Explore the Christian wisdom traditions in this self-paced online course. Learn how kenosis and surrender can lead to a participatory exchange between the finite and the infinite.
Next live call: Wednesday, June 10
Course Description
This is a self-paced online course exploring the heart of God through the concept of Divine Exchange — Cynthia Bourgeault’s framework based in the Christian wisdom traditions. Learn how kenosis and surrender can lead to a participatory exchange between the finite and the infinite.
The Divine Exchange explores the idea of exchange as the dynamic medium for everything finite and infinite. In this Christian contemplative online course Cynthia unpacks the metaphysics of Christian wisdom taught in traditional Wisdom Schools — ancient and modern contemplative learning communities focused on transformation. Students in The Divine Exchange can take their inner work even further through practices like centering prayer, chanting, and Tonglen breathing.
Students have unlimited access to course materials as long as CAC Connect is available — revisit these teachings at any time!
Learning Objectives
- Cultivate a Wisdom rhythm in your daily life through reflection and engagement with contemplative practices and teachings.
- Expand your awareness of the Christian Wisdom path and its relevance to our realities today.
- Develop a contemplative practice to engage and embody these teachings. Embodiment exercises are an integral part of the course.
- Connect and learn with other spiritual seekers through facilitated interactions.
- Learn an accessible, metaphysical framework for engaging in transformational work. Review the Desired Learning Outcomes.
- Examine parallels between wisdom roadmaps from antiquity and Jesus’ Gospel teaching through the writings of Ilia Delio, Gurdjieff, and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
- Explore Christian contemplative teachings from a quantum, cosmological perspective.
Course Details
The Divine Exchange is a self-guided online course with 15 units. In this online course, students can expect to:
- Watch and/or listen to video lessons.
- Discover Cynthia’s theological and metaphysical frameworks.
- Practice embodiment exercises designed to help you experience exchange.
- Engage with personal reflection questions.
- Participate in facilitated community reflections.
- Participate in communal rituals.
- Enjoy ongoing access to the online course for as long as CAC Connect is available.
Live Calls with CAC Staff
Students will be invited to participate in optional live calls with CAC staff to support integrating the course material. These calls will be announced on the CAC Connect platform when they are scheduled.
Learn More about Cynthia Bourgeault
Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault is a modern-day mystic, Episcopal priest, writer, internationally known retreat leader, and CAC Faculty Emeritus.
She divides her time between solitude at her seaside hermitage in Maine and traveling globally to teach and spread the recovery of the Christian contemplative and Wisdom paths. Read on.
“We flow into God, and God into us. That’s Jesus’ vision of no separation between human and Divine.”
—Cynthia Bourgeault
CAC Connect
This asynchronous online course is available on CAC’s new learning platform, CAC Connect — your companion for deeper engagement with Christian contemplative wisdom and practices. Designed for spiritual seekers and lifelong learners, it supports those seeking transformation and a deeper connection to contemplative practices.
Through CAC Connect, you can explore enriching content and engage with like-valued individuals in dedicated spaces. Build meaningful relationships within a supportive community and foster both personal growth and a commitment to a more just and connected world.
Cost
The standard cost for this course is $497. While this price reflects the true cost of creating and offering it, we believe that transformation belongs to everyone, and we’re committed to reducing financial barriers to participation. That’s why we’re offering two additional price levels — $374 and $249 — so you can choose the one that best aligns with your current financial circumstances.
If these price levels are out of reach, you may apply for additional financial assistance. Please do not register for the online course until your request for financial assistance has been processed.
These reduced options are made possible by the generosity of our donor community who help ensure that seekers from all walks of life can engage the wisdom that calls us toward healing, wholeness, and deepening love.
Requirements
- This course is taught in English.
- Learn more about the technical requirements for taking this course.
There are no required reading materials.
Please review our FAQs for additional requirement questions.
“Cynthia transformed my thinking and led me into a flood of inner peace.”
—Edward P., CAC Community Member
Course Impact
Participants enroll in The Divine Exchange for many reasons. Some found the practice of kenosis to be helpful during times of discernment or deconstruction of faith. Others felt the inner work inspired by the course helped them create more fulfilling exchanges of energy and wisdom.
Participants who engaged fully with the course shared that they:
- Engaged more deeply with the world through the metaphysical framework and contemplative practices that encourage life-long transformation.
- Developed stronger trust in their intuition with embodiment practices like kenosis and three-centered awareness.
- Joined an expanded learning community with other contemplatives in our online courses — people looking to practice Christian wisdom traditions.
- Became more fluent in mystical wisdom and action — exploring teachings from other mystical teachers such as Ilia Delio and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
This is a sample video from the course.
