Contemplative Trove: A Curated List of Spiritual Practice Opportunities

Photo credit: Sandy Reich

By Melanie P. Moore, et al.

Each month, we publish a listing of upcoming contemplative and spiritual opportunities recommended by folks here at The Abbey. Many of us have floundered around in the past looking for community and deep engagement with other pilgrims on the spiritual path. Here we share a curated list of what we are finding, hoping you might find some of it helpful on your journey. We’ve included a Comments section with each listing detailing what we as participants have liked. If you know of something coming up in March or April and would like to have it listed here, please email the information as shown below to [email protected] by February 18 to be included in the post at the beginning of February. Please note that all times are listed in Central Time.


February

Metanoia Journey’s Sunday In-Person Contemplative Gathering

Dates and Times: Sunday, Feb. 2, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 
Registration: Not required
Cost: Free
Frequency: Monthly
Duration: 1.5 hours
Format:  In person at The Seminary of the Southwest’s Christ Chapel 501 E 32nd St., Austin, TX 
Recording Available: N/A
Description: The format of this gathering will include 20 minutes of Centering Prayer, a scripture reading from the sacred texts, a “message” offered by the ministers or guest speakers, community communion, and contemplative music. We invite anyone who wants to participate in performing a role to let us know. Otherwise, just come, rest in God, and receive. 
This is a “contemplative service,” with 20 minutes of silent, meditative prayer. For those that attend that have not practiced Centering Prayer before, we have a copy of the brief Guidelines to practice the prayer available at the entry to the Chapel for people to follow along.
At this time, we do not have an area for children to gather separately or have a children’s ministry. Older children are certainly welcome if they can rest in silence during that time. 
Comments: This is an opportunity to connect with other contemplative practitioners in person in Austin. While these are primarily Christian contemplative services, all are welcome.

Awareness in Action: Meeting the World with Life-Giving Hands–Actualizing Unfaltering Engaged Practice in Our Time – “Climate” with Christina Figueres (from Upaya Zen Center)

Dates and Times: Sunday, Feb. 2, Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Registration: Open
Cost: Donation requested
Frequency: One-time
Duration: 1.5 hours
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: Join us in the continued commitment to social and environmental engagement and justice in this very complex time, to exploring the roots of structural violence in our social systems, and to engage in the world in a courageous way based on contemplative practice and views that actualize non-separateness, interbeing, equity, compassion, justice, integrity, courage, dignity, and unshakable awareness.
Stewarded by Roshi Joan Halifax, Sensei Kozan Palevsky, and Sensei Wendy Dainin Lau. The focus is on recognizing and ending violence in relation to addressing the roots of war/genocide, racism, climate suffering, economics of exploitation and extraction, othering, and our own delusion that we are separate from any being or thing.
Comments: We always like the programming from Upaya and especially enjoy programs led or stewarded by Roshi Joan Halifax. This session on Climate is especially compelling in our current moment.

Holy Silence: The Quaker Way – 2025 (from Spirituality & Practice)

Dates and Times: Monday, Feb. 3, – Friday, Feb. 28
Registration: Open
Cost: $69.95
Frequency: Self-paced with 12 lessons delivered by email
Duration: 1 month
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: Friends (as Quakers are formally known) have been honing their take on silence for more than 350 years. It’s a silence that invites us to an immediate and personal encounter with God. That’s because Quakers believe that when we are silent, then the Spirit of God grants us insights, guidance, and understanding of spiritual truth. This is not mysticism for mysticism’s sake. Quaker silence helps us know God’s will. Knowing what God wants helps us marry faith with daily life. Holy silence infuses us with God’s spirit and power so that we can live faithfully in the common ventures of life.
In this online retreat, you will have the opportunity to learn how to practice a silence deeper than words – one that is living, vital, and transforming. You will receive: 12 lessons delivered by email in which J. Brent Bill shares what Holy Silence is and offers tools for entering into it. These tools include practical advice and Quaker Queries — a unique form of asking non-directive questions for spiritual growth; mini-practices to be done during your day related to the themes of the emails; access to an online Practice Circle to discuss the teachings and practices with Brent Bill and others in the course; an invitation to join a one-hour Zoom gathering with Brent Bill on February 26 from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.

