Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.

Guard of the Heart – via Zoom
2025-11-15 09:00 - 12:00 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 our 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. This class will include one 20-minute Centering Prayer session.
Times listed are Mountain Time.
Click the Website Link below to learn more and register.

Soul Serenade
2025-11-09 16:00 - 2025-11-12 11:00 (America/Denver) | Mount Princeton Hot Springs, 15870 County Road 162, Nathorp, CO, United States
Step into the magic of Soul Serenade, a three-day retreat where healing waters and soulful practices invite you to slow down, reconnect, and restore. We’ll open on Sunday night floating beneath the stars in the Hot Springs, setting the tone for a journey inward.
Each day unfolds with yoga at sunrise, followed by moments of quiet reflection through Lectio Divina meditation, silent sitting, and the deeply transformative embryonic float—guided with care by Eric and Dr. Christine.
Nourishing breakfasts and lunches will be lovingly prepared for you, while evenings offer space to choose your own rhythm—whether dining at Mary Murphy’s Steakhouse or creating your own meal in the comfort of your lodging.
Soul Serenade is your invitation to soften into presence, let the waters hold you, and return home renewed.
Please see the link below to register.

COC Fall Conference -- in-person and online: ​The Science of Transformation: An Experiential Integration and Day of Hope-filled Practice
2025-11-08 09:00 - 15:00 (America/Denver) | Internet – Online
This is a hybrid presentation being conducted both in person at The Center for Contemplative Living in Denver, Colorado and online via Zoom videoconference.
Jonathan Steele is engaging, charismatic, brilliantly creative, and wondrously present. As one of my senior Wisdom students, he shares my own commitment to combining classic Christian contemplative teaching with contemporary reference points in mindfulness, attention, and embodied awareness. You are in for a treat! – Cynthia Bourgeault
Description of Talk:
These times call for a need to unify the seeds of contemplative practice–to return to our fundamental essence and realize our shared human purpose as conscious transmitters of faith, hope and love. In the words of Bede Griffiths, we can learn to “join the growing Christ.”
Jonathan’s presentation style includes teaching, practice and unifying the power of gathered intention. His themes focus on the importance of surrender, community, service, silence and the practice of learning to directly sense the inner body, or inner-man as St. Paul refers to it. Learning to sense the inner body gives us a physiological rootedness where we can stand in a strong, compassionate witnessing presence amid polarization.
Together we will engage prayer exercises that imprint both Jesus’ recollected presence and self-emptying nature more deeply into our being. Most spiritual traditions have tended to emphasize one or the other: enstatic practices (service through conscious presence) or ecstatic practices (service as self-giving) but not both. The integration of the two supports our collective awakening in becoming people who can change the events of our world from the inside-out without our attention getting hi-jacked by manufactured desire.
We offer this day of experiential integration and hope-filled practice on behalf of all beings throughout creation and to bring spiritual healing to our lives and, by God’s grace, to this precious planet. The day will include a session of Centering Prayer.
“I do not know how it works, but when a group of like-minded people committed to the transformative processes are together, the force of the energy is certainly up a number of decibels higher. You do not have to do anything but be still and let your mind be quiet. Be still and you will know, not by the knowledge of the mind, but by the knowledge of the heart, who God is and who you are.”
-Thomas Keating
About Jonathan Steele:
Jonathan L. Steele, M.A., is a retreat leader, spiritual teacher and companion on the spiritual journey. His work draws deeply upon the transmission of the Christian Wisdom lineage and the Christian contemplative and iInner-traditions. In addition to his lived integration through contemplative practice, study and service, he leans on the works of Thomas Keating, Cynthia Bourgeault, Valentin Tomberg, G.I. Gurdjieff and J.G. Bennett. Jonathan currently serves as the Devotional Minister at The Church of Conscious Harmony, a contemplative Christian community in Austin, Texas. Jonathan also has significant experience working with recovery communities, utilizing the path of the 12-Steps and implementing the work of Bowen family systems theory.
He has previously companioned others in the context of spiritual direction and hospice chaplaincy, as well as guiding groups on pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain where he lived over the course of eight years.
Times listed are Mountain Time (Denver, CO)
Click the website link below to learn more and register. Scholarships are available.

