“Follow your heart.” It’s a classic phrase of advice and encouragement, for we know that true wisdom is not just a matter of thinking logical thoughts. It emerges most assuredly from the intuition and insight that only our hearts provide. But what does it really mean to “follow your heart,” and how can the wisdom...
One of my favorite monasteries is Holy Cross Monastery in the Hudson River Valley of New York. I've led a number of retreats there over the years, and so I'm very pleased to offer this retreat — via Zoom — the next best thing to being there! Over three days (May 12, 13, and 14,...
Julian of Norwich, a fourteenth century mystic, is surprisingly relevant to our time: she lived through political turmoil, religious conflict, and multiple outbreaks of the bubonic plague. Through it all, she retained a spirituality powerful in its optimism, trust, and joy in God. She has much to teach us about the nature of Divine Love,...
I'll be leading a presentation and reflection on the wisdom of Julian of Norwich particularly as it relates to the world we find ourselves in here in the summer of 2020: the world of pandemic, social distancing, the struggle against racism, and the challenge to remain faithful and hopeful during these most difficult times. This...
You are invited to an exciting online event that I'm honored to be part of. Mosaïek Conversations, sponsored by a church in South Africa, takes place the weekend of August 28 & 29, 2020. The event organizers asked fellow pilgrims on the spiritual journey to share the practices, hopes and ideas that stir their heart. My...
Mysticism is like meditation and prayer — it cannot be limited to just one faith or wisdom tradition. Zeitgeist — Atlanta's home base for the spiritually independent seeker (and their allies like me, who are aligned with a faith but who love the interspiritual adventure) — is doing important work not only here in the...
I'm excited to be offering this online course exploring the wisdom of the Christian mystics in partnership with my colleague and friend Tessa Bielecki. We will be celebrating the wisdom and insight of a dozen major voices within the Christian tradition, looking at how their wisdom remains relevant even in these extraordinary times, and how...
"I've tried Centering Prayer, but my mind just won't settle down!" If you've ever said this, or something like it, then this mini-retreat is for you! We will be reflecting together on how the "monkey mind" feels like such a distraction during forms of silent prayer — and then we'll consider how we can actually...
I've offered this course on the spirituality of the Christian Mystics several times through Columbia Seminary's Center for Lifelong Learning. We're adapting it to an online format and are pleased to make this available in this way. We will draw on the wisdom and insight of the mystics themselves, and reflect on how their visionary...
Register now for THE CONTEMPLATIVE SUMMIT taking place December 7-10, 2023: https://school.spiritualwanderlust.org/a/2147724939/nYbfKp4J — and catch my talk on "The Chainsmoking Mystic" on Friday, December 8! This online event featuring some of the most respected names in the contemplative community, like Laurence Freeman, Carmen Acevedo Butcher, Ilia Delio, Jon Sweeney, and many more — including yours truly!...
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