Contemplative Trove: A Curated List of Spiritual Practice Opportunities

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 April or May and would like to have it listed here, please email the information as shown below to [email protected] by March 18 to be included in the post at the beginning of April. Please note that all times are listed in Central Time.

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.

What Do I Do With My Anger? (from the Center for Action and Contemplation)

Dates and Times: Friday, March 14, Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Registration: Opem
Cost: Varied Price Levels ($95, $30, $10, $5)
Frequency: One-time event
Duration: 1.5 hours
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: Many of us feel growing anger about politics, economic opportunities, persistent racism, our threatened environment, and broken institutions. What do we do with our anger—and can ancient wisdom from the contemplative Christian tradition offer guidance for us in these times? 
Join us in a shared online space to explore these important questions alongside CAC founder Fr. Richard Rohr, author of the new book, “The Tears of Things,” and CAC Dean of Faculty, Brian McLaren.
Rohr and McLaren will guide attendees through teachings, conversations, and practices designed to help us explore where our anger fits within the contemplative Christian tradition.
Comments: Brian McLaren and Richard Rohr are trusted teachers who will be wonderful facilitators for this engaging and timely conversation. We like that they will be sharing teachings and practices to help us through this difficult time.

Awareness in Action: Meeting the World with Life-Giving Hands–Actualizing Unfaltering Engaged Practice in Our Time – Racism with Ruth King (from Upaya Zen Center)

Dates and Times: Sunday, March 16, 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 Racism is especially compelling in our current moment.

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.

Buddhist-Basaed Resilience: For Caregivers with Loved Ones with Disabilities (from Upaya Zen Center)

Dates and Times: Fridays, March 21, 28, April 4, 11; 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Registration: Open
Cost: Free, Donation requested
Frequency: 4 Weekly Sessions
Duration: 2 hrs/session
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: Taking care of a loved one with a disability can be challenging. Attending to a child with autism or cerebral palsy, or a partner unable to walk after a stroke, involves a great deal of invisible work that lasts decades. For many, it also involves facing social stigma and isolation. Yet, it is also a path full of opportunities to grow and build resilience and compassion. We can learn to transform the difficulties we may encounter into greater strength and a deeper capacity to love. 
Practicing the four Brahmaviharas (Divine Abodes) within the Buddhist tradition is a skillful way to realize this transformation. These are Equanimity (Upekkha), Loving-kindness (Metta), Compassion (Karuna), and Appreciative Joy (Mudita). During this 4-week free online course, we will create a supportive and safe group, allowing you to connect and share your experience with other caregivers navigating similar waters. Each two-hour session will include a short meditation, a brief check-in, and a new Brahmavihara practice to try out each week.
The series is led by Silvia Fernandez-Campos, Ph.D., mother of three, one of whom has autism. Fernandez-Campos is a Buddhist practitioner, psychologist, certified yoga teacher, a Somatic Experiencing® trauma therapist, and a researcher on resilience and death across cultures.
Comments: Upaya presents high-quality programs that are accessible and affordable for everyone. Anyone with experience caring for a loved one with a disability knows how challenging (and rewarding, but also how draining it can be. These practices could be a wonderful self care option.

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.

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

Dates and Times: Sunday, April 6, 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 Justice is especially compelling in our current moment.

May

Rethinking Religion in an Age of Science: From Institution to Evolution (from the Center for Christogenesis)

Dates and Times: Friday, May 2, at 6 p.m. – Sunday, May 4, at 11 a.m.
Registration: Open
Cost: $140 (Early Registration, reduced cost)
Frequency: Annual Conference (One time in 2025)
Duration: 1 Weekend (Friday evening – Sunday midday)
Format: Online
Recording Available: Yes
Description: According to recent Pew Studies, religion is waning as spiritual secularism is rising. While the data has sounded alarm bells, there may be good reason why religion has become irrelevant while spirituality has become a cultural icon. This conference aims to suture the relationship between religion and spirituality by relocating religion at the heart of cosmic life. Religion has not gone away but it is advancing in new ways. Formal or institutional religion has sidetracked the modern person by placing constraints around religion and segregating its core energies in creeds and doctrines. Teilhard de Chardin realized that religion is essential to the direction of evolution. We will explore how a renewed sense of religion in evolution can reinvigorate planetary life, especially in an age of technology.
Speakers include: Bayo Akomolafe, Diana Butler Bass, Ilia Delio, John F. Haught, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, and Thomas Jay Oord.
Comments: This is an annual online conference. This organization is founded and led by Ilia Delio, one of our favorites, a brilliant scientist and theologian. She is a great teacher and presenter–a format where her work is in many ways more accessible than her books. The conference always has a compelling lineup of presenters. We highly recommend this if you are able to participate.

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