CONSD offers local retreats, days of prayer, and formation events online and in-person. At the worldwide Contemplative Outreach Ltd. website, you can find the latest information on online and onsite retreats offered nationally and globally — see THIS LINK and click on the “Events” tab at the top right.
———–SOME UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE U.S.———–
ONGOING: OPENING MINDS, OPENING HEARTS: A Podcast Series by Contemplative Outreach, Ltd., first launched in November 2022. With Colleen Thomas and Mark Dannenfelser. This is available on all podcast streaming platforms (Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Play) as well as the CO YouTube Channel. Listen to this podcast trailer here on YouTube (5 minutes). .
Bede Griffiths: Rebirthing Christian Wisdom, with Fr. Stephen Coffey. This retreat will consider the life story of Camaldolese Benedictine monk Bede Griffiths. After leaving Oxford and becoming a Catholic and a monk, he went to India “to recover the other half of my soul.” Retreatants will be invited to pray with texts from his writings, especially the autobiographical Golden String and Marriage of East and West, as well as New Vision of Reality. Conferences will be based on Bruno Barnhart’s The One Light, which contains the core of his teaching. In person at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino, CA, April 26-28. Must register by April 19. For more info, contact St. Marie at 818-815-4496 or go to the HSRC website HERE and click on “Center Offerings.”
Blooming in Centering Prayer with Visio Divina, with Contemplative Outreach of Hawai’i. First Saturdays online retreats are a special time where we explore our Centering Prayer practice. We are looking forward to sharing Physio-Divina (Moving) practices, Visio-Divina (Visual-Art) practices, Terra-Divina (Nature), Lectio-Divina (Sacred Text) practices in addition to the Centering Prayer and Welcoming Prayer practice that are our foundation. Pulelehua, Liedeke, and Margie welcome all who wish to join us. On Zoom, May 4, 12 Noon to 1:30pm Pacific Time. For more info and to register, please click HERE.
Accepting the Embrace of God: The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina, with Fr. Luke Dysinger. Lectio Divina, the ancient Christian art of praying the scriptures, is a way of allowing the Bible, the Word of God, to become a means of union with God: in other words, through lectio divina, the reading of sacred scripture becomes the gateway to contemplative prayer. In this workshop, ancient and modern approaches to the practice of lectio divina, as well as its application to the practice of contemplative prayer will be studied and practiced. In person at St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, CA, May 10 to May 12. For more info and to register, please click HERE.
Coloring Outside the Lines by Returning to Elementary Questioning: ‘How Should I Contemplate?’ with Dr. Carmen Acevedo Butcher. What do historical and contemporary contemplative experts say about how contemplation should be done? How can we take their teachings to reimagine and reinvigorate our own spiritual practices and paths? By exploring work by well-known contemplatives such as Anonymous of the Cloud of Unknowing, the Rev. Dr. Barbara Holmes, Brother Lawrence, the Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman, and more, we will interrogate the tradition with the purpose of deepening and personalizing our own practice, both individually and collectively, with a heart for becoming more self- and others- compassionate. On Zoom, May 11, 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon Eastern Time. For more info and to register, please click HERE.
Sophia/Wisdom in the Writings of St. John of the Cross, with Fr. Stephen Coffey. This retreat will provide an opportunity to appreciate the Wisdom Christology that John of the Cross employs in all of his writings. Special attention will be paid to John’s process of spiritual development, especially in the Spiritual Canticle, and the key role that Sophia plays for him. Retreatants will have an opportunity to pray with Scriptural texts from the Wisdom Literature and the New Testament that John employs frequently in his spiritual writings. In person at St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, CA, May 20 to May 24. For more info and to register, please click HERE.
Holding Our Planet: Wisdom School with Cynthia Bourgeault. This Wisdom School is aimed at contemplatives of all spiritual pathways who are deeply concerned about the global cultural and ecological crises imperiling our continued human existence on the planet. Join us as we come together to deepen our capacity to bring “skillful means” to the situation: forbearance, strength, compassion, right timing, spiritual generativity, and personal mettle. The daily rhythm will include teaching and sustained work in core spiritual practices: the generation of necessary spiritual “nutrients” (such as faith, hope, trust, love); imaginal exchange; “cosmic dialysis” (a.k.a., tonglen); “prayer with moxie,” surrender, non-identification, sacred movements, chanting, and conscious work as well as silence for rest and integration. In person and on Zoom at the Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA, May 25 – May 30. For more info and to register, please click HERE.
