Fr. Keating:The Christian Contemplative Tradition and Centering Prayer December 12, 2008

Father Thomas Keating is one of the architects of the Centering Prayer movement begun in Spencer Abbey in 1975. In 1984, he founded Contemplative Outreach, Ltd., now an international, ecumenical organization that teaches Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, and the Christian contemplative tradition and provides a support system for those on the contemplative path through a wide variety of resources, workshops, and retreats. He helped to found the Snowmass Interreligious Conference in 1982 and is a past president of the Temple of Understanding and of the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue, among other interreligious activities. He is the author of many books and video/audio tapes series. His books include Open Mind, Open Heart; The Mystery of Christ; Invitation to Love; Intimacy with God; The Human Condition; Manifesting God; The Better Part; and Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit.
This workshop with Fr. Thomas Keating is an exploration of the Christian contemplative tradition, its origin in scripture and its development through the centuries by the mystics of the tradition. Also called the Apophatic tradition, it explores the simplification of prayer to a nonconceptual wordless consent to the presence of God within. Contemplative prayer is the necessary antidote to the wounds of the human condition that maintain the almost universal sense of separation from God.

As a modern expression of the tradition, Fr. Keating will teach the simple method of "Centering Prayer" and join participants in a period of practice. Time will be made available for questions about the tradition and the experience and development of "Centering Prayer."

Lecture: $15; Workshop: $195 (includes lecture).

Official Website: http://www.ciis.edu/publicprograms/fall08/wisdom.html