ORDINARY TIME 2018

Spirit, Mind and Body

Only then do we return to the soul— and the body—with the light and energy of Spirit that brings both of those realms to their fullness and fruition.

Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam “Spirit, Soul, Body and the Spectrum of Consciousness”

62475 Highway 1, , CA 93920 • 831 667 2456 • www.contemplation.com In This Issue Spirit, Soul, Body and the

2 Spirit, Soul, Body and the Spectrum of Spectrum of Consciousness Consciousness Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam

4 From Vienna to New Camaldoli: An Oblate’s In this edition of the newsletter, we are exploring Journey to Integral Spirituality the Spirit, the Mind and the Body. In our times, the David Hallowell, Oblate OSB Cam cross-fertilization of spirituality and psychology has 5 Spirituality and Psychology proven to be a rich vein to mine, as we hope you Bede Healey, OSB Cam will find in these articles.

8 Focusing-Oriented Lectio Divina as a Way Let’s start with the Greek word psukhē or psyche. to God’s Wisdom Through the Body It is variously translated as the human mind Michael Mullard, Oblate OSB Cam or soul or spirit. Following in the line of Bede 10 Voices from the Community Griffiths, I will define it as soul, more layered than the mind and more observable than spirit, 13 Taste and See That the Lord is Good which is beyond it both as its source and summit. Vickie Conte With this understanding the art or discipline of psychology, psychiatry, psychotherapy—at their 13 Preached Retreats Fall 2018 best and most refined—are really soul doctoring. 14 Activities and Visitors Think of soul as a spectrum of consciousness 15 Development that begins with senses and emotions, which are intrinsically bound to our physicality. Then, 15 What the Monks Are Reading moving from the gross level to more subtle

16 In Remembrance of Robert and Gabriel regions, there is the rational mind, what most people think of as simply “mind,” though Asian traditions have a broader understanding and use of that word. At a more subtle level there is the intuitive mind, both artistic and mystical intuition. And there are yet even more subtle realms beyond the intuition as well.

In the Hindu tradition, according to the Katha Upanishad, for instance, the first dawning of self-consciousness comes at the level known as the mahat. Deeper yet is the realm of the Unmanifest, the avyakta in Hinduism, similar The painting on the cover is titled “Out of to the alaya-vijnana of Buddhism, perhaps the Depths.” The artist is New Jersey native, the collective unconsciousness and universal Eugene Salandra. He received a BFA in Film consciousness of depth psychology. and Television at University, and studied figure drawing at the Art Students’ Each of these realms could be and has been League of New York. explored at length, and this spectrum of Except a brief Benedictine monastic sojourn, consciousness could be divided into many his life has been occupied with practicing other or different categories. But the points here the art of animation. He is an oblate of New are these. First, that beyond the soul, beyond Camaldoli Hermitage. these layers of consciousness, deeper than all that, both the source and the summit of all this,

2 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage still using the vocabulary and anthropology of Fr. of psychology and spirituality explores the nuances Bede, is the realm of spirit proper—our spirit, our of both. He reflects on his experiences with openness to the Spirit of God. In this very specific practicing both psychotherapy and the monastic understanding and use of the word “spirit” we life and shares what he has come to understand are speaking here of a realm beyond name and and ideas of where integrating these two can form, deeper than all manifestations and phe- lead—finding our truest selves while embracing, nomena, the source of all name and form, mani- joyfully, the God within. festation and phenomena. Michael Mullard, also a psychotherapist, explains Second, the soul, the realm of the psyche, acts as the relationship between a type of psycho-spiritual a bridge between the realm of the physical and process and the Benedictine tradition of Lectio the spiritual. We want it to be a clear bridge, a Divina. Michael shares how this approach is inclu- conduit. In order for it to be that, the realm sive of body and mind healing with a heavy dose of the psyche may need some doctoring along of sacred scripture to mend the Spirit as well. the way. As a matter of fact, most spiritual We reached out to our community of monks and practitioners discover that they do need some oblates by asking a few questions related to this help at some point in the spiritual journey. I topic. The answers we received are heartfelt and often think of my own psyche as a dark jungle: thoughtful. I may need someone to go in there with me, perhaps with a machete and a headlamp, and David Hallowell takes us on a journey through help me make my way through it. Just as we the lives of Viktor Frankl and Bernard Lonergan and have perennially relied on philosophy as a sister their deep and rich impact on his own spiritual path discipline to theology, what we have come to to becoming Catholic and an understand, appreciate and articulate since the oblate. Andrea Seitz thought- birth of the psychological sciences in the 20th fully explains the impact that century is that, at its best, psychology is the spiritual direction has had in companion par excellence of spirituality, her life and the importance especially on the inner journey of contem- of this companionship on her plative prayer and meditation. spiritual journey.

Third, the way of meditation, in this We hope that the understanding, is keen not to get wisdom found in caught in any of these layers these articles of consciousness but to go and essays directly to the spirit—our inspires you spirit—in hope of an encounter to be ever with the Spirit. Only then do we mindful of your return to the soul—and the body— holistic self, to with the light and energy of Spirit nurture and nourish each that brings both of those realms to aspect lovingly and to let their fullness and fruition. each be a reminder of God’s image in In these pages we pay homage to whom you are the holistic. Br. Bede Healey’s created. wonderful essay on the integration

