Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.

The Gospel of Love: Finding Wholeness with Julian of Norwich in Fragmented Times
2024-05-04 08:30 - 16:30 UTC | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
Contemplative Enrichment Day with Mark S. Burrows, Ph.D.
At the turn of the 15th century, Julian of Norwich received 16 “showings” as a middle-aged woman and spent the rest of her life “beholding” them. She eventually produced a book at once provocative and accessible, expanding these “visions of love.” What Julian offers is a remarkably complex and compelling vision of the immensity of God’s generosity, and the radical call of compassion this calls us to embody in our lives. Join us to explore ways to discover your life held by God’s healing wholeness.
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.
Mark S. Burrows, Ph.D., is an in-demand retreat leader in the U.S. and Europe. A leading voice in the work of integrating theology and the arts, he is widely respected for his work on the Christian mystical tradition. He is also well known as a poet, editor, and author. Mark is a member of the Iona Community and an oblate at Glastonbury Abbey. He lives and writes in Camden, ME.
Please use the link below to register.

Centering Prayer Intro Workshop
2024-05-04 09:00 - 12:00 UTC | All Saints by the Sea Church, 83 Eucalyptus Lane, Santa Barbara, CA, 93108, United States
This is an in-person event.
Workshop Highlights:
– Introduces participants to the method and background of Centering Prayer
– Offers two opportunities to practice Centering Prayer
– Follow-up meetings offered
Four Topics
1. Prayer as Relationship
2. The Method of Centering Prayer
3. Thoughts and the Us of the Sacred Word
4. Deepening our Relationship with God
Time zone: Pacific Time
To register, please email cliffg4250@gmail.com

I AM That I AM: The Invitation at the Center of Contemplative Prayer
2024-05-05 16:00 - 2024-05-08 12:00 UTC | Mercy by the Sea Retreat and Conference Center, 167 Neck Road, Madison, CT, 06443-0191, United States
Contemplative prayer draws us to the center of our being where Silence opens us to God’s dynamic, spacious, ever-evolving reality — the God Who is, not the God we expect. In this silent retreat, through periods of Centering Prayer; contemplative practices; simple body exercises; contemplative conversation; and quiet time for reflection, reading, and walking the grounds, we will heed the call to meet the God of unsettling mystery and grace, sometimes unfamiliar and unpredictable, sometimes wonderfully surprising and bountiful.
This silent retreat, intended for those with a Centering Prayer or other contemplative prayer practice, will draw on the writings of Thomas Keating, Ilia Delio, Teilhard de Chardin, Meister Eckhart, and others. It will offer the opportunity to explore your experiences with the Sacred and reflect on how and whether your image and relationship with the divine have changed over the years. Where is God calling to you? How are you responding?
Please see the link below to register.

1-Day Centering Prayer Retreat – Sacred Embodiment
2024-05-11 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Church of Conscious Harmony, 7406 Newhall Lane, Austin, TX, 78746, United States
1-Day Centering Prayer Retreat – Sacred Embodiment
May 11th, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm CDT, offered by The Church of Conscious Harmony. Led by Sharon Johnson, this in-person retreat includes times of Centering Prayer with gentle restorative yoga and stretching. It will be held in the fellowship hall. Bring a brown bag lunch. If you have a yoga mat, block, bolster, blankets or evo band, please bring them. Space is limited.
To register or for more information, please select the event website registration link below or contact The Church of Conscious Harmony at 512-347-9673.

Coloring Outside the Lines by Returning to Elementary Questioning: ‘How Should I Contemplate?’ - via Zoom
2024-05-11 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Internet – Online
Join us, via ZOOM, for a morning with Dr. Carmen Acevedo Butcher as she guides us in this session with the purpose of deepening and personalizing our own practice, both individually and collectively, with a heart for becoming more self- and others- compassionate.
Times noted are in Eastern Daylight Time. See link below to register.

