Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.

9-Day Centering Prayer Intensive Retreat with Frs. Bill Sheehan and Vinny McKiernan
2024-09-11 15:00 - 2024-09-19 12:00 (America/Halifax) | Our Lady of The Pines Retreat Center, 1250 Tiffin St., Fremont, OH, 43420, United States
Come rest in the stillness and surrender to God’s presence and action within. This retreat offers an in-depth experience of silent prayer for those who already have an established practice of Centering Prayer of 6 months or more. It is an opportunity for deeper union with God through communal sharing of silence and stillness.
• For those making their first intensive retreat, the “Intensive” track will offer 3 sets of three 20- minute
periods of centering prayer daily. You will also view videos twice daily from The Spiritual Journey
series of talks by Fr. Thomas Keating.
• The “Post-Intensive” track is normally for those who have previously participated in two or more
Intensive Retreats. The Post-Intensive participants will have additional sessions of Centering Prayer
and no group education time.
The retreat will be facilitated by Contemplative Outreach staff who include Fr. Bill Sheehan, Fr. Vinny McKiernan, Marty Badgett, Bob and Kathleen Gorman.
• Fr. Bill Sheehan has been an integral voice for Centering Prayer since the founding of the movement
with Fr. Keating and others at Lama, New Mexico. Over the past four decades, he has continually
provided his wisdom and presence to the Centering Prayer community at countless retreats.
• Fr. Vinny McKiernan has led many retreats and introduced a legion of people to Centering Prayer
since he learned the method from the monks at St Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, MA in the 1970’s.
Details: Our Lady of the Pines Retreat Center, Fremont, Ohio 43420 is set among 68 lovely acres and is the perfect place to deepen your relationship with God. Arrival 3 p.m. September 11 and Departure 12 p.m. September 19.
The retreat center is 1 hour east of Toledo, 90 minutes west of Cleveland, 2 hours north of Columbus, 2 hours southeast of Detroit, 3 hours west of Pittsburgh, 4 hours northeast of Cincinnati and 4 hours east of Chicago. It
is also 10 minutes from the Ohio Turnpike (Exit 91 Fremont/Port Clinton).
Cost: $790 includes private room with hallway bath and all meals | $870 includes private room w/bath and all meals | $885 for Hermitage cabin with meals Nonrefundable deposit for all registrations is $100.
Register by mail with the form below or online at olprc.retreatportal.com. Email rbrtgorman@gmail.com with questions.
When registering by mail, please include a check payable to Our Lady of the Pines Retreat Center. Please print all information. Mail to 1250 Tiffin St, Fremont, OH 43420
Name ___________________________________ Address_____________________________________
Email ___________________________ Phone_______________ Check one: Intensive __ Post-Intensive __
Please describe ALL dietary restrictions/mobility limitations in the space below. A $3.00/person/meal upcharge that will apply to all vegan meals and gluten-free meals. Thank you!

Autumn Silent Saturday
2024-09-14 09:00 - 12:00 UTC | Holy Spirit Retreat Center, 4316 Lanai Road, Encino, CA, 91436, United States
As autumn approaches, join us for a quiet morning of Centering Prayer and silence. This day is open to beginners as well as those experienced in contemplative prayer or silent meditation. The day provides time for communal Centering Prayer, a contemplative walk, private journaling, and reflection, and ends with a period of Lectio Divina. All are welcome. A brief introduction to Centering Prayer will be offered for those new to the practice.
Facilitators: Silent Saturday Centering Prayer Team
A free will offering is gratefully appreciated.
For more information, please email Marilyn Nobori at centeringprayer@hsrcenter.com.
Registration online at www.hsrcenter.com is appreciated but not required.
(Arrive by 8:50 a.m.)
(Photo by Simon Berger, Unsplash)

Learn & Pray the Centering Prayer Way
2024-09-20 18:00 - 2024-09-21 12:00 (America/Denver) | Hope Center Covenant Church, 2275 Morello Ave, Pleasant Hill, 94523
Introductory Centering Prayer Workshop
When:
Friday, September 20, 2024 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm PST
and
Saturday, September 21, 2024 from 9:00am to 12:00pm PST
Please see the link below to register.

Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop
2024-09-21 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 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.