Introduction To Centering Prayer with Six Follow-Up Sessions
2025-11-08 09:00 - 12:30 UTC | St. Alfred’s Episcopal Church, 1601 Curlew Road, Palm Harbor, FL, 34683, United States
In-person Introduction to Centering Prayer followed by six consecutive follow-up sessions on Zoom beginning Tuesday November 11 from 7-8:30 pm Eastern Time.
Please see the link below to register.

A Morning of Peace and Refreshment - via Zoom
2025-11-08 09:00 - 11:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online Zoom, Select a Country:
An online Centering Prayer mini-retreat
The morning will consist of two sets of two twenty-minute prayer periods with a contemplative break in between, followed by lectio divina.
Come and be refreshed before the holidays!
All are welcome to attend. If you are new to the practice of Centering Prayer, please see the Contemplative Outreach brochure on Centering Prayer
This event is free, but a donation of any amount to Contemplative Outreach, Ltd., is greatly appreciated.
Times listed are Pacific Standard Time

Silent Retreats in November 2025 - Prière de consentement Québec
2025-11-02 - 2025-11-11 | Maison de Spiritualité des Trinitaires, 200, boulevard Robert, Granby, Quebec, J2H 0R2, Canada
In Granby, Quebec, 3 day, 6 day and 10 day retreats are offered, at Maison de Spiritualité des Trinitaires, 200 boul. Robert, Granby.
6 day: November 2-7, $755.45 CDN
10 day: November 2-11, $1396.35 CDN
3 day: November 7-9, $ 323.90 CDN
Please contact Hélène Goulet, at goulet.h@gmail.com for more information. Although retreat is in complete silence, a basic understanding of French is required to read documents and understand instructions.

4-Day Contemplative Retreat
2025-10-29 17:00 - 2025-11-02 14:00 (Europe/Amsterdam) | Sacred Heart Monastery, Missiezusters Klooster, 20, Steyl, Venlo, 5935 BX, Netherlands
“In moments when we simply surrender all to God in contemplation, God becomes the actor who acts through us. God becomes the writer of our lives, and we become the pencil with which God writes a love letter to the world.”
– Adam Bucko
Sharing silent prayer with others in the context of a retreat is a profound source of soul connection with other practitioners and with all living beings. The retreat aims to nurture the soul’s thirst for intimacy with God, fostering the path of transformation through contemplation and inner and outer silence.
The retreat will be in silence and will include two (daily) input sessions to deepen the Centering Prayer method and reflect on the contemplative journey; various periods of Centering Prayer each day; opportunity for soul companionship; and personal time for reflection and journaling.
Requirement: to have attended a weekend Centering Prayer retreat or the one-day introductory workshop on Centering Prayer and have some level of ongoing practice.
Please see the link below to register.

Contemplative Retreat: Five or Eight-Day Centering Prayer
2025-10-27 - 2025-11-03 | Benedictine Center Sacred Heart Monastery, 916 Convent Road, Cullman, AL, 35055, United States
Centering Prayer is a form of Christian silent meditation rooted in the self-emptying love that forms the heart of Jesus’ teaching and life. This retreat is an opportunity to deepen one’s contemplative journey in the contemporary world. The retreat offers two tracks: a five-day track, recommended for individuals with an established and regular practice of Centering Prayer, and an eight-day track, intended for those who have maintained a regular practice of Centering Prayer and previously participated in an intensive retreat. The intensive and post-intensive tracks are available for both the five-day and eight-day retreats.
This retreat offers a sacred rhythm of silence, solitude, and prayer, with opportunities to join the Benedictine Sisters for Mass and optional prayer times. Afternoons provided space for walking in nature and engaging in soul friending with retreat facilitators. Designed to cultivate deep interior silence, the retreat nurtures and awareness of God’s presence in everyday life. A Korean language track is available for the five-day retreat, making this a welcoming and accessible space for Korean-speaking participants to engage fully in the retreat experience.
Five-day Retreat $335 $415 $750
Eight-day Retreat $475 $725 $1,200

