DOCSLIB.ORG

CHRISTIAN Meditationchristian NEWSLETTER, VOL

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
CHRISTIAN Meditationchristian NEWSLETTER, VOL O CHRISTIAN MEDITATIONChristian NEWSLETTER, VOL. 34, N 3; OCTOBER 2010 Meditation1 NEWSLETTER OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY FOR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION www.wccm.org Registered Charity No. 327173 INTERNATIONAL EDITION, VOL. 34, NO 3; OCTOBER 2010 Meditation with Children Experience and Promise A Day Seminar Date: 7 December 2010 9.00 am to 5.30 pm Cost: £95 (includes lunch and refreshments) A Resource Pack will be given to each participant. Venue: Regents College, Inner Circle, Regents Park London NW1 4NS Children have a natural capacity for meditation. They enjoy it and show the benefits. How can we make this spiritual practice and universal life-skill more available promoting growth of the whole child? Meditatio – the outreach of The World Community for Christian Meditation – presents a seminar to teachers, parents and all those involved in the faith dimension of education for children. The presenters will address the spiritual, psychological and practical aspects of introducing Christian Meditation to children and teachers. PRESENTERS Dr Cathy Day is the Director of Townsville Catholic Education Office and under her leadership has created and implemented a world-first Christian Meditation program for all Catholic Schools in the Diocese. Ernie Christie Deputy Director in Townsville is the author of Coming Home: A Guide to Teaching Christian Meditation to Children. Jonathan Campion a consultant psychiatrist is helping to develop national mental health policy and evaluate the school meditation program. Fr Laurence Freeman is a Benedictine monk and Director of The World Community for Christian Meditation involved in inter-religious dialogue and the contemplative aspect of education. REGIONAL SEMINARS For details about venue and costs Cathy Day, Ernie Christie, and Laurence Freeman will be leading workshops presenting of these workshops please contact us: the themes of the Meditatio Seminar addressing local audiences and concerns www.wccm.org 8 December Killarney www.wccmmeditatio.org 10 December Belfast Further Information from 13 December Milton Keynes Briji Waterfield T: 07980 581351 E: [email protected] 14 December Brentwood For booking queries please contact 15 December Birmingham Pat Nash T: 01794 512006 E: [email protected] SOME KEY EVENTS IN 2011 April 17-24 Holy Week Retreat, Bere Island, Ireland August 11-14 John Main Seminar, Ireland May 5-6 Meditatio Seminar on Meditation and Mental September 3-9 School Retreat, Italy Health, London September 14-24 Ten Day Silent Retreat, Bere Island, June 18-25 Monte Oliveto Retreat, Italy Ireland 2 CHRISTIAN MEDITATION NEWSLETTER, VOL. 34, NO 3; OCTOBER 2010 A letter from Laurence Freeman OSB DIRECTOR OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY FOR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION said in a clear, quiet voice how she had just discovered something new about forgiveness that would change her life. Ten years before, she and husband had been watching television together at home when the doorbell rang. He went to answer it and was shot in the chest at pointblank range by a hooded figure in the doorway and died instantly. As time passed and the physical grief – the kind that can even block Some moments stay with us for ever and can be repeatedly your breathing – subsided she was able to reflect on the horror recalled by grace to help us grow in wisdom. So they are and tragedy that had blighted her life. As a Christian she knew themselves moments of grace – memories that become more she ‘should’ forgive. But she felt blocked from doing so for present the better we understand them. As this happens over two reasons. Firstly, that the murderers had not asked for time we see how little we have understood and how much has forgiveness and secondly, that the idea of forgiveness seemed yet to be learned. It’s only the very young, the insecure or the to be a betrayal of her husband. She was stuck and for ten prejudiced who think they know it all for certain. This is why years had not had a good night’s sleep. we are always learning to meditate and how we come to see * that meditation is a way of unlearning. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission in S Africa after An example. During the 2000 John Main Seminar in N. apartheid has generally been acclaimed as a social success. This Ireland I went with the Dalai Lama to a meeting with victims means that it has significantly helped the citizens move on of violence from both sides of the religious divide. As we without lying to themselves or each other. We lie to ourselves entered the room it was like walking into a freezer. Each group from a desperation to survive what we are enduring and think sat on either side of the room with what seemed like an iceberg could destroy us. We can indeed be destroyed by many things dividing them. Intuitively assessing the mood and problem, including our memories, as victims of abuse discover as they the Dalai Lama did not wait for a formal opening but dived grow older. Yet the S African Commission - which offered straight into his own sharing. He spoke about his pain and amnesty to those who fully confessed their crimes and gave an grief at what had happened to Tibet and asked ‘if I chose to opportunity for the victims to describe what they endured hate the enemy, who would be hurt more, them or myself?’ and even to confront their torturers – could not be a forum We can be lifted up and out of the narrow, circular corridors for every memory of abuse over the previous 46 years of state of memory and the feelings that we compulsively pace around, apartheid. In the end only 849 people were given amnesty. when someone speaks like this with authenticity, from their But the sacramental, symbolically representative, encounters heart. They are sacrificing something, offering a part of their had brought healing to many thousands, including those who self, risking themselves. Truth-telling like this acts as a stimulus, had only witnessed the proceedings from a distance. It was awakens us to a larger perspective and, at least for a while, restorative justice that worked. seems to empower us to give of ourselves as well. After he had It was not ‘victor’s justice’ that allows no forgiveness to spoken, we invited the people present to share their memories flow, but a personal, and therefore statistically incomplete, and feelings of how violence had touched and changed their process of forgiveness in action. To forgive we have to discover lives. Slowly, as people began to risk communicating their what forgiveness really means, as the woman in the victims’ memories and actual pain, the iceberg in the room started group in N Ireland unexpectedly came to do. We have also to melting. The temperature rose with the human warmth of be truthful with ourselves, to confront the pain, anger and people trusting each other. Without such human warmth and dark feelings generated by the hurt we have undergone. trust there is no common bond, no community and no Eventually we have to risk touching the cause of our pain, the forgiveness. violent other, from whom we have probably distanced ourselves From early on I had noticed a woman in the front row who by flight or fight. was following everything very intensely and who often seemed The woman I mentioned said that she had just then about to speak but stopped herself. As we drew the session to understood that forgiveness was not pronouncing a verdict of a close she suddenly raised her hand and asked to speak. She acquittal but, first of all, facing and healing her own inner CHRISTIAN MEDITATION NEWSLETTER, VOL. 34, NO 3; OCTOBER 2010 3 battle-scarred landscape of soul. When we are hurt by someone and then the honest answer may be, ‘no we do not deeply – or by some impersonal thing that happens to us – it is as if want to change’. But, when we do want to change, perhaps we are poisoned by betrayal and infidelity if our trust in after the poison has become unendurable, we learn what loving another, or life as a whole, has been trounced; or, if it is an our enemies means. Of course, it doesn’t mean exonerating or accident that we can blame on no one, (although we often try just pardoning them to avoid conflict. Justice always needs to to, to make things feel easier for ourselves), it is as if we have be seen to be done for the right reason. It means simply paying been run over in a hit and run by a passing truck. We lie on attention to the source, human or natural, from which the the ground prostrate and shattered trying to see how much hurt came and then asking ourselves ‘why did they do it?’ At damage has been done. the end of this hard questioning we may conclude that really Suffering, from whatever source, has a frightening otherness ‘they did not know what they were doing’, as Jesus understood to it. Our innate expectation that we will be fairly treated by from the Cross. His insight and detachment enabled him to others and by life – our sense of justice - suddenly appears forgive them – or rather not to say “I forgive them”, but to very naïve. Even if we cannot blame a particular enemy or a draw on the impartial, ever non-condemnatory love of the false friend we may try to blame God. At first we instinctively ‘Father’. To say ‘I’ would have been an assertion of the ego try to refuse admission to what has happened and press the and so, even in his case, a dramatization of the other.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Meditation Finds a Sanctuary at Georgetown
    Meditation finds a sanctuary at Georgetown WASHINGTON – In the oldest building on the campus of the United States’ oldest Catholic university, Christian meditation has found a place to take root. The structure – also the smallest building on the Georgetown University campus – is now home to a meditation center that had for two years before been based in a pair of adjoining row houses one block from campus. In the center, organized meditation is offered twice a day, although students, faculty and staff can walk into the building at all hours for some moments of silent meditation. “Ma-ra-na-tha,” counseled Benedictine Father Laurence Freeman, a native Briton, at one recent midday meditation session. He was instructing those present to say the ancient Greek invocation for “Come, Lord” to themselves, inside their heads slowly and evenly, without putting emphasis on any syllable. “The best way to learn is to practice,” Father Freeman said, as the meditation session had a few first-timers. Some sat in chairs, some sat on small pillows on the floor and a majority had their footwear off, as they meditated. The hum of an electrical unit – turned on to provide heat in the circa-1792 building – could not drown out the drone of jets taking off from an airport across the Potomac River from Georgetown, or all of the everyday hustle and bustle that goes with being on a college campus. Meditation, the priest asserted, is “simple. It’s not easy, but it’s simple.” Although anyone could meditate, not everyone does, said Father Freeman, noting that many Christians have lost touch with this ancient form of prayer.
