patrons: October 2, 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 take place on Saturday, October 2, 2021. The theme for this Quiet Day will be the Feast of the Holy Angels, and will include a Zoom session with time for silent prayer,  lectio divina, time for shared reflection on the spiritual meaning of the Angels, and time for conversation. If you are not currently a patro...

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 of Lectio Divina with the Liturgy of the Hours. “No problem” with the three discursive steps of Lectio, but when I get to the non-discursive contemplatio, I struggle with monkey brain… Frankly, zazen’s breath counting “works” best for me over the years. I’ve tried using the Jesus Prayer, infused with my breath...

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 AWOL from the world of audio and video content, is because I’ve been invited as a guest on several other podcasts. Most of these have been interested in Eternal Heart, so we’ve talked about that book — but the topics tend to be free-ranging, exploring a variety of concerns related to spirituality, contemplation, writing, and even publishing.

So, if you are...

In-Person Event: Spirituality of the Eternal Heart, an Evening with the Atlanta Spiritual Formation Collective (September 18, 2021).

The Atlanta Spiritual Formation Collective has invited me for an evening event on Saturday, September 18. We’ll be talking about the blessings of contemplative spirituality, as well as exploring some of the spiritual principles behind my latest book, Eternal Heart. We’ll have some time for silent prayer as well as questions and answers. If you’re in the Atlanta area, I hope you can join us!

For more information, visit the Atlanta Spiritual Formation Collective Website.

Date: September 18, 2021
T...

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, or click here to learn more and to register.

How did the great Christian mystics offer spiritual companionship?

How can we learn from them?

Join us on a journey

Of mystery, mutuality, discovery and deep connection.

Designed especially for spiritual directors and spiritual companions.
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