Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.

Centering for Wisdom
2020-11-21 08:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
“The Centering for Wisdom™ Assessment (CWA) reveals where you tend to become distracted by attachments to the “false self.” In this workshop, you will learn to apply your CWA results to cultivate deeper discernment in daily life. As you let go into non-dual awareness the distinctions between “action” and “contemplation” begin to fade away. You become open to the dynamic guidance of the Spirit’s Wisdom in all things – guided by God’s love “in my resting and my rising” (Psalm 139).”
This includes both a Live and Zoom option.
Tom Bushlack, Ph.D., is Regional Director of Mission Integration with SSM Health in St. Louis, MO, where he lives with his wife Anna and their three children. He fell in love with the contemplative life as a student at St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict (Collegeville, MN). Tom is a commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer and the 12-Step Introductory workshops. He also serves as a Trustee with the Trust for the Meditation Process.

“Blessed” Silent Saturday with Fr. Bill Sheehan, OMI
2020-11-21 08:00 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | VA
Shepherd of the Hills UMC Mission Viejo, CA Centering Prayer Ministry invites you to attend
Saturday, November 21, 2020 ✢ 9am – 12:30 pm Pacific Time
But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.
– Jeremiah 17:7-8
Our online retreat includes; two sessions with Fr. Bill, Q and A, and three Centering Prayer sessions.
New to Centering Prayer? No experience required, simply the desire to “Be still and know that I am God” Ps 46:10.
Registration is limited and required.
Please register online at:
https://sothumc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/73/responses/new
$10.00 donation (For Fr. Bill’s Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate)
The Zoom link will be emailed to all registrants prior to November 21st.
Questions? jyamada@sothumc.org

Centering Prayer Intensive Retreat
2020-11-19 08:00 - 2020-11-23 17:00 UTC | Benedictine Sisters Retreat Center, 916 Convent Road, AL, 35055, United States
Rooted in the ancient Christian contemplative tradition, the goal of this form of Christian prayer is to foster a deeper intimacy with Christ through the silence and stillness of Centering Prayer. On this weekend, those who have had an introductory workshop can develop further the discipline of Centering Prayer in order to deepen their relationship with God. There will be extended periods of Centering Prayer and shared Lectio Divina. The weekend will be spent in silence. Prerequisite: Introduction to Centering Prayer.

Lectio Divina Introductory Workshop
2020-11-15 13:30 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | Internet – Online
Lectio Divina, literally “divine reading,” is an ancient practice of praying the Scriptures. This introductory retreat, led by the Rev. Tom Ward, will focus on the building blocks of a developing and sustaining a contemplative life in the world. During Lectio Divina, the practitioner listens to the text of the Bible with the “ear of the heart,” as if one is in conversation with God. Lectio Divina includes moments of reading (lectio), reflecting on (meditatio), responding to (oratio) and resting in (contemplatio) the Word of God with the aim of nourishing and deepening one’s relationship with the Divine. Periods of silent Centering Prayer will be a part of the retreat.
No prior experience with Lectio Divina or Centering Prayer is required to attend this retreat.
This event takes place via Zoom; to participate, you must have internet access and a computer or tablet with an internet connection.

A Tale of Two Thomases: Crossing Troubles Waters with Thomas Keating and Thomas Berry
2020-11-14 09:00 - 14:30 UTC | Internet – Online
“It’s all a question of story. We are in trouble just now because we do not have a good story. We are between stories. ”
~ Thomas Berry
The recent pandemic has shown just how connected and small the 21st century world has become. The fragility of the human species is more evident with each passing day. To cross these troubled waters, we need wise guides. Fortunately, two men named Thomas can help to lead us through these challenging times. Rick Klein will weave together the inner journey spiritual wisdom of Thomas Keating with the outer journey spiritual and scientific wisdom of Thomas Berry, creating an emerging story of hope for the future.
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.
There is no book for this class.
Please see the link below for more information and to register.