We invite you to explore the Quaker way of silence:

• A Sacramental Silence
• An Expectant Silence
• An Intimate Silence
• A Silence to Carry With Us
• Silence in a Non-Silent World
• A Time for Silence
• A Space for Silence
• The Silence of Self-Care
• A Refreshing Silence
• A Silence that Sifts
• A Silence that Corrects
• A Silence that Empowers
Comments: This looks like a very interesting topic. We think Spirituality & Practice programs are always well done and we like that you can always have access to the content afterwards via your emails or via the website.

Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living (from Eremos)

Dates and Times: Four groups with varied start dates (Feb. 3, 4, 5) and varied end dates (Feb. 24, 25, 26), and varied meeting times.
Registration: Open
Cost: $55 + book
Frequency: Weekly
Duration: 90 minutes per session
Format: Online (3 groups) and In Person (1 group, in Austin, TX)
Recording Available: Yes (online only)
Description: Join us for four weekly conversations as we explore the mystery and art of living with Krista Tippett. Learning from the wise people she introduces us to, you’ll also have a chance to be inspired by the wisdom of each other. Our invitation: take the wisdom that resonates with you, and let it lead you to more in your life…to a life well lived.
Comments: We enjoy the Eremos online offerings and this series–which participants can register for any or all weeks–this series is a wonderful opportunity to read Krista Tippett’s book or be introduced to Tippett, host of the podcast On Being.

Exploring Fr. Keating’s Cosmogonic Mysticism: An Extended Teaching with Cynthia Bourgeault (from Wisdom Waypoints)

Dates and Times: Tuesday, Feb. 4, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Registration: Open
Cost: $30
Frequency: One-time
Duration: 3 hours
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: Join Cynthia Bourgeault for a three-hour event, hosted by Wisdom Waypoints, as she delivers an extended teaching on Thomas Keating: The Making of a Modern Christian Mystic diving into Fr. Keating’s cosmogonic mysticism.
Cynthia will build on two keynote lectures she offered at the Centering Prayer Summit, Jan 25-26, looking at Fr. Keating’s growth and insights across the last decades of his life and then his final evolution through the “dark night of Self” into the fullness of Unity Consciousness.
During this spacious Wisdom Waypoints teaching session, Cynthia will explore Fr. Keating’s cosmogonic mysticism — or the questions of ultimate beginning; how did something emerge out of nothing? Working with Fr. Keating’s final poems from The Secret Embrace, Cynthia will unfold how Fr. Keating took “Christian mysticism to the very edge of the known universe,” while still maintaining its warm and personal essence. Far from a thought exercise for theologians, this is a deeply needed spiritual roadmap in today’s modern, interspiritual field as we journey with a Divine presence both infinite and intimate.
Comments: For those who want a “deep dive” into Fr. Keating’s mysticism this is a wonderful opportunity while still being accessible for those who want an introduction to Keating’s work. Bourgeault, a student of Keating’s, expands on her recent book about him. We are always eager to hear her teachings.

Hidden Lamp Study Group with Sensei Zenshin Florence Caplow (from Upaya Zen Center)

Dates and Times: Saturday, Feb. 8, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Registration: Open
Cost: Donation requested
Frequency: One time
Duration: 2 hours
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: Join Sensei Zenshin Florence Caplow, co-editor of The Hidden Lamp: Stories from Twenty Five Centuries of Awakened Women, for an online, donation-based interactive study group based on the book.
The session focuses on a story as a mirror for our lives and practice, through a deeper encounter, lectio divina writing (slow, meditative), group discussion, silence, and sharing.
Purchasing The Hidden Lamp may deepen your experience, but is not essential. Experience with Zen koans is also not expected.
Comments: We find this topic especially compelling for women in our current moment and Upaya always presents high-quality programs.

