Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.

Back to Basics: Exploring the Why, What and How of Centering Prayer - via Zoom
2023-01-07 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Internet – Online
Start or Deepen a Centering Prayer practice. A free, 90-minute offering.
​Back to Basics: Exploring the Why, What, & How of Centering Prayer​
We’ll explore:
— Opening to God and peace within
— Silence as the universal language of God
— How to practice Centering Prayer meditation
— Mystical union with God and why it matters
This event is perfect for two kinds of people:
1. Those who are unfamiliar and want to explore this unique contemplative practice (how about a new meditation practice for 2023 ?)
2. And seasoned practitioners that want to return to the basics, take “beginners mind” into your practice, or reset your and clarify the why and intention behind your practice.
Led by Keith Kristich, commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer, Founder of Closer Than Breath
We hope you join us!

Online Half Day Centering Prayer/Welcoming Prayer mini-retreat via Hawaiʻi (1st Saturday of every month)
2023-01-07 09:00 - 11:30 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Internet – Online
First Saturdays
9-11:30am Hawaiʻi time (UTC-10)
Half day online retreats
First Saturdays online retreats are a special time where we explore our centering prayer practice. We are looking forward to sharing Physio-Divina (Moving) practices, Visio-Divina (visual-Art) practices. Lectio-Divina (Sacred Text) practices in addition to the Centering Prayer and Welcoming prayer practice that are our foundation. Pulelehua, Liedeke, and Margie have stepped into leadership and welcome others if you are called to join us.
Here is a preview of the first part of 2023: January 7th we will be celebrating Epiphany, February 4 we will be embracing Love, March 4th we will be entering into the Lenten Season, and April 4 we will be reflecting on Holy week.
Let the Light grow in us,
Visio Divina,
Centering Prayer and Welcoming Prayer
January 7, 2023, 9:11:30 am Hawai’i time (UTC-10)
EPIPHANY, the Light shining forth,
The 12th and last day of the Christmas season.
We hope you will join us from wherever & whenever you are!
Schedule in Hawai’i Time (UTC -10)
8:45am Room open to for early connections
9:00 Welcome and introductions
9:15 Centering prayer
9:45 Welcoming prayer
10:00 Centering prayer
10:20 Break
10:30 Visio Divina
10:45 Reflections
11:00 Body Prayer with Lectio Divina
11:15-11:30 Closing Prayer
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/92185854158?pwd=[REDACTED]
Zoom Meeting ID: 921 8585 4158
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dates 2023 ( the zoom link is the same for all these dates)
January 7
February 4
March 4
April 1
May 6
June 3
July 1
August 5
September 2
October 7
November 4
December 2

Eight-Day Centering Prayer Retreat
2023-01-06 17:00 - 2023-01-13 11:00 (America/Chicago) | St. Mary’s Sewanee: The Ayres Center for Spiritual Development, 770 St. Mary's Lane, TN, 37375, United States
This retreat is an opportunity for practitioners of Centering Prayer to deepen their contemplative journey in the contemporary world. It is a week-long experience of integrating contemplation and action through silence, solitude, and community.
The retreat offers two tracks. The intensive track is recommended for people who have completed the introductory workshop and who have a regular practice of Centering Prayer. The post-intensive track is for those people who have previously made an eight-day intensive retreat. The post-intensive offers increased silence and additional periods of Centering Prayer. Both the intensive and post-intensive Centering Prayer retreat provide daily experiences of silence, solitude, walking, hiking, yoga, and spiritual companionship to foster an ever-deepening level of interior silence and awareness of the presence of God in everyday life.
Scholarship Assistance is available for those with financial need. Please contact Reservations for application, Reservations@stmaryssewanee.org, 931-598-5342.

Transformation Through Everyday Epiphany
2023-01-05 - 2023-01-08 | Omega Retreat Center, 216 West Highland, Boerne, TX, 78006, United States
A Silent Centering Prayer Retreat
Thursday, January 5 – Sunday, January 8, 2023
Omega Retreat Center, Boerne, Texas
Presented by Pamela Begeman
As the new year begins, join in community to explore and listen for the movement of the Spirit in our routines and ordinary lives. Each day we will experience several periods of Centering Prayer, brief reflections on the topic, lectio and visio divina, and spacious time for solitude and rest. May we each leave renewed in our intention to attend to the epiphanies in our everyday lives.
Pamela Begeman is a daily practitioner and commissioned presenter of both Centering Prayer and the Welcoming Prayer. She co-creates and facilitates many of the Contemplative Outreach worldwide online retreats, programs and publications. She is also one of the creators and editors of The Contemplative Life Program, a series of 40-day booklets on contemplative practices and dispositions. Her daily spiritual practices root her in the present and Presence while being an active wife, mother, grandmother and professional. Pamela serves as communications and program coordinator for the international office of Contemplative Outreach and lives in Austin, Texas. She also serves on the executive committee of The Meditation Chapel, a Zoom-enabled worldwide prayer chapel for people of all contemplative practices and spiritual traditions. She loves hiking, cooking, hugging trees, dogs, bubbles and art-making as spiritual practice.
January 5 (4:00-6:00 pm registration) and end by 11:00 am on Sunday, January 8, 2023.
Registration fee covers all meals and lodging for the retreat.
Retreatants must bring their own pillow, bed linens (twin), towels and toiletries.
Confirmation of your registration and additional details will be emailed to you upon receipt of your registration.
Registration $300 if paid before Dec. 1; after Dec 1, $325
Registration Closes December 20, 2022
All meals and lodging included
Please see the link below to register.

