NEW FOR 2019: Now available! An Invitation to Celtic Wisdom draws on myth, folklore, poetry, and the tales of Celtic saints and heroes, to explore the spiritual tradition of the Celtic peoples — a tradition rooted in hospitality, love of nature, and a mystical sense of the presence of God. The Celtic way is more important […]
Therese Taylor-Stinson is the co-editor of Embodied Spirits: Stories of Spiritual Directors of Color, and the editor of Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around — Stories of Contemplation and Justice. She is an ordained deacon and elder in the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), a lay pastoral caregiver, and a graduate of and an associate faculty … Continue reading Therese Taylor-Stinson: Silence, Contemplation, and Justice (Part One) → … Read more at Encountering Silence
A Meditation for Palm Sunday, April 14, 2019 Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. He will cut off the chariot from…… Read more at Patheos
Alleluia! Lent is almost over! In just a few days to come we will journey through the Sacred Triduum of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, culminating in the Great Vigil of Easter, marking the Resurrection of Christ—and the end, for another year, of our Lenten fasts and sacrifices.…… Read more at Patheos
This is the third of a series of blog posts in response to a lengthy email I received a few weeks ago from an Episcopal priest who is a veteran centering prayer practitioner. You can read the email in its entirety here, and then the first post and the second…… Read more at Patheos
Cynthia Bourgeault continues her conversation with the Encountering Silence team, offering insight into silence as a deeper way of knowing, contemplative Christianity as a unique spiritual path, and centering prayer as a singular practice of deep meditation. This is part two of a two-part interview. Click here to listen to part one. “There is no … Continue reading Cynthia Bourgeault: The Heart of Silence (Part Two) → … Read more at Encountering Silence
Cynthia Bourgeault has embraced silence and the contemplative life from a variety of perspectives: as a child in Quaker schools, as an Episcopal priest, as a student of the Gurdjieff “Fourth Way” and of centering prayer working with Fr. Thomas Keating, and now as a teacher both in her own Wisdom Schools and as part … Continue reading Cynthia Bourgeault: The Heart of Silence (Part One) → … Read more at Encountering Silence
Recently on social I media I offered this observation: My online friend James Ishmael Ford, author of books like Introduction to Zen Koans and Zen Master Who?, reposted it to his timeline, dutifully crediting me as the source. I was surprised — and a bit bemused — by the response. James is a…… Read more at Patheos
Asheville, NC is one of my favorite places in the world. Beautiful mountains, a thriving city with a vibrant arts scene (not to mention craft breweries and great restaurants), and home to some wonderful Christian communities, from the Wild Goose Festival which takes place every summer, to Haw Creek Commons — a…… Read more at Patheos
Hope you can join me (and the good folks at Haw Creek Commons) on the Saturday after Easter for a special day-retreat.
Poetry is where storytelling and contemplation meet one another. With this idea as our starting point, our day will weave together silence, reflection and prayer based on the themes of contemplation, social action, community building, and deep trust. We will take a closer look at the poetry and wisdom of several contemporary figures — poets like Thomas Merton and Mary Oliver, along with the insight of contemplative teachers like Martin Laird or Julian of Norwich. We’ll combine generous time for prayer, meditation, personal reflection, and journaling with opportunities for small group sharing.
This event is paired with a Friday evening program, Storytelling as a Subversive Art. Register separately for each event.
| Date: | April 27, 2019 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 9:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. |
| Event: | "Poetry, Prayer and Protest" Day of Reflection |
| Topic: | Poetry, Prayer and Protest |
| Sponsor: |
Haw Creek Commons (828) 412-0949 |
| Venue: |
Haw Creek Commons (828) 412-0949 |
| Location: | 311 Old Haw Creek Road Asheville, NC 28805 |
| Public: | Public |
| Registration: | Click here to register. |
| More Info: | Click here for more information. |
To invite me to speak to your community, click here.
My friends with the Haw Creek Commons community in Asheville, NC are hosting a special Friday evening event called “Storytelling as a Subversive Art.” Space is limited for this event — so register soon!
This will be an opportunity for us to explore how storytelling can shape a meaningful and life-changing spirituality. I’ll tell a story (or a few), and reflect together with you on how stories and storytelling help us to find meaning, purpose, mission, and perhaps even a sense of communion with God. Depending on how the evening goes, we’ll have time for shared prayer, silence, and conversation.
This event is paired with a Saturday retreat, Poetry, Prayer and Protest. Register separately for each event.
| Date: | April 26, 2019 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 07:00-09:00 PM |
| Event: | Sacred (and Subversive) Storytelling in Asheville, NC |
| Topic: | Sacred Storytelling |
| Sponsor: |
Haw Creek Commons (828) 412-0949 |
| Venue: |
Haw Creek Commons (828) 412-0949 |
| Location: | 311 Old Haw Creek Road Asheville, NC 28805 |
| Public: | Public |
| Registration: | Click here to register. |
| More Info: | Click here for more information. |
To invite me to speak to your community, click here.
Our conversation with contemplative author Martin Laird concludes with this episode. To hear part one, click here. To hear part two, click here. “In a spiritual path there are no ‘outcomes assessments’.” — Martin Laird After recording an interview with just Carl and Kevin, Fr. Martin graciously agreed to an additional recording session with all … Continue reading Martin Laird: Silent Land, Luminous Ocean (Part Three) → … Read more at Encountering Silence
Last week on this blog I posted a detailed email I received from a reader which included several wonderful questions. You can read the full email here. I’m going to take on the questions from that email one at a time. This week, we’re considering “is centering prayer something old…… Read more at Patheos
I received the following email from a reader. I’m editing it slightly for the purpose of clarity, but otherwise posting it in its entirety. My question hovers around how centering prayer and Cynthia Bourgeault’s expression of it sits in tension with Orthodox traditions of the Jesus Prayer. Bourgeault figures centering…… Read more at Patheos
On the day before my 58th birthday, a man who was just a few weeks older than me died. I’ll just call him “H.” I met H. when we were in the seventh grade. We went to the same church — my family and I were newcomers, joining the small…… Read more at Patheos
Our conversation with contemplative author Martin Laird continues with this episode. To hear part one, click here. “What I mean by ‘Contemplative’ is ultimately overcoming the illusion of separation of God, and that illusion is sustained and maintained by inner noise in our head. And everything about our culture keeps our attention riveted there.” — … Continue reading Martin Laird: Silent Land, Luminous Ocean (Part Two) → … Read more at Encountering Silence