7-Day Centering Prayer Dual Track Intensive / Post Intensive
2024-05-13 14:00 - 2024-05-19 10:30 (America/New_York) | Holy Cross Monastery – New York, 1615 Route 9W, West Park, NY, 12493, United States
The seven-day Centering Prayer Dual Track Intensive / Post Intensive Retreat offered from Monday, May 13 to Sunday, May 19, 2024, 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.
Monday check-in is from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Dinner then follows. Orientation begins at 6:45pm. The retreat concludes with breakfast on the last day with optional attendance at Holy Eucharist.
Cost for the retreat is $990. 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.
To find out more about Holy Cross Monastery, visit their website at: www.holycrossmonastery.com
Retreat Leaders
Leslee Anne Terpay As 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’s teaching for serving Centering Prayer Retreats. She is a spiritual director in Lone Tree, CO and a graduate of The Center for Action and Contemplation Living School.
Br. Bernard Delcourt is the US Director of Associates for the Order of the Holy Cross. 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 General Theological Seminary in New York to offer spiritual direction to students and staff.

Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop Retreat
2024-05-17 13:00 - 2024-05-19 13:00 (America/Halifax) | Sisters of Charity Motherhouse, 5900 Delhi Road, Cincinnati, OH, 45233, United States
THREE-DAY CENTERING PRAYER RETREAT
May 17 – 19, 2024
CENTERING PRAYER INTRODUCTORY RETREAT
– Learning to improve our conscious contact with the God of our understanding through prayer and meditation together. –
“Silence is a great common denominator between people and also between us and God. God’s first language is silence. Everything else is a poor translation. It is by entering into silence that we are best able to hear God.” Fr. Thomas Keating
This retreat offers: An in-depth experience of silent prayer/meditation; an introduction to Centering Prayer (including its use within an 11th Step Practice); and a presentation on The Human Condition.
We have come to believe that true healing can only happen though our conscious connection with a Higher Power. As we consent to God’s presence and action within us through the Centering Prayer practice, we open ourselves to the exact healing we most need.
This retreat also includes four continuing sessions by Zoom on Saturdays 9:00-10:00 am Eastern Time; dates TBD by attendees.
This is an opportunity for deeper union with God through communal sharing of silence and stillness. For those making their first silent retreat, there will be periods of silent prayer as well as presentations on “The Method” with discussion. We will also share videos by Fr. Thomas Keating on The Human Condition.
Details: Location is the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse, 5900 Delhi Road, Mt. St. Joseph, OH 45051 Arrival on May 17 at 3:00pm; Depart on May 19 at 1:30pm.
Retreat Leaders: John Orr, Gina DiGirolamo, Bill Tonnis – Commissioned Presenters, Contemplative Outreach, LTD.
Cost: $250 includes private room w/bath, all meals, and a copy of “Open Mind Open Heart” by Thomas Keating. Commuters: $175 – includes all meals and book. Registration with deposit of $125 or $62.50 respectively required by May 13. Limited partial scholarships available.
Register by mail with the form below or online at co-gcnky.org via the Donate link. For online registration, please include information requested in the form below in the comment section of the Donation Page.
Contact Bill Tonnis @ billtonnis2012@gmail.com with questions.
Registration by Mail with check payable to Contemplative Outreach of Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (COGCNKY). Mail to COGCNKY c/o JOHN ORR, 5589 Day Drive, Milford, OH 45150. Please print all information and indicate whether staying overnight or commuting.
Name ___________________________ Address ________________________________________ Email____________________________________ Phone ________________________________________ Include a note describing dietary restrictions/mobility limitations with your registration. Thank you.

Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop
2024-05-18 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.
In-person and online.
$50 donation suggested.
Please register using the link below.

Spring Silent Saturday
2024-05-25 09:00 - 12:00 UTC | Holy Spirit Retreat Center, 4316 Lanai Road, Encino, CA, 91436, United States
In this season of new life and promise, it is good to take a quiet morning for 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 prayers with contemplative walks, time for private journaling, reflection, and an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful grounds of Holy Spirit Retreat Center.
All are welcome. A brief introduction to Centering Prayer will be offered for those new to the practice.
A free will offering is gratefully appreciated.
Registration online at hsrcenter.com is appreciated but not required.
For more information contact Marilyn Nobori at centeringprayer@hsrcenter.com or 818-815-4480.

Introduction to Centering Prayer
2024-05-31 17:00 - 2024-06-02 17:00 UTC | Bethany Retreat Center, 1031 Germania Rd, Frenchville, PA, 16836, United States
Sourced from the depths of Christian contemplative tradition, Centering Prayer has emerged as a life-changing prayer practice for those who embrace it. Centering Prayer is a receptive method of Christian silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer; prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. Its purpose is to foster a deeper intimacy with Christ through the silence and stillness of contemplative prayer.
Join us to learn the method or to renew your practice of this ancient form of silent prayer.
Please see the link below to register.