Centering Prayer Weekend Retreat (ONLINE)
2020-11-13 10:00 - 2020-11-15 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Internet – Online
Healing and Transformation on the Contemplative Path
November 13-15, 2020
Begins Friday at 10:00 a.m. and
Concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.
$225 (Scholarship funds available on request)
When we take our first loving step towards God on the contemplative path we may or may not realize that we are crossing a threshold into a new transformative way of living – one which requires us to let go of our illusions about ourselves and in humility embrace the truth of who we are, an identity yet to be discovered. This transformative process becomes a means of healing life’s traumas and our unconscious motivations thus bringing us into a deeper awareness of our true nature and expanding our perception and understanding of humanity and our place in the universe.
Please join us for a weekend – with God, and with a praying community– to deepen our consent to this transformation.
How will the virtual retreat work?
The flexible schedule is designed to integrate prayer with your daily life, in your home, and in your circumstances as they are. Teaching sessions will include experiential, participatory, and embodied exercises to draw us in more deeply into the healing, contemplative space. Breaks will be provided to help integrate the retreat with your life, as it is.
Program Features
• Live Online Centering Prayer Sessions – Join via Zoom at scheduled times, or practice on your own at those same scheduled times, or as your life permits.
• Live Online Teaching Sessions – Join us live via Zoom or view recordings at a later time.
• Live Online Small Groups – for experiential processing (not recorded).
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.
Rev. Amber Sturgess is an Episcopal Priest, spiritual director, and a seeker on the contemplative path. She enjoys teaching contemplative practices that deepen our spiritual awareness. Amber currently serves as Rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Carmel.
Catherine Regan, Ph.D. is a spiritual director, retired psychologist, and adjunct staff member at Mercy Center, primarily serving on the Centering Prayer team. She has a special interest in participating in the reclamation of the Christian Wisdom tradition and fostering the contemplative practices so urgently needed at this time in our world.
Joy Andrews Hayter, Ph.D. is a spiritual director, and Centering Prayer coordinator at Mercy Center. Joy is dedicated to fostering contemplative practices such as Centering Prayer and others within the Christian Wisdom tradition that help us become aware of God’s ever-present love. As a scientist (and dancer, writer, and hiker) she sees in the physical world an expression of that love.
Please save the date. Registration will open soon at www.mercy-center.org or telephone 650-340-7474
Registration closes November 12, 2020

Centering Prayer Retreat
2020-11-13 08:00 - 2020-11-15 17:00 UTC | Church of Conscious Harmony, 7406 Newhall Lane, Austin, TX, 78746, United States
Two-day in-town Centering Prayer commuter retreat on the topic of Discernment. The Church of Conscious Harmony in Austin, TX.
It will take place on Fri from 8:30am to 4:00pm and will continue on Sat from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Retreatants sleep at home and return the next day. Each day will include multiple prayer periods, Lectio Divina, silence and solitude, and faith sharing.
Cost is $50. Please bring your own lunch; scholarships may be available.

Welcoming Prayer Immersive Retreat
2020-11-08 16:00 - 2020-11-14 11:00 UTC | House of Blessings Retreat and Renewal Center, 171 Hummingbird Lane, Eureka Springs, AR, 72632, United States
Take your contemplative prayer practice into daily living by focusing on The Welcoming Prayer. In Welcoming Prayer you will learn to integrate the inner busy life of Martha and the relaxed attitude of Mary, the followers of Jesus, into your own lives to become modern contemplatives in action.
We live in a world that is fragmented by sickness, fear, anxieties of all kinds but we are called to trust the Lord in the midst of it all. This retreat is meant to ground us in Christ. It is to help us be intentional in what we do so that we can be at peace within ourselves.
Fr. Jos will host this retreat at the House Of Blessings in Eureka Springs, AR, a beautiful place in the Boston Mountains of Arkansas. Eureka Springs is known for its natural beauty, quiet and uplifting spirit, and deep spirituality. The registration is limited to 12 people. With private rooms, spacious chapel, open areas, and mountain air, House Of Blessing is the safest place to be at this time. The retreat fee of $550 includes everything you will need other than your own toiletries.
The schedule includes Daily Mass, several prayer sessions each day, two daily study times, and time for rest, renewal, and reading. Each day is well designed to give you time to rest and renew your soul.
Date and Time: November 8th, 4 pm to November 14th, 11 am.
Retreat Fee: $550. Includes accommodation, all linens, towels, all meals, snacks, drinks, and conferences. Bring your own toiletries.
COVID19 Recommendations: Be symptom-free when you come. Please bring some masks just in case you leave the retreat center for something. (for emergency only) Sanitizing lotions will be provided if needed. As a closed group, your health is our priority.