6-Day Silent Centering Prayer Retreat w/Fr Bill Sheehan
2025-10-27 - 2025-11-02 | Holy Cross Abbey, 901 Cool Spring Ln, VA, 22611, United States
Centering Prayer Retreat with Father Bill Sheehan
Monday, October 27 – Sunday, November 2, 2025
Holy Cross Abbey (HCA)
www.virginiatrappists.org
Berryville, VA
• 5 Full Days & 2 half days of silence and solitude in a peaceful rural setting
• 3 plus hours per day of group Centering Prayer
• Daily morning Centering Prayer sit begins at 5:30am
• Sunday morning Centering Prayer sit begins at 6:30am
• Comfortable single room with private bathroom/shower
• Opportunity to attend any or all of the daily Liturgy of the Hour prayers with the Trappist monks
• Eucharist celebrated with the Monks in the Abbey Monastery Chapel weekdays and Saturday
morning immediately following 7:00am Lauds
• Sunday morning Eucharist celebrated with Father Sheehan in the Retreat House Chapel
• Daily group conference Tuesday – Saturday offered by Father Sheehan
• Opportunity for two private individual conferences with Father Sheehan
Go to event website link below to access application form. Or contact martha@marthajohnston.com.

Six-Day Centering Prayer Retreat: Intensive & Post-Intensive
2025-10-26 - 2025-10-31 | Claggett Conference Center, 3035 Buckeystown Pike, Buckeystown, MD, 21717, United States
The Program
This retreat is designed to provide an opportunity for those who have an established practice of Centering Prayer to deepen their practice in an atmosphere of profound silence and community support. All participants observe silence from the opening to the closing of the retreat and share a schedule of several hours of group Centering Prayer daily.
Retreatants on the Intensive Track receive the added support of daily videos, with discussion, of Thomas Keating’s teachings on the Spiritual Journey. Those on the Post-Intensive Track follow their own discipline of spiritual practice, study, and prayer. If you are relatively new to Centering Prayer or to a Centering Prayer retreat, or if you would like a refresher of some of the teachings, choose the Intensive Track.
The Setting
The retreat will be held at the Claggett Retreat Center in Adamston, MD. The center is nestled in the rolling hills of Frederick County on 268 wooded acres with a working farm and fantastic views, yet it is only an hour’s drive from three international airports. All participants will lodge in the Christiane Inn; a range of dietary needs can be accommodated. For details and directions, visit the Claggett Retreat Center website.
The Retreat Leaders
L.J. Milone, a Catholic lay minister, has practiced Centering Prayer since 2000 and is a commissioned presenter of the practice. He has served Contemplative Outreach (CO) as a chapter coordinator, retreat leader, and commissioned presenter formator. He works at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C., where he teaches Christian mysticism and oversees the parish’s faith formation. He has four children in whom he delights greatly.
Mary Jane Yates is an experienced practitioner and commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer. She has been a part of Contemplative Outreach for almost 20 years, serving the organization most recently as administrator and coordinator of international efforts to share Centering Prayer and related practices. In 2019, she also completed her training as a guide with the Association for Nature and Forest Therapy. She sees this work as a natural extension of her passions for both health promotion and contemplative practice.
Schedule and Cost
The retreat begins with dinner on Sunday, October 26, and closes after lunch on Friday, October 31. The fee includes the retreat, 5 nights of accommodations in a single or double room with full bath, and 15 meals.
Single Room: $960
Double Room: $825
A $200.00 deposit is required with registration, which is non-refundable unless the slot can be filled by another participant. Full payment is due by September 26. A limited number of partial scholarships are available.
Please see the link below to register.

The Living Flame Program – A “taster event” – One Day Retreat – via Zoom
2025-10-25 11:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Internet – Online
*HOLD THE DATE*
Times listed are in Eastern Time Zone
You can register for this one day retreat at the below page.
Living Flame One Day Retreat
Then at the registration confirmation page you will have the opportunity to make a donation.

“Contemplative Living in the Modern Age─ How to Keep Your Practice Growing” With Fr. Bill Sheehan
2025-10-25 09:00 - 15:30 UTC | St. Alfred’s Episcopal Church, 1601 Curlew Road, Palm Harbor, FL, 34683, United States
In-Person event featuring Father Bill Sheehan. Will include two sessions of Centering Prayer.
$25 suggested donation.

Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop: In person and online
2025-10-25 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | 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.
Please see the link below to register. $50 offering. Scholarships are available.

Beauty: A Fall Retreat
2025-10-24 16:30 - 2025-10-26 11:30 UTC | Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center, 120 Boyson Rd, Hiawatha, IA, 52233, United States
Beauty ~ A Fall Retreat
Beauty is everywhere:
~ In the petals of a flower and the vista over fall foliage at a distance;
~ In the dance of a honey bee and the sway of an African elephant;
~ In waves on the seashore and the ripples on a brook;
~ In the face of a friend and the muscle of an Olympic athlete;
~ In a view through a microscope or a telescope;
~ All around and within us.
The “Beauty” retreat is an opportunity to spend time away in the company of other pilgrims. This event, October 24-26 (Friday, 4:30 pm through Sunday 11:30 am) will include structured opportunities for
* Quiet prayer in the Presence;
* Sacred Reading of Scripture;
* Communal Sung Prayer;
* Communal meals; plus
There will be ample free time for
– Yoga,
– a Nature walk on the Prairiewood trails,
– walking an outdoor labyrinth,
– hand massage,
– journaling; and more
Registration: To register online, visit our Eventbrite listing for this event (on that site search for Beauty – Hiawatha); OR send an email to coneiowa@gmail.com with your intent, and we will send you a form to return with a check for the registration fee.
Fees:
Full Retreat with shared room: $175
Full Retreat with individual room: $215
Commuter: $145 (meals, no overnight room);
One day only (Saturday) $75 (with no overnight)
Prairiewoods is at 120 Boyson Rd, Hiawatha, IA. To view more photos and read more about Prairiewoods, visit https://prairiewoods.org/.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Will there be food provided?
A: Yes, there will be fruit, drinks (coffee, tea and water) and other snacks available throughout the event. Meals will be served by Prairiewoods staff, with the option to accommodate people with special dietary needs.
Q2: Will silence be a part of the event?
A: Yes, much of the retreat will include internal and external silence. However, there will some time for conversation with other retreatants.
Q3: Can I attend only part of the retreat?
A: Yes. We encourage people to attend the whole event; however, if you can only come for one day, you are welcome to do so. The related costs are listed above
Q4: Will I be expected to share many details of my life?
A: No. There will be time for introductions with other group members, but not extensive sharing. If extended sharing is desired, there will be opportunities to meet one-on-one with one of the leaders.
Q5: Is Prairiewoods handicap accessible?
A: Yes. The Center has all facilities on one level. While there are two levels withing the building for sleeping rooms, you may request a room on the floor level. Retreatants will need to assess whether the outdoor grounds are safe for them.
Q6: Is there anything else I might want to know about Prairiewoods?
A: Yes. Indoors, there is an onsite bookstore, an area for meals and snacks, a quiet prayer room, our meeting room, etc. Outdoors, the wooded grounds provide a space to commune in nature; with an outdoor labyrinth available.
Q7: If I cannot attend this event, can my registration be refunded?
A: Refunds are possible until 9 am October 10 for paid registrations that have been received. However, thereafter we cannot provide refunds because of our contract with Prairiewoods. With this contract we guarantee the number of participants and associated fees. Refunds will be the full amount minus the Eventbrite processing fee if payment is made online.
Q8: Can I register for a half day on Saturday?
A: Yes. This is an option with the mail-in registration that you can request via Email to coneiowa@gmail.com. The fee for morning or afternoon, both including lunch, is $45
Q9: What if my personal finances are tight?
A: Scholarships are available upon request. To learn more, contact coneiowa@gmail.com
Sponsored by Contemplative Outreach Northeast Iowa Chapter

Contemplative Attitudes Centering Prayer Retreat
2025-10-22 17:30 - 2025-10-26 12:00 UTC | Bethany Retreat Center, 1031 Germania Rd, Frenchville, PA, 16836, United States
This is an intensive Centering Prayer retreat based on the work of David Frenette in his seminal book, The Path of Centering Prayer, hailed by Fr. Thomas Keating as, ‘The best, most comprehensive and most practical book on Centering Prayer.’
David Frenette is a leader and senior teacher in the Centering prayer movement, a longtime student and friend of Fr. Thomas Keating. On this silent retreat we will explore the simple contemplative attitudes common to every way of Christian contemplation, some of which include: Simplicity and Awakening, Gentleness and Effortlessness, Letting Go and Letting Be, among others.
An established practice of Centering Prayer is required to attend this retreat as we will be sitting in Centering Prayer for several hours each day.
Retreat includes on-site lodging, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Please see the link below to register.