Contemplative Christianity at the Dawning of the Second Axial Age
2024-06-01 08:30 - 16:30 UTC | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
Annual Day of Reflection with The Rev. Matthew Wright
Many thinkers today believe we are entering a “Second Axial Age” — a great shift in consciousness and spirituality equal to that which produced the headwaters of our great religious traditions between roughly 800-200 BCE. This next shift is related closely to the process of globalization, and our emerging sense and planetary need for oneness. Profound Interspiritual permeability will characterize this next phase. We will examine the insights modern Christian Mystics such as Teilhard de Chardin, Bede Griffiths, and Raimon Panikkar offer us.
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.
The Rev. Matthew Wright is an Episcopal priest, writer, and retreat leader working to renew the Christian Wisdom tradition within a wider interspiritual framework. He has been a student of Cynthia Bourgeault since 2010. Alongside his practice of Christianity, Matthew draws deeply from the sacred worlds of Islamic Sufism and Vedanta Hinduism.
Please register using the link below.

Introduction to Centering Prayer Workshop
2024-06-01 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Online Zoom, Select a Country:
Introduction to Centering Prayer Workshop – Online
Sat, Jun 1st from 9:00am to 12:00pm US Central Daylight Time
This workshop is offered online by the Church of Conscious Harmony. Learn the basics for beginning a Centering Prayer daily practice, using the Contemplative Outreach course based on Fr. Thomas Keating’s book, “Open Mind, Open Heart”. It includes four follow-up meetings via Zoom held four consecutive Tues 12:00-1:15pm US CDT beginning Jun 4th.
The cost is $15. Please register with the link below.

Forming Future Keepers of the Tradition: Young Contemplatives Retreat
2024-06-02 - 2024-06-09 | The Lama Foundation, PO Box 240, San Christobal, NM, 87564, United States
All young contemplatives and professionals 50 and under are welcome to this Centering Prayer retreat.
Generous scholarships are available.
Please email snowmasscoc@gmail.com with questions and interest.

Five-Day Centering Prayer Retreat
2024-06-05 15:00 - 2024-06-09 15:00 UTC | 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 five day 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 extended 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.

Thomas Merton: Finding the Gate to Paradise Everywhere
2024-06-08 09:30 - 12:00 (America/Halifax) | Internet – Online
Thomas Merton was a mystic giant. He wrote 50 books and 2,000 poems in 27 years. The first printing of his autobiography, The Seven Story Mountain, in 1948 was planned for 7,500 copies. It sold over 600,000. By 1984, more than 3,000,000 additional copies had sold.
Merton invites God seekers to go deeper and wider as we discover the difference between our “True Self” and our “False Self.” As we let go of defining our self by power, prestige, and possessions and discover that we are more than what we do, what people say about us, and what we own, we are then able to remember that we are made in God’s image–and with us God is well pleased.
As we discover the holy in us, we become equipped to be a vehicle of the Good News by what we do, by what we say, and mostly by who we are. Merton wrote, “At the center of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by sin and by illusions, a point of truth, a point or spark which belongs to God.” Therefore, “to be a saint is to be myself.”
As we go deeper in our faith and remember who we are in God’s eyes, we are able to discover that we can connect with the core of other religions. In his final talk before his death, Merton said, “This new language of prayer has to come out of something which transcends all our traditions and comes out of the immediacy of love.” Merton himself had one of his deepest mystical experiences gazing at the rock statue of the Buddha in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka.
This half-day retreat will include a presentation, time for silent meditation, and a plenary. Our focus will be Merton’s invitation to live a cruciform life: one that is vertically connected to God and horizontally connected to our fellow souls and to “this fragile earth our island home.”
Meet Bishop Porter Taylor
Bishop Porter Taylor is the retired bishop of Western North Carolina and recently served two years as visiting bishop in the Diocese of Virginia. He earned a Ph.D. in Literature and Theology from Emory University. He is the author of three books: From Anger to Zion: An Alphabet of Faith; To Dream as God Dreams: Sermons of Community, Conversion, and Hope; and his most recent, Are You Persuaded? In and Out of Being a Bishop. He and his wife, Jo, live in Asheville, North Carolina, with their dog, Sadie.
Please register using the link below.