contemplation.com ~ 3 From Vienna to New Camaldoli: An person was, and the phrase Ebenbild Gottes is reverberating off the aged yellow paper with the resonance of a ringing Oblate’s Journey to Integral prayer gong. This clue is BIG. Spirituality Two thousand years ago in a Palestinian Roman outpost, David Hallowell, Oblate OSB Cam a Jewish carpenter posed one of history’s most important questions: “Who do you say I am?” All of history (and the Europe, 1939. Imagine your family is targeted by the future!) pivots on that Christ-seed understanding, and government because of your ancestry. You begin to have even we among Jesus’ own followers continue to struggle to identify yourself publicly based on a politically motivated to unpack its full profound significance. As I pondered the construction of who your relatives were. Your rights begin horrors of the Nazi murder machine, I wondered about the to erode. With time, neighbors begin to disappear, their related question of who we are, as human persons. I tried belongings plundered by unscrupulous neighbors and to consider these questions separately, but everywhere I government officials. You lose your unborn child to a state- turned I could only find a weak sentimental preference for mandated abortion. Finally, your family is deported. Your our own species. I wanted deeper answers that matched parents and brother perish, you do not know what the depth of tragedy and loss carved into Europe under happened to your spouse. Four years later, emerging the Nazi ruin. from one of the concentration camps of Eastern Europe, you learn your spouse fell victim to a gas chamber in Auschwitz. Millions perished. You did not. Now, live the rest of your life.

Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, Poland

Frankl had a strong instinct for the importance of Exhibit of children who perished during the Holocaust at Yad Vashem, anthropological questions, even in his pre-war writings. the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, Jerusalem He summarizes his anthropological axioms in ten theses, which the 1950 interview discusses. The tenth thesis Viennese psychiatrist Viktor Frankl had to live out such a asserts: “In the end, the person is only comprehensible in test for five decades. In hindsight, he passed admirably. the context of transcendence. The human person is only The U.S. Library of Congress crowned his book, Man’s to be understood as an image-bearer of God [my best Search for Meaning, one of the top-ten important books effort at translating Ebenbild Gottes], only to be inter- of the twentieth century. He remarried an exceptional preted via the Supra-Personality. And he or she is only Catholic woman, Elly Frankl, and their marriage produced able to become what one should be by the grace of the a child, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Frankl Supra-Personality. The human person is discovered in rescued many thousands of patients and readers from the the imitation of God.” Frankl’s approach here is rational brink of suicide. His books remain in print, continuing to rather than strictly empirical. He triangulates his training in demonstrate both intellectually and historically that life is philosophy, theology, psychology, and neurology (he was a worth living even in the face of the most extreme forms medical doctor at the cutting edge of neurological medi- of loss. cine in his day) to arrive at this understanding. For him, the empirical justification comes in living out one’s worldview. Spring 2005. I’m standing in Viktor Frankl’s personal library Rather than our asking what the meaning of life is, life is in his apartment in Vienna. Elly and Professor Alexander always asking us what meaning we will give it. My Fulbright Batthyany have been showing me around Frankl’s private year is spent contemplating these notions, and I abandon archives for months now, turning my Fulbright year into psychology for philosophy on my journey. a dream opportunity. I notice I am experiencing a state of thrill as I hold a 1950 Austrian newspaper article in my December 2008. Father Flanagan sits at my right, a twin- hand. Dr. Alex and I have been working out the details and kling gleam of higher country in his 82-year-old eyes. He nuances of what Frankl’s anthropological notion of the recounts the first time he retrieved famed philosopher 4 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage Bernard Lonergan from the airport to begin his tenure at Spirituality and Psychology Boston College. Lonergan tells Flanagan he’s been reading Viktor Frankl on the flight out. Lonergan goes on to refer- Br. Bede Healey, OSB Cam ence Frankl in his second masterwork, Method in Theology. Lonergan reflects, “Finally, and most significant from a -ba For the past 45 years, which is to say most of my adult sic viewpoint, there is the existential approach that thinks and monastic life, I have been intrigued with exploring the of the dream, not as the twilight of life, but as its dawn, the relationship, the interconnection between psychology and beginning of the transition from impersonal existence to spirituality. This journey has taken me through decades of presence in the world, to constitution of one’s self in one’s study, my own personal psychotherapy and psychoanalysis world.” and spiritual direction, and my clinical and spiritual work with others. I have taught, presented, discussed, and written Easter 2010. Lonergan’s critical realist understanding of about various aspects of this area. I still do—in a way this history and philosophy has given me the framework I was consumes me. Why? searching for in Vienna. Lonergan builds a metaphysics that is faithful to the Church’s sacramental understanding Perhaps because I pursued this not as an intellectual of the universe but is built on an anthropological under- exercise, but as a way to know myself, and God, ever standing of understanding. To be a knower in a universe more deeply, ever more fully. From this came the desire of other knowers invites one into self-reflection and self- to work with and for others, so that they too could be ever appropriation. As one becomes reflective on one’s own more real, free, and alive. I have come to deeply know and acts of knowing, a universe of being unfolds before the believe in my heart that the bringing together of these knower. It is with this framework that I enter the Roman dimensions of human experience enriches us far beyond Catholic Church at the Mission Basilica in San Juan Capist- what either offers on its own. In both the psychological rano, embarking on a sacramental experience of being in and spiritual dimensions of our lives there is an energy, the world that will eventually lead me to New Camaldoli. an urging toward something beyond, something that is simultaneously drawing us more deeply inward and July 2017. After three years of postulancy, I profess my vow impels us to extend ourselves further outward. to become an oblate at New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur. Flowing out of the monastic life of the Hermitage, there is a mandalic rhythm of form and freedom along one dimension (St. Benedict), and solitude and community along another (St. Romuald). At the intersection of these dimensions subsists a potent ground for contemplation and integration. As we approach our daily moments with the One, we find our hearts joining in praise with the Pueblo Peak, New Mexico community, seeing the Raised Catholic and taught by Dominican sisters, I was face of God in ourselves and in our imbued not just with the Church teachings and devotional neighbors so that all is His and practices of those days just prior to and during the begin- nothing else remains: ning of the Second Vatican Council. Rather I came to know these skilled teachers as persons, and, as I maintained Praise the Cre\a-tor’s Wisdom contact with a number of them for many years after my the image of God’s / glory time in school, I saw them in their own process of growth the Word that was \ made in-carnate and change. They, and others, helped me to come to know by the power of the Ho\ly Spirit. that Catholicism was not just a set of required beliefs, but a living and vital way of being, of being connected to God and others. This was followed by over 35 years of monastic David Hallowell is a nature-loving Roman Catholic husband living, most of it as a Camaldolese monk. The depth and and father, and an oblate of New Camaldoli Hermitage. He is a richness of the life, with its many trials as well, has only philosopher, an educator by training, recently earning his PhD, confirmed for me that the Christian spiritual life is above and a UX researcher at Google by trade. His joy is in making all relational, as well as being an ongoing process. beautiful things inspired by the Maker’s love.