Lectio Divina Advent Experience
2022-12-10 09:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
Bring the experience of contemplative prayer into your Advent season! Review and practice the method of Lectio Divina for praying sacred Scripture. Through reading, reflecting, responding and resting in the Word of God, we nourish and deepen our relationship with God. In addition to using Scripture, we’ll apply Lectio-inspired methods to images (Visio Divina), music, body senses and to noticing God’s action in our daily lives. This workshop provides participants with many avenues leading to contemplation during Advent, Christmas, and the year ahead.
This program will be offered both in-person and online via Zoom. Information on how to access the program on Zoom will be sent to participants in advance.
Please see the link below to register.

Advent Silent Saturday
2022-12-10 09:00 - 12:00 UTC | Holy Spirit Retreat Center, 4316 Lanai Road, Encino, CA, 91436, United States
As the season of Advent approaches, join us for a quiet morning of Centering Prayer and silence. The day is open to beginners as well as those experienced in contemplative prayer or silent meditation. The day provides time for communal prayer, a contemplative walk, private journaling and reflection, and ends with a period of Lectio Divina.
All are welcome.
A brief introduction to Centering Prayer will be offered for those new to the practice.
(Arrive at 8:45am)
For more information, please contact Marilyn Nobori at 818-815-4480 or cpcoordinator@hsrcenter.com
Register online at hsrcenter.com by December 7th.
A free will offering is gratefully appreciated.

What Are You Waiting For? A Virtual Advent Silent Saturday via Zoom
2022-12-10 08:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | Internet – Online
Contemplative Outreach of Columbus is offering a Silent Saturday. Silent Saturday provides a few hours that are set aside for Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, spiritual teaching and reflection. “Come rest awhile with the Lord” in preparation for Advent.
Advent is a time of waiting and hope. It needs our attention. Sr. Carol Ann will lead us in reflecting on the manner and amount of space we allow for Christ in our lives. Let us take time to become more aware of the power of Emmanuel’s presence within each of us and our ability to warm the lives of others because of God’s gift.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THIS ADVENT SEASON?
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Sr. Carol Ann Spencer O.P. is a member of the Dominican Sisters of Peace. She has led countless workshops and retreats. She is also the founding director of WELLSTREAMS, a program for becoming a spiritual director, and the Spirituality Network.
The day will begin at 8:30am and last until 2:30pm. Eastern Standard Time (New York)
Register by sending an email to Bob Gorman at rbrtgorman@gmail.com.
and a zoom link and handouts will be sent to you a few days in advance.
The event is free. Nondeductible donations to Contemplative Outreach of Columbus to cover costs are welcome. They can be sent to the care of Tom Davis at 844 Franklin Ave, Columbus, OH 43205.

Advent Centering Prayer Retreat
2022-12-09 17:00 - 2022-12-11 12:00 (America/Chicago) | St. Mary’s Sewanee: The Ayres Center for Spiritual Development, 770 St. Mary's Lane, TN, 37375, United States
This weekend retreat will focus on how Centering Prayer can heighten one’s understanding and appreciation for the season of Advent.
Centering Prayer is a form of Christian silent meditation where one lets go of thoughts during periods of prayer typically lasting 20 minutes. It is rooted in the self-emptying love that forms the heart of Jesus’ teaching and life. The effect on those who practice it is an every-increasing awareness of the God’s action and presence in the course of ordinary life.
Scholarship assistance is available. Please contact Reservations for application, Reservations@stmaryssewanee.org, 931-598-5342.

Advent Centering Prayer Weekend Retreat Onsite
2022-12-09 15:00 - 2022-12-11 15:00 UTC | St. Mary’s Sewanee, 770 St. Mary's Lane, TN, 37375, United States
Advent Centering Prayer Weekend Retreat onsite at St. Mary’s Sewanee Retreat Center in Sewanee, TN.
Please see the link below for more information and to register.

