One Heart One Mind

In the final episode of this season, Thomas speaks to the role of sincerity in prayer life. Many of us have a tendency to think we've got to do it all—that if we're going to grow spiritually, we've got to do it by the sweat of our brow. But in a world of Grace, a little sincerity goes a very long way indeed. 7-day meditation retreat (September 30th - October 7th) 3-day meditation retreat (December...

This is a continuation of last week's episode about committing more fully to life's challenging moments. Thomas explores the sacred, transformative element of suffering that we can turn to in times of agony and distress. The more willingness we cultivate to remain present through life's trials, the more we find Christ's Love invincibly present in us and through us as a catalyzing force making all...

In a world moving at hyperspeed, it's difficult enough to find a moment to touch into genuine stillness. But even if we do manage to center ourselves in prayer and meditation, how do we remain still and centered throughout the full catastrophe of each day's events? Thomas shares a practice in this episode that will help you "train to remain" in stillness, to abide in a deep reservoir of Silence. 7...

It is easy to assume that we know ourselves. After all, who could be more familiar with me than, well, me? But contemplation teaches us that there are many layers to the self, some superficial, but others so hidden from us that only God can know us at these extraordinary depths. Enter an exploration in this episode with guidance from St. Augustine and the wisdom teachings of Jesus to discover your...

One of our first tasks as a human being—from the moment we're born—is to form a healthy sense of self. Without it, we can't navigate the world, form relationships, and move choicefully towards the things we want. At a certain point, though, our sense of self starts to get in the way. We start to mistake our possessions, even our ideas, for who we really are. Jesus, master teacher, saw this pitfall...

There is prayer, and then there is prayer. When you pray, do you ever get the sense that you're not really praying? That nothing much is happening? Through the teachings of John Climacus, a 7th century spiritual teacher, and through personal story, Thomas speaks to the importance of attention in our prayer life. Ultimately, our quality of attention and quality of prayer turn out to be one and the...

What would it be like if, at will, we could "silence the mind and be aware at the core of our being." Sufi Master, Kabir Helminski writes that from these depths we receive "help from the Source of Life." As we learn to join ourselves with this Source—some would call it God—we find that it contains all the qualities of Spirit in potential, waiting to express through our unique vessel. Upcoming, in-...

Jesus tells us that "unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone." Rumi, the Sufi poet, echoes this wisdom, declaring that, "Except for dying…no other skill impresses God." What does this mean? How do we "die before we die?" Prepare to enter the mystery in this episode and discover what "plentiful harvest" awaits on the other side of life.   Upcoming, in-person offer...

Father Richard Rohr shared at a recent gathering that his spiritual practice nowadays is to, " look at something till I love it. It doesn't take very long." What could this mean? What would that be like? Thomas shares a related scripture in this episode and invites you to see with the eyes of love, and to marvel how all things are made new.   Upcoming, in-person offerings with Thomas: 7-day medita...

At the heart of contemplation is an attitude of total surrender to the Divine. This is easier said than done, of course. In our minds, we may sincerely believe that we wish to do God's will in all things. But the moment the bitter cup is served, we often find ourselves protesting and howling at life's unfairness. Christ's prayer in Gethsemane is an archetype of perfect "willingness": the willingne...

Today's episode offers a longer, deeper meditation to help you integrate the themes and skills from the past 7 episodes. Practice fasting not just from food and drink, but from thought and feeling. Consent to God's Presence and action within. Cling to nothing. Risk getting lost— forget even who you think you are. And trust that you hold in hand the only key you need to unlock the Divine Force in y...

In a sense, contemplative prayer is none other than the practice of deepening one's faith in God. But faith manifests in many guises. Perhaps a less obvious quality of faith is confidence. What does it mean to sit with a "restful confidence," fully trusting that God is bringing about a mighty work in you? Listen to this episode as Thomas draws from the inspired thinking of Sri Aurobindo as well as...