Meet God in a New Way: An Introduction to Centering Prayer
2024-09-21 09:00 - 13:00 UTC | Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20036
Do you have questions about Centering Prayer and whether it is the right practice for you? Are you ready to begin a practice but need help getting started? Are you interested in deepening your current practice but would like a refresher and connection with other practitioners? Join us for “Meet God in a New Way: An Introduction to Centering Prayer,” as the next step in your journey of connecting with God through the practice of Centering Prayer.
Let praying without words, in deep silence and openness, draw you closer to God. Come to realize the beauty of holiness in using what modern contemplative Thomas Keating called “God’s first language.” This retreat follows the international Contemplative Outreach Ltd. approach, combining short presentations, two Centering Prayer practice sessions, and ample time for questions and discussion.
This retreat is open to anyone, whether you have a longtime Centering Prayer practice or have never tried this form of prayer. There’s enrichment and insight for everyone.
Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for coffee, tea, and bagels.
Please see the link below for more information and to register.

The Deserts Roots of Contemplative Prayer: Emptiness, Silence & Hiddenness of Self - in person and via Zoom
2024-09-25 17:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Internet – Online
Belden C. Lane, Ph.D. has long been fascinated by the relationship between geography and spirituality—asking how the place we live has an effect on our perception of the spiritual life. The desert, for example, is a place of scarcity, silence, and the deep solitude of the heart. It’s what drew the Desert Fathers and Mothers to the Egyptian desert in the 4th century. This is where the practice of contemplative prayer had its beginnings. We’ll look at three themes in the stories told by the early desert monks: the simplicity of language, radical forgiveness, and hiddenness of the self.
This event is in person and via Zoom. It will include a time of Centering Prayer.
Please see the link below to register. Donations are welcomed!

Contemplative Outreach 40th Anniversary Conference
2024-09-26 - 2024-09-29 | The Conference Center at Emory University, 1615 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
“Living into the Inspiring Legacy of Thomas Keating: Celebrating 40 years of Evolving Community”
The Conference Center at Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
September 26 – 29, 2024
Hosted by Contemplative Outreach and the 12-step service team, this 40th anniversary conference is intentionally located on the grounds of Emory University, the home of the Thomas Keating Archives, tangible evidence of his legacy and its future access for many generations.
You may view the conference speaker list here.
THE FOUR-DAY CONFERENCE IS FULL WITH WAITLIST ONLY. To be added to the waitlist, please email Donna at office@coutreach.org.
Or, you may register for the one-day option for Saturday September 28, 9am – 6pm. Cost $25 USD. More information and registration is here.
Some of the programming will be freely livestreamed and some of it will be recorded and posted on the Contemplative Outreach website after the conference. You do NOT need to register for to view the life stream of the conference.
If you have further questions, you may visit this FAQ page here.

A Morning of Peace and Refreshment – via Zoom
2024-09-28 08:45 - 23:45 (America/Denver) | Internet – Online
An online half-day Centering Prayer & Lectio Divina mini retreat. This event is open to all who have a silent practice.
There is no fee, but a free will offering to Contemplative Outreach, Ltd would be greatly appreciated. You may donate here if desired.
Times in Pacific (California) time zone.
Please email to receive the link: Philippa Currey, pbcurreysd@gmail.com.

Coming Full Circle: A Contemplative Enneagram Soul Journey
2024-10-04 15:00 - 2024-10-06 13:00 (America/New_York) | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
Overnight Retreat – Enneagram Formation with Rev. Nhien Vuong, J.D., M.Div.
The nine personality types of the Enneagram are not static categories. Rather, seen from a spiritual perspective, they are portals into our own souls and represent starting points for our conscious evolution.
LEARN about the connecting lines, heart and stress points, wings, the Inner Triangle, the Inner Flow of the Enneagram, and the “Soul Child” within.
DISCOVER and deepen into contemplative practices, such as centering prayer, inner observer, and somatic inquiry, designed to support a life of greater authenticity, inspiration, and soul.
EXPLORE group processes as well as individual reflection practices, and an opportunity to “walk the Enneagram” as a symbol of wholeness and unity.
Rev. Nhien Vuong, J.D., M.Div., is an international Enneagram thought leader and keynote presenter who spiritually companions individuals around the globe using a contemplative, compassion-based approach to the Enneagram. An ordained Unity minister, certified Enneagram teacher, and accredited Enneagram Professional, Nhien is the founder of Evolving Enneagram, a community-based business whose interdisciplinary team offers transformational programming to seed and sustain our collective awakening. Nhien is the author of Enneagram of Soul, a 40-day inter-spiritual companion guide with 9 Principles, 9 Practices, and 9 Prayers (to be published by Hampton Roads 2025).
Please register using the link below.