Centering Prayer Silent Weekend Retreat
2024-06-21 16:00 - 2024-06-23 16:00 UTC | St. Benedict Center, 1126 Road I, Schuyler, NE, 68661, United States
Saint Benedict Center
Schuyler, NE. 1.5 hours West of Omaha, NE
You are invited to gather with us for our summer retreat giving time to be present in the beauty of nature, prayer and solitude.
Come enjoy the beautiful grounds of Saint Benedict Center at the perfect time of year to rest in deep silence. Our retreat will begin with the Friday evening meal and conclude Sunday after lunch.
We will maintain silence with half-hour sits being offered though out our time together.
If you have a committed Centering Prayer practice and would like to deepen your practice, this is perfect for you!
Cost $330.00 due by June 7th, retreat limited to 15 people
Registration is on our website. See link below.
Private room, all meals from Friday evening to Sunday noon and programing are provided.

Centering Prayer and Living the Compassionate Life
2024-06-21 17:30 - 2024-06-23 17:30 UTC | Bethany Retreat Center, 1031 Germania Rd, Frenchville, PA, 16836, United States
How do we make a compassionate presence a part of our spiritual journey? It begins with giving ourselves time to reflect, time to become aware of the presence and action of the Divine in our lives. During this retreat we will take time to integrate our Centering Prayer practice with compassion, increase our self-care and practice compassion with growing discernment.
Join us at Bethany Retreat Center as we continue the spiritual journey with a look at the elements of Boundless Compassion and Centering Prayer, a seed of Compassion.
For more information about the facilitators and to register, please see the link below.

A Taste of Lectio Divina
2024-06-22 | Bethany Retreat Center, 1031 Germania Rd, Frenchville, PA, 16836, United States
A Taste of Lectio Divina
Imagine what your spiritual life would be like if you were able to open yourself to the Word in Scripture, allowing the Spirit to guide you, learning about yourself and God’s will for you?
Lectio Divina, meaning “divine reading”, is the ancient interactive form of praying with Scripture, which allows us to explore the Sacred Word’s inner meaning.
The workshop will include:
• An Introduction to the method of Lectio Divina
• Delving into the “four senses” of Scripture – the literal, the allegorical, the moral/behavioral, and the unitive
• Practicing the method using passages from the New Testament
Join this exploration of sacred texts that help us move from an acquaintance with God to a transformative relationship with the Divine.
Please see the link below to register.

Bi-monthly Tech Circle ONLINE
2024-06-22 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Internet – Online
A space where we connect, explore questions and co-learn with a view to building our capacity to serve others in our community and beyond.
We’ve added dates for the year every couple of months. We met most recently on a Saturday at 1pm Eastern Time (ET) but not everyone was able to attend and so we’ve also added an alternating Friday night event too.
The remaining dates for the year are:
June 22nd 1pm ET
August 30th 8pm ET
October 26th 1pm ET
December 7th 8pm ET
If you are interested in attending these circles but have a question please email: matt@coutreach.org

Intensive/Post Intensive - Eight-Day Centering Prayer Retreat
2024-06-23 16:30 - 2024-06-30 13:00 UTC | Holy Spirit Retreat Center, 4316 Lanai Road, Encino, CA, 91436, United States
Enter into a more profound level of spiritual practice in an atmosphere of silence and community. The Eight-Day Intensive and concurrent Post-Intensive Retreat is designed to strengthen one’s discipline and practice of Centering Prayer. We will be in grand silence.
The Intensive also provides a conceptual framework for the prayer through the viewing of selected DVDs from Thomas Keating’s Spiritual Journey Series. This retreat is for those with some experience with Centering Prayer.
Post-Intensive is for those who have previously made an Intensive Centering Prayer Retreat. Times of silence and periods of Centering Prayer are increased.
Fee: $700.00 — all rooms private
Register online at hsrcenter.com by June 7th with a non-refundable deposit of $50.
For more information contact Marilyn Nobori at centeringprayer@hsrcenter.com or +1-818-815-4480

Seven-Day Intensive and Post Intensive Centering Prayer Retreat
2024-06-23 17:00 - 2024-06-29 13:00 UTC | Siena Retreat Center, Racine WI, 5637 Erie St, Racine, WI 53402, Racine, WI, 53402, United States
Centering Prayer retreats immerse participants in the practice of Centering Prayer as taught by Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. This two-track retreat will allow the participants to come together for Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina and meal times. The retreat will provide an atmosphere of silence, solitude, and community. Persons new to long retreats (4+ days) are encouraged to choose the Intensive Track, which includes watching a daily video followed by discussion. Persons with experience in long retreats may choose the Post Intensive Track, which includes additional prayer periods.
Please see the link below to register or contact Ann Koerner if you have questions: +1. 262-282-8622, akoerner45@gmail.com.

