The School of Contemplative Life

St. John Cassian, who was largely responsible for bringing our tradition of meditation to the West in the fifth century,  linked Jesus' teaching on "poverty of spirit" to simplest form of prayer, repeating a prayer word and letting go of "the abundant riches of thought".

The great fourteenth-century work The Cloud of Unknowing was written as a practical guide for a young student and is a text of great importance for the practice of meditation in the Christian tradition, what the anonymous author calls the ‘work’ of contemplation. I’d like to share some of the author’s teaching from Chapters 45 and 46 of The Cloud. What he shares is very important. But how he share...

In Jesus' story of the Prodigal Son, the younger son squandered his inheritance. However, the word commonly translated as ‘squandered’ (διεσκόρπισεν) can also mean ‘scattered’ or ‘dispersed.’ With this deeper meaning in mind, we might hear the beginning of this Parable as a rich teaching for the practice of meditation and the cultivation of attention.

A beautiful story of a young monk so eager to do his tasks correctly that he was oblivious to what was hiding in plain sight. In meditation we find our sense of wonder deepens.

Along with the Bhagavad Gita, Gandhi considered the Sermon on the Mount the greatest writing on nonviolence in history. He read the Sermon nearly every morning and evening for over forty years. Though not a Christian, he said its words went ‘straight to my heart.’ ‘The gentle figure of Christ – so patient, so kind, so loving, so full of forgiveness… I thought this was a beautiful example of the pe...

A reflection on "The Cloud of Unknowing" and the power of contemplative prayer - how an ancient tradition leads us beyond thought into love, healing separation and restoring our oneness. 

A contemplative Easter reflection on Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and the resurrection. Discover how silence, surrender, and the practice of meditation open us to God’s presence—where letting go becomes the doorway to love, healing, and new life.

A reflection on Benedictine Monk, Bede Griffiths, and the meeting of Eastern and Western spiritual traditions, exploring how the journey into silence and the return to the centre reveals a deeper unity beneath all religions and offers a foundation for peace.

In this episode, we explore how the sacred can be found not only in spiritual practices but in the everyday tasks that fill our lives. Drawing on Zen and Benedictine wisdom, we reflect on the idea that enlightenment is not separate from the routines we often overlook, such as cooking or cleaning. Stories of Zen masters and Christian monks reveal how approaching each moment with mindful attention a...

In this episode, we explore the transformative power of meditation and the understanding that God is not a separate entity to be grasped but is our very essence. Reflecting on biblical insights, particularly Jesus’ response to Philip at the Last Supper, we uncover how a dualistic mindset can obscure our awareness of oneness with the divine. Listeners are invited to let go of preconceived notions o...

Many of us have a difficult relationship with time.    We might wish we had more of it to finish that home project which never quite gets done. We might wish we were more efficient at using the time we do have, having chased our tail all day, before we fall into bed. We might regret the time we have spent on certain things in the past, or worry about what is likely to consume our time in the futur...

In meditation, we set out on a journey like no other.  Saying our prayer word, following our breath, we learn to travel light. Instead of packing, we unpack. Instead of trying to grasp hold of what cannot grasped, we allow ourselves to be held. Instead of worrying about finding God, or experiencing God, we allow ourselves to rest in God’s ever-present Presence.

The contemplative practice of Christian meditation has its foundation in the teachings and prayer life of Jesus. Jesus frequently withdrew to solitary or deserted places to pray. The Gospel writers skillfully record a pattern of solitary prayer, engaged compassion, and the creation of community. We don't need to find any special way of getting in touch with God. God wants to simplify us through th...

It takes trust to life attention off ourselves, to believe God has everything in hand. We have a tendency to want to complicate what is simple. All God wants to do, through the simplicity of prayer is simplify us, to lead us back from distractedness to wholeness. 

Religion means 'a way of getting back in touch', something that 'reconnects' and 'binds together.' It is especially important to remember some of the deepest meanings of this word at moments when some may wish to use it as a way of dividing people. Meditation helps us open up to the gift of contemplation, the gift of seeing clearly, and coming to awareness of our essential oneness with each other...

Through meditation and self-compassion, we can gradually dissolve internal obstacles and develop a more harmonious relationship with ourselves and the world. As we learn to approach our thoughts and feelings with stillness and compassion, we unveil the ever-present peace within us.