Centering Prayer as an 11-Step Practice for Persons in 12-Step Recovery Groups
2020-11-07 09:30 - 12:30 UTC | Online Zoom, Select a Country:
In 2001, The 12 Step Outreach program of Contemplative Outreach was established to offer Centering Prayer to people in all 12 Step fellowships as an 11th Step prayer/meditation practice. We help individuals and groups establish contemplative prayer practices through workshops, retreats and formation programs. Many people are already practicing Centering Prayer and find it to be transformative to their recovery. 12-Step Outreach offers retreats and introductory workshops that teach this method in more depth.
Centering Prayer is an ancient meditation practice that has been used over the centuries, but it is different from what we may think of as prayer. It is not the type of prayer we are used to, like praying for something we want. It is simply moving deep within ourselves, in silence, saying nothing, asking for nothing, just being, by letting go of our thoughts and allowing our Higher Power to be with us. The practice of Centering Prayer has parallels with other traditional practices and is simple and easy to do.
See the website link below for more information and to register.

The Welcoming Prayer — An Introduction
2020-11-07 09:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago) | Internet – Online
The Welcoming Prayer is a method of consenting to God’s presence and action in our physical and emotional reactions to events and situations in daily life. The purpose of the Welcoming Prayer is to deepen our relationship with God through consenting in the ordinary activities of our day. It helps to dismantle the emotional programs of the false-self system and to heal the wounds of a lifetime by addressing them where they are stored — in the body. This practice contributes to the process of transformation in Christ initiated in Centering Prayer.
In this introductory workshop, led by the Rev. Tom Ward, participants will learn the method and principles of this prayer practice and have the opportunity to experience this ancient method in a quiet, reflective atmosphere.
This event takes place via Zoom; to participate, you must have internet access and a computer or tablet with an internet connection.

Contemplation and the Way of Ease
2020-10-31 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Halifax) | Internet – Online
In the midst of great division and a global pandemic, we all need space to slow down and return to “the way of ease.”
Join this 1.5 hour workshop over Zoom to explore Centering Prayer as a way of returning to our natural mind and sinking into the simplicity of being.
When we rest in God during our 20m silent sits, we can learn to carry that sense of inner-ease into everyday, ordinary life.
October 31st, 10:00-11:30am Eastern Time
See details and register here: https://keith-kristich.ck.page/965ce108c1
Presenter: Keith Kristich
Cost: Free, free will offerings welcome

Guard of the Heart
2020-10-31 09:00 - 11:30 UTC | Internet – Online
“One practice to bring the effects of contemplative prayer into daily life is traditionally known as Guard of the Heart. This consists of letting go of every emotional disturbance as it arises and before we start thinking about it. This method is more sophisticated than dismantling the emotional programs for happiness because it deals with the whole of life. It expresses our ongoing intention to be with God in the present moment and sustains it.” (Fr. Thomas Keating, 2017)
This class will teach the practice of “Guard of the Heart” (Also referred to as “Watchfulness” or “Presence Practice”) and how it compliments Centering Prayer, and the practices of the Welcoming Prayer and the Active Prayer phrase. We will learn the three ways any afflictive thought or emotional disturbance can be instantly released as it arises. Join us for this enriching and deepening complementary practice.
Please see the link below to register.

Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop
2020-10-31 08:30 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
In this introductory workshop, you will learn the ancient method and principles of Centering Prayer practice in a quiet, reflective atmosphere. We will cover the history, psychology, and theology of the practice. Two prayer sessions and a question and answer session are included.
This will include a live and Zoom option.
Presented by: Mike Smoolca is an experienced contemplative group and workshop facilitator and a dedicated student of contemplative practices and wisdom spirituality. He is a Contemplative Outreach presenter and coordinator for Contemplative Outreach of CT and the Northern CT Chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society. Mike is a practicing spiritual director and supervisor who received his certificate from Fairfield University. He has been an internship partner at the Spiritual Life Center in West Hartford, CT.