Rest in The Silence – Six Day Silent Retreat
2024-10-08 13:00 - 2024-10-13 13:00 (America/Halifax) | Sisters of Charity Motherhouse, 5900 Delhi Road, Cincinnati, OH, 45233, United States
Contemplative Outreach of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky (COGCNKY) presents our annual Fall Retreat. This year we are focusing on deepening and resting in The Divine Silence Within. This will be an in-depth experience of Centering Prayer and Grand Silence , for those who already have an established practice.
Three weeks before our national election is a perfect time to take a break, get off topic, go within and Rest in The Silence. Let’s allow ourselves to decompress, tune out the noisy clutter, take some time with Nature and reconnect with our True Selves. See you there.
Retreat location:
Sisters of Charity Motherhouse
Mt. St. Joseph, OH 45051
Please see the link below, or email cogcnky@gmail.com for additional retreat and registration information.
Printable flyer is available at: https://co-gcnky.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/oct_2024_retreat_flyer.pdf

Welcoming Prayer 2-Day Commuter Retreat
2024-10-11 08:00 - 2024-10-12 15:00 (America/New_York) | Church of Conscious Harmony, 7406 Newhall Lane, Austin, TX, 78746, United States
The Welcoming Prayer is an incarnational method of consenting to God’s presence and action in the physical and emotional reactions arising in daily life. This “consent-on-the-go” embodied practice deepens our relationship with God as we move through the ordinary activities of our day, helping us to stay in the presence of God and the present moment. This workshop/retreat will cover the human condition and the basics of the practice. There will be guided practice sessions as well as time in Centering Prayer.
The cost of the retreat is $25. For more details and to register, please use the link below.

A Three-Day Centering Prayer Retreat: The Hospitality of Welcome
2024-10-11 10:00 - 2024-10-13 12:00 UTC | St. Vincent Seton Cove Spirituality Center, 2025 Dugan Drive, Indianapolis, 46260, United States
Drawing on the idea of hospitality we will consider the twin aspects of Centering Prayer and Welcoming Prayer as ways we may welcome God, self, and others more deeply into our lives. As we release thinking and afflictive thoughts, we create space within to be more welcoming. Using the Mary and Martha story (Luke 10:38-41) we will consider how Mary’s desire to sit at the feet of Jesus links to Centering Prayer and how Martha’s approach to inviting Jesus into her home and preparing a meal links to the Welcoming Prayer.
There will be time for silence, lectio divina, videos with short discussion, opportunities to add thoughts and found objects to a community art table, and contemplative and Taize music. Participants may also be actively involved in creating the retreat by volunteering for readings and/or assisting in preparing simple meals.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT https://coindianapolis.org/

Silence and Contemplation: A Path to Inner Freedom
2024-10-11 17:00 - 2024-10-13 14:00 (Europe/Paris) | Sacred Heart Monastery, Missiezusters Klooster, 20, Steyl, Venlo, 5935 BX, Netherlands
11.10.2024, 17:00 Uhr – 13.10.2024, 14:00 Uhr
Weekend retreat with the method of Centering Prayer (IN SILENCE)
“It is as if in creating us God asked a question, and in awakening us to contemplation God answered the question, so that the contemplative is at the same time, question and answer.”
-Thomas Merton
In a world filled with noise and uncertainty, one’s soul thirsts for silence as a path to inner peace and freedom. Silence and contemplation belong together. More than technique, contemplation is a way of being, which is born out of the soul’s desire for the infinite. This weekend will be in silence and will include moments of input on Centering Prayer, sharing, and guided silent prayer together. Even if you are not a beginner, you are most welcome to make this experience of silence.
Please register by September 27th, 2024. Please see the link below.