contemplation.com ~ 5 Pursuing graduate and postgraduate studies in psychology It makes sense that we start this process with the question— led me to anchor myself in the psychoanalytic tradition, Who am I? Indeed, this question has perennial value, as we with its attention to drives, to both conscious and uncon- grow and change. But there is more. We must consider— scious processes, and to the way our thoughts, emotions, Whose are we? With whom are we connected, whom do and behaviors are influenced by our earliest experiences. we love, whom are we a part of in an essential way, with I was particularly drawn to the British Object Relations whom have we cast our lot? And also, who are we for? For school of thought. Having its beginning in the middle of whom do we pour ourselves out, sacrifice for, support, the last century, and continuing to flourish today, this ap- and encourage? For whom do we choose to live lives of proach places its emphasis on the crucial importance of compassionate action? our earliest relationships, and the unfolding of our capacity to relate with others. Indeed, it is the need for relationship These questions apply to our human relations, certainly, that is central to human growth and development, rather but also to our spiritual relations—to our relationship with than managing our sexual and aggressive drives. This was God, who manifests in so many ways. Bringing these areas a significant departure from Freud’s original ideas, and this together helps us focus on the present, not just on some approach has continued to develop in this direction. far-off possibility of reward or punishment. Consider these words: Donald Winnicott, one of the early theorists in this area, has been especially formative in my understanding and Once the next life - the better life, the fuller life - work. He worked extensively with mothers and infants and has to be in this one, we have a considerable task applied psychoanalytic concepts to normal development. on our hands. Now someone is asking us not only Widely recognized as a pioneer both in his lifetime and to survive but to flourish, not simply or solely to be after, his ideas continue to stimulate current analytic good but to make the most of our lives. It is a quite thinkers, particularly with his emphasis on creativity and different kind of demand. aliveness. For him, this is our due, our birthright. This –Adam­ Phillips, Missing Out: In Praise of the Unlived Life approach’s emphasis on relationships, its deep respect for the inner processes of the human person, and its strong developmental arc towards wholeness make it especially congenial to the living Christian spiritual tradition which is above all relational.

Spirituality is a way of being and living; psychological process can inhibit or nurture this. As just one example of this, consid- er these words from a contemporary psychoanalytic theorist:

We are too much for ourselves—in our hungers and our desires, in our griefs and our commit- ments, in our loves and our hates—because we are unable to include so much of what we feel in the picture we have of ourselves.The whole idea of our- selves as excessive exposes how determined we are to have the wrong picture of what we are like, Labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral, Chartres, France of how fanatically ignorant we are about ourselves. –Adam Phillips And then these:

Phillips highlights an issue common to all of us. In effect, The glory of the Lord is the human person, fully alive. he is saying that we are so much more than we know, and –Saint Irenaeus in so many ways, and for any number of reasons, we fear knowing more about ourselves. Our working through of Almost 20 centuries separate these writers. Yet we can this crucial psychological issue will help us accept and relate see essential similarity in their points of view. Our life, now, to God, who sees all of us, the whole picture, and loves us here, is the one we are to live, fully and freely. unconditionally. Then our sense of our self can expand and become richer. How then, can psychology support our becoming fully alive? Returning to Winnicott, he identified six capacities So then, it appears that we, all of us, are engaged in the that he thought were central to full human development. process of “coming to know…” Coming to know what? Since the developmental process is uneven for each Ultimately, we are coming to know ourselves, others, and person, depending on temperament, character, and early God, and the intricate inter-relationships among these experiences, as well as the later ongoing experiences of people, and the thoughts, feelings and experiences living, some of these capacities will inevitably be more or less associated with them. developed. I list them here with a brief explanation of each.

6 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage The capacity to be alone. To be alone in the presence of us beyond ourselves, and can lead to a greater understand- others. It is the overcoming of loneliness and the experi- ing of the meaning inherent in our lives and in the world at encing of solitude without fleeing into false relationships. large. It is the antidote to the malaise that author Robert Indeed, a well-developed capacity to be alone allows para- Coles describes as the problem of today - that people no doxically for the rich development of deep relationships. longer believe in anyone or anything for any length of time.

During the international gathering of formation directors for the Benedictine Camaldolese congregation that took place in the late 1990s, Bruno Barnhart, the first American Prior and longtime formation director of New Camaldoli Hermitage, gave a presentation on new approaches to formation. Although written for a monastic audience, they have broad applicability to the spiritual life in general, and I have adapted his thoughts to the area of spiritual growth in general.