The Healing of our Hearts — and our World
2025-10-18 09:45 - 15:00 UTC | St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 4755 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, GA, 30338, United States
Centering Prayer and the Healing of our Hearts — and our World
A Contemplative Outreach Retreat Day with Carl McColman.
This retreat day will include time for Centering Prayer, personal reflection, talks by our presenter, and opportunities for shared reflection and contemplative dialogue.
St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Dunwoody, GA.

Unchanging – Awakening in the Flow of Hope (via Zoom)
2025-10-18 08:30 - 12:30 (America/Denver) | Internet – Online
We are living in turbulent times. In the churning, can you feel an anchor to something that is unchanging? Could it be a deep abiding hope? In this presentation, Rick Klein offers insight to a path out of the dualistic sociopolitical environments that keep us stuck.
How might I continue “Growing Up” on my spiritual journey?
Building on teachings from Cynthia Bourgeault, Richard Rohr, Thomas Keating and others, Rick believes the key to future spiritual growth—individually and collectively—begins with hope. Not the ordinary understanding of hope, but a deeper understanding: Contemplative Hope. As we awaken to the powerful presence of contemplative hope in our lives, we reveal the unchanging universal truths hidden in plain sight.
Join us as we explore how to weave the threads of universal truth into the fabric of our lives and open to the potential of a quantum leap in spiritual “growing up.” This collective leap is essential if we are to show up in new ways that can diffuse the anger and fear in our world.
We will begin this workshop with 20 minutes of Centering Prayer.
This presentation—Unchanging—grew out of Rick Klein’s February 2025 presentation, “Unfinished: A Spirituality of Change,” which explored Ken Wilber’s developmental “Growing Up” lens and left many of us wondering what is mine to do? In this new presentation, Rick continues the exploration of our collective and individual journeys. If you missed the Unfinished presentation, you will be able to watch the February recording as part of your registration for Unchanging. The recording is not necessary, however, as Unchanging is a unique presentation that builds on themes raised in the previous presentation.
Hope is an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart; it transcends the world that is immediately experienced, and is anchored somewhere beyond its horizons.
—Václav Have
Time listed are Mountain daylight time.
Register using the Event Website link below.

Centering Prayer Weekend Retreat
2025-10-17 16:30 - 2025-10-19 13:00 UTC | Holy Spirit Retreat Center, 4316 Lanai Road, Encino, CA, 91436, United States
Topic: Fr. Thomas Keating and the Development of Christian Contemplative Prayer Practice
Presenter: Fr. Steve Coffey OSB Cam
On this weekend Centering Prayer Retreat, Fr. Steve will begin with the story of how Fr. Thomas developed his teaching on Centering Prayer. He will then examine the process of contemplative prayer that leads to union with the Divine. One presentation will be dedicated to a question-and-answer format.
We will be in silence for meals, breaks, and prayer time. Periods of Centering Prayer will be included in our time together. There will be discussion following each presentation. Soul-friending will also be available.
Pre-requisite: An established practice of Centering Prayer and a desire to grow in your contemplative practice.
Fee: $350.00 — all rooms are private. $250 Commuter
Registration online at www.hsrcenter.com by October 8th, with a non-refundable deposit of $50
For more information, please contact Sr. Chris at centeringprayer@hsrcenter.com or 818-815-4480
(Photo by Nabno Nabniok, Unsplash)

A Weekend Centering Prayer Retreat
2025-10-17 12:00 - 2025-10-19 13:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | St. Vincent Seton Cove Spirituality Center, 2025 Dugan Drive, Indianapolis, 46260, United States
Centering Prayer is a receptive method of silent prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than
consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship. As one practices Centering Prayer with devotional sincerity and tries to respond to all situations within God’s will rather than through our own inclinations, we find ourselves being called on a journey of transformation. How does one respond to this call? What does this transformation involve? What does it look like in everyday life? These and related questions will be the theme of this weekend retreat.
There will be time for silence, lectio divina, videos with short discussions, and exploring the beauty of nature, all in the comfort and serenity of Seton Cove Spirituality Center.
Please see the link below to register.