Core Values of Sts. Francis and Clare: An 8-Day Dual-Track Silent Retreat
2024-10-11 17:00 - 2024-10-19 13:00 UTC | Shalom Spirituality Center, 1001 Davis Street, Dubuque, IA, IA, 52001, United States
Friday, October 11, 5:00 pm – Friday, October 18, 1:00 pm
Shalom Spirituality Center
Facilitators: Jeannine Kosman, Kathy Reardon, Kathleen Schiltz, and Mary Jo Pfeifer Wulf
This silent Centering Prayer (Intensive/Post Intensive) retreat provides an opportunity to deepen your established Centering Prayer practice in an atmosphere of silence and community, away from the busyness of daily life, with a focus on Franciscan values. It will allow your mind, body, and spirit to surrender to God’s presence and action. Before attending the retreat, you should have an established daily practice of Centering Prayer for at least six months. For those new to an 8-day retreat, there will be videos from the Thomas Keating “Spiritual Journey” video series. Except for opening and closing times, silence will be observed throughout the retreat, including at meals. All the readings used during the retreat will be from St. Francis, St. Clare, and other Franciscan sources.
No commuters.
Overnight Cost: $900; register on or before July 1, 2024, and receive a 5% discount on the full price.** A $75 non-refundable deposit is required.
DATE AND TIME DETAILS:
Friday, October 11-Friday, October 18
Arrive between 3:00-4:30 pm.
Supper is served at 5:00 pm.
The final session will conclude with a communal lunch at noon on Friday, October 18. Depart at 1:00 pm, following the meal.
Please register online using the link below, or at shalomretreats.org or by calling +1-563.582.3592 by Friday, September 20.
Jeannine Kosman has been a practitioner of Centering Prayer for over twenty years and a Dubuque Franciscan Associate since 2018. Before retirement, she served as a training professional and executive coach. She completed the PrairieFire Spiritual Director training program in 2015. Jeannine now serves as a spiritual director and retreat facilitator. She resides in Bondurant, IA.
Kathy Reardon retired in 2020 from the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center, where she worked as a spiritual director, holistic nurse, and Healing Touch Practitioner for twenty years. Kathy participated in creating and implementing PrairieFire, a two-year spiritual formation program with an optional practicum year for training as a spiritual director. She received a certificate in spiritual direction in 1999 and has been commissioned to teach the Christian practice of silence, known as Centering Prayer, since 2004. Kathy continues to provide spiritual direction and supervise persons training to become spiritual directors. She became a Dubuque Franciscan Associate in 2023. She resides in Des Moines, IA.
Kathleen Schiltz has been a practitioner of Centering Prayer since 2009 and a Dubuque Franciscan Associate since 1991. She was a teacher, director of religious education, and a school counselor. After she retired, she completed the PrairieFire spiritual direction training program in 2017. Besides hosting day-long or weekend retreats, she also loves participating in them. She resides in Des Moines, IA.
Mary Jo Pfeifer Wulf retired from her career in Mental Health Counseling with Catholic Charities in 2018. Mary Jo has been practicing Centering Prayer since 2007. She is a spiritual director and retreat facilitator. She has been a Franciscan Associate with the Dubuque Franciscans since 2014. She completed the PrairieFire spiritual director training program in 2015. Mary Jo loves to host Center Prayer Silent Saturdays, Silent Weekends, and now an 8-day retreat through Contemplative Outreach of Central Iowa. She resides in Ames, IA.

Abide in Me: Christian Mysticism and the Divine Indwelling - in person and online
2024-10-12 08:30 - 16:30 UTC | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
Human experience is a search for God, and for ourselves. Searching for God, we must look within ourselves. Searching for ourselves, we must look to God. This reciprocal dynamic is the heart of the Christian mystical tradition. Join us to explore the mystical indwelling of God. See how Christian apophatic theology serves in this searching. Meister Eckhart, Dionysius the Areopogite, Centering Prayer, and contemporary theologians will be our guides. Christ bids us: “Abide in me, as I abide in you.” Can we abide in Christ’s call?
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.
Please see the link below to register.

A Journey into Contemplation
2024-10-12 09:00 - 13:00 UTC | Church of the Redeemer, 5603 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD, 21210
Presented by Suzanne Farnham, founder of Listening Hearts Ministries
Nationally known retreat leader and author Suzanne Farnham will share her own experience of contemplation. By reflecting on her years-long path to contemplative practice, she hopes to awaken reflections in others of how God is at work in their lives. Suzanne emphasizes that she speaks not as a scholar but as a person who has strong spiritual yearnings. In other words, she is one of us.
Session 1: “The Jesus Prayer and Sacred Words”
Session 2: “From Jung’s Understanding of Consciousness to Cosmic Spirituality”
Please see the link below to register.

Facilitator Workshop - via Zoom
2024-10-12 12:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | Internet – Online
This session will provide enrichment for Centering Prayer group facilitators and those who are interested in becoming facilitators.
Noon-2:30pm Eastern Time (-5 UTC).
This event will be recorded for those who cannot attend live.
Please register by filling out the form below. A Zoom link will be given upon registration, and then sent again a few days prior to the event.