Eight-Day Centering Prayer Retreat. Enter into a more profound level of spiritual practice in an atmosphere of silence and community. The Eight-Day Intensive and concurrent Post-Intensive Retreat is designed to strengthen one’s discipline and practice of Centering Prayer. We will be in grand silence. The Intensive also provides a conceptual framework for the prayer through the viewing of selected DVDs from Thomas Keating’s Spiritual Journey Series. This retreat is for those with some experience with Centering Prayer. The Post-Intensive is for those who have previously made an Intensive Centering Prayer Retreat, and times of silence and periods of Centering Prayer are increased. In person at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino, CA, June 23 to June 30. Must register by June 7. For more information contact Marilyn Nobori at centeringprayer@hsrcenter.com or 1-818-815-4480, or go to the HSRC website HERE and click on “Center Offerings.”
Cinema Divina Retreat, with Sr. Jennifer Tecla Hyatt, FSP. Cinema Divina uses the form of Lectio Divina with film. It is a time of prayer, reflection, and conversation to dive deeper into our story and recognize our call. This unique experience takes the participants on a journey through a film as we reflect together on our common human experience and the ability to live a virtuous life. The film is to be announced. In person at St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, CA, June 17 to June 20. For more info and to register, please click HERE.
A Sacred Pause Silent Wisdom Retreat: A Curated Retreat for Contemplatives Under 50, with Heather Ruce and Colleen Thomas. In a society bombarded with the allure of external validation and perpetual striving, we often find ourselves caught in the relentless pursuit of relevance, accomplishment, and fleeting happiness. Yet, amidst this tumult, there exists a timeless wisdom that transcends the ephemeral promises of the world—a wisdom that beckons us to turn inward, to listen to the Holy One’s heart in the depths of our being. Drawing from the insights of contemplatives, mystics, and Wisdom teachers, this retreat offers a space to pause together with others to engage contemplative wisdom practices and inner exploration. Inspired by the teachings of luminaries such as Thomas Keating, Henri Nouwen and Cynthia Bourgeault, we embark on a transformative journey to recalibrate our gaze, redirecting it from the external trappings of success to the quiet rhythm of the heart, our organ of spiritual senses. In person at the Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA, July 11 to July 15. For more info and to register, click HERE.
WE ARE ALL ONE: An 8-Day Centering Prayer Retreat with Fr. Bill Sheehan. In one of his last conferences, Thomas Merton reminded us that we are all one. We just don’t know that yet. Our oneness/unity is rooted in the ongoing flow of God’s love that not only brings forth all that is but sustains and is present in all that is. During our retreat, we will explore not so much the what of God’s love but the how of God’s love revealed in both the Mystery of the Trinity as well as the Mystery of the Incarnation. Resources referenced: Fr. Richard Rohr, The Divine Dance; Cynthia Bourgeault, The Law of Three; Vincent Pizzuto, Contemplating Christ. 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 of Fr. Sheehan’s presentations. Spiritual companioning, and body work will also be available. In person at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino, CA, July 14 to July 21. Must register by June 28. For more information contact Marilyn Nobori at centeringprayer@hsrcenter.com or 1-818-815-4480 or go to the HSRC website HERE and click on “Center Offerings.”
The Way of the Heart: A Silent Wisdom Retreat, with Joy Andrews Hayter, Heather Ruce, and Catherine Regan. The Way of the Heart is at the center of the Christian Wisdom tradition, a transformative pilgrimage of the soul. This immersive silent Centering Prayer Wisdom retreat is an invitation to enter the cave of our hearts, to listen deeply to its rhythm, and open to the guidance we discover within. Engaging the timeless teachings of Christian mystics, teachers, and sages, we invite you to explore the depths of your being and cultivate a profound connection with the divine within and all around. This retreat is ideal for seekers of all backgrounds who are drawn to the contemplative Christian Wisdom tradition and are yearning for a deeper connection with the divine. Whether you are new to contemplative practices or have been on the spiritual path for years, this retreat offers a sacred space for renewal, reflection, and inner transformation. In person at the Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA, August 23 to August 28. For more info and to register, click HERE.
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Scholarships to attend retreats and events are available from CONSD and from Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. Please email consdinfo@gmail.com to inquire.
For more information on CONSD events, call Linda Dollins at (760) 743-8297 or Mary Williams at (760) 822-3916.
For information on COSD (Contemplative Outreach of San Diego) events, see the COSD website, www.contemplativeoutreachsd.org