Entering the Mystical Mandala: Centering Oneself in the Sacred Circle
2022-12-08 17:30 - 2022-12-11 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Siena Retreat Center, Racine WI, 5637 Erie St, Racine, WI 53402, Racine, WI, 53402, United States
This retreat will explore the universal symbol of the sacred circle known as the “mandala” and why we are naturally drawn to this sacred shape. Together we will experience how and why entering the process of creating and working with mandalas fosters physical, psychological and spiritual grounding in our lives. Attendees will be invited to create four mandalas as part of the retreat. The retreat will include opportunities for art sharing where participants can process their experience in creating their mandala art. No previous art ability is needed to participate in this retreat. Everyone, experienced artist or not, will benefit from attending and creating. Basic art supplies will be offered to each participant, but you are free to bring your own favorite art-making supplies as well. Mandala creating and conferences will be surrounded by the gift of silence as well as regularly scheduled group Centering Prayer sessions. Do not be afraid to meet your spiritual inner artist. All are welcome!
Presenter: The Rev. Dr. Shawn Kafader is an ordained non-denominational clergyperson, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, certified Expressive Arts Therapist, certified Art4Healing® Facilitator, trained SoulCollage® Facilitator, and Artist. He is a commissioned workshop presenter with Contemplative Outreach having offered workshops and retreats both in-person and on-line. Mandala art has been Shawn’s main art-making form for over thirty years. You can learn more about Shawn and his mandala art by visiting www.shawnkafaderhealingarts.com
Contact: Ann Koerner, CSA, akoerner45@gmail.com; 262-282-8622
To register by check, download retreat flyer: https://www.contemplativewisconsin.org/retreat

Centering Prayer: Lectio Divina and the Four Senses of Scripture
2022-12-06 14:00 - 2022-12-09 14:00 (America/New_York) | Holy Cross Monastery – New York, 1615 Route 9W, West Park, NY, 12493, United States
This Praying Holy Scripture retreat offers Centering Prayer periods plus presentations based upon Fr. Thomas Keating’s teachings on the deepening levels of faith: the Four Senses of Scripture – literal, allegorical, behavioral/moral, and unitive senses. The presentations teach a contemplative way of listening to and reading Scripture known as the ancient monastic practice of Lectio Divina. During the retreat, one will experience the interplay of the silence of Centering Prayer and Praying Holy Scripture combined with the rhythm of this Episcopal Benedictine monastic community’s worship and prayer life including Holy Eucharist. This contemplative retreat welcomes those comfortable with silence and yearning to learn this ancient way of praying rather than studying Holy Scripture.
Tuesday Check-in is from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. Vespers begins at 5:00. Dinner then follows. Orientation begins at 6:45. The retreat concludes with noon meal Friday. Suggested donation for the retreat is $385. The retreat fee includes a single room and all meals. Shared single occupancy bathrooms in the hallways. The Guest House requires all guests to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Register with our Guesthouse Manager, Donna Mallory at 845-384-6660 ext 1 or at guesthouse@hcmnet.org. If you have questions about the content of the retreat please contact the retreat leader: Leslee Terpay at co-leslee@comcast.net.
To find out more about Holy Cross Monastery, visit their website at: www.holycrossmonastery.com

Embodying Centering Prayer - via Zoom
2022-12-03 09:00 - 12:00 UTC | Internet – Online
In this retreat, Ildiko Viczian, an experienced Centering Prayer presenter, will offer her decades-long integration of the practices of somatic awareness, contemplative movement, and Centering Prayer for the first time to the larger contemplative community.
Ildiko will begin with a brief practice of opening to and being present in body and consciousness to God. She will lead us to experience the support of the earth and alignment of the body with gravity, which allows a letting go of muscular holding, preparing for letting go of thoughts during prayer. She will guide us in becoming aware of our external and internal respiration and in this, recognizing the presence of the Holy Spirit. She will then invite us to participate, according to individual capacity, in contemplative movement and prayer, in body-mind-spirit, expressing reverence for and praise to God.
About Ildiko Viczian
Ildiko began her career in visual art and design. She then studied with Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, founder of the School for Body-Mind Centering® and anatomy and kinesiology at New York University to become certified as a teacher of BMC® in 1992. She continued her studies with Dr. John Upledger, founder of CranioSacral Therapy and SomatoEmotional Release, Dr. Jean Pierre Barral, founder of Visceral Manipulation, and Elaine Summers, founder of Kinetic Awareness. She has taught these educational and therapeutic modalities in the US and throughout Europe.
Ildiko comes from a lifetime of spiritual practices in various traditions. She started attending retreats with Thomas Keating in 2002 and visited him often at St. Benedict’s Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado, USA. She became a commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer in 2005, and joined the international team as liaison to France and Hungary. She currently facilitates Centering Prayer groups in the US and Europe in person and via Zoom. She is member of the Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. Translation Working Group.
Read Ildiko’s article ”Going Deeper”, published last April. You can find it here.
Please register using the link below.

