Carl McColman's Blog, page 41

Thin Places, Contemplation, and Discernment

A Few Questions about Celtic Spirituality

Chalice Well, in Glastonbury, England. A Holy Well and a Thin Place (photo by Carl McColman)

Recently I led a Celtic spirituality retreat through the Copper Beech Institute in Connecticut. During the retreat we talked about such topics as the spirituality of holy wells, thin places, and the concept of “the edge of waiting” as a Celtic way of contemplating.

One of the participants sent me an email after the retreat ended with a few questions that cross...

Carrie Newcomer: Silence, Song, Blessing and Waiting (Part One)

What is the relationship between silence and music? This week’s guest, acclaimed folk musician and educator Carrie Newcomer, helps us to explore this provocative question. “To do music you have to be comfortable with silence… a song without the pauses is just cacophony. You have to be able to breathe, and take a breath. Juxtaposition: … Continue reading Carrie Newcomer: Silence, Song, Blessing and Waiting (Part One) → … Read more at Encountering Silence

James Finley: A Conversation on the Spirituality of Silence (Part Two)

In today’s episode, the hosts of Encountering Silence speak with contemplative teacher James Finley, following his reflection on the spirituality of silence which we released last week as episode #62. If you have not yet listened to episode 62, we encourage you to do so before listening to this episode — click here to listen … Continue reading James Finley: A Conversation on the Spirituality of Silence (Part Two) → … Read more at Encountering Silence

Julian of Norwich’s Timeless Message

Julian of Norwich Stained Glass, Norwich Cathedral. Photo by Ian-S, used by permission.

We know the first woman who wrote a book in the English language (at least, the first one that has been preserved for posterity).

But there is a lot about that author, who lived in the fourteenth century, that we don’t know.

We know she was a visionary based in Norwich, England. But we don’t know her name, where she was from or what her family life was like. We can only guess at her education or when she d...

James Finley: Reflections on the Spirituality of Silence (Part One)

Contemplative author, teacher, retreat leader, and psychologist James Finley returns to the Encountering Silence podcast this week. At James’s suggestion, when we recorded this episode we began by giving him the opportunity to share his own reflections on the spirituality of silence. After he finished this presentation, we engaged in a time of shared dialogue … Continue reading James Finley: Reflections on the Spirituality of Silence (Part One) → … Read more at Encountering Silence

I’m Uncomfortable with the Notion of the “False Self.” Here’s Why.

A reader named Dave recently sent this question to me: Hi Carl, could you please give me some suggestions on reading for the false self/ego? Just going through early chapters of New Seeds of Contemplation and it’s really gripped me to dive deeper. He didn’t specify what passage(s) in New Seeds of Contemplation were speaking to […] … Continue Reading on Patheos

Uncovering the Spiritual Heart through Contemplative Practice

Today’s post is written by Lerita Coleman Brown, PhD, author of When the Heart Speaks, Listen: Discovering Inner Wisdom.  “Inner stillness offers the keys to the universe. The answers to any question or dilemma I encounter are revealed if I listen to the silence within.” As a spiritual director/companion and retreat leader I am often asked […] … Continue Reading on Patheos

The Challenges of Spiritual Simplicity

One of the most attractive, although challenging, qualities of the Cistercian charism is simplicity. It’s a principle immediately apparent in Cistercian architecture: the monasteries and churches of the Cistercian order, whether built in the 12th century or the 20th, are typically remarkable for their aesthetic simplicity. There are few if any statues or other adornments, […] … Continue Reading on Patheos

Persevering Through the Dry Times of Prayer

In response to a post I wrote last year — “What to Do When Prayer Gets Dull” — a reader recently left this comment on Facebook: Carl, I think it would be useful to guide folks about what to do if the dryness period persists….I find comfort in reading mystic poetry, coloring mandalas, exercising creativity […] … Continue Reading on Patheos

After Wisdom: Speculating on the Future of Humanity

What is the future of humanity? Will we ever evolve beyond our current identity of homo sapiens? After all, our ancestors weren’t always homo sapiens. Go back far enough and we find homo neanderthalensis or homo erectus in our past. We’ve evolved before, so doesn’t make sense to assume that we shall evolve again? Perhaps it’s not an entirely […] … Continue Reading on Patheos