    [Show full text]
  • Summer 2011 Vol
    Canadian Christian Meditation Community NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2011 VOL. 20 NO. 2 THE WORLD COMMUNITY FOR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION Canadian Christian Meditation Community 2011 Biennial National Conference: John Main and 20th Century Mystics An event of central importance to Canadian Christian session on CCMC developments across Canada, including meditators, the 2011 CCMC National Conference was held presentation of the new National Council. The Confer- at St. Paul University in Ottawa from June 10 to 12. The ence ended with Sunday Eucharist, induction of three new keynote speakers were Fr. Laurence Freeman, Director of Oblates and meditation. Through the keynote speakers and the World Community for Christian Meditation, and Rev. the workshop presenters, the conference introduced John Glenda Meakin who has Main in resonance with long nurtured and served each of the following the Canadian Commu- 20th century mystics: nity. Several other leading Simone Weil, Evelyn figures in the community Underhill, Bede Griffiths, led workshop sessions. Thomas Merton, Swami The fully booked weekend Abhishiktananda and had 160 participants, Henri Nouwen. while an additional 130 We are all grateful to fitted into the auditorium the organizing team in for the Friday evening Ottawa who worked hard opening address. for months to make the On Friday morning prior Conference the success to the Conference, about that it turned out to be: 70 clergy of various Flora Benoit, Ron Dicks, denominations attended Kevin Flynn, Michel a colloquium and, on Legault, Simon Losinger, Sunday afternoon, some Jean Murray, and Liz 30 young people took Tyrwhitt. part in a youth retreat. Fr. Fr. Laurence and the Rev. Glenda Meakin While it is impossible Laurence led both these to give a comprehensive “bookend events.” account of all that was said in the various sessions, the arti- General sessions at the Conference were interspersed with cles which follow in this newsletter, prepared by volunteer workshops, prayers and readings.
    [Show full text]
  • An Introduction to Christian Meditation
    John Main, OSB Rev. John Main, OSB (1926-1982) first encountered How to meditate the universal tradition of meditation while living in Sit down. Sit still and upright, relaxed the East, before becoming a monk. Upon returning home, he entered a Benedictine order, completed but alert. Close your eyes lightly. An Introduction studies in Rome and served as headmaster of a Breathe calmly and regularly. Silently, Benedictine school. He studied the teachings of the interiorly begin to say a single word. Desert Tradition, finding an emphasis on intentional We recommend the prayer-phrase to Christian periods of silent prayer and contemplation. MA-RA-NA-THA. Recite it as four John Main taught Christian meditation to many people. Since his death in 1982, his work has syllables of equal length. Listen to it as Meditation been continued by Rev. Laurence Freeman, OSB, you say it, gently but continuously. who established and currently oversees the World Do not think or imagine anything – Community for Christian Meditation. spiritual or otherwise. If thoughts The World Community and images come, these are for Christian Meditation distractions, so keep returning to In order to support their daily personal commitment simply saying the word. Meditate to meditation, people frequently join a weekly each morning and evening for meditation group. These groups meet in over 120 between twenty and thirty minutes. countries of the world. The silent meditation period is the focal point and main purpose of the meeting. In 1991, the World Community for Christian Suggested reading list Meditation was established to communicate John for beginning meditators Main’s teaching on this way of prayer.