The Lover and The Beloved: A Spiritual Road Map for Modern Times (from Spirituality & Practice)

Dates and Times: Saturday, Feb. 8, 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Registration: Open
Cost: $55
Frequency: One-time event
Duration: 1.5 hours
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: Our speaker will be Murshida Salima Adelstein, M.Ed., D.D., who has over 35 years of experience helping individuals discover the transformative power of divine connection. She will explore the rich Sufi tradition of ancient wisdom teachings through the poetry of Rumi, Hafiz, and others to discover how a God-centered life inspires deeper purpose, joy, and fulfillment in daily living. Key teachings include Lover and Beloved, The Essence of a Direct Relationship with God, The Transformative Power of Divine Guidance, Sacred Connection, Overcoming Life’s Challenges Through Surrender, and Practical Tools for Strengthening Your Relationship with God.
Comments: This looks like a very interesting topic. We think Spirituality & Practice programs are always well done and we like that you can always have access to the content afterwards via your emails or via the website.

Calligraphy: Heart of the Brush (from Upaya Zen Center)

Dates and Times: Friday, Feb. 14 – Sunday, Feb. 16; see time schedule here.
Registration: Open
Cost: Donation requested
Frequency: One-time event
Duration: 1 Weekend (Fri. – Sun.)
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: Guided by renowned artist, calligrapher, and Dōgen scholar, Sensei Kazuaki Tanahashi, we are grateful to offer the much loved Calligraphy: Heart of the Brushprogram as part of the July Zen Circle, and as an individual weekend program.
The practice of calligraphy teaches us that anyone can be creative. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced calligrapher, any one of you can expand your creativity and enjoy making artwork. While practicing basic aesthetics and techniques of brushwork, we will notice our own imperfections and inner criticisms that usually keep us from fully enjoying each moment. Step by step, we will find ways to increase the degree of our enjoyment and serene excitement, which can be applied in everyday life.
Comments: The Upaya Zen Center is an internationally known center of training, education, and lay-person community with a variety of program offerings. Their instructors are experts in their fields yet provide accessible materials and presentations. Our experiences with Upaya programs have always been excellent.


Silence as Presence: A Silent Wisdom Retreat with Cynthia Bourgeault

Dates and Times: Thursday, Feb. 20 – Tuesday, Feb. 25
Registration: Open for Zoom; Waitlist available for in-person retreat
Cost: $250 (Zoom only)
Frequency: One-time event
Duration: 5 days
Format: In-person (waitlist) and Zoom
Recording Available: Usually, for a limited time for participants.
Description: In this Silent Wisdom Retreat, Cynthia Bourgeault will focus on what contemplation needs in order to mature to the next step where it is pointing, beyond a lifestyle that favors silence, toward a capacity to directly encounter silence as a presence. Drawing on the teachings from her new book, Thomas Keating: The Making of a Modern Christian Mystic, we will explore this capacity which Keating was talking about so much in the final five years of his life. We are invited to take contemplation beyond going quietly into the silence and emptying our minds to vaguely sense the presence of God for self-calming and self-righting. And instead to cultivate the capacity to encounter a more subtle communication in which we are directly face to face with the assistance we receive from the imaginal realm, from the Great Chain of Being. As we begin to taste for ourselves a whole sensation of silence as subtle presence, we can learn to become proficient navigating the streams and currents of the information that gets contained in these transformations.
ogether we will engage a daily rhythm with centering prayer or silent meditation, chanting, teaching, time to be in the desert, optional yoga, Lectio Divina, and Sacred Movements, all in the container of the Great Silence.
Comments: For anyone interested in a deep immersion, following the rhythms of a Bourgeault retreat (Centering Prayer, chanting, movements), this is a wonderful opportunity to participate online. This seems to be an accessible entry point for those who have not participated before, as well as a meaningful experience for those who are familiar with Bourgeault’s retreats. There is always a lot of teaching material provided and the recording is nice for participants to revisit portions or all of the material.

