From time to time readers of this blog ask me to recommend a book or two on the subjects I write about — contemplative prayer, the Christian mystics, Lay Cistercian spirituality,…
Author: Carl McColman
Who Are the Great Christian Mystics?
When I was a sophomore in High School, my English teacher, Mrs. Romano, taught a section on William Blake. She gave us a handout with some information on the poet,…
Who Are the Great Christian Mystics?
When I was a sophomore in High School, my English teacher, Mrs. Romano, taught a section on William Blake. She gave us a handout with some information on the poet,…
Preparing for the Silent Night (Conclusion)
This is part 3 of a 3-part reflection. Click here to read part one and part two. Okay, I’m loving The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander so much that I have…
Preparing for the Silent Night (Part Two)
This is the second of a series of Advent reflections. To read the first part, follow this link: Preparing for the Silent Night (Part One). In part one of this…
Preparing for the Silent Night (Part One)
My Advent reading for this year is The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander. A twentieth century Catholic mystic, Houselander lived from 1901 until dying from breast cancer in 1954. She…
Interfaith Dialogue, Interspirituality, and Holy Daring
Recently I spoke at a church located about an hour north of where I live. As I drove to the church, I chatted on the phone with my brother who…
Keeping Spirituality Grounded
One of the pitfalls of contemplative practice is that we can easily get stuck in our heads. Combing through the Bible or other books for lectio divina, investing time to daily…
Mirabai Starr: Giving Julian of Norwich a Lucid Voice
Julian of Norwich’s Showings shines with luminous mystical wisdom. If there is one mystic I wish everyone would read, it is Julian. But of course, the question is, “which edition…
The Kenosis of Clutter
True confession time: I’m a clutter bug. I always have been, with books, CDs, and other forms of media being my worst offenses when it comes to acquiring stuff that…
Three Wonderful Books for Exploring Julian of Norwich
I’m not sure why the fall of 2013 belongs to Julian of Norwich (except to the extent that any time is a good time for reading and reflecting on Julian’s…
Embracing Depth and Diversity: a Contemplative Approach to Interspirituality and Religious Commitment
Autumn in Georgia is a mild and lovely season, marked by golden sunlight, cool mornings and temperate days. And even if we can’t boast the shock of gorgeous color that…