InterSpiritual Praxis in Community: Charis Meditation and Charis Circles
2025-10-11 08:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
Charis Circles are small communities of interspiritual practice. We will introduce interspirituality and Charis Meditation, developed for interspiritual settings. The day is for those who embrace one religious tradition, more than one tradition, or are “spiritual but not religious.” As the Quaker Rufus Jones noted, “I pin my hopes to quiet processes and small circles, in which vital and transforming events take place.” Charis Circles embody this vision, where transformation and revelation within can unfold.
This event includes sessions of Centering Prayer along with others who may be practicing a different form of silent prayer.

9-Day Intensive, Advanced Intensive and Post-Intensive Retreat
2025-10-08 - 2025-10-16 | Mercy Center Auburn, 535 Sacramento Street, Auburn, CA, 95603, United States
This retreat offers three tracks simultaneously: Intensive I, Advanced Intensive and Post Intensive. See flyer for more information.
The Post Intensive retreat will be in a separate prayer room with a separate staff.
Pre-requisite:
A daily practice of centering prayer for 6 months or longer.
Rooms are single with a sink in the room; bathrooms are shared.

A Wisdom School on Wisdom Rhythms & Relationships with Heather Ruce
2025-10-05 17:00 - 2025-10-09 12:00 UTC | Sorrento Retreat and Conference Centre, 1159 Passchendaele Road, Sorrento, British Columbia, V0E 2W0, Canada
Online and In-Person at Sorrento Centre, British Columbia, Canada.
October 5th (5 pm) – October 9th (12 noon), 2025 (Pacific Time).
In any moment, regardless of how significant or insignificant it may seem, we can offer ourselves as instruments, vessels, means by which worlds beyond can enter into this world, which has often been termed by several traditions ‘mixtus orbis.’ Wisdom teacher Cynthia Bourgeault often reminds us that this world’s dense conditions are not a mistake but a place where the rough material of our lives can be mixed with spiritual substances and nutrients from beyond and in so doing, something essential is created.
There is much to glean from the Wisdom lineages in every tradition, including Christianity, about waking up to a different reality and orienting our lives to something more than our everyday circumstances. In the case of the Christian Wisdom lineage, we can place our gaze towards the world beyond—kingdom of heaven, the imaginal realm—which is always in our midst when we have eyes to see and ears to hear. When we can attune ourselves to this dimension, we can begin to draw from an endless wellspring and be of service to God in our day to day lives and relationships. Drawing on the work of Cynthia Bourgeault, G.I. Gurdjieff, and others, this Wisdom School will focus on listening for the Wisdom rhythms that deepen presence in our three centres – intellectual, emotional, body – in order that we can perceive and act in accordance with the higher laws of the kingdom of heaven in cosmic servanthood and in particular in conscious relationships.
Join us in person or online at the Sorrento Centre. There will be an invitation to a ‘Wisdom way of knowing’ through a daily rhythm with periods of silence, centring prayer, teaching, conscious conversation, Gurdjieff Exercises and Movements, chanting, mindful work, lectio divina, and contemplative reflective time.
On-site participants must register for both:
1) flexible and affordable accommodation and meal plans at Sorrento Centre, and
2) the program taught by Heather Ruce as organised by TCS.
Costs vary depending on the in-person or online choices.
Offered by Heather Ruce.
Please see the link below to register.

A Morning of Peace and Refreshment - via Zoom
2025-10-04 08:45 - 11:45 (America/Denver) | Internet – Online
In this mini retreat let the Holy Spirit fill you with the peace that passes all understanding as you rest in periods of silent prayer, contemplative breaks ending with lectio divina. (Phil 4:7)
There is no fee for this event, but a donation to Contemplative Outreach, Ltd., is greatly appreciated.
If you are new to a silent practice of prayer, please review beforehand the Centering Prayer brochure from Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. There will be no teaching of the method during the retreat.
Times listed are Pacific Daylight Time.