Haiku and Peotry Meeting This Very World: The Practice of Discovering and Writing (from Upaya Zen Center)

Dates and Times: Friday, Feb. 21 – Sunday, Feb. 23, see time schedule here.
Registration: Open
Cost: Donation requested
Frequency: One-time event
Duration: 1 Weekend (Fri. – Sun.)
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: Through the work of great poets, we come together to explore poetry as a spiritual practice, a teacher of impermanence, a guide to the present moment, as time itself, and as awakening. These sessions will explore writing haiku as a path of discovery. We will open ourselves to great haiku writers past and present and experience haiku as a gateway into the deep natural rhythms of life, death, and becoming. 
Reflecting on the beauty, tribulations, and complexity of the present day, we can relax without competition and be at ease. As we step out of the vortex of our speedy lives and meet the intimacy and connectedness of haiku, we open up to share, play, and learn.
Facilitated by With Roshi Joan Halifax, Sensei Kazuaki Tanahashi, Natalie Goldberg, and Jimmy Santiago Baca.
Comments: This is an incredible lineup of practitioners and poets! We think this would be an amazing experience based on our previous participation with several of these facilitators. The Upaya Zen Center is an internationally known center of training, education, and lay-person community with a variety of program offerings. Their instructors are experts in their fields yet provide accessible materials and presentations. Our experiences with Upaya programs have always been excellent.

A New Rhythm: Drumming Your Body, Mind, and Spirit into a New Groove with Suzy Turner (from Eremos)

Dates and Times: Feb. 22, 9:30 a.m. – Noon
Registration: Open
Cost: $55
Frequency: One-time event
Duration: 2.5 hours
Format: In Person at Abiding Love Lutheran Church, Activity Center, 7210 Brush Country Road, Austin, TX
Recording Available: N/A
Description: Are you ready to welcome in something, someone, or somewhere new? Are you eager to replace old ways of being in the world with a fresh perspective?
Sometimes we need to shake things up in order to allow something new in, to create a new rhythm to our days. Enter Suzy Turner and her drums.
Let Suzy’s inspiring, welcoming, and supportive approach open you to the rhythm of the drums, the power of co-creating with others, and the possibility of allowing the beat of the drum to move you into a new internal rhythm and way of being.
No experience with drumming is necessary. All drums are provided (you can bring your own if you prefer).  A playful attitude, sense of curiosity, and openess to co-create with others are appreciated. But even the biggest skeptic can be transformed by the rhythm of the drums!
Suzy Turner, founder of Soulshine Rhythm Experience, is known for her uplifting, warm, and inclusive approach.   An experienced facilitator, Suzy inspires participants of all ages in all different types of environments to relax, engage and connect through the universal language of rhythm.
A REMO-endorsed Facilitator, Suzy is also trained in multiple, evidence based facilitation methods including HealthRHYTHMS, Rhythm 2 Recovery, and Village Music Circles techniques. A professional member of the Drum Circle Facilitators Guild, Suzy is passionate about connecting, empowering and inspiring others through the unifying power of rhythm.  https://soulshinerhythm.com/
Comments: We have participated in other drumming groups online as spiritual practice and, for those in Austin, this is a great opportunity to drum in person or try it for the first time in a supportive environment where drums are provided.