It feels assuring to know the answers to the most important questions in life. It takes more humility to admit we might not know where we're going, and at a deeper level, who we even are. Thomas reflects in this episode on the vulnerability of not knowing and shares a poem from Thomas Merton that shows this special kind of faith in action. And now that Thomas is all done with graduate studies, he'...

It's common in Christian life to focus on the aspects of God that we can know and understand—we say God is merciful, patient, loving like a parent…It is less common for most of us to attend to the aspect of God that is too subtle to perceive, too deep to fathom. In this school, to say anything of God is to say too much. This is classically known as the via negativa, leading to the unknowable God....

Happy Easter, friends. In this special episode, Thomas explores Jesus's words to marry when she recognizes Him risen from the tomb: "Do not cling to me." From a contemplative perspective, what could this mean? What happens when we stop clinging to our wrong ideas, our limiting beliefs? With open mind and open heart, we can come to know the Living Presence that is already in our midst. Christ is ri...

We delve into the Gospel of Thomas this week, a treasure trove of contemplative inspiration. Have you ever gone through an experience where you simply weren't the same person on the other side? What part of you passed away, and what new quality came into being? Give yourself some space to settle in for this one, and, as Jesus invites, "Come into being as you pass away."   Logion 42, tr. Lynn Bauma...

Contemplation asks us to let go of everything and simply rest in the Divine presence. But how, exactly, do we do that? In this episode, Thomas introduces more formally the method of Centering Prayer, developed by the spiritual giant, Father Thomas Keating. What we find in Centering Prayer is that attention follows intention. Each time our attention wanders, we gently renew "our intention to consen...

Most people in the Christian world are familiar with the spiritual discipline of fasting. We abstain from food and drink for a designated time to draw our hearts closer to God. But what about letting the faculties of our mind fast. In the words of an anonymous writer from the 14th century, you will at first find this "terribly painful," but in time, "would not willingly give it up for all the mate...

Thomas guides a longer, deeper practice in this episode, weaving the themes from the previous five episodes together. Whether you're a regular listener or first-timer, this episode provides a great opportunity to internalize some of the deep principles at work in contemplation and to bring your own unique flavor to them. Upcoming workshop : Thomas will be in Salt Lake City May 15-17 to guide stude...

Contemplation is all about cultivating a relationship with the Divine, and relationship is inherently vulnerable. It's not surprising then that when we set out to cultivate this most unique of relationships that we find ourselves putting up defenses—resisting the process of deepening our encounter with God. But even our resistance proves to be a great resource in opening our hearts in prayer. Upco...

In this two-part episode, Thomas offers guidance on trauma-sensitive practice. Any time we practice meditation or prayer that goes beyond the thinking mind, it can create an environment where intense experiences arise in the body. Which leads to part II, the Divine Therapy. We can learn to trust this purification process and be healed through our prayers beyond what we ever imagined was possible....

In a world where the mind and body are too often split, not only do we do a lot of talking in our prayers, but we forget what a vital instrument the body is in our prayer life. In reality, we can't pray without the body. Our body IS prayer. In this episode, you'll learn to "ride the waves" of the body's knowing into deeper communion with the Divine. Welcome to One Heart, One Mind, One Body. Upcomi...

It's not uncommon for people who have been praying their whole lives to hit dry spells and even to wonder if anything worthwhile is happening when they pray. In this episode, Thomas explains how too much talking can drown out the "prayer of quiet," which promises to take us to new depths in our relationship with the Divine. Upcoming workshop : Thomas will be in Salt Lake City May 15-17 to guide st...

In this inaugural episode, Thomas McConkie introduces the lost jewel of contemplation in the Christian tradition. He shares a brief spiritual autobiography, invites the listener to come see for themselves, then dives right in with a wisdom bomb from Howard Thurman: on cultivating atmosphere and spiritual presence. Upcoming workshop : Thomas will be in Salt Lake City May 15-17 to guide students thr...

The sun is setting on Mindfulness+. She lived a good, full life. But don't fret! Where there is a sunset, there is always a sunrise. Look for a new podcast, One Heart One Mind, by Thomas McConkie on this same feed in the coming days.