Wisdom, Then and Now
2020-10-29 13:00 - 15:30 UTC | Internet – Online
During this class we will examine wisdom as it is found in the Hebrew Scripture known as Wisdom Literature. We will explore what these books offered to the community of Israel, look at how they are reflected in the New Testament and see how they are carried out in our contemplative community.
Finally we consider the teachings of Thomas Keating and other contemporary spiritual writers to discover how ancient wisdom is made new again for our contemplative community. Wisdom is part of the mystery of Divine Presence in our lives and as such is constantly being revealed to us in ever deeper ways. This class provides the participants background information to passages they might use in prayer, study or Lectio.
Saint Augustine says that we cannot love what we do not know. Join us to learn more about wisdom and see where it leads. Each class has time for reflecting on questions suggested by scripture and then sharing what we discover from our own life experience. Sharing our own wisdom and listening to the wisdom of others gives us examples and insight into God at work in our daily lives.
A printable online journal is provided.
Please see the link below for more information and to register.

A Special Call to Centering Prayer ﻿
2020-10-27 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Internet – Online
Contemplative Outreach of Maryland and Washington invites you to join in their special, community Centering Prayer for the U.S. and the whole world on Tuesday, October 27 at 8 p.m. EDT. Our format is simple — an opening prayer, centering for a half-hour, then the Lord’s Prayer. Below is the Zoom coordinate for this simple session.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81016967900
Questions? Email Marjorie Centofanti mcentofanti@jhmi.edu.

Centering Prayer for Our World
2020-10-25 13:00 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Internet – Online
Centering Prayer: Our Practice, Our World
Sunday, October 25, 2020 1-4:30 p.m. $20
“The Christian is one who is connected through the heart to the whole of life,
attuned to the deeper intelligence of Nature and called forth irresistibly by the Spirit
to creatively express one’s gifts in the evolution of self and world.”
– Ilia Delio
Please join us for an afternoon of Centering Prayer and Community ONLINE
Centering Prayer is sometimes spoken of as the Divine Therapy. We usually reflect on this aspect of our practice in reference to our own spiritual journey. Today we continue our exploration of a wider vision of God’s healing action, and consider how our daily practice may actually be a channel for the Divine Presence to bring healing to our world.
This is an afternoon for those familiar with Centering Prayer – beginners and long-time practitioners. We gather to deepen our consent to God’s presence and action in our world. (Instruction in Centering Prayer will not be offered.) Our time together will include two periods of Centering Prayer, a short talk, a video, and conversation.
Marty Badgett is an Oblate of the Camaldoli Benedictine Community. He has co-led extended Centering Prayer retreats for many years, and hosted many one-day Contemplative Prayer days at Incarnation Monastery in Berkeley.
Catherine Regan, Ph.D. is a spiritual director, retired psychologist, and adjunct staff member at Mercy Center, primarily serving on the Centering Prayer team. She has a special interest in fostering contemplative practices so urgently needed at this time in our world.
Joy Andrews Hayter, Ph.D. is a spiritual director, scientist, and Centering Prayer coordinator at Mercy Center. She is dedicated to fostering Centering Prayer and other contemplative practices that help us become aware of God’s ever-present love.
To register for this program, please go to https://mercy-center.org/eventsframe/centering-prayer-our-practice-our-world/ or
www.mercy-center.org or call 650-340-7474.

Richard Rohr, OFM - "When Everything is Adrift"
2020-10-24 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Center for Contemplative Living, 3650 Yates St, Denver, CO, 80212, United States
We are offered a tremendous opportunity in our day to change ourselves and our world. This opportunity may be described as a time of major regression, denial of the past and even collapse! This is no exaggeration as we look at the state of our planet, our worldwide politics of despair, the abandonment of many religious traditions and Western Christianity in particular, the loss of moral authority through the pedophilia crisis in the Catholic Church, and what historians will probably refer to as the abandonment of truth. Not to mention the pandemic and its global effects. How do we rebuild on such a non-foundation?
Please see the event web link below for more information and to register.