March

Metanoia Journey’s Sunday In-Person Contemplative Gathering

Dates and Times: Sunday, March 2, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 
Registration: Not required
Cost: Free
Frequency: Monthly
Duration: 1.5 hours
Format:  In person at The Seminary of the Southwest’s Christ Chapel 501 E 32nd St., Austin, TX 
Recording Available: N/A
Description: The format of this gathering will include 20 minutes of Centering Prayer, a scripture reading from the sacred texts, a “message” offered by the ministers or guest speakers, community communion, and contemplative music. We invite anyone who wants to participate in performing a role to let us know. Otherwise, just come, rest in God, and receive. 
This is a “contemplative service,” with 20 minutes of silent, meditative prayer. For those that attend that have not practiced Centering Prayer before, we have a copy of the brief Guidelines to practice the prayer available at the entry to the Chapel for people to follow along.
At this time, we do not have an area for children to gather separately or have a children’s ministry. Older children are certainly welcome if they can rest in silence during that time. 
Comments: This is an opportunity to connect with other contemplative practitioners in person in Austin. While these are primarily Christian contemplative services, all are welcome.

Becoming a Larger Container for Life with Flint Sparks (from Eremmos)

Dates and Times: Thursday, March 20, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Registration: Open
Cost: $45 (partial scholarships available)
Frequency: One-time
Duration: 1.5 hours
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: Calling on the wisdom of the late American Zen teacher Joko Beck and the Zen Buddhist tradition, Flint will speak to what it means to become a larger container for life – to open up to more.
Specifically, he’ll invite us to contemplate Beck’s poetic version of the 4 Noble Truths*, especially “Each moment, life as it is, the only teacher.” We’ll explore how accepting life as it is can make room for more life to flow to and through you.
No previous experience with Buddhist teachings or practices is required. This is an opportunity to explore our theme “There is More in This Life” from a Zen perspective and leave with a fresh spirit, more interior space to breathe, and a new way of engaging with life as it is. Join us!
*Note: “The Four Noble Truths are the Buddha’s basic teaching. These truths encapsulate the goal, practice, and philosophy of of Buddhism. These famed four truths provide a framework for understanding the nature of suffering and the path to liberation from it.” -Lion’s Roar, (edited)
Comments: Flint Sparks is a favorite of many we know in Austin and beyond. This promises to be another meaningful and accessible presentation for all.

The Five Remembrances with Frank Ostaseski (from Upaya Zen Center)

Dates and Times: Sundays, March 23, April 27, May 18, June 8, and July 20; 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Registration: Open
Cost: $200 for the series ($50 deposit required to register)
Frequency: 5 sessions
Duration: Each session is 2 hours
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: The Five Remembrances wake us up to the importance of how we care for ourselves and others as we grow older, experience changes in our health and relationships, grieve for what we love and lose, and, finally, face into our own death. They ask us to honor what and who really matters in our one precious life. They invite us to listen and learn by heart, to share the wonder and wisdom of compassionate practice. 
Considered to be among the foundational teachings of Buddhism, Frank will help us go beyond a conceptual understanding to bring these five facts of life into our everyday awareness and actions. Embracing their truth encourages and supports us to live with greater intimacy: to act, speak, touch, and love one another in ways that deeply reflect an understanding of constant change, freeing us to be more alive and present.
This five-session course may be of interest to clinicians and caregivers. The course may be equally appealing to individuals, regardless of age, wanting to explore their personal relationship to death and the wisdom therein for living life fully. This course is a co-sponsored event with Upaya Zen Center and the Metta Institute. All are welcome, and no previous experience is required.
Comments: Frank Ostaseski is one of our favorite presenters and this is an important topic for many in this time. While the description states it may be of interest to clinicians and caregivers, we have found his presentations to be accessible to all.