“Mary: Awareness and Anticipation” Advent Retreat
2022-12-02 16:30 - 2022-12-04 12:00 UTC | New Melleray Abbey, 6632 Melleray Circle, Peosta, IA, 52068, United States
Join us for “Mary: Awareness and Anticipation” Contemplative Outreach retreat opportunity December 2-4 to welcome Advent in person at the grounds of the beautiful, contemplative New Melleray Guest House nestled quietly among the trees in Peosta, Iowa.
You will have the opportunity to ponder the Mystery of Christ’s coming, to go deep in the Silence and prayer opening your whole begin to God’s Word and Presence. Spacious opportunities will be available to walk in quiet wooded areas, enjoy silence in ample Centering Prayer periods alone or in group settings, ponder Scripture deeply through Lectio Divina, experience yoga prayer movements, and relax in your own solitude. Enjoy nutritious, lovingly made delicious meals and comfortable, spacious rooms for the event. Sponsored by Contemplative Outreach of Northeast Iowa.
Tickets are available for all three days or you can choose to attend one day (24 hour period) of your choice. Upon registering for a One Day Ticket, Contemplative Outreach of Northeast Iowa will contact you to see when you want to attend.
Image: JESUS MAFA. The Annunciation – Gabriel and Mary, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

Leaning Into Blessing: An Advent Online Retreat
2022-12-02 16:00 - 2022-12-04 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Mercy Center Burlingame, 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, CA, 94010, United States
“The season of Advent means there is something on the horizon the likes of which we have never seen before … So stay. Sit. Linger. Tarry. Ponder. Wait. Behold. Wonder. There will be time enough for running. For rushing. For worrying. For pushing. For now, stay. Wait. Something is on the horizon.” ―Jan L. Richardson
Advent is a season rich with anticipation as we prepare to honor the incarnation of the person of Jesus: he revealed to the world a life rooted in the heart, at the intersection of time and timelessness. Alongside Mary, pregnant with the Christ, we enter the dark and soft stillness of winter; ripening with the blessing of generating the Christ in our own embodied lives. As we lean into the blessing, cultivating our own deep “yes” parallel to Mary’s, we have the opportunity to carry forth tending to the horizontal demands of the season from a profound fullness. Slowing and staying awake to the true meaning of this season, we break the habitual excess of commercial consumerism, instead offering the fruits of our awakened hearts.
This retreat will include the practices of silence, Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, Visio Divina, Audio Divina, reflective writing, sacred chanting, and body prayers. Join us as we lean into the blessing, sitting and lingering in the quiet, readying our hearts to enter Christmas with humility, compassion, and great love; that we may offer what is needed.
Optional Reading: Night Visions, by Jan Richardson. We will be incorporating some material from this book and you are welcome to purchase it if you like, but it is not necessary. Just come and sink into the season with us!
Retreat Leaders:
Heather Ruce, M.A. is a wisdom spiritual director with a background as a therapist and training in a neurophysiology based approach to trauma resolution. She loves working with individuals as well as facilitating groups and retreats focused on learning and practicing the Wisdom Tradition.
Joy Andrews Hayter, Ph.D. is a spiritual director whose offerings include Centering Prayer and other contemplative practices of the Christian Wisdom tradition. These practices encourage us to lean into the Love that is constantly being offered within a relational web of Sacred Unity. As a scientist she sees in the physical world an expression of that love.
Please register at www.mercy-center.org or telephone 650-340-7474
How will the virtual retreat work?
You are invited to join us from your own home as we practice integrating prayer with our daily lives, in our homes, and in our circumstances as they are. Check out the schedule (subject to change) below to get a sense of what our retreat will be like together. We hope that you will choose as much or as little of it as fits in your life, on any given day. Let the rest go. Be met, exactly where you are, trusting that God’s love surrounds all of it, all of us, exactly as we are.
Times in Pacific (California) time.
Friday, December 2nd
4:00 Welcome & Introductions
5:00 Silent Break
5:15 Contemplative Reflection One
6:00 Silent Dinner
7:30 Centering Prayer & Practices, followed by Great Silence
Saturday, December 3rd
8:30 Centering Prayer & Practices
9:30 Silent Break
9:45 Contemplative Reflection Two
10:30 Silent Break
10:45 Contemplative Reflection Three
11:30 Centering Prayer & Practices
12:00 Silent Lunch followed by Silent Contemplative Free Time
4:00 Centering Prayer & Practices
5:00 Silent Break
5:15 Contemplative Reflection Four
6:00 Silent Dinner
7:30 Centering Prayer & Practices, followed by Great Silence
Sunday, December 4th
8:30 Centering Prayer & Practices
9:30 Silent Break
9:45 Contemplative Reflection Five
10:30 Silent Break
10:45 Closing Reflections & Circle

Advent Centering Prayer Weekend
2022-12-02 - 2022-12-04 | Bethany Retreat Center, 1031 Germania Rd, Frenchville, PA, 16836, United States
“Bridges to Contemplative Living” leads participants on a journey toward personal spiritual transformation and a more contemplative and peace-filled life. This retreat is designed for those with an established daily practice of Centering Prayer who wish to deepen the transforming love of God in the midst of silence and solitude. The weekend will include Centering Prayer, conferences with contemplative dialogue, personal time, meals and Sunday liturgy.
See the link below for more information and to register.