Half Day Centering Prayer Retreat: “Lost in the Mystery: Radical Contemplative Living” Part 1
2020-10-24 09:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Internet – Online
SPONSORED BY CONTEMPLATIVE OUTREACH OF MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON (COMW)
“God is so intimately present to us that the constant awareness of God’s presence is always available to us, if we are open to it. It embraces us, everything in our lives, and all reality at the same time. Being in the presence of God as much as we can all day long is the secret of continuous growth in contemplative prayer.”
– Father Thomas Keating
How can we live in the mystery of God always? In other words, how can we pray without ceasing? And what does that even mean? How is unceasing prayer related to our regular sitting practice of Centering Prayer? We will delve into these questions and more in this two-part series on radical contemplative living.
Lost in the Mystery: Radical Contemplative Living Part 1
In Part 1, “Lost in the Mystery,” we will discuss deeper ways of practicing Centering Prayer, the issue of transcending the method of Centering Prayer, what pure prayer is, and how sitting practice relates to unceasing prayer.
The morning will include three 30 minute periods of centering prayer and an interactive discussion.
Led by COMW Leadership Team Member
LJ Milone
Subject to Change
8:45am to 9:00am check in and get centered (Eastern time zone)
9:00am 30-minute Centering Prayer, 5-minute contemplative “walk”, followed by 25-minutes Centering Prayer
10-minute break
LJ’s presentation and discussion—about 90 minutes
11:30 30-minute Centering Prayer
For additional information and registration instructions, click on the link below.
Contact COMW Chapter Coordinator with questions: martha@marthajohnston.com.
Suggested $15 goodwill offering per half-day retreat.

Centering Prayer Retreat
2020-10-24 08:00 - 17:00 UTC | Church of Conscious Harmony, 7406 Newhall Lane, Austin, TX, 78746, United States
Half-day Centering Prayer Retreat at The Church of Conscious Harmony in Austin, TX.
Registration begins at 8:30 pm and the program begins at 9 am. The morning includes two 30-minute prayer periods, Lectio Divina, several periods of silence and solitude, and faith sharing.
There is a suggested love offering of $10. Please pre-register.

Centering Prayer Full-Day Retreat
2020-10-24 06:30 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Internet – Online
St. Mary’s Sewanee invites you to spend time in prayerful silence and contemplation during this day-long Centering Prayer retreat led by the Rev. Tom Ward and Rebecca Paluzzi.
This event is modeled on the rhythm of the multi-day retreats that St. Mary’s Sewanee has offered for more than 20 years. In preparing this new retreat format, we have learned that technology is capable of bringing us together in ways that we could not have anticipated. During this day, you are encouraged to fast from listening to the news and using electronic devices so that you can make holy space to observe silence with the group and on your own.
The retreat will include:
Three periods of Centering Prayer;
–Morning and Evening Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer;
–Lectio Divina in a group setting; and
–Generous breaks throughout the day for rest, reflection, and journaling.
For people new to Centering Prayer, we encourage you to participate in the Introduction to Centering Prayer Workshop to learn the basics of the practice.
This event takes place via Zoom; to participate, you must have internet access and a computer or tablet with an internet connection.

Online Centering Prayer Weekend Retreat
2020-10-23 14:00 - 2020-10-26 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Internet – Online
“Who is The Ultimate Reality? And Who are We?”
Presenter: Bonnie Shimizu

Friday, October 23 – Sunday, October 25
Offered through Holy Spirit Retreat Center, Encino, CA
This weekend retreat will explore the heart of the Christian contemplative journey through the loving gift and legacy of Fr. Thomas Keating. Bonnie will explore the Love that is God as well as the foundation of our Oneness with all creation. There will be periods of Centering Prayer, presentations, and question/sharing time with Bonnie.
This retreat is being offered online. The Zoom link and schedule will be emailed to participants prior to the retreat.
Prerequisite: Regular practice of Centering Prayer or its equivalent.
Please register online here at Holy Spirit Retreat Center
Any questions or for more information, please contact Linda Snow, CSJ, at srlinda.snow@gmail.com

Centering Prayer Dual-Track Intensive Post-Intensive Retreat
2020-10-23 08:00 - 2020-10-31 17:00 UTC | Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey, 9200 NE Abbey Road, OR, 97127, United States
This 8 day intensive/post-intensive Centering Prayer retreat at the Trappist Abbey in Oregon begins at 5 pm Friday, May 8 and ends May 15 after breakfast. The cost is $650.
For further information or registration contact Patricia Lacy at patricia.a.lacy@gmail.com or 541-207-8895.