Introduction to the Forgiveness Prayer
2025-10-03 - 2025-10-05 | Congregation of the Holy Spirit Province of the United States, Spiritan Center, 6230 Brush Run Road, PA, 15102, United States
Contemplative Outreach Pittsburgh invites you to join us as we explore forgiveness through a contemplative lens. Featuring Mary Dwyer as presenter, we will explore both the Forgiveness Process and Forgiveness Prayer while steeped in silence and Centering Prayer (with extended sits). Prior Centering Prayer experience recommended.
Location: Spiritan Retreat Center located south of the city of Pittsburgh in Bethel Park.
Please register using the link below or at https://www.pghcenteringprayer.org/ .

BIPOC Centering Prayer Retreat 2025
2025-09-29 08:00 - 2025-10-02 17:00 UTC | Trinity Retreat Center, 79 Lower River Road, West Cornwall, CT, 06796, United States
A 5-day Centering Prayer retreat designed for and by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color – which includes Latinx and Asian) contemplatives. We gather to practice Centering Prayer, participate in facilitated dialogue about the changing needs of contemplatives in relation to the BIPOC community, and nurture and support BIPOC Centering and contemplative prayer retreat leaders within the Contemplative Outreach and the larger Christian contemplative prayer community.
Our shared intention is to reclaim and reimagine contemplative prayer and teaching through an ethnically inclusive lens and form a contemplative prayer retreat model more culturally sensitive to and inclusive of BIPOC persons’ unique needs and perspectives.

Eight-Day Centering Prayer Dual Track Intensive/Post-Intensive Retreat
2025-09-27 14:00 - 2025-10-04 13:30 (America/New_York) | Holy Cross Monastery – New York, 1615 Route 9W, West Park, NY, 12493, United States
The eight-day Centering Prayer dual track intensive/post intensive retreat offered from Saturday, September 27 to Saturday, October 4, 2025, provides an opportunity to deepen the practice of Centering Prayer in an atmosphere of profound silence and community support. The intensive track will follow the Contemplative Outreach guidelines for an intensive retreat including six 30-minute Centering Prayer periods daily plus viewing and faith sharing on Thomas Keating’s human condition teachings. The post Intensive track provides an additional 30 minutes of Centering Prayer with time for daily solitude.
Retreat leaders: Leslee Anne Terpay and Br. Bernard Delcourt are available for soul-friending. During the retreat, one will experience integrating as one wishes contemplation and action through silence, solitude, community and the rhythm of this Episcopal Benedictine monastic community’s worship and prayer life including daily Holy Eucharist. An established practice of Centering Prayer for at least 6-months is highly recommended.
Check-in is from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Saturday. Vespers begin at 5:00. Dinner then follows. Orientation begins at 6:45. The retreat concludes with lunch on Saturday. (Daily Holy Eucharist is available at 9:00 a.m.).
Cost for the retreat is $1,000. The retreat fee includes a single room and all meals. Shared single occupancy bathrooms in the hallways. Register by e-mail or phone with our Guesthouse Manager, Donna Mallory at 845-384-6660 ext 1 or at guesthouse@hcmnet.org.
If you have questions about the retreat content or which track is best for you, please contact retreat leader: Leslee Terpay at co-leslee@comcast.net.
Leslee Anne Terpay is a Contemplative Outreach commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina, Leslee shares Fr. Thomas Keating’s teachings on the Christian spiritual journey in workshop and retreat settings. She is part of the service team that stewards Fr. Thomas’ teaching for serving Centering Prayer retreats. She is a spiritual director in Lone Tree, Colorado and a graduate of The Center for Action and Contemplation Living School
Br. Bernard Delcourt, is the Director of Associates of Holy Cross Monastery. Br. Bernard is a Contemplative Outreach commissioned presenter. Bernard has been a monk since 2004. Before becoming a monk, he was an investment banker and then a life and business skills coach. He is a spiritual director and regularly visits seminarians in New Haven to offer them spiritual direction.