Advent Intensive Retreat in Western Colorado
2022-11-28 17:00 - 2022-12-01 17:00 UTC | Dragonfly Oasis Retreats, 3310 C Road, Palisade, Colorado 81526, CO, United States
A four-day Centering Prayer Intensive Retreat
November 28-December 1, Monday through Thursday,
in Grand Junction, Colorado,the heart of the Colorado Wine Country,
at Dragonfly Oasis Retreat Center.
Six Centering Prayer sessions each day plus opportunity for 1-on-1 guided meditation and spiritual direction by appointment. Limit 8 persons. Registration $250 includes all meals and snacks. Room reservations are separate, starting at $60 per person per night for double occupancy. A wait list for day registration is available.
Two Facilitators: Dee Jaquet, Spiritual Director, and Clinical Director, Rocky Mountain Center for Spiritual Caregivers (www.rockymountaincpe.org), a pastoral psychotherapist for 35 years, practicing Centering Prayer for fifteen years and facilitating classes for five years, and on the Steering Committee of Contemplative Outreach of the Western Slope; and Lauretta Martin Neff, Spiritual Facilitator and Life Coach, certified facilitator in alchemical hypnotherapy and radical forgiveness, and director of Dragonfly Oasis Retreats.
To register contact Lauretta by phone/text at 970-903-7592.
Sponsored by Contemplative Outreach of the Western Slope and Dragonfly Oasis Retreats.

Heart Speaks to Heart: Correspondence as Spiritual Practice
2022-11-19 09:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
Contemplative Enrichment Day with Judith Valente and Brother Paul Quenon, O.C.S.O.
Through the ages, correspondence has been an important contemplative practice to recognize and share the presence of God in our lives. Thomas Merton considered his nearly 20,000 letters as an “apostolate of friendship.” We’ll look at how Merton’s most engaging letters inspired a years-long contemplative exchange between Brother Paul and Judith and how it might do the same for you. Brother Paul will also take us on a virtual tour of Gethsemani, share his contemplative photographs and poetry, and engage in dialogue about contemplative living.
This program will be offered both in-person and online via Zoom. Information on how to access the program on Zoom will be sent to participants in advance.
This program will include a morning and an afternoon session of Centering Prayer.
Judith Valente is the author of several spirituality books, including two co-authored with Brother Paul Quenon. The most recent is How to Be: A Monk and a Journalist Reflect on Living & Dying, Purpose & Prayer, Forgiveness & Friendship. She is an award-winning journalist and poet and a lay Benedictine Oblate who guides frequent contemplative retreats. Judith has written a contemporary guide on The Rule of St. Benedict, titled How to Live.
Brother Paul Quenon, O.C.S.O., has been a monk at the Abbey of Gethsemani for 60 years, the first years of which were spent under the guidance of his novice master, Thomas Merton. He has written nine collections of poetry and an award-winning memoir, In Praise of the Useless Life. He is a talented photographer, and a compilation of his poems with photographs, See the Moment, Feel the Moment, will be published in 2023.

Thomas Keating and the Snowmass Dialogue - via Zoom
2022-11-19 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Internet – Online
Contemplative Outreach of Maryland and Washington invites you to join us Saturday, Nov. 19 for half-day retreat (via Zoom) focusing on “Thomas Keating and the Snowmass Dialogue” led by Netanel Miles-Yepez, who will report on the historical interfaith discussions among world religious leaders that took place at Snowmass, as described at length in his book, The Common Heart, An Experience of Interreligious Dialogue.
Please see the link below to register.

A Look at The Gospel of Matthew - via Zoom
2022-11-17 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Internet – Online
Most of the Sunday Gospels read during the upcoming liturgical year, which begins with the First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2022, will be taken from the Gospel of Matthew. In this presentation we’ll familiarize ourselves with Matthew and some of the passages we will be hearing. It will also prepare us for our weekly practice of Lectio Divina, praying with the scriptures.

Morning of Prayer and Reflection: Bringing what we hear in contemplative prayer into action – via Zoom
2022-11-14 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Internet – Online
The Contemplative Prayer Ministry of Saints Simon and Jude in Huntington Beach, California invites you to an online morning of Prayer and Reflection on Monday, November 14 9AM – 12Noon Pacific Time.
The theme will be The Gospel is a Life to be Lived: How do we bring what we hear in our prayer of silence into our daily lives. Fr. Bill Sheehan will be speaking with us about the two foundational prayer practices, Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina, that help us move from contemplation into action.
There will be no charge for this program, but your donation to our contemplative prayer ministry will be gratefully accepted. Please send your donation in the form of a check to Saints Simon and Jude Centering Prayer, 20444 Magnolia St. Huntington Beach, CA 62646.
For additional information and to register, contact Jack Gerken at Jack@gerken.org by November 7. A zoom link and handouts will be emailed to participants on November 11.