v Instead of looking at assisting others in their spiritual growth primarily through the imparting of knowledge, the focus needs to be increasing deep consciousness, Mount Sinai, Egypt initiating individuals into the experience of spiritual living. v Instead of being knowledge-based it should be The capacity for [human] object usage. The ability to wisdom-based. discover others for who they are, allowing others to define themselves rather than our defining them to meet our v Rather than imagining that those who are instructing needs. We come to know them by interacting with them. are the only ones full of wisdom, acknowledge that everyone has their own wisdom as well as ignorance The capacity to play. In our context, we can think of this and encourage the mutual experiencing and sharing as entering into an intermediate area of experiences, the of both. space between oneself and another. This intermediate area v Acknowledging tradition and antiquity, there needs is called the potential or transitional space - it is a psychic to be an additional emphasis on newness and prophetic space, neither controlled by one individual or the other. It experience for today. is a place of engagement, authentic play, and creativity, and v While acknowledging fullness, there should be a especially from our perspective, it is where we encounter God. simultaneous emphasis on emptiness. v Finally, although logical foundation is important, The capacity to believe. The ability to be trusting and Christian spiritual initiation must rest on experience, loving, to be able to engage the world confidently with especially contemplative experience. one’s complete being: body, mind and spirit. Here Bruno highlights a new vision for addressing spiritual The capacity to imagine. The ability to address realities growth, a movement from an intellectual, content-based that are neither purely subjective nor purely objective, but approach to one of a shared, living, experiential approach. transitional or changeable. Imagining allows the explora- The bringing together of these two strands is my current work. tion of a different level of reality or perhaps we should say potential reality. This is essential for health and creativity. Where will this all lead? There is no certainty, only infer- ences, possibilities, potentialities. Perhaps the manifesting Finally, the capacity for concern. The ability to integrate of the mutual intertwining of the strands of spirituality and our constructive and destructive potentials, the resolution psychology can be seen as resulting in: of which allows for deep caring and understanding, as well as accepting true responsibility without excessive concern, v a life wherein we have progressed and continue to or the opposite, disdain for others. progress in our capacity to be fully open to God and others; Our ongoing psychological development, our inner work if you will, is the addressing of our arrests and limits associated v where we search for and continue to find the rich- with these capacities. It is not difficult to see the spiritual ness that is our truest self, joyfully embracing it as implications for these psychological constructs. Just two the vital center of God within us; examples: The capacity for concern leads to our increased v where we use our ability to attend to our inner and empathic connection with others and fosters the develop- outer worlds; and perhaps most importantly, where ment of compassion. To have the capacity to believe allows we grow in our capacity to enter that transitional for “what if” experiences and the consideration of what space that is both everywhere and nowhere, where might be possible, and leads to the ability to be open to we can playfully engage with God in the re-creation encounters about which we know little, but seem to draw of who we are and ultimately, who we will become.

contemplation.com ~ 7 Focusing-Oriented Lectio Divina as a After some minutes of interaction, a deeper meaning will usually arise. It is often a memory, an image, an intuition, Way to God’s Wisdom Through the Body another word, or perhaps another body sensation. Without Michael Mullard, Oblate OSB Cam trying to change or fix anything, the reader takes time to stay with the new meaning, and looks at it with loving eyes Focusing-Oriented Lectio Divina is a wholly new construct of compassion if the experience becomes difficult. that uses a body-oriented way of knowing to enter more intimately into the scriptural text. It combines Focusing, a It is important to stay with the body sensation, image, psychotherapy process first described by Eugene Gendlin memory, or other phenomenon for some time while in 1978, and Lectio Divina, a defining component of continuing to chew on the word or phrase to see if any Benedictine spirituality, which began with the Egyptian new meanings, associations, images, or memories arise. Desert Mothers and Fathers of the 4th Century. If new links arise, the reader can follow these as the Holy Spirit leads them. Sometimes the links will take us far away Through clinical research in the 1950s, Gendlin, who was from the meaning of the Scripture passage, especially if researching the process of “change” in psychotherapy something from our history arises. But it is important to along with Carl Rogers, discovered the “felt-sensing” stay with the body felt-sense for some time to allow the phenomenon. The felt-sense expresses a body-awareness meanings to unfold. of “meaning-filled body connections.” Felt-sensing was seen to be a precursor to effective change and growth in psychotherapy. Patients who were able to articulate a felt-sense of their own internal physiological metaphors were seen to be more likely to have a positive therapeutic outcome. For example, if a patient was able to articulate the emotion of anger, then by staying with that felt-sense of anger in their body, this felt-sense might reveal something deeper, like: “Oh, it’s not anger, it’s feeling trapped and helpless.”

Gendlin’s Focusing process was expanded into the transpersonal realm by Ed McMahon and Peter Campbell, two Jesuit priests, who recognized the potential of the process to deepen one’s interior awareness of God’s presence and to lead to deeper conversion. They renamed the process BioSpiritual Focusing.

The Four Steps of BioSpiritual Focusing in Lectio Divina

Lectio Phase: The reader first enters into the silence of God’s loving presence by moving their awareness to the center of their body for a few minutes, noticing how they are feeling. Then the reader begins the slow, gentle read- ing process of Lectio while looking for a word or phrase that stands out for them. It is important to clarify here that the word or phrase stands out for a specific reason: there is something in our unconscious that wants our attention! God is perhaps asking us to pay attention to this word or phrase because there is deeper meaning to be found therein.

Meditatio Phase: When the reader finds a word or phrase that is asking for attention, then he or she begins the Long Ridge Open Space Preserve Meditatio phase by asking where and how in the body they feel the impact of it. Once having noted a place, the reader While normally in Lectio Divina, the scripture passage be- begins to ponder the word or phrase, while remaining comes the focus point, with the addition of the felt-sense, co-focused on the body sensation, allowing the necessary a new and deeper dimension of awareness is revealed silence to enter deeply within the experience and integrate through the body’s own wisdom, thus balancing body- the body felt-sense with the phrase. mind awareness, and integrating them.

8 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage Oratio Phase: After exploring all of the body felt-senses Increased Healing through Accessing Unprocessed that arose from the word or phrase, one can take whatever Body Memories is on one’s heart to God in prayer. Often with the addition A female participant from the spiritual direction supervision of the BioSpiritual Focusing process, spontaneous prayers group was drawn to the word “death” in the Gospel seem to rise like fountains from the unconscious depths passage. When she paid attention to this word and allowed because new and deeper levels of awareness have been the wisdom of her body to speak to her, she realized that it reached. One offers these spontaneous prayers to God was bringing up feelings of loss over her husband who had until one empties one’s heart fully. passed away about ten years before.