A Contemplative Approach to Following your Inner Guidance
2020-10-22 18:30 - 21:00 UTC | Internet – Online
In this single-evening class, Dr. Reynold Ruslan Feldman, the author of six books on practical wisdom, will help us understand what wisdom is, how we can tap into the aquafer of holy wisdom that lies deep within each of us, and how we can follow its guidance. Using both Centering Prayer and several free-writing exercises, he will open us to the only partially discovered riches of our true selves, our birthright wisdom. Bring with you, life experience, curiosity, a willingness to follow the promptings of the Spirit, a notebook or paper, and pens or pencils.
Reynold Ruslan Feldman, Ph.D., is a “pro-tired” English professor, dean, and academic vice-president. He is also the author of 10 books, the majority of which are on practical wisdom. The most recent, Wisdom for Living-Learning to Follow Your Inner Guidance, co-authored with Sharon Clark, was published in July 2019 by John Hunt Publishing, England. Besides three degrees from Yale, Reynold has studied at Heidelberg University, Germany, and has taught in Germany, Denmark, and Indonesia as well as the United States. He is a 59-year practitioner of the Subud Spiritual Program and has studied Centering Prayer with both Fr. Keating and Sr. Joan Tuberty, OSF. A linguist, Reynold speaks eight languages. He currently lives with his wife, Dr. Cedar Barstow, in Boulder, Colorado, where they are members of St. John’s Episcopal Church.

Please see the link below for more information and to register.

Key Contemplative Ancestors: Eckhart, Hadewijch, Mechthild, Porete
2020-10-17 08:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
Meister Eckhart, the most quoted Christian mystic of our time, actually lived 1260-1327. Surprisingly for medieval times, he was dramatically influenced by women mystics of his time. Though a world-class philosopher and popular preacher, Eckhart shared their passion that people not just believe right ideas about God, but also have a deep, real experience of God. Our workshop will engage the inspiring lives and teachings of Eckhart and these heroic women as well as providing time for contemplative prayer and rich dialogue.
This will be presented live as well as over Zoom!
Rickey Cotton, Ed.D., is a spiritual director and presenter of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina and on faculty for the Living Flame program of Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. As a leader of workshops and retreats, he presents around the country on such topics as John of the Cross, The Desert Mothers and Fathers, Divine Therapy, and Meister Eckhart. Now Professor Emeritus, for over 30 years Rickey taught English and Religion at Southeastern University in central Florida.

Listening and Leading From Within with Susan Kaplan
2020-10-17 08:00 - 17:00 UTC | Internet – Online
An Introductory Retreat to Nonviolent Communication with Four Practice Sessions
Offered on Zoom

Unlearning habitual communication patterns, which continually separate you from yourself (self criticism) and others (anger, resentment, loneliness, etc.), opens up space to simultaneously learn new ways of compassionate beingness. Here we shift from profound disconnections towards a higher quality of interconnection in our daily communication — lived compassion. In the retreat, introduction to the inspirational teachings and spiritual practices from Jewish Mysticism and Nonviolent Communication (Marshall Rosenberg’s work), you will learn to deepen your compassion practice. The practices taught include an overview of the four basic skills of Nonviolent Communication of Observation.
The retreat will be followed by a four week series on Wednesdays, October 21-November 11, 6:30-9:00 p.m., with practice sessions to deepen our communal learning and apply the principles and practices in our daily lives.
Please see the event web link below for more information and to register.

Centering Prayer Weekend Retreat
2020-10-16 08:00 - 2020-10-19 17:00 UTC | Benet Hill Monastery, 3190 Benet Lane, Colorado Springs, CO, 80921, United States
Anyone with an established Centering Prayer practice is invited to participate in a Centering Prayer Weekend retreat. The retreat serves as a way to go deeper in your prayer practice plus spend time in silence and solitude while in community. Several periods of Centering Prayer each day allows time for rest and walking in the Benet Hill Monastery forest in the Black Forest of Colorado Springs, CO. The retreat begins with arrival at 3pm Friday, October 16 continuing with dinner at 5pm and orientation at 7pm. The methods of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina will be reviewed. The retreat concludes with a video teaching from Fr. Thomas Keating. Departure on Sunday, October 18 is at 3pm.
Cost: $250 with a non-refundable deposit of $50 due with registration.
Benet Hill Retreat Center in the Black Forest of Colorado Springs
Retreat Details: All bedrooms are private with shared bathrooms. Space is limited to 9 retreatants plus the team. Meals will be shared with the Sisters of Benet Hill.
Retreat team: Leslee Anne Terpay and Sr. Therese O'Grady
Please see the flyer below under "additional information" for more details and registration information.