“Consent to Love” Silent Saturday with Fr. Bill Sheehan
2022-11-12 12:30 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church, 26001 Muirlands Blvd, Mission Viejo, CA, 92691, United States
Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell forever (throughout all my days) in the house and in the presence of the Lord.
– Psalm 23:6 (AMP)
Saturday, November 12, 2022 12:30 pm – 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time
Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church • 26001 Muirlands Blvd • Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Fr. Bill will speak around the theme “Consent to Love”. How we experience the Mystery of the Incarnation unfolding from within the depths of our hearts. Focusing on Jesus Christ who reveals to us the Face of God. And highlighting Cynthia Bourgeault’s operating systems, stressing heartfulness with its capacity to listen to the voice of the Spirit praying in us.
Join us for this quiet afternoon of prayer and reflection. The day includes two conferences with Fr. Bill and Centering Prayer. The entire campus has been booked for this event with free time for you to breathe in the Living Spirit of God by journaling, walking the labyrinth, visiting the prayer garden or prayer room, viewing a video presentation in the sanctuary, or just “be” in the presence where ever the Spirit leads.
$20.00 per person includes afternoon tea fare. Reservations are required; please see the link below.
For questions, please contact Jill Yamada at jillprays@aol.com or +1-949-257-6002

Retreat to Learn & Pray the Centering Prayer Way
2022-11-12 09:00 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Journey Center Santa Rosa, 1601 4th St #A, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404, United States
Will you join us in this one-day retreat cultivating a contemplative prayer life as we
study, practice, and share “The Method of Centering Prayer – The Prayer of Consent”?
Gregory the Great summed up contemplative prayer at the end of the 6th century as the knowledge of God that is impregnated with love. He referred to contemplation as “resting in God.” In this “resting,” the mind and heart are not so much seeking God, as beginning to experience what they have been seeking. This state is not the suspension of all activity, but the reduction of many acts and reflections to a single act or thought in order to sustain one’s consent to God’s presence and action.
If you are new to Centering Prayer, do you seek to rest your mind and heart in the loving presence of God? How would it be to simply sit in silence enjoying each others company?
If you are familiar with Centering Prayer, would you like to refresh your practice?
For more information and to register, click on the “Event” website link below.

Lectio Divina Workshop
2022-11-12 09:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | St. Mary’s Sewanee: The Ayres Center for Spiritual Development, 770 St. Mary's Lane, TN, 37375, United States
Lectio Divina literally means “divine reading”. It is an ancient practice of praying the Scriptures. During the prayer period, the pray-er listens to a brief passage with “the ear of the heart” in conversation with God. In this one day workshop participants will learn how to practice Lectio Divina, as well as hearing something of its history in the Christian tradition. They will also be given an opportunity to experience the process. As with Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina leads to contemplative prayer. Unlike Centering Prayer, thoughts, images, and insights are fostered as steps to intimacy with God. Both are part of the transformation process, restoring the one praying to union with God.
Lunch is provided. Partial scholarships available – contact Reservations Office for application, Reservations@stmaryssewanee.org or 931-598-5342.

A Tale of Two Thomases: Entering the Woods of Awareness with Thomas Keating and Thomas Berry - via Zoom
2022-11-12 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Denver) | Internet – Online
With each passing day it seems our world is becoming more divided and polarized. Media commentators continually assure us that humanity is becoming more separated by the minute. Against this background of division, our common experiences of a global pandemic, the meteoric rise of information and misinformation, and the constant drumbeat of climate change evidence the increasing connectedness of our 21st century world. It seems we are torn apart and brought together at the same time.
And what about the spiritual paths we choose? Is the spiritual realm immune from these opposing forces of separation and connection? Challenging times call for wise guides. Fortunately, two guides named Thomas offer insights for these confusing and mysterious times. Rick Klein weaves together Thomas Keating’s inner spiritual wisdom with Thomas Berry’s outer spiritual and scientific wisdom, creating an emerging story of hope for the future.
In this course, Rick Klein will speak about the parallels and divergences between the paths of Thomas Berry and Thomas Keating. Rick is convinced “the only way to fully follow either the road of Thomas Berry or the road of Thomas Keating, is to travel both roads. Not one followed by the other, but both roads at the same time. Although the roads appear separate, they are in essence forever linked. Berry’s Universe Story and Keating’s Spiritual Journey connect whenever … action meets contemplation, matter meets spirit, being meets doing, meaning meets purpose … in intentional awareness”
This class will include a session of Centering Prayer
About Rick Klein
Rick gives talks and workshops on contemplative spirituality throughout Colorado. He is a teacher of Centering Prayer and has presented workshops on science and spirituality, compassion, and mysticism at the Center for Contemplative Living. He is a past facilitator and teacher in the Benedictine Spiritual Formation Program offered by Benet Hill Monastery.
Times listed are Mountain Time
Register at the link below