This participant thought that she had grieved the loss of her husband, and was surprised when these feelings came up. She reported that the BioSpiritual Focusing process and Lectio Divina provided the necessary container to help her feel safe in processing the feelings. She was able to take these feelings to prayer during the Oratio phase, thus further containing her feelings and allowing herself to pour out her sadness to God, furthering her movement toward healing and wholeness in light of her husband’s death. During the Contemplatio phase, she sat in grateful silence for a wonderful marriage and felt these feelings of gratitude in her body in a very real way.

The Focusing-Oriented Lectio Divina process appears to La cripta dell’abate Epifanio, San Vincenzo al Volturno, Italy deepen the relationship with the God image that dwells at the core of the psyche, with different parts of the self that Contemplatio Phase: Here, one simply rests in the new are more or less integrated, and ultimately with others, as awarenesses that have arisen from the fruits of both the the personality becomes purified, matured, and healed. Meditatio and Oratio phases and remains aware of God’s Through an initial deepening of interiority, the spiritual presence in whatever way God speaks. seeker comes into contact both with the God image and parts of themselves that may not be fully conscious. The Focusing-Oriented Lectio Divina has been utilized in four Focusing-Oriented Lectio Divina process seems to allow different group settings with approximately 50 people. It the scriptural text to touch the participant both somatically was used during a Camaldolese Oblate Retreat Day, twice and spiritually at a deep level, and perhaps accelerates the with the author’s on-going spiritual growth group and with spiritual growth process by allowing the Wisdom of the members of a spiritual direction supervision group. The Body to be heard. Thus Focusing-Oriented Lectio Divina responses from participants provided interesting results. becomes a holistic way to pray. Perhaps you can spend some time with the process to see if it works for you. Deeper Understanding of Scripture All of the participants stated that the Lectio Divina process was significantly enhanced by the addition of BioSpiritual Focusing. They reported new and deeper understandings of the scriptural passage and how it related to their lives. One male participant stated that it was “groundbreaking and revolutionary.” All members reported that the process was able to bring more of their own unconscious material to bear on the reading.

Deepening of Relationships with God, Self, and Others One male participant stated that the process led him to a deeper understanding of his interpersonal relationships and how to live those out in more intimate ways. He felt that the Holy Spirit, through the Gospel passage, was tell- ing him to not “turn his back” on some people in his life. This notion was related to a specific phrase in the Gospel Long Ridge Open Space Preserve that drew his attention. When turning inward toward his body, and focusing on his own back, which seemed to ask Michael Mullard is a licensed psychotherapist living and working for his attention, the participant reported that he had an in Orange County, CA. He has been hanging out with Benedictines insight about how inappropriately he was treating other since 1980 and found his way to New Camaldoli for the first time people in his life. His body felt-sense led him to a deeper in 1999. He knew that he had found his home. He professed final awareness of his own need for conversion. Oblation in November 2004.

contemplation.com ~ 9 Voices from the Community

What are the biggest mistakes people make when first setting out on an integral spiritual journey?

I’m not certain this is the “biggest mistake” but it is certainly an illusion we discover interiorly as we move through the contemplative spiritual journey. This misunderstanding, mistake, which I believe is very common to human ego development has to do with how we view this contemplative journey. As on any journey, we must embark; we must do something. Our ego development tells us “we can do it!” This is the first “mistake.” It is not “us” that does it, it is God doing it within us, interiorly. After all, it is the Divine nudging us to the contemplative path, not our ego. In our Brief Rule, Saint Romuald states it well, “Sit in your cell... put the whole world behind you... realize that you are in God’s presence... empty yourself completely... content with God’s gift... sit waiting...” Re-read these words. Ponder them. Romuald is correct. Sit, empty, wait. We can do nothing special but make ourselves available for God’s grace to create interiorly. Mid-twentieth century’s spiritual giant, Thomas Merton, says it perfectly, “...we should not look for a ‘method’ or ‘system,’ but cultivate an ‘attitude,’ an ‘outlook:’ faith, openness, attention, reverence, expectation, supplication, trust, joy” (The Climate Of Monastic Prayer, 1969, p. 49). By placing our body in the proper quiet space and our mind focused on our heart, our spirit will rest and wait to hear the Divine within.

Duncan Macaulay, Oblate OSB Cam How do you find balance in your appropriation of the Rule?

What are my top three sapiential principles or I grew up Episcopalian, and Anglicanism from its practices that help me develop in a holistic, medieval “Benedictine centuries” has always been integral fashion? inclined to the middle way, that is the via media between excess and minimization. (See Esther de Daily practice to sustain integral spirituality following Waal’s splendid Seeking God: the Way of St. Benedict.) So sapiential principles can be a challenge while living in a I believe that I was early on appropriated by the Rule world with schedules, demands, and due dates. How- in this regard. And becoming a Camaldolese Benedictine ever, over time, I have learned how to include a mind- has certainly strengthened and affirmed these values, ful, contemplative practice to remain Christocentric and as would, we hope, Camaldolese Benedictine oblation. present in God. When I am neglecting my body, mind, Prayer, but also work, according to one’s own calling, in and soul or lose track because the external world has a balance so that prayer deepens and spiritualizes work pulled me into the rabbit hole, I become stressed, ill, and one’s work renders concrete and expresses one’s or sometimes suffer a mild physical injury, exacerbated prayer. Then we are all invited to balance by the by an aging body. During these setbacks, I feel called Camaldolese “threefold good” of community, solitude, to reflect in deep meditation and prayer. Here I am and outreach beyond one’s own community and invited to experience the mystery of God in daily life. solitude. We see this same threefold good in Jesus’ In so doing, I sense a transcendence from the very life, with his community formation in his holy family, concrete to the non-duality of my senses. When I am in and then creating his adult community of apostles and this unitive state, I hear the ocean, birds, and even the disciples, but with his regular retirement into solitude breeze through the leaves. There is unity with God. and prayer. Then we see his outreach, to centurions, Samaritans, and also to Pharisees, etc. Our seeking Elbina Rafizadeh, Oblate OSB Cam balance always wants to be Christ-centered.