April

Spring Practice Period: Living in the Embrace of the Bodhisattvas (from Upaya Zen Center)

Dates and Times: Thursday, April 3, 8:45 p.m. – Saturday, April 26, 1 p.m.
Registration: Open
Cost: Donation
Frequency: “Please follow the schedule in a way that supports your life.”
Duration: One month
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: Together during this Practice Period, we will engage in a shared exploration of how the archetypal figures of the bodhisattvas can teach, nourish, inspire, and sustain us as we face the great suffering of our global community at this time and the challenges of our daily lives.
Through Taigen Dan Leighton’s Faces of Compassion: Classic Bodhisattva Archetypes and Their Modern Expression we will study the origins and significance of the major bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism and inquire how we might learn to embody their qualities through our shared daily practice of sitting, ritual, study, conversation, and work practice. We will also explore how the energy of these iconic bodhisattvas moves from ancient times to the present and lives on in the public and private people who have touched our lives.
The month will include full-day Zazenkais, numerous seminars on the text itself, formal study periods, and a weeklong session at the end of the month.Together we will settle into a daily schedule, chop wood, carry water, and embody the practice of “no coming, no going, no arising and no abiding.”
Led by Sensei Monshin Nannette Overley, Sensei Jose Shinzan Palma, and Sensei Ryotan Cynthia Kear.
You are also invited to join us on Upaya’s YouTube channel for daily Zazen, at 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and weekly Dharma Talks every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
Comments: Our experience of these Practice Periods has been good. The Upaya Zen Center is an internationally known center of training, education, and lay-person community with a variety of program offerings. Their instructors are experts in their fields yet provide accessible materials and presentations. Our experiences with Upaya programs have always been excellent.

Poetry as Healer: An Exploration of Poetry’s Ability
To Speak the Words We Need to Say (from Eremos
)

Dates and Times: Saturday, April 5, 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (plus 4 free, optional, follow-up Zoom sessions)
Registration: Open
Cost: $125 (partial scholarships available)
Frequency: One-time event
Duration: All day (7.5 hours)
Format: In Person at University of Texas at Austin Commons Conference Center, 10100 Burnet Rd., Bldg. 137, Austin, TX
Recording Available: N/A
Description: Join us for a day exploring, experiencing, and celebrating the healing power of poetry. Choose the breakout sessions that call to you and be inspired by our keynote speakers. Throughout the day, there will also be contemplative times to pause, breathe, and reflect upon what you’ve heard, read, or written.
Each session will include experiencing poetry, time for personal reflection, and—in some cases—an invitation to write and share. No prior experience reading or writing poetry is necessary. Sharing your thoughts and writing is always by invitation.
Comments: We always find it interesting to work with and hear poets share their work, especially when their attention is focused on a particular theme, in this case, Healing. Learning how poets approach their craft and how poetry can influence the ways we  move through the world and relate to others can be fascinating.

Metanoia Journey’s Sunday In-Person Contemplative Gathering

Dates and Times: Sunday, April 6, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 
Registration: Not required
Cost: Free
Frequency: Monthly
Duration: 1.5 hours
Format:  In person at The Seminary of the Southwest’s Christ Chapel 501 E 32nd St., Austin, TX 
Recording Available: N/A
Description: The format of this gathering will include 20 minutes of Centering Prayer, a scripture reading from the sacred texts, a “message” offered by the ministers or guest speakers, community communion, and contemplative music. We invite anyone who wants to participate in performing a role to let us know. Otherwise, just come, rest in God, and receive. 
This is a “contemplative service,” with 20 minutes of silent, meditative prayer. For those that attend that have not practiced Centering Prayer before, we have a copy of the brief Guidelines to practice the prayer available at the entry to the Chapel for people to follow along.
At this time, we do not have an area for children to gather separately or have a children’s ministry. Older children are certainly welcome if they can rest in silence during that time. 
Comments: This is an opportunity to connect with other contemplative practitioners in person in Austin. While these are primarily Christian contemplative services, all are welcome.