Going Inward: Autumn Rest and Renewal–An Intensive/Post-Intensive 8-Day Centering Prayer Retreat
2025-09-27 11:00 - 2025-10-04 11:00 UTC | Benet House Retreat Center, 2208 88th Avenue W, Rock Island, IL, 61201, United States
This intensive/post-intensive retreat, hosted by Contemplative Outreach of Central Iowa, will consist of continuous periods of Centering Prayer from before sunrise until the dinner hour, with breaks for meals. Attendees may participate in as much prayer as they are called to. Short pauses for entering and leaving the silence will be offered every 30 minutes. This grand silence will be bracketed with teaching videos featuring Thomas Keating’s Spiritual Journey Series. Cost is $650*, which includes room with private bathroom facilities and all meals. A limited number of double occupancy rooms are available for $575.
The retreat will be held at the lovely Benet House Retreat Center at St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, Illinois. Built in 2001 as a place apart to seek the Holy
One for persons of all faiths, Benet House offers a setting of peace, beauty and tranquility.
Veteran retreat leaders Chris Frantsvog and Paul Witmer look forward to hosting you for this journey into deep silence.
*The cost of this retreat has been lowered by $200 per participant through a grant from the Contemplative Outreach Divine Economy Fund.

Introduction to Centering Prayer in German Language – Stille finden mitten im Leben
2025-09-27 10:00 - 14:00 (Europe/Berlin) | MN
In den 70er Jahren begannen Thomas Keating und andere den Reichtum der christlichen, stillen Meditationspraxis (Kontemplation) wiederzuentdecken. Aus diesen Anfängen ist eine Praxis entstanden, die inzwischen weltweit verbreitet ist und das Gebet der Sammlung (Englisch: Centering Prayer) genannt wird.
Die praktizierte Stille tut einfach gut und kann heilsam wirken.
In diesem Workshop wird das wortlose Gebet der Sammlung (Centering Prayer), einer modernen Form des Herzensgebets, anhand vier einfacher Schritte vorgestellt und eingeübt.
Neben der Einführung in die Methode gibt es die Gelegenheit Fragen und Austausch. Ein Anfang, um “beherzt” dem modernen Leben zu begegnen.
Der Kurs ist kostenlos.
27.9.2025 in Berlin Steglitz (Paulus-Gemeinde Lichterfelde), 10-14:00 Uhr.
Veranstaltungsort: Dorfkirche der Paulus Gemeinde Berlin Steglitz-Lichterfelde, Hindenburgdamm 101a, 12203 Berlin.

God is Love – The Heart of All Creation - via Zoom
2025-09-25 18:15 - 20:30 UTC | Internet – Online
God is Love: The Heart of All Creation Series continues and builds on the works of Thomas Keating over the past 30+ years, beginning with the Spiritual Journey series. It offers a vision of hope and a view of reality that at once integrates the sciences, religion and humankind’s place in the cosmos as divine in origin, unifying in purpose, unfolding in its grandeur.
This nine-week God is Love video series is Fr. Thomas Keating’s latest in the Spiritual Journey Series. It is a masterful overview of how we can grow and deepen our relationship with God and how God manifests through us. The presentations both motivate and inspire us to be faithful to the Centering Prayer practice.
Thomas also shares how God invites us to draw closer to Him and to allow God to transform us through Centering Prayer. This is a “must attend” series, especially for those who have been doing the practice for some time. Class session will begin with 20 minutes of Centering Prayer.
This is a nine-week class, offered on Thursday evenings, September 25 – November 20, 2025
Times listed are Mountain time (Denver, CO)
Click the website link below to learn more and register. Scholarships are available.

Six-day Post Incarceration Centering Prayer Retreat
2025-09-24 - 2025-09-30 | Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat Center, 4801 North Highway 67, Sedalia, CO, 80135, United States
Contemplative Outreach Prison Outreach Service Team (COPOST) is partnering with Prison Contemplative Fellowship (PCF) in offering a six-day intensive Centering Prayer retreat in September 2025 in Colorado for those affected by incarceration.
To attend it is advised that the participant have a six month or longer practice. Financial support is available.
You may find a brochure about the retreat here.
The first step is to express interest in the retreat and/or in requesting financial help to attend is to text or call +1 (850) 296-8420 or email hello@praestolari.org
