Blog Archive
Contemplation in Action – Community – Prayer – Listening – Spiritual Direction – Nature
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Advent Listening
Today’s blog is by Mary van Balen I am poring through Scripture readings and books while preparing for an Advent retreat, revisiting favorite writings and discovering new ones. As readers do, I filter the words through my current state of mind, faith, and being. A passage that held deep meaning five years ago provides little…
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Community of Heart: Practicing in Common-Unity
Today’s post is by Keith Kristich Communities of spiritual practice are often home to those who would not typically choose to spend time together. In Chris Heuertz’s most recent book, The Sacred Enneagram, a book integrating contemplative prayer with personality psychology of the Enneagram, Chris writes this of his contemplative prayer group: “Those who normally…
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Deeds Come First
Today’s blog post is by Mary van Balen Peter Claver, a 16th century Spaniard, was canonized by the Roman Catholic church as a saint in 1888, but he is not well known. He was born in 1581 and entered the Jesuits there in 1601. In 1610 he went to the missions in America, landing in…
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Tending the Garden That is our Life
Just supposing God wrote a letter, a real letter, to us at birth? I imagine it as something like this: My dear little one, you are coming into being. You are beginning to perceive things. This body that is now yours is wondrous. I feel such joy in anticipation of the journey that is to…
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Learning To Sit With Not Knowing
Today’s Special Video Blog is by Carrie Newcomer, the recipient of Shalem’s 2019 Contemplative Voices Award on October 27! “Learning To Sit With Not Knowing” from “The Point of Arrival” “Abide” by Carrie Newcomer and Parker Palmer from “A Permeable Life” “Room At The Table” from “A Permeable Life”
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Listening from the Spiritual Heart
Today’s blog is by Keith Kristich “An atmosphere of intentional prayer precedes and follows group sessions, permeating the time together, as all seek an attitude of trustful openness, ready to share what is given as the fruit of prayer and reflection, and ready to hear what arises in the silence and words of direction time.”…