Course Overview
In this self-guided online course, students will explore exclusive video teachings, facilitated community reflections, journaling, contemplative practices, optional live calls, and additional resources.
Students are encouraged to engage with each unit at their own pace.
- Unit 1 | Welcome to The Divine Exchange
An overview to Cynthia, the course design, learning goals, and this course’s roots in Cynthia’s Wisdom Schools. Consider how you want to engage with the material and your fellow learners. - Unit 2 | The Benedictine Rule as a Rhythm for Life
Cynthia introduces Ora et Labora, and offers practical guidance for how to begin developing your own rhythm for life with Benedict’s rule as a template. - Unit 3 | Three-Centered Awareness
Learn three-centered awareness from G.I. Gurdjieff, as a way to become more fully present to the Divine in the here and now. - Unit 4 | Practices to Support a Rhythm of Life
Cynthia provides practical instruction for developing and deepening a contemplative rhythm of life through practices like Lectio Divina, centering prayer, and chanting. - Unit 5 | Exchange in the Teachings of Jesus
Cynthia gives us a fresh look at teachings of Jesus, reframing our understanding of them with an introduction to conscious work. - Unit 6 | Surrender as a Pathway of Exchange
Journey into a foundational practice of exchange — kenosis, or non-clinging — as practiced through Centering Prayer. - Unit 7 | The Divine Alchemy
Learn how the finite and the infinite are indwelling and exchanging with each other. - Unit 8 | Trinity as a Mandala for the Divine Exchange
Cynthia presents the asymmetry of threeness and how it opens new thought pathways through the Trinity and the Law of Three. - Unit 9 | Substituted Love: The Eucharist as a Pathway of Divine Exchange
Cynthia invites us into the very heart of the Christian mystery: the Paschal Mystery and the Eucharist as a living symbol of Divine Exchange. - Unit 10 | Practices of Exchange: Sufi Turning and Tonglen
Learn to embody and practice exchange with Sufi Turning prayer and Tonglen breathing, translated through the lens of the Paschal mystery. - Unit 11 | Anointing Ceremony
Learn about Mary Magdalene at the center of Christ’s anointing, and articipate in an Anointing Ceremony where sacramental action and powerful readings are woven into a ritual of transformation. - Unit 12 | The Exchange: A Teilhardian Perspective
Explore the give-and-take of exchange through Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s grounding in both science and faith. - Unit 13 | What Are We Here For? The Larger Cosmic Roadmap
Explore our shared calling through Teilhard de Chardin and discover a deeper connection to all life that inspires you to contribute to the well-being of the collective whole. - Unit 14 | The Eucharist Celebration
Practice a ritual celebration that brings the teachings together in an embodied way that invites deep reflection. - Unit 15 | Integration and Going Deeper
Cynthia offers a final reflection — the world of interconnected belonging is strengthened through the ways we give and help. Learn of possibilities for going deeper and further integration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below you will find our most frequently asked questions about our online courses. If you’re unable to find what you are looking for, please contact our support team.
The desired learning outcomes of your participation in The Divine Exchange course consist of three categories:
- What we hope you will know
- How we hope you will grow
- How we hope you are inspired to show up in this course and in the world
These desired outcomes serve as a guiding framework for learning.
We hope you will know:
- A New Encounter of Jesus: Meet Jesus through the lens of a Wisdom teacher who is deeply concerned with the transformation of consciousness.
- An Entryway to The Path of Divine Exchange: Learn to see kenosis (self-emptying), surrender, and abundance as the sacred rhythm of “giving-is-receiving” that illuminates human purpose, responsibility, and our place in the greater whole.
- The Roots of Wisdom: Learn the fundamentals of this Wisdom tradition, including the Rule of St. Benedict, with its rhythm of Ora et Labora (prayer and work), and the practice of three-centered awareness.
- The Larger Story: Explore Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s vision of evolution and love, discovering how Christ is “the heart of the world” and how your own life belongs within this cosmic unfolding.
We hope you will grow by:
- Seeing with the Eyes of the Heart: Hear Jesus’ teachings, including those from the Gospel of Thomas, as invitations to a way of knowing where devotion and action are one.
- Living from Relational Wholeness: Experience the Trinity not as doctrine, but as a living field of pure relationality.
- Practicing Embodied Presence: Engage in prayer and awareness with your whole being—body, heart, and mind—through practices like Centering Prayer, Welcoming, breath work, and contemplative rhythm.
- Recognizing Divine Exchange in Daily Life: Notice how the movements of giving-and-receiving flow through your relationships, work, and community.
