Contemplation and the Ocean of Presence
Here’s a little video I filmed last month at the Gulf Coast. It’s only about 45 seconds long and consists of the sunset and the surf. I offer it to you as a little moment of serenity. Please enjoy. If...
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The Last Instructions of Christ to His Disciples
The Ascension of Christ. Gold mosaic from Neamt Monastery, Romania In the first chapter of The Acts of the Apostles, Jesus gives his disciples their last instructions before his ascension into heaven...
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What Do Contemplatives Want? (or, Results from My Reader Survey)
Inspiration, right this way… First a disclaimer about my headline. I’m answering this question (What do contemplatives want?) based on the results from my 2015 readers’ poll. If you aren’t interested...
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Better to Light a Candle (of Silence) than to Curse the Darkness (of Language)
If a picture is worth 1000 words, how many words is silence worth? Does language always limit the way we talk about, think about, or even pray to, God? This question has been on my mind for the past...
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The Rule, the Discipline, and Spiritual Growth
Saint Benedict, author of the most widely used rule in western Christianity I bet if I took a poll, almost everyone who reads my blog would agree with this statement: “I want to grow spiritually.”...
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Letter and Spirit: Thoughts and Silence?
In his sermon On Conversion, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux quotes Acts 26:24, only he paraphrases it like this: “Too much thinking has made you mad!” Whenever I see a verse like this rendered in an...
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Artist, Mystic, Pilgrim, Companion: An Interview with Christine Valters Paintner
Christine Valters Paintner Recently I had the opportunity to interview author and contemplative artist Christine Valters Paintner of the Abbey of the Arts. We talked about contemplative spirituality,...
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Principles for Contemplative Spirituality (Part One)
Contemplation: the art of beholding God’s beauty A couple of years ago Rob Bell wrote a book with the title What We Talk About When We Talk About God. I haven’t read the book, but I love the title. So...
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Principles for Contemplative Spirituality (Part Two)
Contemplation is like a path through a beautiful garden. Last week I shared six principles that guide me in my understanding of what Christian contemplative spirituality is. This week I’m sharing six...
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Desert Island Discs (and DVDs)
Of course, if I were stranded here, I probably wouldn’t care if I had CDs or DVDs with me… If you were stranded on a desert island, what music would you want to accompany you? The BBC has a...
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Mindfulness and Contemplation: What’s the Difference?
Like a gentle stream, mindfulness and contemplative prayer both seek clarity. Silent prayer also seeks the face of God. Recently a reader left the following comment on this blog: I have been reading...
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What to Say to the Nay-Sayers: Talking About Contemplation With Its Critics
Often, remaining silent is better than getting into a pointless debate. If you are active in a church or other faith community, and you are drawn to (or practicing) silent prayer, if you talk about it...
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How Mysticism is Unique — and Universal
One Light… Many Candles… How, exactly, does Christian mysticism relate to all the other “mysticisms” of the world (Kabbalah, Sufism, Taoism, Vedanta, Zen, etc.)? A reader of this blog writes: I have...
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How Saint Benedict Can Help Us Grow Spiritually
The Benedictine Vows and a Life of Integrity, Commitment, and Mindfulness Monk in Stained Glass (Panaspics/Shutterstock) How can the wisdom of the monastery help folks like you and me — who are not...
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Seven Ways the Mystics Inspire Us Today
How the Spirituality of the Past will Craft the Christianity of the Future Scott Boulevard Baptist Church, Decatur, GA; March 2015. Today this building no longer exists; it was demolished and the land...
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Three Mystics You May Have Missed
Lesser Known — But Wonderful — Voices in the Contemplative Tradition Jan Van Ruysbroeck (Ruusbroec), a mystic worth reading (image: public domain) Walk into a Catholic bookstore — or a general...
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The Fear of the Lord and the Love of God
God is a mystery, and our image of that mystery shapes our faith Do you believe in Love? Or do you believe in fear? As a young man growing up in the American south, I heard the phrase “God fearing” a...
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Kenneth Leech (1939-2015)
One of the Great Contemplatives of Our Time Was Also a Prophet for God's Justice and Mercy Kenneth Leech I have learned of the passing of Father Kenneth Leech, who died on Saturday after a long...
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Thirteen Characteristics of Healthy Spirituality
Kenneth Leech's Manifesto for a Renewed Spirituality is More Relevant Than Ever True God Following the passing of Anglican contemplative theologian Kenneth Leech, I’ve been revisiting several of his...
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Nine Ways to Foster a Contemplative Church
Christianity Needs to Affirm Silent Prayer at the Congregational Level Contemplation belongs in the neighborhood church If you are the pastor of a church or parish, this post is for you. If you are not...
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