    [Show full text]
  • John Main: Biography | the School of Meditation
    John Main: Biography JOHN MAIN 1926-1982. The mystical tradition has its source in a God who makes him/herself known through human experience. There is a great richness and variety as the experience of God takes shape within particular lives and historical epochs. The 'Word' is constantly being 'made flesh' within the uniqueness of individuals and eras in which they lived. There is diversity but also a common thread. Tradition is passed on, it develops, and it is this that makes it a true doctrine, a living word. The continuity and adaptability of the mystical tradition can be seen in the case of John Main. Drawing on the teaching on prayer of the early desert fathers he took monastic spirituality beyond its traditional boundaries. He showed that 'pure prayer' beyond thought and image was a universal calling, the birthright of all Christians and a normal flowering of baptismal grace. The purpose of the monastic channel was always to overflow its banks and make its teaching accessible to all people. The universal relevance of the monastic teaching on prayer took on a further and more expansive dimension in the relation http://presenters.theschoolofmeditation.org/content/john-main-biography 2019-03-23, 815 PM Page 1 of 15 between Christian meditation and the meditation practices of eastern religions. In the 1950's John Main learnt the art of meditation with a mantra from a Hindu monk in Malaya and later discovered the Christian tradition of meditation in the Conferences of the desert fathers recorded by Cassian. John Main's teaching on prayer was never theoretical but always a way of experience.
    [Show full text]
  • John Main Morning Prayer Wednesday, 30 December, 2020
    John Main Morning Prayer Wednesday, 30 December, 2020 Monk and Master of Christian Meditation (1926-1982) Psalm 34:1-8 1 I will bless the LORD at all times; * his praise shall ever be in my mouth. 2 I will glory in the LORD; * let the humble hear and rejoice. 3 Proclaim with me the greatness of the LORD; * let us exalt his Name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me * and delivered me out of all my terror. 5 Look upon him and be radiant, * and let not your faces be ashamed. 6 I called in my affliction and the LORD heard me * and saved me from all my troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encompasses those who fear him, * and he will deliver them. 8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; * happy are they who trust in him! 1 First Reading - Acts 2:42-47a 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
    [Show full text]
  • Contemplation Schoenstatt Scotland
    Contemplation Schoenstatt Scotland T: 01360 312 718 No2 Our Launch on the 4th April of the School of Meditation at Schoenstatt features the method of John Main. John was born in London. In the 1940s he joined the Canons Regular of the Lateran and studied at St. Edmund's College, in England before pursuing theological studies at the Pontifical Athenaeum Angelicum, Rome. He began to doubt his vocation to the priesthood and decided to leave his order to go to Dublin (where his family then lived), where he studied law at Trinity College. He graduated in 1954 and joined the British Colonial Service. He was later assigned to Kuala Lumpur in Malaya, where he met Swami Satyananda, who taught him meditation using a mantra as the means to arrive at meditative stillness. The swami taught Main to meditate by giving him a Christian mantra. In 1956, he returned to Dublin and taught law at Trinity College. In 1959 he decided to join the Benedictines at Ealing Abbey in London. He was ordained a priest in 1963 and following his ordination he taught at St Benedict's School, Ealing. In 1970, he was appointed the headmaster of St. Anselm's Abbey School in Washington, D.C., and began studying the writings of the desert father John Cassian for the first time. Fr. John saw parallels between the spiritual practice taught by Cassian and the meditative practice he had been taught by the swami in Kuala Lumpur. In 1974, Main left the Abbey in Washington and returned to Ealing Abbey in London, where he began Christian meditation groups.
