Carl McColman's Blog, page 50
October 20, 2018
The Heart Symphony: Another Perspective on a Contemplative Prayer Word
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 with all that is. It […]
October 18, 2018
Letting Go Of (Our Limited Image of) God
“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, a certain part got me […]
October 14, 2018
Kathleen Norris, Part Two: SIlence, Poetry, and Acedia (Episode 36)
In this episode we conclude our interview with poet and essayist Kathleen Norris. In part one of the interview, Kathleen and Cassidy explored topics such as poetry, creativity, silence (of course) and acedia — a spiritual malady that she wrote about movingly in her memoir Acedia and Me. This is part two of a two part … Continue reading Kathleen Norris, Part Two: SIlence, Poetry, and Acedia (Episode 36) → … Read more at Encountering Silence
October 12, 2018
Remaining at the Cross: On Being a Contemplative Christian in a Church That Has Forgotten Its Mystical Heritage
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 a Zen roshi who warmly […]
October 10, 2018
Want to Learn About Zen? Here’s a Book to Get You Started
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 and roshi. He has written […]
October 8, 2018
Kathleen Norris, Part One: Silence, Poetry, and Acedia (Episode 35)
A self-described “evangelist for poetry,” Kathleen Norris explores the spiritual life in both intimate and historical ways, through her award-winning poetry and luminous works of literary nonfiction, including Dakota: A Spiritual Geography, The Cloister Walk, and Acedia and Me. In addition to her distinguished literary career, she is a Presbyterian layperson and a Benedictine Oblate. “There’s natural noise, … Continue reading Kathleen Norris, Part One: Silence, Poetry, and Acedia (Episode 35...
October 6, 2018
Ten Bible Verses About Silence, Stillness and Solitude
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) is discerning in his heart […]
October 4, 2018
Can Christians Use a (Non-Christian) Mantra?
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 of a mantra. They see […]
October 2, 2018
How To Know When to Speak (and When to Be Silent)
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 trying to speak truth and […]
October 1, 2018
Parker J. Palmer, Part 2: On the Brink of Silence (Episode 34)
This week our conversation with Quaker activist, author, and educator Parker J. Palmer continues. Please listen to Part One (Episode 33) if you haven’t already done so. In this week’s episode, we explore the question of how sometimes silence can be toxic (a “silencing” rather than the silence that frees), and how Quaker spirituality has … Continue reading Parker J. Palmer, Part 2: On the Brink of Silence (Episode 34) → … Read more at Encountering Silence