Fruits of Contemplative Prayer and Rewiring the Brain
2020-10-10 09:00 - 12:00 UTC | Internet – Online
Imagine you want an electrical outlet underneath your coffee table for a new lamp. To add this outlet, you will have to spend some time under the floor, find a circuit you can tie into, string a new wire, and fasten it to the floor support. Then you will have to cut a hole in the floor, mount a box and attach the wires to the new outlet under the table. Adding this floor plug will take you a minimum of several hours and a considerable amount of effort. The fruits of this labor will be a direct path for the electricity when you want your coffee table lit. Installing a new outlet in your house is an excellent metaphor for rewiring our brain using contemplative prayer.
We are all born with a brain that reacts and sometimes those reactions cause us unnecessary suffering. Frequently, we then inflict that suffering on others with our words and actions. Contemplative prayer rewires our brain for wisdom, understanding and grace. These fruits will lessen our suffering and improve our lives as well as the lives of those around us. This class will provide you with a new way to look at Centering Prayer by seeing how your brain reacts automatically because of the wires we already have and how it responds after contemplation because of the wires we grow through meditation.
There will be a short presentation and then some simple group activities so you can experience what you learned. The morning will conclude with a guided music contemplative practice.
You may know Blair Ashby as the man who records the Annual Conferences and Fall Mini-Retreats at the Center. Additionally, he records for Spiritual Direction of Colorado and does editing work for Sounds True. Blair also teaches classes on Communication and Self-Awareness at Rocky Mountain Electrical Training Institute. From his work with these spiritual organizations over the past 26 years, and the many spiritual teachers he now calls friends, Blair has found that profound spiritual growth flourishes when education and experience are combined. He unifies stories, humor and experiential activities to aid your development and offer you possibilities for communion and growth.
Please see the link below for more information and to register.

Centering Prayer Retreat
2020-10-10 08:00 - 2020-10-12 17:00 UTC | Church of Conscious Harmony, 7406 Newhall Lane, Austin, TX, 78746, United States
Two-day in-town Centering Prayer Commuter Retreat "Celebrating Life"
Led by Fr Carl Arico
The Church of Conscious Harmony in Austin, TX.
It will take place on Sat from 8:30am to 4:00pm and will continue on Sun from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Retreatants sleep at home and return the next day. Each day will include multiple prayer periods, Lectio Divina, silence and solitude, and faith sharing.
Cost is $75. Please bring your own lunch; scholarships may be available.

Centering Prayer, Introductory Program
2020-10-03 09:00 - 12:30 UTC | Internet – Online
Presenters: Bob Blair and Pippa Currey
Saturday, October 3, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm (Pacific Daylight Time)
(Zoom in at 8:50 am)
Contemplative Prayer is God’s personal and unique gift to each of us. If we are open to this gift, it will profoundly affect our lives and relationships, to God, others, and our world. Centering Prayer is a form of Contemplative Prayer. It is a method of prayer that opens us to interior transformation and deeper intimacy with God and others. The workshop includes four presentations and the practice of Centering Prayer. Participates will need to download Zoom for free at https://zoom.us. The Zoom link will be emailed to participates prior to the workshop. For more information, email Pippa Currey at pbcurreysd@gmail.com or Linda Snow, CSJ, at srlinda.snow@gmail.com.
Fee: $35.00
Please register online here. Scroll down to the October 3 workshop and click on Register button by October 1.

Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop
2020-09-27 13:30 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | Internet – Online
Centering Prayer is a form of Christian silent mediation where one lets go of thoughts during periods of prayer typically lasting 20 to 30 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 ever-increasing awareness of God’s action and presence in the course of ordinary life. Centering Prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer; rather it casts a new light and depth of meaning on them. It is at the same time a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship. This method of prayer is a movement beyond conversation with Christ to communion with him.
In this introductory workshop, led by the Rev. Tom Ward, participants will learn the method and principles of this prayer practice and have the opportunity to experience this ancient method in a quiet, reflective atmosphere.
This event takes place via Zoom; to participate, you must have internet access and a computer or tablet with an internet connection.
