Before COVID-19 changed our lives, my life was changed by a retreat with Father Ron Rolheiser. After suffering a terrible loss, I needed to reconnect with myself and the world around me.  The retreat helped me embrace my contemplative journey.  

A more traditional contemplative practice is going on a retreat. I give a brief history of the Christian retreat tradition and describe a typical retreat. I then highlight three retreat centers in the Bay Area.  

Episode 7 describes how one of my favorite activities, dancing, has led me into contemplation.  I share my history as a dancer and include fellow dancers in my family. I discuss the mind-body connection. I explore how the joy of dance can lead me to the peace of contemplation. 

Running is great exercise but it is also an opportunity for mindfulness and contemplation. I discuss how running is a contemplative practice. I describe my recent experience completing a half-marathon. I also take a moment in honor of Thich Nhat Hanh.  

I reunite with the former members of Queen of All Saints, a chapter of the Legion of Mary to which I belonged many years ago. These women became my lifelong friends and taught me so much about my faith and were important in my contemplative journey.  We reminisce about our childhood as cradle Catholics, our adult journeys into faith and spirituality, and provide advice on where to begin a journey into contemplative practices.  

While some might think the pandemic shutdown was an ideal time for contemplation, I found it created new challenges.  I go back to the early chaos of quarantine and then discuss two positives that came out of that troubled time.  I also mention how a mentor's reflection on one of my character traits inspired me to make this podcast a reality. 

I continue to share the roots of my journey and offer resources that have helped me explore contemplation.  

Have some time on your way to work?  I discuss how I have shifted my commute from a time of stress and worry to a more contemplative, calming time.  I describe a typical Monday and what could have been a terrible commute and how I use the contemplative commute to get centered. 

I provide my definition of contemplative, tell the story of the call to deepen my practices, the inspiration for this podcast, and preview next episode and this season

Coming soon:  I explore my journey as a contemplative while balancing my roles as a mom, educator, and writer.  I will share my story while also exploring contemplative practices