Blog Archive

Contemplation in Action – Community – Prayer – Listening – Spiritual Direction – Nature

  • Reflecting on Shalem’s Transforming Community Program

    The Transforming Community Program (TCP) was everything I had hoped it to be from beginning to end. I came into the program after a two-year recovery process from a serious surgery. I had been in a discernment process after finishing a yearlong course in contemplation and was praying about what was mine to do next.…

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  • From Censorship to Contemplation: Silence in Queer Life

    When I first came out as gay, I was both nervous and excited. It was exhilarating to see a previously unspoken barrier break down that had separated me from others for so long. A great relief came over me whenever I shared more of myself with those who I perceived as supportive friends, family, and…

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  • Pride

    “Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you.” These words of wisdom from writer, speaker, and activist Parker J. Palmer have guided me along my spiritual path since 2012 when a colleague encouraged me to read Let Your Life Speak: Listening for…

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  • More Board/Staff Contemplative Recommendations

    “The Green Chapel” Substack by Gideon HeughI have frequently thought of Shalem when reading posts here — Gideon writes with beauty, nuance, and deep sensitivity. (Available to subscribe and free to read.)-Laura Lee Ernst, Board of Directors Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellow…a 1959 novel about a wealthy, middle-aged American who feels unfulfilled and…

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  • 2026 Shalem Picks for Contemplative Resources

    As Yourself by Caroline VogelI have loved Caroline Vogel’s book, As Yourself. Caroline is a Shalem graduate and her book is about how we can take seriously Jesus’s mandate to love ourselves (love your neighbor as yourself). The book is wise and compassionate and full of embodied practices. – Jehanne Gheith, Board of Directors Becoming…

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  • Searching for the Divine Light

    I struggled with how to approach this talk of grief. I’m a stoic Norwegian and German Lutheran, so I am notoriously uncomfortable talking about my own grief or life obstacles. I’m sure some of you can relate. We find a myriad of ways to minimize our sadness. For example, it is an ironic act of…

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Our mission is to nurture contemplative living and leadership.

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In 2025, Shalem will be a dynamic and inclusive community, empowered by the Spirit, where seekers engage in transformation of themselves, their communities, and the world through spiritual growth, deep connection, and courageous action.

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