Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation, Mindfulnes

The words Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation and Mindfulness are used in different ways by different people. There is also significant overlap among their features. They are all ways of deepening one’s spiritual life and finding peace and wellbeing. I use the terms as follows:

Prayer—a process of turning toward God. For example, sitting in the presence of God, talking with God, performing good deeds out of devotion to God.

Meditation—a practice of concentrated awareness on the breath, or a verbal phrase, or some object such as a candle flame.

Contemplation—a state of awareness that is open and truly present to whatever one may be experiencing. It has been described as “a long, loving look at the real”.

Mindfulness--similar to Contemplation, it is steady awareness of what is gong on within and around oneself.

Other Types of Prayer: Ignatian, Augustinian, Lectio (Sacred Reading), Centering, Heart-Breath, and Journaling,

Each of the practices above reduce stress and anxiety. They lead to a sense of peace and deeper connection to Ultimate Reality. They help us to see life clearly and to make wise decisions. I can help you explore these practices and integrate any of them them into your daily life.

Spiritually Guided Decisions (Discernment)

"I really want to serve God, but I am not sure exactly which career God is calling me to: Chaplain? Nurse? Teacher? I’m so confused! Can anyone help me sort this out?"

We all face important decisions that affect the course of our lives. Discernment is a time-honored spiritual practice that helps us listen to the Divine and to our hearts as we explore choices we might make.

Learn to Discern: How to Make Wise Choices is a workshop that will introduce you to the process of discernment and help you to apply it to decisions you may face. The program leader will make presentations, guide the group’s process, and provide a handout with exercises to lead you through the process.

A recent participant says, “the instructor's enthusiasm, teaching skill, and sincere interest in my growth made this workshop a profound and life-changing event.”

Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation

There are so many situations in the world that need our help. It’s important to make spiritual resources part of our efforts to remedy these conditions. I have created workshop experiences that accomplish this goal.

One workshop teaches you how to work for justice in a spiritually informed way. In the typical approach to problem solving one analyzes the forces that maintain an unjust situation, plans an intervention, takes action, and evaluates results. What makes this program unique is that it also teaches you how reflection on values, meaning, and spiritual influences can motivate and guide your efforts.

Another workshop is designed to help offset the challenges of working for justice. It helps justice advocates avoid burnout and compassion fatigue. It will increase your awareness of the factors affecting you and your sense of solidarity with other activists. It will also provide strategies for self-care. Thee workshops can be customized to fit your communities needs.

Other Workshop Experiences

I will provide custom-made workshops for your group--just let me know what you're looking for. A sample of topics includes:

• The Spirituality of Aging

• The Contemplative Way of Life

• Feelings and Intimacy

• Your Spiritual Traits

• Deep Listening and Responding

• Spiritual Freedom

• Sacred Texts

• Poetry as a Spiritual Practice

• The Seasons of Your Spirituality

• And many more workshops designed to meet your needs

Spiritual Friends Groups

Sometimes we may feel spiritually alone even in the midst of friends and family. It's good to have a setting in which you can fully share the stories of your spiritual life and hear the stories of others. That's what happens in a Spiritual Friends Group.

In a Friends Group, five to eight persons meet once a month to share their spiritual journeys with one another in an atmosphere of confidentiality, trust, and openness. They do so under the guidance of a trained facilitator.

There are two types of Friends Groups.

• In one, a spiritual theme is chosen beforehand and during the meeting all members are invited to share their views, experiences, and feelings about the topic.

• In the other, one member shares a situation of spiritual interest or concern to them. The other members listen attentively and take turns responding in ways that encourage the presenter to explore his or her topic more deeply.

Either way, it's a very respectful process, without advice giving or attempts to “fix” or convert anyone. The trained facilitator helps to remind participants of these expectations.