- Encountering the Eucharist as Living Symbol: Enter the Eucharist as a celebration of surrender and new life, a sacrament of Divine Exchange that can be met with openness and reverence from any faith tradition.
We hope you are inspired to show up by:
- Approaching the material with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to be changed.
- Asking enduring questions and living inside them.
- Leaning into paradox and mystery.
- Contributing to the course community with presence and generosity.
- Letting transformation flow into loving action for the sake of the whole.
The format you can expect for The Divine Exchange course is as follows:
- Ongoing access: Once you enroll, this course will always be accessible to you as long as CAC Connect exists.
- Asynchronous: This is a self-paced course so you can go at the pace that works best for you and your journey of transformation. There is no set schedule or expectation for how long you spend with any given lesson.
- Teaching modality: Course content is presented in written format as well as in videos you can watch and/or listen to. Transcripts are provided for all video content.
- Student Engagement: Lessons include opportunities for practice, reflection, engaging with communal rituals (pre-recorded), and participating in facilitated peer interactions on CAC Connect.
- Optional Live Calls: There are occasional live calls hosted by CAC staff on Zoom for enrolled students. These calls will be announced when scheduled with call recordings made available in the course in the weeks after they happen.
Transformation belongs to everyone. CAC is committed to reducing financial barriers so that seekers from all walks of life can engage the wisdom that heals and inspires. That’s why we offer reduced price levels for all our online courses—so students can choose the one that best aligns with their financial circumstances.
If those price levels are still out of reach, students may apply for additional financial assistance.
Please wait to register for a course or event until you’ve received confirmation of your financial assistance status.
Students will have unlimited access to course materials and discussions as long as CAC Connect is available. We encourage students to go at a pace that fits their lifestyle and supports their transformational journey.
Yes! CAC is currently in the process of transitioning courses to a new community learning platform called CAC Connect (powered by Mighty Networks). Courses on this platform will offer multiple opportunities for discussion, practice, and engagement with others within the course and beyond.
Each course will have a Course Facilitator whose role is to facilitate interactions that support contemplative study, reflection, practice, and application of what is learned. Students will interact with each other throughout the course lessons and discussion feed. Additionally, each course includes a student list that allows students to meet, follow, and chat with fellow participants.
CAC online courses are available on computers and mobile devices, like tablets and smartphones.
If you’re having problems, you might be able to solve them by making sure you’re using a supported browser or device, and making sure it’s updated.
CAC Connect Web Access:
- Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge (latest versions recommended).
- Operating System: Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later.
- Internet Speed: At least 5 Mbps for general browsing; 10+ Mbps recommended for livestreaming and video uploads.
- Screen Resolution: Minimum 1024×768 for the best viewing experience.
CAC Connect Mobile Access:
- iOS App: Requires iOS 15.0 or later (compatible with iPhone and iPad).
- Android App: Requires Android 7.1 or later.
- Storage Space: At least 200MB free for the app installation, more for media uploads.
- Permissions: The app may require access to notifications, microphone, camera, and storage for full functionality.
Yes, CAC Connect has a mobile app for both iOS and Android users! With the app, you can easily access and engage with your online courses, connect with fellow students, and explore enriching content that supports your spiritual journey while on the go.
The iOS version requires 15.0 or later (compatible with iPhone and iPad), and the Android app requires Android 7.1 or later. Students will need at least 200MB free on their device for the app installation, with more available for media downloads. For full functionality, the app may require access to notifications, microphone, camera, and device storage.
To reset your password, visit connect.cac.org and click the “Forgot Password?” link. Please be sure to verify that the email you use is the one associated with your CAC Connect profile and that your email address has been entered correctly. All passwords are case sensitive.
1. Have you received the course invite link?
After purchasing and registering for the course, you will receive an invite link via email to log in or sign up for CAC Connect. This email will come from [email protected]. If you don’t see it in your inbox within a few minutes, please double check your spam folder.
If you haven’t received the invite link, please contact our support team here.
2. Are you using the correct email to log in or sign up?
Once you have received the course invite link, make sure you are signing up or logging in with the exact email address used for the student registrant details at checkout.
Double-check the email you used when registering for the course. If you’re unsure, refer to your purchase confirmation email from [email protected].
Note: The invite link is tied to the student’s email. Only the student will receive the invite. If you received this course as a gift, please check with the purchaser about what email address they used in the purchase confirmation email.
3. Still experiencing issues?
If you have received the invite link, are using the correct student email, and still cannot access your course, please contact our support team for further assistance.
Students can request a full refund for any online course for up to 30 days from the date of purchase.
To request a refund, please contact our Community Support team.