    [Show full text]
  • Download from Cassian to Main
    FROM CASSIAN TO MAIN FROM CASSIAN TO MAIN century Desert Fathers and Mothers in the wilderness of Egypt and Palestine, to John Cassian who imported the Desert APPENDIX 5 wisdom to the West in the early fifth century, to the develop- Presentation Notes on The Contemplative Tradition ment of Western monasticism through Cassian's foremost pupil St Benedict and his Rule promulgated widely in the sixth century, to the anonymous and amazing Cloud of Un- From Cassian to Main: knowing in the late 14th century, to the English Benedictine Meditation and the Christian Tradition Augustine Baker's Holy Wisdom in the 17th century, and so by CARLA COOPER on. Through all this time, the Eastern Church kept contem- plative practice at the centre of the church, by nurturing the he title of this talk is ‘From Cassian to Main’ but it could prayer of the heart, the Jesus Prayer. And, of course, that T just as easily be ‘From Main to Cassian’. This is so tradition's repository of wisdom, the Philokalia, remains a because we can't learn about John Main's personal journey great and constant companion for our journey. to meditation without learning about John Cassian's own John Main's own rediscovery of the tradition began when journey. These two journeys, one at the very beginning of he was introduced to the practice of meditation and the the tradition and the other during our lifetime, are key mantra in Malaya during his stint in the Foreign Service in moments in what Fr Laurence calls the ‘living line’.
    [Show full text]
  • Laurence Freeman Was Born in England in 1951 Where He Was Educated by the Benedictines and Studied English Literature at New College, Oxford University
    Laurence Freeman was born in England in 1951 where he was educated by the Benedictines and studied English Literature at New College, Oxford University. Before entering monastic life, he had experience with the United Nations in New York, and in the fields of banking and journalism. Now a Benedictine monk at the Monastery of Christ our Saviour (Turvey, England), a monastery of the Congregation of Monte Oliveto, Fr. Laurence is director of the World Community for Christian Meditation. In the monastery, his spiritual teacher was John Main. He helped Fr. John to establish the first Christian Meditation Centre in London. At the invitation of the Archbishop of Montreal in 1977, he accompanied John Main to establish a Benedictine community of monks and laypeople dedicated to the practice and teaching of Christian meditation. Fr. Laurence studied theology at the University of Montreal and at McGill University. He made his solemn monastic profession in 1979 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1980. After the death of John Main in 1982, Fr. Laurence continued the work of teaching meditation that had already begun to coalesce into a global community. In 1991, he returned to England to establish the International Center of the newly formed World Community for Christian Meditation, now present in more than a hundred countries—a 'monastery without walls’ in which he travels and teaches widely. In addition to his work in the Christian contemplative life, Laurence Freeman has conducted dialogues and global peace initiatives such as the historic Way of Peace with the Dalai Lama. He is active in interreligious dialogue.
    [Show full text]
  • An Introduction to Christian Meditation with Students: Let's Pray Together
    AN INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN MEDITATION WITH STUDENTS: Let’s Pray Together EDUCATORS’ GUIDE Opening Remarks Dear Catholic Educators, In recent years Ontario’s Catholic Schools have been journeying into the prayer of Christian Meditation with energy and enthusiasm. Our Ontario Catholic Bishops are embracing this prayer practice along- side our Catholic educators and students. The Institute for Catholic Education (ICE) is pleased to work with the Ontario Catholic Bishops and Ontario Catholic School boards, in collaboration with the Canadian Christian Meditation Community, and offer this resource to support the prayer of Christian Meditation as it enters your classrooms and/or grows in your school communities. Inspiration to begin to introduce the prayer of Christian Meditation in the province has come from two primary sources. These include: The World Community for Christian Meditation and its Director, Fr. Laurence Freeman OSB (http://wccm.org/content/laurence-freeman-osb) and the Christian Meditation practice of Catholic schools in Townsville, Australia as led by Ernie Christie and Dr. Cathy Day (https://www.tsv.catholic.org.au/diocese/ministries/christian-meditation/). Their witness and teachings have given tremendous support to our provincial Christian Meditation journey. Provincially, Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board has been a leader as this prayer grows and begins to enter many of our Catholic classrooms. They have created a video which gives a lovely portrait of Christian Meditation in the classroom that is available in several languages. To view the BHNCDSB video on titled ‘Something is Growing’ please click here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2CK8h3E9f0 In Ontario, we are witnessing the beautiful impact that this prayer of stillness, simplicity and silence is having on all participants.