From Stillness to Being: Introductory Weekend in Centering Prayer
2022-11-11 18:00 - 2022-11-13 14:30 (Europe/Helsinki) | Wohlgemutsheim Castle, Baumkirchen, Tirol, Austria
Get to know Centering Prayer, a silent meditation form of letting go. Let the silence carry you and let the music move you in your vitality.
Centering Prayer is an ancient, simple and silent form of meditation. What makes it special is the welcome of the inexorable flow of thoughts and feelings. Centering prayer is not something we do; it’s something we stop doing; we do let go and return to our innermost being. Our conditioning lies like a veil over our inner being and allows us happiness and the meaning of our lives in things, feelings, relationships, activities, substances search – ultimately in vain. Through the recurring letting go in Centering Prayer over time some of our conditioning may dissolve.
Music-driven movement and our creativity are two other avenues to get through sheaths of our conditioning to come to our core. The weekend is nourished by these three roots: Centering Prayer, Movement of vitality and creativity.
When: Fri. 11 November dinner at 6pm – Sun 13 November approx. 2.30pm
Where: Wohlgemutsheim Castle, Baumkirchen, Tyrol
Course costs: € 170 in cash on site, as well as accommodation and meals (see registration form)
Contact and information: mayr.georg@gmail.com
George Mayr: Authorized Presenter for Centering Prayer and member of Global teams from Contemplative Outreach; Coach for Power of live dance.
Marianne Steinberg: graduate holistic art therapist and dance and gestalt therapist.

flyer_GermanIntroWorkshop_11-13Nov2022-1

Download the flyer for this event here.
Registration form
Surname
e-mail
Phone optional)
Room request, full board, price for the whole weekend. All eligible please
Tick ​​options and highlight preferred ones if applicable:
[ ] Single with shower: € 146 or 142
[ ] Single with shared shower: € 134
[ ] Double room with shared shower: € 124
If you are coming with someone you want to share the double room with, please name
register: _____________________________
There is no need to reserve a room separately at Schloss Wohlgemutsheim.
I confirm that I am in mentally stable condition.
I register for the introductory weekend.
If I cancel at short notice, I will cover the accommodation’s cancellation fees.
Date and signature: _____________________________________________
Please fill out and sign, scan or photograph and send to mayr.georg@gmail.com
You will receive more detailed information on the course schedule by e-mail up to 10 days before the start of the course.

Becoming Ordinary and the Practice of Centering Prayer
2022-11-11 09:00 - 2022-11-13 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | ALL SAINTS’ EPISCOPAL CHURCH, CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, 9TH & DOLORES ST., Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Mt. 11.28-30)
When we step on the spiritual path we bring our motivations and intentions with us. Our intentions often include the desire to draw closer to God and to become a better person. We may struggle with something we want to overcome thus inspiring us to work on ourselves. Once we have adopted a spiritual practice and have been on the path for a while we discover that the motivations that brought us to the journey can become impediments to our spiritual and emotional growth. Seeing ourselves more clearly allows us to surrender to God’s extraordinary love while being ordinary people. We understand that we are not trying to get anywhere or to become better. We are simply learning how to be and to rest in God’s love each moment.
NOVEMBER 11-13, 2022 | BEGINS 9:00AM ON FRI & ENDS 12 NOON ON SUN*
ALL SAINTS’ EPISCOPAL CHURCH, CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
$275 COMMUTER WITH MEALS/ RESIDENTIAL PRICES WILL FOLLOW**
Joy Andrews Hayter, Ph.D. is a spiritual director whose offerings include Centering Prayer and other contemplative practices of the Christian Wisdom tradition. These practices encourage us to lean into the Love that is constantly being offered within a relational web of Sacred Unity. As a scientist she sees in the physical world an expression of that love. Joy has been practicing contemplative practices for 31 years, Centering Prayer for 18 years, and has been leading Centering Prayer /wisdom school retreats, workshops, and days of prayer since 2008. She was coordinator of the Centering Prayer program at Mercy Center in Burlingame 2018-2022, and continues there as adjunct staff.
Rev. Amber Sturgess is an Episcopal Priest, spiritual director, retreat leader, and a seeker on the contemplative path. She enjoys teaching contemplative practices that deepen our spiritual awareness. Amber currently serves as Rector at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Carmel.
Please register by emailing the registration form to Larissa Lavering at centeringprayer@allsaintscarmel.org or call 831-624-3883.
Registration closes October 27, 2022
*The retreat will begin at 9:00am on Friday and end at 12noon on Sunday. Breakfast foods, snacks and lunch will be provided Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will be breakfast only. Each day the retreat will conclude at around 6pm. Retreatants are on their own for dinner. An evening meditation will be provided for you to do in your home or lodging. This is a silent retreat with several periods of Centering Prayer during the day, conferences, personal reflection time, and some group discussion in the afternoon.
**We are currently consulting with local hotels for inexpensive accommodations for out-of-town retreatants. If you need lodging please contact us as soon as you receive this invitation so that we can find accommodations for you. Thank you!