Fr. Robert Hale, OSB, Cam

10 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage Voices from the Community

What does “living an integrated life” look like in a When you notice you are becoming undisciplined monastic context? in your attempts to walk the integral pathway, what do you do to get back on track? There is a great deal of an integrated life already built into the daily round and common task of the monastic Returning from a silent retreat I was touched in a very day: prayer, work, study, community/relationships. I deep and special way. find we always need to be conscious and intentional though about the elements that are not usually thought I wasn’t to know or understand what had happened. of as part of our spirituality, but ought to be, in a more But I knew the Holy Spirit had been planted deep evolved way of thinking. For instance, I think of care of inside of me. I had been given these new words, a new the body through the discipline of a healthy diet and mantra: “be the breath I breathe.” exercise is absolutely essential for a holistic approach to spirituality. We sometimes refer to this as the “new I retired from my church ministry and in doing so, my asceticism.” As well there is cultivation of soul through need to return to the Hermitage as often as I had for the arts and learning, and regular spiritual direction spiritual direction, quiet, prayer, and community and perhaps even some kind of therapy for psycho- lessened. I was beginning to slip away from the rock. sexual emotional development. Another additional I tried to go to Mass as often as I could, and pray my element, really brought to the fore by our present morning and evening prayers. But these were slip- pope, is examining and being intentional about our ping away. With my move to Texas, leaving relationship with creation, Sister Earth our Mother. In and my Hermitage on the hill, I stopped my praying, a truly integral model there is almost nothing that is stopped seeking. not or could be not seen as part and parcel of our spiritual practice. Then at some point I found that a deep longing was coming forth in me. As Andre Louf said, “it was as if the Prior Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam rock had been struck and water poured forth.” I haven’t fully returned to my prayer life, but I continue to use my mantra. That deep longing which was planted so long ago was awakening. There may be a new community, What are the biggest mistakes people make but “be the breath I breathe” never left me. All these when first setting out on an integral spiritual years later I am beginning to understand. journey? The Hermitage will always be part of my life, my rock. I think one of the mistakes people beginning a contem- plative journey can make is what is sometimes called Marydith Chase, Oblate OSB Cam “spiritual bypassing.” My own entry into contemplative practice was through Zen Buddhist meditation. Because Zen so strongly emphasizes letting go of the intellect, imagination, memory, and emotions during spiritual practice, or at least detaching from and ob- serving them, I developed the habit of preferring this detachment over pursuing growth and creative expres- sion through these vital aspects of my inner life. Since returning to Christian faith, I have learned, especially through the practice of Lectio Divina, to re-integrate the intellect, imagination, memory, and emotions into contemplative practice in an organic way. Still, since popular practices like Centering Prayer and Christian mantra meditation operate on the same principle of detachment as Zen, Christians who are drawn to these practices can be vulnerable to bypassing the mind and psyche in pursuit of spiritual development.

Julian Washio-Collette, Oblate OSB Cam contemplation.com ~ 11 OBLATES An Appreciation of Spiritual Direction Andrea Seitz, Oblate OSB Cam

My first experience with spiritual direction occurred about 18 years ago at New Camaldoli Hermitage. I had heard the term before but knew little about it other than that monks and other vowed religious people often utilized spiritual directors. When I registered for my stay I was surprised when Fr. Isaiah asked if I would like to receive spiritual direction. I immediately answered “Yes,” and my appoint- ment was set for the following day.

At that time in my life I was in a great deal of turmoil. I had left a well-paying professional job in complete burn-out and had been teaching part-time at Cal State Monterey. I had spent two years recovering from the stress and over- work and began seriously to consider what should come Contemplation: The Body and the next. I wanted to make good choices and to discern God’s will for my life but the question kept me going in circles. Natural World When I met with my first spiritual director, Brother Bede, Helena Chan, Oblate OSB Cam I immediately felt his warmth and regard for me as a person. Feeling immediately at ease I began a rushed Full chapel, heat wave, cool air – from Incarnation, New recitation of what had happened to me over the past few Camaldoli, and Monastery of the Risen Christ, monks, years. My feelings of confusion and anxiety spilled out. friends, and oblates traveled to St. Francis Retreat Center During this session, Br. Bede asked challenging questions for spiritually refreshing renewal and fellowship. that provoked me to ponder the answers. As I answered I began to feel calmer and even sensed small stirrings of This year’s theme was Contemplation: The Body and the joy. A question was, “Is there something you have wanted Natural World. Vocalist Gitanjali Lori Rivera and pianist Art to do that has been lingering in your mind for a long time?” Alm soulfully moved us with their original music, like this In my excitement I said, “I’ve always wanted to be a psycho- powerful, mysterious chant from St. Romuald’s brief rule: therapist” and explained how I had diverged from the path of that plan. Empty yourself of yourself Sit and wait Our session ended but Br. Bede’s questions stayed with Content with the grace of God me. I soon realized that in that one session the roadblock Empty yourself of yourself that had kept me stuck for over a year had been cleared. More importantly I had found a new perspective on God. Fr. Michael Fish taught us that the Celts had a sense of Through continued prayer and spiritual direction my new two scriptures: the first of the mountains, seas, creation, sense, that I didn’t have to live in questioning confusion, birds, and bees, and the second of the Bible. Our human was confirmed. I could let my soul soar knowing that God’s nature—body, imagination, and emotion—are part of this will was in​ ​my desires and that my delights were His as well. first scripture. We were challenged to try Lectio Divina with nature by listening to the body, just as we would do Lectio I did go on to become a therapist and it has been a great Divina in ruminating on the word in the Bible. joy as I expected. Now I feel God is leading me to become a spiritual director, and I’ve been in training for the past year. Rev. Deborah Streeter sparked in us the wonder of discovery I’ve learned how to be with someone in intimate conversa- by connecting science and faith in blue theology—the ocean tion in the presence of the Holy Spirit. The greatest privilege teaching us about God. Ocean spirituality is prayer and of my new work of spiritual direction is helping people call pilgrimage, walking with Jesus by the sea, and ocean forth fullness of life as they become more attentive to God’s stewardship is action to take care of God’s creation. We sang great love and desire for their growth and freedom. blue theology with these words:

Jesus did not expect us to live our lives alone. In sending out Ocean is a call to worship every morning evening, the disciples two by two he implicitly affirmed the need for In its rising falling hear the Spirit breathing. spiritual friends and yes, directors.​ When we avail ourselves of the skilled and loving ministry of a spiritual director, we Paula Huston and Michael Mullard revealed the fruit of demonstrate that we understand His desire to guide us and oblate writers, “Living by the Rules: A Guide to Camaldolese speak to us through our brothers and sisters in the faith. Oblate Life” as a resource for current oblates and postulants. Prior Cyprian expressed his desire that these retreats be a Andrea Seitz is a Marriage and Family Therapist living in Aptos, time of yearly formation for oblates and friends. California. She has been an Oblate for 13 years and is an Oblate Mentor. She is currently offering spiritual direction under super We hope to see you the weekend after July 4th next year at vision and is looking forward to expanding her experience. St. Francis! 12 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage Taste and See That the Lord Is Good Preached Retreats Fall 2018 Vickie Conte October 26–27 Here at the Hermitage, we literally get to taste the sweet, Fr. Andrew Colnaghi, OSB Cam; Fr. Arthur Poulin, OSB Cam; pure honey that flows from the land and see it is truly and Antoinette Betschart, Oblate OSB Cam liquid gold. (Incarnation Monastery)

The Spring of 2015 witnessed the humble beginnings of Transformation in a Polarized World our first apiary with three hives located in Therese’s Secret In our polarized, fragmented world, transformation of Garden filled with lavenders and rosemary. In 2016, our individuals, communities and nations would seem to be friend Scott Otterness funded six additional hives along of critical importance. Do fragmentation and polarization with bee suits and necessary equipment. inhibit or might they promote our evolving transformation into the image and likeness of God? This retreat will draw Beekeeping is not a upon scripture, tradition and the experience of retreatants new thing for monas- to enhance our awareness of the diverse and creative ways tic communities; it is in which God brings about continuing transformation in actually a part of the humankind and all of Creation. history of the found- ing monks of New November 16–17 Camaldoli. There’s Br. Bede Healey, OSB Cam, and Paula Huston, Oblate an old archive photo OSB Cam that shows one of (New Camaldoli Hermitage) the original monks in a beekeeper role. Lectio Divina in Today’s Spiritual Journey Apparently, he kept Sacred reading, holy reading, close reading – how do we Buckfast honeybees, bring together our understanding of the human capacity to a variety of honey- read and understand with the mysterious spiritual core of bee bred by Brother ourselves? But the monastic practice of Lectio Divina, truly Adam at Buckfast a charism of the church, continues to expand and utilize Abbey in Devon, cultural changes and human knowledge to bring us closer England in 1919. The to ourselves and to God. current Beekeeper chose Italian honeybees to honor the Italian roots of New November 30–December 1 Camaldoli. Plus, these bees have a gentle nature and good Br. Bede Healey, OSB Cam, and Dr. Andrew Mitchell, PhD foraging and honey storage abilities. (New Camaldoli Hermitage)

With each passing year of having hives on the property, we Can the Many Become One? have seen an increase in fruit production from many of our The philosopher and psychologist William James described aging fruit trees. We like to believe it is due to the increases the human condition as one of “torn-to-pieces-hood,” his in pollination by our beloved bees. This Beekeeper likes to trenchant translation of the German Zerrissenheit. We so believe it is because the bees are out kissing the flowers in often experience ourselves and the world as fractured, di- this great love affair with Nature that science calls pollination. vided, separate, unconnected, and alienating. During this retreat, we will draw from Christian monastic and contem- plative sources, Buddhist thought, psychoanalytic relational theory, neuroscience, and literature to explore a more unitive, real, and truly alive way of being, and what living this way can mean for ourselves, friends, family, society, and the world.

Br. Bede is a Camaldolese Benedictine monk and clinical psychologist. Dr. Mitchell, steeped in both Christian and Buddhist thought and traditions, is a clinical psychologist, clinical neuro-psychologist and also an author.

Visit www.contemplation.com for details about how to register.

contemplation.com ~ 13 Activities and Visitors

JUNE Fr. Raniero went to Rome (via Minneapolis and Baltimore) to participate in the diaconate ordination of Br. Ignatius at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls; we had our Financial Advisory Board meeting at Monastery of the Risen Christ; our weekend chef, Rachel Fann, along with our staff put on a magnificent banquet for the monastic community on the eve of St. Romuald’s Day, and we had a wonderful celebration the next day as well with our brothers from up and down the coast and several guests in attendance, and Bishop Emeritus Sylvester Ryan presided at Eucharist; Jim Brady offered two conferences on John Paul II’s “Theology of the The community gathered for a festive meal on the eve of St. Romuald’s Day. Body”; Fr. Zacchaeus visited with family in Texas; Br. Timothy spent some time with his community in Santa Barbara; Fr. Cyprian held a fundraising concert at Holy Cross Church in Santa Cruz. Fr. Cyprian did an event with our good friend the writer Pico Iyer at the Henry Miller Library entitled “Lovers of the Place,” it was an afternoon of music, readings, and conversation.