    [Show full text]
  • Who Introduced Us to Christian Meditation
    We are an ecumenical Christian meditation prayer group, which serves the parishioners and the community at large. We meet as a group "to nurture and communicate meditation as passed on in the Christian tradition through the teachings of Father John Main (a Benedictine monk) in the spirit of serving the unity of all." Who introduced us to Christian Meditation Father John Main, OSB Father John Main OSB was a Roman Catholic priest and a Benedictine monk who presented a way of Christian meditation that used a prayer- phrase or sacred word. In 1975, Main began Christian meditation groups which met at Ealing Abbey, his monastery in West London, England and, later, in Montreal, Quebec. Since then there are Christian meditation groups in over 120 countries around the world, 23 in British Columbia. Father John said: “This is what the path of meditation is about: To come into full harmony, to full union with the Spirit of Jesus who dwells in our hearts.” The all important aim in Christian Meditation is to allow God’s mysterious presence within us to become more and more not only a reality, but the reality which gives meaning, shape and purpose to everything we do, everything we are. Meditation is not something new to the Christian experience but is deeply rooted in Christian tradition. However many Christians have lost touch with this ancient tradition of prayer. Meditation, also known as contemplative prayer, involves coming to a stillness of spirit and a stillness of body. The extraordinary thing, says John Main, is that in spite of all the distractions of the modern world, this silence is perfectly possible for all of us.
    [Show full text]
  • John Main 1926-1982
    John Main 1926-1982 A Celebration by The World Community for Christian Meditation of His Life and Spiritual Legacy A Memorial Eucharist at Westminster Cathedral December 29, 2007 Celebrated by Dom Laurence Freeman OSB with members of The World Community for Christian Meditation and their friends. Heavenly Father, Open my heart to the silent presence of the spirit of your son. Lead me into that mysterious silence where your love is revealed to all who call. John Main OSB In Special Memory of Five Teachers of Our Community Peter Broadhurst, Patricia Ng, Eileen O’Hea, Gerry Pierse, and Doreen Romandini 2 I am delighted that you are gathering to celebrate the life and teaching of John Main in Westminster Cathedral. Dom John Main signi!cantly expanded the wisdom of the Christian monastic teachers into the experience of the universal church especially through their teaching of oratio pura or ‘pure prayer’ within his own teaching on meditation. He was a monk of great depth and historic importance. Dom Michelangelo Tiribilli OSB, Abbot General of the Benedictine Congregation of Monte Oliveto Looking back over 25 years we recognize John Main‘s teaching on meditation has a universal appeal embracing all ages and cultures. His teaching and in"uence continues today in over 1700 groups in our world community through the teaching of Laurence Freeman OSB and through his books and CDs. During this anniversary year meditators in over 100 countries from Argentina to Australia, from China to Canada, Moscow to Mexico, Indonesia to Italy, Switzerland to Singapore, US to the UK have celebrated the life of this great teacher of prayer for our time.
    [Show full text]
  • A Pearl of Great Price
    a Pearl of great price Untitled-1 1 3/23/13 12:26 PM The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it. (Matt 13:45) Untitled-1 2 3/23/13 12:26 PM a Pe arl of great price sharing the gift of meditation by starting a group LAURENCE FREEMAN OSB Untitled-1 3 3/23/13 12:26 PM First published 2002 in Catalina, Arizona, USA by Medio Media This edition published 2013 in Singapore by Medio Media www.mediomedia.com [email protected] © The World Community for Christian Meditation 2013 ISBN 978-981-07-5621-5 All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo- copying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of Medio Media. Medio Media is the publishing arm of The World Community for Christian Meditation 32 Hamilton Road London W5 2EH United Kingdom Printed in Singapore by Stamford Press Pte Ltd Untitled-1 4 3/23/13 12:26 PM Contents Introduction 7 The call of Jesus 11 Everyone is a contemplative 13 Why meditation groups matter today 16 John Main 19 A discipline of faith made easier 22 Sharing the gift 25 First steps: first obstacles 28 Getting the word out 35 Where? 37 When? 39 How many? 41 What to do at the group? 43 Know the essential teaching 49 Other forms of prayer 53 Other faiths 54 Am I the one to do it? 56 Untitled-1 5 3/23/13 12:26 PM How to Meditate 58 Available Resources 59 Primary Resources 65 for beginners in meditation and for new groups Sample Announcements 70 for meditation groups APPENDICES 1.
    [Show full text]