Methods of Contemplation

In this episode of Being-With, I talk with Dr. Brian Russell (@yourprofessorforlife) about his upcoming book on the method of Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God's Presence Can Change Your Life. He runs the Deep Dive Spirituality Podcast as well as a coaching practice. Find him here:

https://linktr.ee/briandrussell

Hello, and welcome to Methods of Contemplation, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation.

The Cloud of Unknowing is an anonymous 14th century work on the practice of contemplative prayer.

It has been a constant companion of Christian mystics through the ages, and outlines an incredibly powerful way of disposing ourselves to the gift of contemplation.

In this episode I'll be referencing the translation by Ira Progoff.

Feel free to catch up with us on social media @methodsofcontemplation, or if you'd like, you can support us on Patreon.

In this method, Mark Gladman (Brother Frederick-James) leads us through his prayer of the rosary for those new to the practice.

Mark Gladman is a Benedictine monk teaching and practicing ancient forms of christian meditation, contemplation, mindfulness, and prayer for personal & community transformation. He is a teacher on Insight Timer, as well as a host on the podcast The Work of God, which is a podcast centered around praying the daily office. A spiritual wanderer and wonderer, his work helps people deconstruct and reconstruct God, faith, life, and reality while nurturing community through theopraxy, and justice through restoration.

Find Mark here: https://linktr.ee/MonkInDocs

https://campsite.bio/methodsofcontemplation

Mark Gladman is a Benedictine monk teaching and practicing ancient forms of christian meditation, contemplation, mindfulness, and prayer for personal & community transformation. He is a teacher on Insight Timer, as well as a host on the podcast The Work of God, which is a podcast centered around praying the daily office. A spiritual wanderer and wonderer, his work helps people deconstruct and reconstruct God, faith, life, and reality while nurturing community through theopraxy, and justice through restoration.

Find Mark here: https://linktr.ee/MonkInDocs

https://campsite.bio/methodsofcontemplation

Carl McColman is a contemplative writer, speaker, and podcast host of Encountering Silence. His recent books include: The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, Unteachable Lessons, and his new book - Eternal Heart. In this episode, Carl and I chat about the nature of the eternal heart, the gifts of the spirit that draw us to the Divine, and the mobius strip shape of the spiritual path itself.

Find Carl here: https://lnk.bio/carl

https://campsite.bio/methodsofcontemplation

Hello, and welcome to Methods, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation.

Today’s method is mantra.

In Buddhism, the word mantra means “mind protecting”. A mantra protects the mind by preventing it from going into its’ usual patterns, which often are not our desired or optimal conscious perspective. Mantra is a powerful spiritual practice for centering, and for letting go of strong emotions such as fear, anxiety and anger. The more you practice mantra the more it becomes a part of you. When you need it on the psychological level – for example when you feel afraid, using your witness, you notice the fear and replace the fear with your mantra. This will occur naturally once mantra becomes an established practice. Mantra is a daily reminder of the presence of the Divine within ourselves and all beings.

Feel free to catch up with us on social media @methodsofcontemplation, or if you'd like, you can support us on Patreon.

Hello, and welcome to Methods, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation.

This is our fourth season, Feel. In this season, we’ll attempt to showcase methods of prayer and meditation that facilitate feeling, embodiment, and direct perception of reality, beneath the web of our conditioned thought patterns.

Today’s exercise is a long format loving-kindness or metta meditation based on the expanding of our awareness and compassion towards other beings, and ourselves.

Feel free to catch up with us on social media @methodspodcast, or if you'd like, you can support us on Patreon.

Hello, and welcome to Methods, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation.

This is our fourth season, Feel. In this season, we’ll attempt to showcase methods of prayer and meditation that facilitate feeling, embodiment, and direct perception of reality, beneath the web of our conditioned thought patterns.

Today’s exercise helps us to become more comfortable with difficult body sensations and stored trauma. 

Feel free to catch up with us on social media @methodspodcast, or if you'd like, you can support us on Patreon.

Hello, and welcome to Methods, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation.

This is our fourth season, Feel. In this season, we’ll attempt to showcase methods of prayer and meditation that facilitate feeling, embodiment, and direct perception of reality, beneath the web of our conditioned thought patterns.

Today’s exercise: Feel

Feel free to catch up with us on social media @methodspodcast, or if you'd like, you can support us on Patreon.