Quiet Day with Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina – in German language (Zoom online event)
2024-07-06 09:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Berlin) | Internet – Online
An diesem Tag gönnen wir uns, einmal für ein paar Stunden scheinbar nichts zu machen, wir lassen einfach geschehen. Wir legen die Handys beiseite (falls wir es nicht zum Teilnehmen am Zoom Meeting benötigen), lassen den Alltag hinter uns und verbringen die Zeit weitgehend schweigend miteinander. Wir habe Zeit für stille Meditation (Centering Prayer oder eine andere Form des stillen Gebets), Meditation mit einem Text (Lectio Divina) und vielleicht auch eine Zeit abseits des Computers in der Natur oder der Umgebung, in der wir leben.
Wir werden einen ins deutsche übersetzten Text von Thomas Keating lesen aus der Publikation ‘That we may be one – Christliche Non-Dualität’.
Es sind keine Vorkenntnisse erforderlich, es erfolgt allerdings keine Einführung in die stille Meditation.
Der gemeinsame Tag beginnt um 9:00 Uhr und endet gegen 12:30 Uhr. [3:00 am until 6:00 am New York 🙁 ]
Registrierung erforderlich bis 12:00 Uhr einen Tag vor dem Event.
All times in CET

CENTERING PRAYER / ELFOGADÁS IMA ISMERTETÉSE
2024-07-06 10:00 - 16:00 UTC | Szent Margit Gimnázium, Villányi út 5-7., Budapest, Pest, 1114, Hungary
Thomas Keating Atya szavaival:
• Az Ima mint kapcsolat
• Az Elfogadás Ima módszere és gyakorlása
• Gondolatok az imában
• Kapcsolatunk elmélyítése Istennel
Időpont: 2024. július 6. szombat, 10h-16h óráig
Helyszín: Szent Margit Gimnázium (1114 Budapest, Villányi út 5-7.)
Az Elfogadás Imáját ismerteti: Viczián Ildikó, a Contemplative Outreach előadója
Adományt köszönettel fogadunk.
További információ: viczianildiko@gmail.com

