June 2022 Newsletter

Dear Fellow Mystics,

Greetings of love and peace to you from Two Thomases’ Hermitage, day 807.

Our We Are One Big Sit on April 30th was an experience of deep community bonding across the miles. Some participants commented:

“Loved the group–felt as one with them.
“It was particularly meaningful to me. I really like the plethora of leadership, many voices, very nicely coordinated and shaped.”

We were thrilled to gather with Julian Davis Reid’s Notes of Rest Retreat on May 14th. Julian led us with Scripture, dialogue, contemplation, and music to gather a community centered in unity. While this sacred time gathered us as one, the massacre in Buffalo occurred. We are prostrate with grief over dear ones’ lives lost there and multiple places including Orange County and Uvalde. Our prayer is for healing and the swift end to violence.

We hope you enjoy this issue of our newsletter. In this issue you’ll find:

News on several inspiring upcoming events.
My reflection “Wake Up! Snap Out Of It!”
A second reflection from Howard Zinn, with observations from our friend Bill Moon. "EVERYTHING is CONNECTED. We have only to realize that we have no control and just answer the doorbell!“

May our united Centering Prayer moments spread peace and love through one Spirit, as members of one Whole, combined of all races, cultures, languages, and traditions.

Love draws us closer,
Maggie

We Gather Together - Releasing An Enslaved Spirit Big Sit
Sat, June 18th, 2022 10:00AM-12:00PM ET

Join us for an inspiring morning of Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, Taize' chant inspired by Howard Thurman, Michael Battle and Desmond Tutu.

Body Presence & Contemplative Awareness BioSpiritual Focusing Workshop

Sat, Sep 10th, 2022 9:30-2:15 PM ET

Mike Smoolca leads us in discovery of a deeper awareness of healing and wisdom accessible to each of us through our bodies. We'll establish BioSpiritual Focusing’s place in Body Awareness Practice and participants will experimentally be introduced to focusing concepts including a demonstration and discussion of Focusing.

With Merton and Keating's Roadmap, Where Do We Go From Here?
Sat, July 16th, 2022 10:00AM - 12:30PM ET

Join Ed Bacon, Vernon Dixon, Victor Kramer, David Rensberger, and Maggie Winfrey for lively reflections and discussion. Musical inspirations from Paul Reeves.

We Gather Together - Divine Feminine Big Sit
Sat, Aug 20th 10:00 - 12:00 ET

Join us for an inspiring morning of Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, Taize' chant reflecting on the feminine characteristics of the Divine.

Reflection: Wake Up! Snap Out Of It!

By Maggie Winfrey

While recently watching “A Rising Tide of Silence,” a film about Thomas Keating’s life, friends asked why Fr. Thomas suddenly no longer wanted to live like the Christians he saw in his local church. He wanted to leave his privileged home in Manhattan and live with the poor in Harlem. He had everything he could want. Why give that up? Something earth-shattering had happened to him. He had awakened to see how church members were living as if they were asleep, oblivious to the teachings of the Gospel. Now he only wanted to live the way Jesus taught. What brought him to this?

Read Maggie's full reflection in our Journal

Reflecting on Howard Zinn's "To Be Hopeful In Bad Times"

By Bill Moon

It is important for us to see as Brother André of Bessette saw, that "In fact, EVERYTHING is CONNECTED. We have only to realize that we have no control and just answer the doorbell!

Brother André of Bessette of Canada gives us a wonderful example. As keeper of the door, he humbly received all people at the door as if they were Christ himself.

Here is Howard Zinn's reflection on how to be hopeful in bad times:
“To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage and kindness.

Read Howard Zinn's full reflection in our Journal

Would you like to volunteer to help Contemplative Outreach Atlanta grow? We welcome you. Your involvement can be a one-time activity, such as helping plan or participate in a Big Sit. We also welcome ongoing support for things like Zoom/website support, event management, or helping post on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Please c ontact us here if you would like to be part of our expanding team.

We’d love to hear what you think, what you want to know more about, and how we can support your Centering Prayer practice. Email us here.

Please know that we deeply appreciate your donation in any amount to our non-profit chapter of international Contemplative Outreach. It helps us to continue providing resources and support for you. You can donate on our website here.

New to Centering Prayer? Begin here.

Looking for inspiration? Explore here.

Find a Centering Prayer group here.

Other Events:

June 4th Two sessions 9:30 AM & 1:30 PM ET. The Monastery of the Holy Spirit presents Fr. Gerard’s retreat The Power of Silence on Zoom. As we go deeper we hear God’s gentle voice loving us boundlessly. To register, please call the retreat house office at 770-760-0959 Mon-Fri 8:00 – 1:00. Donation $45. Visit us here.

June 8th 2:00-3:00 PM ET. Contemplative Outreach Tampa Bay hosts monthly Julian Meetings on Zoom on the 2nd Wednesday of every month. Session includes a 20 minute Centering Prayer session, a Lectio reading from Julian with sharing. Information here .

June 12th 1:00 PM ET Christophany Coffee Hour with Ilia Delio’s Christogenesis Team. Contact here with questions.

June 18th Two sessions 9:30 AM & 1:30 PM ET. Monastery of the Holy Spirit presents Br. Elias Marechal’s retreat Too Deep for Words on Zoom. The theme of this retreat is the gradual unfolding of the divine image within us into likeness. To register, please call the retreat house office at 770-760-0959 Mon-Fri 8:00 – 1:00. Donation $45. Visit us here.

October 22nd 9:30AM - 3:00PM Cathedral of St. Philip presents their 13th Annual Spirituality Conference with Michael Battle. Registration here.

June 2022 Newsletter

Body Presence & Contemplative Awareness BioSpiritual Focusing Workshop

New to Centering Prayer? Begin here. Looking for inspiration? Explore here. Find a Centering Prayer group here.

Other Events:

New to Centering Prayer? Begin here.

Looking for inspiration? Explore here.

Find a Centering Prayer group here.