Methods of Contemplation

Hello, and welcome to Methods. This is the second episode of our third season: Vision. In our last season, we explored the concept of a meditation anchor, and the simplest of these, the breath. An anchor is something, anything really, that we set as the primary focal point for our rational mind. Doing this helps us to build concentration, and gives us a bridge, or a stable place upon which to stan...

Hello, and welcome to Methods, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. Today Amos Smith leads us through the theory and practice of Centering Prayer as popularized by the late Father Thomas Keating. Amos E. Smith has earned bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees—all in religious studies. He is a long-term centering prayer practitioner, workshop leader, writer, and founder of Recover Chri...

Hello, and welcome to Methods, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. This episode is part of our Being-With series, a subtle nod to the philosopher Martin Heidegger and his term referencing the Mitsein aspect of being. That the very nature of humanity is to be in relationship to others. We are inauthentic when we fail to recognize how much and in what ways how we think of ourselves and h...

Imaginative prayer, also known as Ignatian Contemplation is the name given to prayer which helps us enter more fully into the passage of Scripture we are reading, by using our ability to form pictures or inner impressions in our minds. We live in a rational, left brain world where information and analysis is the highest priority. But as humans, our soul is still captivated by experience. Jesus cal...

Hello, and welcome to Methods: an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. Today we sit with Mark Karris, Mark Gregory Karris is a licensed marriage and family therapist, ordained pastor, theologian, writer, and worship leader, based in San Diego. He has received a Masters in Counseling through the Alliance Graduate School of Counseling in Nyack, N.Y., a Master of Divinity from Drew Theologica...

Hello, and welcome to Methods: an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. This episode is part of our Being-With series, a subtle nod to the philosopher Martin Heidegger and his term referencing the Mitsein aspect of being. That the very nature of humanity is to be in relationship to others. We are inauthentic when we fail to recognize how much and in what ways how we think of ourselves and h...

Hello, and welcome to Methods: an exploration in guided prayer and meditation.  Today we explore a meditative method with Luke Bricker, an Ex-vangelical pastor, exploring a more expansive spiritual path. Luke hosts the Spiritual Nomad Podcast and Community, also offering Spiritual Direction, Coaching on spiritual trauma, and discernment of the enneagram. Luke leads us through a meditation cen...

Hello, and welcome to Methods: an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. This episode is part of our Being-With series, a subtle nod to the philosopher Martin Heidegger and his term referencing the Mitsein aspect of being. That the very nature of humanity is to be in relationship to others. We are inauthentic when we fail to recognize how much and in what ways how we think of ourselves and h...

Hello, and welcome to Methods. Today, we sit with  Dr Charles Stone as leads us through the practice of Holy Noticing, an iteration of being mindful in light of the way of Christ. Charles has served for 37 years in ministry. He currently pastors West Park Church in London, Ontario. He founded StoneWell Ministries to serve pastors and churches through coaching and consulting. In his recent boo...

Hello, and welcome to Methods: an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. This episode is part of our Being-With series, a subtle nod to the philosopher Martin Heidegger and his term referencing the Mitsein aspect of being. That the very nature of humanity is to be in relationship to others. We are inauthentic when we fail to recognize how much and in what ways how we think of ourselves and h...

Hello, and welcome to Methods: an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. Today our method is led by Rich Lewis,  a leader for RCMR (Recovering Christianity's Mystical Roots) and a contemplative workshop leader and writer.  In this method we get into the theory and practice of Centering Prayer, the type of contemplative prayer popularized mainly by Father Thomas Keating. Find Rich L...

Hello, and welcome to Methods: an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. This episode is part of our Being-With series, a subtle nod to the philosopher Martin Heidegger and his term referencing the Mitsein aspect of being. That the very nature of humanity is to be in relationship to others. We are inauthentic when we fail to recognize how much and in what ways how we think of ourselves and h...

