Tag Archives: surrender
Contemplative Consciousness
Action and Contemplation: Part 3 Contemplative Consciousness Sunday, January 19, 2020 I’ve heard some concerns over the years that contemplation is a practice of “Eastern” meditation wrapped in a Christian disguise. Some Christians have even been taught that seeking union with God through silence makes room for the “devil” to get in. While understandable, these apprehensions are based on a… Continue Reading Contemplative Consciousness
A Radical Surrendering
Twelve-Step Spirituality: Part One A Radical Surrendering Wednesday, December 11, 2019 Step Three: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God. [1] We each have our inner program for happiness, our plans by which we can be secure, esteemed, and in control, and… Continue Reading A Radical Surrendering
The Perennial Tradition: Weekly Summary
The Perennial Tradition Summary: Sunday, August 11—Friday, August 16, 2019 If it is true, it is always from the one Holy Spirit. —Thomas Aquinas (Sunday) We are rediscovering the philosophia perennis, shared universal truth, and at a rather quick pace—God seems urgent at this point in our tragic history. (Monday) In every historical epoch and… Continue Reading The Perennial Tradition: Weekly Summary
Becoming a Parent
Conscious Parenting Becoming a Parent Wednesday, June 26, 2019 If you’ve listened to the Center’s podcast, Another Name for Every Thing, you’ve heard the voices of Brie Stoner and Paul Swanson. [1] Both Brie and Paul are committed students of the contemplative path and are also parents. Today I’ll share some of Brie’s insights on… Continue Reading Becoming a Parent
Many Paths to Contemplation
Conscious Parenting Many Paths to Contemplation Tuesday, June 25, 2019 After recently visiting Mexico and some of the refugee centers along the Texas border and seeing so many children and babies with their parents, I was reminded that contemplative Christianity’s rather monastic, solitary, silent approach just can’t be adequate to describe contemplation for most people.… Continue Reading Many Paths to Contemplation
The Gate of Heaven
Heaven Now The Gate of Heaven Thursday, May 2, 2019 James Finley, one of the Center for Action and Contemplation’s core faculty members, was a spiritual directee of Thomas Merton (1915–1968) at the Abbey of Gethsemani. Drawing from this experience and his own insights as a student of the mystics and a clinical psychologist, Finley… Continue Reading The Gate of Heaven
Death Transformed
Jesus’ Resurrection Death Transformed Friday, April 26, 2019 Christianity—as well as Buddhism, other religions, and natural systems—suggests that the pattern of transformation, the pattern that connects, the life that Reality offers us is not death avoided, but death transformed. In other words, the only trustworthy pattern of spiritual transformation is death and resurrection. Christians learn… Continue Reading Death Transformed
Wonder
Dying Before You Die Wonder Friday, April 5, 2019 Death—whether one of many deaths to the false self or our final physical dying—is simply returning to our spacious Ground of Being, to our foundation in Love. Life doesn’t truly end; it simply changes form and continues evolving into ever new shapes and beauty. In addition… Continue Reading Wonder
Acceptance
Dying Before You Die Acceptance Thursday, April 4, 2019 All great spirituality is about letting go. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection show us how to win by losing. In fact, this “Path of Descent” could be called the metanarrative of the Bible. It is so obvious, consistent, and constant that it’s hidden in plain sight.… Continue Reading Acceptance