Ways of Praying for Deeper Knowing
2024-10-15 09:30 - 15:30 (America/Halifax) | Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center, 660 Great Pond Road, North Andover, MA, 01845, United States
Contemplative spiritual practice is well known for opening a path to God – a path that is itself God’s gift. However, contemplative prayer and living can also open a pathway to a deeper, more
expansive part of ourselves.
On this day apart retreat, we will be immersed in the practices of chanting, Centering Prayer, and Sacred Movement as an opening not only to the felt presence of the Divine in all of creation, but also as an opening to the Divine within each of us. Participants will come away with a new understanding of themselves and possible ways to deepen their life in God.
Registration costs: $87 for the program on the beautiful grounds of Rolling Ridge (9:30-3:00), pastries and lunch.
Please see the link below to register.

9-Day Intensive and Post Intensive Retreat
2024-10-16 15:00 - 2024-10-24 15:00 UTC | Mercy Center Auburn, 535 Sacramento Street, Auburn, CA, 95603, United States
This retreat offers two tracks simultaneously: Intensive I and Post Intensive. For everyone, there will be 3 sets of two 30-minute periods of Centering Prayer daily. The Intensive I retreat will watch video talks from Fr. Thomas Keating’s Spiritual Journey, focusing on “The Human Condition and the Spiritual Journey”. The Post Intensive retreat has no videos and an additional hour of Centering Prayer each day. You choose the track that works best for you. Any of the tracks may be repeated multiple times. If this is your first Centering Prayer retreat of this length, we suggest you choose Intensive I. We recommend Intensive I before Intensive II.
Lectio Divina and a contemplative Eucharist will be offered daily, as well as optional soul-friending with the staff. Throughout the retreat, we will be in silence.
Pre-requisite: A daily practice of Centering Prayer for 6 months or longer.
The retreat will be facilitated by Susan Turpin, Fr. Bill Sheehan, OMI, and Contemplative Outreach staff. Susan and Fr. Bill have served within the Contemplative Outreach network for many years and led numerous Centering Prayer retreats and workshops.
The retreat begins Wednesday, October 16 with registration from 3:00 to 5:00, an opening session at 5:00pm, and dinner at 6:00pm. We end on Thursday, October 24 at 11:00am (bag lunch optional).
For more information, contact Susan Turpin at 541-324-1207 or email her at slturpin@me.com.
If you are traveling by air, the Contemplative Outreach staff can arrange transportation from the Sacramento airport to the Mercy Center. Please book your arrival on the beginning day for 1:30pm or earlier and your departure on the ending day for 1:30pm or later. Let us know your flight information. A $25/one way, $50 round trip cash or Venmo contribution is appreciated.
Limited scholarship money is available to assist those who would otherwise be unable to attend. All of the scholarship money has been donated by former retreatants.
Single rooms with a sink in the room, shared bathrooms.

Welcoming Forgiveness and Centering Prayer
2024-10-17 17:00 - 2024-10-22 17:00 UTC | Bethany Retreat Center, 1031 Germania Rd, Frenchville, PA, 16836, United States
Welcoming Forgiveness. This retreat will be in silence with extended periods of Centering Prayer. We will explore the dance between the Welcoming Prayer practice and Forgiveness. Soul Friending will be available. Prior Centering Prayer experience required.
Facilitated by Mary Dwyer.
Please see the link below to register.

Intensive 8-day Silent Centering Prayer Retreat
2024-10-18 16:00 - 2024-10-25 16:00 UTC | St. Benedict Center, 1126 Road I, Schuyler, NE, 68661, United States
October 18-25, 2024
Saint Benedict Center,
Schuyler Nebraska
Central Time Zone
Living a contemplative life is not easy in our contemporary society. That’s why retreats can be a restorative practice, giving deep time in God’s presence nestled in community with silence, stillness, and serenity. Consider this a rendezvous of availability with God*, a place to let go of all ‘doing’ and relax in to ‘being’.
Centering Prayer sits will be offered back-to-back at the top or half hour of each hour from 7-7:30am, 9-11:30am and 2-5pm. You are encouraged to attend as many sits as you feel comfortable.
SBC is a beautiful setting with hotel-like accommodations. Private rooms, all meals and programing are provided. The grounds provide space for walking and connecting with nature, Stations of the Cross, a labyrinth and art to contemplate.
Cost $840.
Save $25.00 by paying with check
It is suggested you have a least a six month Centering Prayer practice and attendance at a couple of 3-day silent retreats (or longer) as a prerequisite to attend an 8-day retreat.
Registration:
~Paying through PayPal: Submit payment and send an email to cathy.c@cox.net with the following information: name, address, phone, email, explanation of your Centering Prayer practice (length -months and/or years of practice and experience in silent retreats).
~Paying by check: Send $815. check to Cathy Mann Christiansen 8415 North 52nd Ave, Omaha NE 68152. Email Cathy when check is sent, include information listed above. Payment must be received by Oct. 1st.
*This phase is used in the video, Tending the Fire Within, James Finley (YouTube -10 min. talk)