Fr. Cyprian in conversation with Holy Cross concert in Santa Cruz Pico Iyer

JULY We held our 6th Annual Camaldolese Retreat for Oblates and Friends at St. Francis Retreat Center in San Juan Bautista; Fr. Thomas co-led a workshop on film at ; our beloved Bishop Richard Garcia passed away suddenly; Thomas with our postulants Bryan and Doug attended the San Francisco Symphony’s concert of the music of Star Wars simultaneous with the showing of the film; Ignatius returned home having finished three years of theological education at the Beda College in Rome, living with our brothers at San Gregorio; we celebrated the 60th anniversary of our founding with a dinner for our benefactors (again prepared by Rachel), followed by an open house and concert by the renowned violinist Michelle Makarski the next day, with 200 guests in attendance.

14 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage Development What the Monks Are Reading

Jill Gisselere Br. Bryan: The Ladder of Monks by Guigo II; Catechism of the Catholic Church by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger Friends of the Hermitage, Fr. Cyprian: Incarnation by Diarmuid O’Murchu It’s been a summer full of joyful celebrations! At the end Br. Doug: The Imitation of Mary by Thomas Kempis; The of July, we happily welcomed 200 guests to celebrate the Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux 60th anniversary of the Hermitage. We enjoyed meeting with friends from our local community as well as a few Fr. Isaiah: The Fellowship: Literary Lives of the Inklings: J.R.R. from overseas. It was a wonderful day as we shared Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Charles Williamsby Carol Eucharist, lunch, and conversation with our beloved Zaleski and Philip Zaleski; The Abbey by James Martin community. The event ended with a beautiful concert in Fr. Robert: Joy Lasts: On the Spiritual in Art by Sister Wendy the chapel by world-renowned violinist Michelle Makarski. Beckett As we kick off our Capital Campaign it was especially nice Fr. Thomas: For the End of Time by Rebecca Rischin; to see so many people who have supported us over the The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes years and continue to do so. A special thank you to all who helped make this event so special, including all of the Br. Timothy: Evolutionaries by Carter Phipps; Sacred Fire Hermitage staff who helped make the event a success. by Ronald Rolheiser

Another wonderful event—construction on Highway One Staff Submissions is complete and it is now open from the south. Please Rich Veum: How to Change your Mind by Michael Pollan; come for a visit! The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida We also enjoyed a great turnout at our Annual Assembly Vickie Conte: The Man who Planted Trees by Jean Giono; and Retreat in San Juan Bautista in early July. A special Spiritual Necessity: Selected Poems of Frank Samperi thanks to the planning committee for their hard work in making this event a fantastic success. Next year’s retreat Julian Washio-Collette: Gandhi and Jesus: The Saving will take place July 5th–7th, so mark your calendars! Power of Nonviolence by Terrence Rynne; Christianity and Science: Toward a Theology of Nature by John Haught More news to celebrate, the vintage Ferrari donated by Garrick Davis finally sold after The triannual newsletter is published by the Camaldolese Hermits of America for our friends, oblates, and sponsors. being on the market for several months. The Director: Father Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam timing was perfect to Editor: Lisa Benner, Oblate OSB Cam fund a much-needed Associate editors: David Hallowell, Oblate OSB Cam, and new dump truck, which Philip McManus coincidently is Ferrari Design: Debi Lorenc Red. Our maintenance Development: Jill Gisselere department is extremely Photo credits: grateful for this gener- Debi Lorenc: Pages 2–11, 14 left column, 15 (Aldo) ous gift. Devin Kumar: Page 11 right column (Hermitage) Yvonne Rose: Page 12 and back cover (Fr. Robert) Please reach out to me anytime if you have any questions Vickie Conte: Page 13 left column and thank you for your continued support and prayers. Kayleigh Meyers: Page 13 (Br. Bede), back cover (Br. Gabriel) Jill Gisselere: Page 14 right column Kinson Ho: Page 14 right column (last two) Jordan Garrick: Page 15 (truck)

If you have questions or comments, please email [email protected]. Meet Aldo, a gift to Fr. Cyprian on New Camaldoli Hermitage his 60th birthday. 62475 Highway 1 Big Sur, CA 93920 Visit us at www.contemplation.com and “New Camaldoli Hermitage” on Facebook.

contemplation.com ~ 15 Br. Gabriel OSB Fr. Robert Hale OSB 1930 – 2018 1937 – 2018

Br. Gabriel Kirby was born in 1930, a Robert Hale was born in 1937 and entered native of Los Angeles. He professed New Camaldoli in April 1959. After solemn monastic vows in 1965 and was involved vows, he studied in Italy and was ordained in many and diverse jobs for the com- at Camaldoli in 1966 before coming back munity over his 53 years of monastic to the US to complete graduate studies at life. Gabriel may be best known for his St. John’s University (M.A.) and Fordham involvement in the Charismatic Renewal, University (Ph.D.). in whose circles he was known as “the dancing monk.” He was also a talented In 1975 along with Fr. Andrew Colnaghi, artist and photographer, and a great Robert founded Incarnation Priory in lover of music. Gabriel was 88 years old Berkeley, living in a dual community with when he passed away on July 18, 2018 the monks of the Episcopal Order of the after a long and courageous battle with Holy Cross. Fr. Robert taught in Italy and cancer and congestive heart failure. the US before being elected Prior of New Camaldoli in 1988; he served in that role through January 2000 and several years later became oblate chaplain. He briefly served a second term as Prior from January 2012 through June 2013.