A Sacred Pause Silent Wisdom Retreat: A Curated Retreat for Contemplatives Under 50
2024-07-11 17:30 - 2024-07-15 17:30 UTC | Mercy Center Burlingame, 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, CA, 94010, United States
In a society bombarded with the allure of external validation and perpetual striving, we often find ourselves caught in the relentless pursuit of relevance, accomplishment, and fleeting happiness. Yet, amidst this tumult, there exists a timeless wisdom that transcends the ephemeral promises of the world—a wisdom that beckons us to turn inward, to listen to the Holy One’s heart in the depths of our being.
Drawing from the insights of contemplatives, mystics, and Wisdom teachers, this retreat offers a space to pause together with others to engage contemplative wisdom practices and inner exploration. Inspired by the teachings of luminaries such as Thomas Keating, Henri Nouwen and Cynthia Bourgeault, we embark on a transformative journey to recalibrate our gaze, redirecting it from the external trappings of success to the quiet rhythm of the heart, our organ of spiritual senses.
Throughout our time together, we will engage a rhythm of guided discussions, contemplative practices, and silent reflection that cultivates the inner postures of surrender and receptivity. At the heart of this retreat lies a profound invitation—to unravel the layers of conditioning that bind us, to relinquish the need for control, and to trust in the unfolding of life.
Join us on this sacred journey of profound surrender to the wisdom that resides within. Come tap into a deep wellspring of resilience and inner peace, unveiling the essence of our true nature. Together, let us embrace the transformative power of contemplation.
Minimum of 25 participants needed.
Facilitators
Colleen Thomas is a Spiritual Director and long-time practitioner of Centering Prayer who delights in companioning others on their spiritual journey facilitating contemplative prayer groups, workshops and retreats. Her particular passion is for widening the reach of contemplative practice and teaching to younger and BIPOC communities. Colleen earned her MA in Theology and Art from Fuller Theological Seminary. She worked in television in Los Angeles for 15 years before relocating to her hometown of Washington D.C. where she continues to explore her creative passions while enjoying the close companionship of her family. You can discover more about her work at https://soulcarela.com/and hear her in conversation about Centering Prayer and the contemplative life on the “Opening Minds, Opening Hearts” podcast.
Heather Ruce is a Wisdom Spiritual Director who offers Wisdom Practice Circles, Retreats, and Wisdom Schools focused on the expansive Christian Wisdom Tradition. She works within the lineage of Wisdom Teacher Cynthia Bourgeault whom she has been a student of for over a decade. Heather weaves her Masters in Marital & Family Therapy and training in Somatic Experiencing, Organic Intelligence & Spiritual Direction into her teaching and guidance in various Wisdom practices, all in service of waking up and putting on the Mind of Christ. Find out more at heatherruce.com.
Schedule (subject to change)
Thursday, July 11th
5:30 Dinner
7:00 Welcome & Introductions, followed by Centering Prayer & Practices
Friday – Sunday, July 12th-14th
7:30 Breakfast in Silence
9:00 Centering Prayer & Other Wisdom Practices
9:45 Silent Break
10:00 Theme and Reflection Session One
11:15 Silent Break
11:30 Centering Prayer & Other Wisdom Practices
12:00 Silent Lunch followed by Silent Contemplative Free Time with reflection questions
3:00 Centering Prayer & Other Wisdom Practices
4:00 Silent Break
4:15 Theme and Reflection Session Two
5:30 Silent Dinner
7:00 Theme and Reflection Session Three, followed by Centering Prayer & Practices
Monday, July 15th
7:30 Breakfast in Silence
9:00 Centering Prayer & Other Wisdom Practices
9:45 Silent Break
10:00 Theme and Final Reflection Session
11:00 Silent Break
11:15 Closing Reflections & Circle
12:00 Lunch
Please see the link below to register.

1-Day In-person “Song and Silence” Workshop
2024-07-13 09:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Church of Conscious Harmony, 7406 Newhall Lane, Austin, TX, 78746, United States
1-Day Centering Prayer “Song and Silence” Workshop
This retreat will cultivate interior silence through the combination of chanting, Centering Prayer, and reflective time in nature. The singing of simple chants is a beautiful threshold into Centering Prayer and can deepen the experience of the silence. The wish is to create a vibratory vessel through which Spirit can bless us, our community, and the world. Please bring a brown bag lunch. Light snacks will be available.
For more details and to register, please see link below.

Summer Centering Prayer retreat: Awakening to Oneness
2024-07-14 - 2024-07-21 | Providence Renewal Center, AB, T6J 5R5, Canada
This retreat will include teachings on Oneness and Unitive Consciousness from Father Thomas Keating and Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault along with multiple daily periods of silence in Centering Prayer as a group. We will weave in teachings from Thomas Berry, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and Matthew Fox, and provide opportunities to experience Forest Therapy and Lectio Terra so that we may come into a felt sense of communion with the living world. This shift in consciousness is vital in these times of ecological destruction and human divisiveness. This retreat will be in full silence with the exception of the opportunity to engage in meaningful reflections together after the teachings. Participants should be familiar with the method and practice of Centering Prayer since this will be a week of silent depth. “Let Love alone speak” – Thomas Keating
Facilitated by Liz Rees and Mary Jane Yates
$700 Canadian dollars

We Are All One - A Centering Prayer 8-day Retreat with Fr. Bill Sheehan
2024-07-14 16:30 - 2024-07-21 13:00 UTC | Holy Spirit Retreat Center, 4316 Lanai Road, Encino, CA, 91436, United States
In one of his last conferences, Thomas Merton reminded us that we are all one. We just don’t know that yet. Our oneness/unity is rooted in the ongoing flow of God’s love that not only brings forth all that is but sustains and is present in all that is. During our retreat we will explore not so much the what of God’s love but the how of God’s love revealed in both the Mystery of the Trinity as well as the Mystery of the Incarnation. Resources referenced: Richard Rohr, The Diving Dance; Cynthia Bourgeault, The Law of Three; Vincent Pizzuto, Contemplating Christ.
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 of Fr. Sheehan’s presentations. Spiritual companioning and body work will also be available.
Pre-requisite: Centering Prayer practice, silent retreat experience, a desire to grow in your contemplative practice.
Fee: $700.00 —- all rooms private
Register online at hsrcenter.com by June 28th with a non-refundable deposit of $50. For more information contact Marilyn Nobori at centeringprayer@hsrcenter.com or +1-818-815-4480.