Weekend Silent Centering Prayer Retreat
2024-10-18 19:00 - 2024-10-20 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | St. Placid Priory, 500 College Street NE, Lacey, WA, 98516, United States
This in-person retreat is the perfect place for those new to Centering Prayer and silent retreats to begin, as well as for experienced practitioners to have a chance to sit with others and experience a weekend of silence and rest. We will gather on Friday night to set our intention for the weekend and then begin our silence after a Centering Prayer sit. We will sit together throughout the week-end, maintaining silence in between our sits and then end with a gathering on Sunday afternoon to share our experience. There will also be an opportunity to do a group lectio divina if you desire to.
The retreat fee, $270.00, includes a private room, meals and the opportunity to join the sisters in Liturgy of the Hours and mass on Sunday.
Please see the link below to register.

Cynthia Bourgeault: ​God ‘n Me: Thomas Keating’s Lifelong Love Affair with God - via Zoom
2024-10-19 09:00 - 15:00 UTC | Internet – Online
In her first teaching from her soon-to-be published book, “Thomas Keating: The Making of a Modern Christian Mystic,” Cynthia will guide us through Thomas’s evolving concept of God, illuminating Keating’s remarkable spiritual development in the final stages of his spiritual journey. Cynthia will be sharing from her perspective as a disciple of Keating’s teachings as well as her personal experiences and close study of his late works. Topics in her talk will include:
Keating’s increasing engagement with non-dual spiritual practice
His contributions to interspiritual dialogue
The evolution of his early teaching on the movement from “false self” to “true self,” to that from “true self” to “no self”
His final “dark night of the spirit” and passage through death
New evidence that he never left Christianity but carried it with him to new places
This talk will inspire your own spiritual journey as a modern mystic, at home and at peace in the universe.
This is a hybrid presentation being conducted both in person at The Center for Contemplative Living in Denver, CO and Online via Zoom videoconference.
Times listed are mountain time. (Denver, CO)
Click the website link below to learn more and register. Scholarships are available.

The Spiritual Journey Program for Young Contemplatives (weekly) – via Zoom
2024-10-20 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
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, 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.

3-Day Contemplative Retreat
2024-10-24 17:00 - 2024-10-27 14:00 UTC | Sacred Heart Monastery, Missiezusters Klooster, 20, Steyl, Venlo, 5935 BX, Netherlands
“CONTEMPLATION is the highest expression of a person’s intellectual and spiritual life. It is that life itself, fully awake, fully active, fully aware that it is alive. It is spiritual wonder. It is spontaneous awe at the sacredness of life, of being. It is gratitude for life, for awareness and for being.”
-Thomas Merton
The retreat aims to nurture the soul’s thirst for deepening the contemplative journey, as a path to transformation.
This 3-day experience in silence experience includes short daily input sessions to deepen the Centering Prayer method and foster growth in the contemplative path; various periods of Centering Prayer each day; opportunity for spiritual companionship and journaling; and personal time to enjoy the silence inside the monastery and in its surrounding nature.
If you have any further question about the retreat, please do not hesitate to contact through email. It is helpful to have attended a weekend Centering Prayer retreat or the one-day introductory workshop on Centering Prayer.
Please register by October 10th, 2024