Hello, and welcome to Methods: an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. This is the last episode of our second season, focusing on the breath. We’ve saved the most difficult of the exercises for last. So if you haven’t already worked with the previous methods of this season, it would be highly recommended. Today our exercise is called “Sufi Breathing” and comes from the Sufi tradition, a my...

For this weeks episode of Methods Being-With, I spoke with Jonathon Stalls of Intrinsic Paths. Jonathon spent 242 days walking across the United States in 2010 and has continued to walk alongside thousands of people for thousands of miles. He is an artist, social entrepreneur, advocate for social, economic and racial justice, LGBTQIA+, Creator of Intrinsic Paths, and Founder of Walk2Connect ....

This weeks method is a walking meditation led by Jonathon Stalls of Intrinsic Paths. Jonathon spent 242 days walking across the United States in 2010 and has continued to walk alongside thousands of people for thousands of miles. He is an artist, social entrepreneur, advocate for social, economic and racial justice, LGBTQIA+, Creator of Intrinsic Paths, and Founder of Walk2Connect . Jonathon...

Hello, and welcome to Methods, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. Today, our breath practice will be an advanced yogic breathing technique called Kapalabhati or “skull-shining breath”. This method is a great way to shake off negative energy and warm up your mind, body and spirit for a formal meditation practice, or just as a short meditation in itself to center you for the day. This m...

In this episode of Methods, Danny Prada of Heartway Church leads us through a breath-based exercise that centers around some questions famously asked by Saint Francis of Assisi. "Who am I?" and "Who are You, God?" You might not get any concrete answers from this meditation, but it may leave you with even more beautiful questions.  linktr.ee/methodspodcast www.methodspodcast.com www.patreon.co...

Today we speak with Danny Prada, pastor of Heartway Church in South Florida. Danny is a bit unorthodox, but here at Methods, we like that. Danny and I speak briefly about the dynamic nature of faith, and transformation through contemplative practices.  Check out more here: linktr.ee/methodspodcast www.methodspodcast.com www.heartwaychurch.com

This episode we'll do another secular technique, based on the work of Dr. Andrew Weil, a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, a healing-oriented approach to health care which encompasses body, mind, and spirit. The 4-7-8 technique, known also as Relaxing Breath, is a way to release tension and reduce stress levels in your day to day, and can be done anywhere at a...

For today's method, we have our friend Michael Scott Evans from the Empathy& Podcast take us through a meditation centered around the breath and empathy, the power of feeling with another. The religious traditions of Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and many others often tout the virtue of compassion as the pinnacle of all spiritual effort. Once we can see no separation between ourselves...

Today we're trying something a little different. I sat down with my friend Michael Scott Evans of the Empathy& Podcast and community to chat about meditation and its power to connect us with others. Michael is a Texan by way of California with degrees in psychology and communication, as well as a Master's of Divinity in Theology from George W. Truett Seminary. In this interview, Michael talks...

This episode we'll take a look at a secular technique. That's right, no religious or spiritual affiliation needed. Just a way to ground and center yourself without all the God-talk. While helpful for some, it can be a pretty big stumbling block for others. Especially if you have baggage with the church, organized religion in general, or if you're just sensitive to "woo". We get it. There's a ton o...

Today we explore a contemporary Method of prayer called Conspire, rooted in the Christian Mystical tradition. Not to be confused with the Conspiring Prayer of Mark Karris, Conspire is based on the Latin root "conspirare" which means breathing-with or with-breath. We'll throw it all the way back to the book of Genesis for this one, then give you some tips on creating a sacred space of your own. As...

This week it's all about the East. Or, at least Eastern Spirituality. What do Qigong, Taoism, and Zen have in common? A shared concept of energy centers within the body that correspond to facets of awareness. We'll talk briefly about the different centers, with our method focusing on the lower dantien, or Golden Stove. Lets get cooking.

Hello, and welcome to Methods: an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. This week we bring you a guided meditation by Rich Johnston, the Director for Christian Mindfulness - an organization based on providing resources for contemplative spirituality in the UK. Rich leads us through his preferred method this week, and it's a good one. And the Scottish accent doesn't hurt.