Lectio Divina is the monastic practice of sacred reading. It is a prayer method which uses specific steps to allow us to penetrate more deeply into the spiritual meanings of scriptures and be transformed by them. Undoubtedly, the master of lectio divina, who first codified it and created the four stages we are familiar with … Continue reading Lectio Divina: Sacred Reading as a Path to Contemplation →

The first and most important thing to realise in the life of the inner person is that we are not our thoughts. We are the person who is experiencing the thoughts and feelings. There are some thoughts and feelings which we have claimed possession of and which now belong to us and there are some … Continue reading Keeping Watch →

Today is the first Sunday of the month when we share guest posts from people living and teaching the Contemplative and/or Celtic Christian way around the world. One of the beautiful things about the internet is that people doing amazing things in isolated parts of the world can learn from one another and grow together. … Continue reading The World is my Monastery →

In my last article I spoke about the ancient understanding of healing the soul by the application of opposites. You can read that article HERE. The technique of soul healing used by the Celtic monks was based on an understanding that human beings are blessed and marvelous creatures, which you can read more about HERE. … Continue reading Discerning What is Good →

It was understood in the ancient world that God is complete unity and the created world is full of multiplicity - this is the difference between God and creation, eternity is one and time is many. We were created in God’s image, without divisions or conflicting impulses and desires inside us. The separation of our … Continue reading Contraries are Cured by Contraries →

Columbanus (540-615) was the quintessential Irish wandering monk. He shares a name with Columcille, or Columba of Iona, which means “the dove of the church,” but they are not the same person. Columbanus likely studied in the monastery at Bangor under the tutelage of Comghall, where he would have learned about the practice of private … Continue reading Original Goodness →

Today is the first Sunday of the month when we share guest posts from people living and teaching the Contemplative and/or Celtic Christian way around the world. One of the beautiful things about the internet is that people doing amazing things in isolated parts of the world can learn from one another and grow together. … Continue reading Gritstone Moment →

There is a wonderful teaching, given to us by Aelred of Rievaulx, that speaks of the natural tendency for all creatures to seek rest in the places which God has made for them. Aelred taught about the goodness of nature in beautiful ways. He believed that charity and friendship are inherent in all creatures from … Continue reading The Eternal Sabbath →

Aelred of Rievaulx, in his book The Mirror of Charity, talks about a threefold understanding of love within the soul. He takes this from that famous line of Jesus: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. … Continue reading To Love Yourself is the Beginning of Wisdom →

A couple weeks ago I shared with you a teaching from Aelred of Rievaulx on spiritual friendship. This article is a continuation of that discussion in that it speaks about the ancient understanding of spiritual direction as a kind of friendship in early Irish monasticism. You can find the previous article that this article references … Continue reading Spiritual Direction in the Celtic Tradition →