CENTERING PRAYER WEEKEND RETREAT: Evolutionary Cosmology and Centering Prayer
2024-10-25 16:30 - 2024-10-27 13:00 UTC | Holy Spirit Retreat Center, 4316 Lanai Road, Encino, CA, 91436, United States
Presenters: Rev. Canon Julian Bull, Headmaster of Campbell Hall Episcopal School and Katie DesJardins Bull, MSW, Facilitator of many contemplative practices
“The dynamic idea of God that evolutionary cosmology has provided … is a revelation of a higher power in which we are immersed and engulfed, and can never be separated from, because we really have no identity except what has emerged in the evolutionary process. Creation … is always happening, and in a sense, the being of God is always becoming.”
– Thomas Keating, Reflections on the Unknowable
All of the great religions and prophets speak to the notion that in order to live in evolutionary times, we must go within. Evolutionary spirituality invites each of us to use our contemplative practices as a way to go within and connect with God. Modern science reveals nature’s continued evolution to higher and more complex levels of consciousness. Using the Centering Prayer framework of Fr. Thomas Keating, and the work of Fr. Bernard Lonergan, we will relate the scientific notion of “emergent probability” to “falling in love with God.” This retreat will alternate Centering Prayer practice with a science-informed discussion of how we may live in this expanding nature and consciousness of God that the evolutionary process reveals.
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 – all rooms are private ($50 non-refundable deposit required)
$250 commuters
For more information, please contact Marilyn Nobori at centeringprayer@hsrcenter.com or 818-815-4480.
Register online at www.hsrcenter.com by October 18th with a non-refundable deposit of $50.
(Silhouette Photography by Greg Rakozy, Unsplash)

Enter the Silence: A 7-Day Retreat
2024-10-28 - 2024-11-03 | Twin Rocks Friends Camp & Conference Center, 18705 Hwy 101 N, Rockaway Beach, OR, 97136, United States
A 7-day traditional Centering Prayer intensive or post-intensive retreat, Monday afternoon to Sunday morning.
Twin Rocks Friends Camp is a Quaker conference center located in Rockaway Beach, Oregon. A short walk to the ocean, there will be plenty of time to stroll the wide sandy beach and savor the views. Those attending a longer retreat for the first time will be able to watch the original Spiritual Journey videos by Fr. Thomas Keating.
Prerequisite: established Centering Prayer practice for at least 6 months
$600 tuition includes a private room with private bath and all meals. A private dining room is provided for silent meals. A limited number of ADA rooms available. Twin Rocks can accommodate the following five special diet needs: non-celiac gluten free allergies, dairy allergies, nut allergies, vegetarian and vegan.
$150 deposit will hold a room. Balance due by September 1.
Partial scholarships available.
For more information contact event organizer, Benneth Husted, bhusted@easystreet.net
THIS EVENT IS CURRENTLY FULL. CONTACT BENNETH TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITLIST.

6-Day Silent Centering Prayer Retreat w/Father Bill Sheehan
2024-10-28 03:00 - 2024-11-03 23:00 UTC | Holy Cross Abbey, 901 Cool Spring Ln, VA, 22611, United States
Silence and Solitude
Transforming Silence
Centering Prayer Retreat with Father Bill Sheehan
Monday, October 28 – Sunday, November 3, 2024
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.

Three or Five-Day Centering Prayer Retreat
2024-10-28 08:00 - 2024-11-01 17:00 UTC | Monastery of the Holy Spirit, 2625 Highway 212 SW, Conyers, GA, 330094, 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 learn Centering Prayer as a way to deepen one’s contemplative journey in the contemporary world. The retreat offers two tracks:

The three-day track is recommended for people who have not completed the introductory workshop and wish to learn to practice Centering Prayer.
The five-day track is recommended for people who have an established and regular practice of Centering Prayer.

Both the three- and five- day Centering Prayer retreat provide group experiences of silence, solitude, and space for optional prayer times with the monks, including Mass. Afternoons include time for walking in nature and soul friending with retreat facilitators. The retreat experience fosters an ever-deepening level of interior silence and may lead to an awareness of the presence of God in everyday life.
Schedule: The retreat starts for both the 3- and 5-day track on Monday, October 28 with check in at 2:00 PM. The 3-day track ends Wednesday, October 30th at noon, and the 5-day track ends Friday, November 1st at 10:00 AM.
Program Fee: $450 for the 3-day track and $700 for the 5-day track.
Please see the link below for more information and to register.

A Morning of Peace and Refreshment - via Zoom
2024-11-02 08:45 - 11:45 (America/Denver) | Internet – Online
Join us for an online morning of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina.
Please refer to flyer for information and contact to receive link.
Times listed are Pacific (California) time.
RSVP for link to pcurreysd@gmail.com