5-Day Centering Prayer Retreat
2022-11-07 16:00 - 2022-11-11 13:00 UTC | Subiaco Monastery, 405 N. Subiaco Ave., Subiaco, AR, 72865, United States
Subiaco Monastery
Subiaco, Arkansas, USA
November 7- 11, 2022
Consider giving yourself the GIFT of a Centering Prayer Retreat at Subiaco Monastery, November 7- 11, 2022. The monastery/retreat center location is in a peaceful, pastoral setting in the Arkansas River Valley.
The retreat will have ample periods of SILENCE, three prayer/meditation periods per day, and some teaching on the TRANSFORMATION of the false (or lower) self. A recommended book to read before the retreat is The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer. This is not a requirement but Nick will be sharing ideas from Michael’s material.
COST: private room- $350.00; shared room- $250.00; a $50.00 NON-refundable deposit is required at time of registration.
REGISTRATION: call Susan or Donna at the Coury House Retreat Center, (479)934-1290 to reserve your place.
ARRIVAL: Between 3- 5pm on Monday, November 7, 2022. Supper at 6pm. Opening circle at 7pm.
DEPAR TURE: After lunch on Friday, November 11, 2022.
LEADER: Nicholas Cole M.D. has staffed retreats in Colorado and Arkansas since 1993. He has been mentored by Thomas Keating, Cynthia Bourgeault, Richard Rohr and all the retreatants he has served during these almost thirty years. If you have questions for Nick, he may be reached at (970) 275-1170 and/or ngcole42@gmail.com
A retreat is a wonderful way to strengthen a meditation practice and thus bring more of the spiritual practice into our lives. Retreatants will be best served by having a daily practice of Centering Prayer/meditation prior to attending (please discuss with Nick if you have questions in this regard). Retreatants will be asked to commit to attending the entire retreat. You’ve thought about giving yourself this kind of GIFT; if not NOW, when?

Physio Divina - Online Embodied Centering Prayer Half Day Retreat
2022-11-05 09:00 - 2022-11-08 23:30 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Internet – Online
Physio Divina – November 5th , 2022 9am-11:30am Hawaiʻi time (UTC -10)
Online Embodied Centering Prayer /Welcoming Prayer Half Day Retreat
Presented by Contemplative Outreach Hawaiʻi – Pulelehua Facilitator
http://www.cohwaii.org
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/92185854158?pwd=[REDACTED]
Zoom Meeting Id: 921-8585-4185 Password: [REDACTED]
An Online (Zoom) 2 ½ hour Centering Prayer retreat are offered on the first Hawaiʻi Saturday morning of each month. These events focus on Centering Prayer practices, Lectio Divina, Visio Divina, Physio Divina. We provide sacred time and space for us to to connect from our homes. All are invited to this mini Centering Prayer Retreat where-ever and when-ever you are. In-person morning of prayer is on the third Saturday in Honolulu on the island of ʻOahu.
Schedule
8:45 Getting settled/set up with Zoom
9:00 Welcome and introductions
9:15 Centering Prayer Embodied Physio-Divina
9:45 Break
9:55 Guided Welcoming Prayer Embodied
10:25 Break
10:35 Moving meditation- Centering Prayer
11:10 Closing community prayer
2022 DATES: NOV 5, DEC 3
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
– Ecclesiastes 3:4

For God’s Grace and Peace: A Special Call to Centering Prayer - via Zoom
2022-11-03 20:00 - 21:00 UTC | Internet – Online
In this universal time of civic discord, disease, fear for our environment and dire poverty, feeling powerless is especially hard to bear. But Thomas Keating often said: Silent prayer in community holds transformative power. And as people on a contemplative path, we know that meeting God in silence does more than refresh us. It is our salvation, our strength.
Contemplative Outreach of Maryland and Washington invites you to join in a group Centering Prayer on Thursday, November 3rd at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Our format is simple — an opening prayer, Centering Prayer for a half-hour, then the Lord’s Prayer.
Join Zoom Mtg: tinyurl.com/COMWCall2Prayer
Meeting ID: 653 204 0951 Passcode: [REDACTED]
Program questions? Email Marjorie Centofanti mcentofanti43@gmail.com

9-Day Intensive II and Post-Intensive Retreat
2022-11-03 15:00 - 2022-11-11 11:00 UTC | Mercy Center Auburn, 535 Sacramento Street, Auburn, CA, 95603, United States
This retreat offers two tracks simultaneously: Intensive II and Post Intensive. You choose the track that works best for you. For everyone, there will be 3 sets of two 30 minute periods of Centering Prayer daily. Intensive II will watch video talks from Fr. Thomas Keating’s Spiritual Journey, focusing on “Divine Love: The Heart of the Christian Spiritual Journey”. The Post Intensive has no videos and an additional hour of Centering Prayer each day.
Lectio Divina and a contemplative Eucharist will be offered daily, as well as optional soul-friending with the staff. Throughout the retreat, we will be in silence.
Pre-requisite: Prior attendance at an 8-10 day Intensive I Retreat (offered in March) OR read the following three books by Thomas Keating: Open Mind, Open Heart, The Human Condition, and Invitation to Love.
The retreat will be facilitated by Susan Turpin, Marty Badgett, and Fr. Bill Sheehan, OMI.
Retreat begins Thursday, November 3rd with registration from 3:00 to 5:00, an opening session at 5:00pm, and dinner at 6:00pm. We end on Friday, November 11th at 11:00am (lunch optional).
For more information, contact Susan Turpin at 541-324-1207 or slturpin@me.com