Ongoing

Contemplative Chant

Dates and Times: Wednesdays at 4 p.m.
Registration: Open
Cost: Free
Frequency: Ongoing
Duration: 30 minutes
Format: Online
Recording Available: No
Description: 30 minutes of contemplative chant from Wisdom Waypoints, with chants led by Susan Latimer and Elizabeth Combs. Chanting is a wonderful practice for bringing both the Moving Center (body, breath, tone) and the Emotional Center (open heart) online. It is a spiritual practice that opens our hearts, nourishes our nervous systems, prepares us for prayer and meditation as a bridge into stillness, and connects us to our innate joy, courage, steadfastness, peace, beauty, truth and goodness. In times of great uncertainty and change, we find chant to be one of the things that most grounds us. These sessions draw chants from Wisdom Schools, various spiritual and religious traditions, sacred texts, old hymns and poetry. Because of the limitations of synching sound on Zoom, all participants are muted except for the one leading. This allows everyone to chant along in their own space. (Great if you are shy about sharing your voice! Fun if you like to try harmonies!)
Comments: Some of us join this contemplative chant weekly and enjoy it very much. We find it a wonderful contemplative practice. Wisdom Waypoints is the wisdom community started by Cynthia Bourgeault, one of our favorite wisdom teachers. Note that this is a small and warm group of regular participants. Therefore, it can be more difficult to participate anonymously.

The Abbey Tuesday Morning Meditation

Dates and Times: Tuesdays at 8 a.m. (Meditation at 8 a.m., optional discussion at 8:30 a.m.)
Registration: Open
Cost: Free
Frequency: Weekly
Duration: Ongoing
Format: Zoom
Recording Available: No
Description: A 20-minute sit, followed by a brief reading and discussion.
Comments: Of course we love this meditation group! It’s The Abbey, our own contemplative community.
The Abbey Spiritual Discussion Group
Dates and Times: Thursdays, 5 p.m.
Registration: Not required
Cost: Free
Frequency: Weekly
Duration: 1 hour
Format: Zoom
Recording Available: No
Description: This group reads books to deepen our spiritual lives and to build community among participants. Newcomers are welcome to join the group anytime. Register on The Abbey website and we will send you a Zoom link.
Comments: The group is starting a new book this month (October), Barbara Brown Taylor’s An Altar in the World. We enjoy this group and the lively discussion both in small-group breakout rooms and with the whole group.

Word of the Week

Dates and Times: Emails sent on Sundays, meets each Tuesday at 8 a.m. and Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Registration: Sign up for weekly emails here.
Cost: Free annual subscription (with recommended donation of $95/yr)
Frequency: Weekly, per above
Duration: One hour
Format: Zoom – link is sent weekly in the email on Sunday
Recording Available: No
Description: A beautiful email is sent on Sundays with the reading of Lectio Divina that will be done. There is a sit and then the Lectio Divina.
Comments:  We like this because it’s a chance to revisit the reading for the week—and they always include beautiful artwork (it’s Lectio and Visio Divina!). We like the sense of community. It’s a pretty stable group and there’s a chance to share. We also like the balance of it—they are very mindful of the time, it’s just an hour. There’s a rhythm of it that we like. We read the emails each week and appreciate having the email in advance to sit with it a little before the group reading. There are also opportunities to interact online with the group during the week. We will note that it can be difficult to find the link for the Zoom in the weekly email; it is also spelled out here—the third bullet has link to the zoom with poorly brown highlighted “Click on this link,” but it also provides the zoom code and passcode in the email.


Wisdom Waypoints Daily Centering Prayer/Meditation

Dates and Times: Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m.; Monday/Wednesday/Sunday 6 p.m.; Saturday 10:30 a.m.
Registration: No registration required, join via website
Cost: Free
Frequency: Daily, per above
Duration: 30 minutes
Format: Zoom
Recording Available: No
Description: A collective wisdom pause for “Silence and Stillness.” Wisdom members lead each sit with a brief reading, chant, and meditation/stillness.
Comments:  We like this because it is a way to maintain our personal practice alongside others with the degree of anonymity (or not) with which we are each comfortable. Wisdom Waypoints is a part of Cynthia Bourgeault’s network of teaching and practice resources.ore, et al

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