Tag Archives | silence

Does God = Consciousness?

By in Contemplation

A reader writes… Carl, I am a theoretical physicist by training and have struggled with the idea of supernatural concepts like God. Even so, contemplation has increased my sense of God being part of me, which I like very much. So here is my question: Do you think it is too radical to say God [...]

Read full story · Comments are closed · April 12, 2013

Concerning Stillness, Songs, and Soul Friends

By in Spirituality

A reader writes: Carl, when you are sufficiently silent with the “waters stilled” how do you experience revelation. I suppose a better question would be what is your experience “there” like? Does God float into view … or does God whisper … ?? Or do you find a path to look inwardly in order to [...]

Read full story · Comments { 3 } · March 26, 2013

Richard of St. Victor on Contemplation

By in Contemplation

The more I read Richard of St. Victor, the more I love him. Here are a few jewels from the fifteenth chapter of Book IV of The Mystical Ark: See to it that the very time He begins to knock at the door is not the first time that you begin to want to throw [...]

Read full story · Comments { 0 } · October 30, 2012

The Point of Mystical Writing

By in Mysticism, Spirituality

Now because the Holy Spirit speaks through Isaac’s mouth, the words of this thrice-blessed saint are matchless in their beauty and are fired with a divine spark. That is why, even though he writes so much, he makes a holy silence come to rest within our spirit, just as if there were no one speaking, [...]

Read full story · Comments { 3 } · June 14, 2012

Before We Face the Monkey Mind

By in Contemplation, silence, Spirituality

A reader has written to me with the following question: I make my living as a psychotherapist & most of my work is spiritually oriented counseling with Christians.  I have long been trying to introduce clients to contemplation through encouraging brief periods of silence, solitude and openness  (15-20 min).  I also taught an introductory  course [...]

Read full story · Comments { 5 } · June 4, 2012

Are Contemplatives Privileged?

By in silence

For some time now, I’ve noticed how gatherings of contemplatives often seem to consist largely of individuals who are well educated and/or affluent. As much as I love exploring the contemplative dimension of Christianity, I worry that only those folks who seem to enjoy a lion’s share of our society’s abundance appear to be pursuing [...]

Read full story · Comments { 8 } · March 28, 2012

Mystery of the Missing Silence

By in Spirituality

If you have heard me speak any time over the last six months you have probably heard me go on and on about Psalm 65, which is often less-than-ideally translated into modern English versions of the Bible. The most literal (and allusive) translation of this Psalm begins in this way: “To you, silence is praise, [...]

Read full story · Comments { 1 } · March 14, 2012
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