The Spiritual Journey Program for Young Contemplatives (weekly) - via Zoom
2024-07-20 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Internet – Online
Join the COL Young Contemplatives community for weekly gatherings exploring the essential teachings of Thomas Keating.
The Spiritual Journey program is a series of teachings structured in five parts. The program consists of 100 videos, all of which are accessible online.
These teachings provide a backbone for the contemplative life and the psychological background for the work of Centering Prayer in the formation of our spiritual lives.
Beginning Saturday, July 13th 2024 and each Saturday after, facilitators from our Young Contemplatives community will hold space for our 40s and under community to journey together through the program.
Each Saturday for one hour, 10:30am – 11:30am (Eastern Time US) a facilitator will guide a small group through the program. The hour will consist of a short Centering Prayer sit, viewing of the video teaching from the week’s session, followed by a time of faith sharing and discussion around the week’s themes.
These are open, drop-in meetings. No pre-registration is required. Anyone is welcome to join as often as possible! We recognize it may not be feasible to come every Saturday but do encourage you to follow along with the sessions, viewing the videos for the previous week(s) you may have missed.
We ask that those who join do so with their camera-on. The Zoom space will be monitored by the facilitator(s) to create a sacred and safe space. If you are not able to be fully present and participatory with your camera on we kindly ask that you complete the session on your own and join us another week!
Click here to join the Zoom sessions.

Eight-day Centering Prayer Intensive and Post-Intensive Retreat
2024-07-21 - 2024-07-28 | Benet House Retreat Center, 2208 88th Avenue W, Rock Island, IL, 61201, United States
CENTERING PRAYER INTENSIVE AND POST INTENSIVE RETREAT:
SURRENDER AND INTENTION
This is an opportunity for more extensive periods of Centering Prayer to deepen the personal practice of contemplative prayer. The post-intensive retreat focuses more on complete silence for the duration of the retreat with no educational component presented. The intensive retreat has several days teaching components. All meals are silent with no conversation. A minimum of one-year regular practice of Centering Prayer is a prerequisite to attend.
Dates: July 21-July 28, 2024
Time: Arrival on July 21: 4:30 pm; Soup Supper: 5:30 pm. Retreat opening: 7 pm – July 28: 4 pm.
Fee: Register and pay in full by June 21: $820 (includes meals and private room.) Registration and payment after June 21: $835.
Retreat leaders: Dick Jensen and Carol Mizeur
Dick Jensen is an everyday mystic, teacher, and listener. He has been involved with Centering Prayer for over 25 years as a practitioner and certified presenter for Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. He is a member of the board for Centering Prayer of the Mississippi Valley and is involved with Centering Prayer as an 11th-step practice. Dick currently leads two Centering Prayer groups that meet on Zoom. He and his wife live in Davenport, IA. They have two children and four grandchildren as well as a large, shared extended family.
Carol Mizeur is from Moline, IL, Christ the King Parish. She has been a Centering Prayer practitioner for over 30 years. She has served Centering Prayer as group facilitator and as chapter coordinator for the Mississippi Valley Centering Prayer. She loves to share the prayer with anyone who is interested.
Email the event organizer to register (see below).

Intro to Centering Prayer Workshop
2024-07-21 13:00 - 18:00 UTC | Ignatius Jesuit Retreat House, 6700 Riverside Dr. NW, GA, 30328, United States
An Introduction to Centering Prayer Workshop will held in-person at Ignatius House (6700 Riverside Dr., Sandy Springs, Georgia, USA.), July 21, 2024 from 1:00 to 6:00 pm. The workshop includes themes of Prayer as Relationship, The Method of Centering Prayer, Thoughts and Use of the Sacred Word, and Deepening Our Relationship with God, time in Centering Prayer and the opportunity to submit questions. Our presenters are Leslie Geer and Joanna Brunson, both whom are prayerful Contemplative Outreach presenters.
See the link below to register.
