For Holy Week, I’m offering a daily podcast series of meditations ‘By Stony Paths…’. Find out more here.
Category: Spirituality
Worcester Diocese Curates
January 25, 2020: Contemporary Spirituality Preparing for three sessions on the Worcester Diocese Curates weekend residential. Three Sessions: Slides – coming soon! Spirituality in 4-D Understanding Spirituality Mapping Approaches to Prayer – Mapping Spiritualities The Journey of Prayer – Handout – Teresa of Avila My Journey Considering my praying Nurturing Spirituality Teaching Prayer Resources
Prayer Countdown
Vision 4 Action
I’ve been running this programme with Helen Guinness of 4×4 Consulting for several years for clergy in the Hereford Diocese. We come today to the final session of the current programme. Its always a privilege to work alongside parish clergy to develop further in ministry. In passing we quoted Eugene Peterson, and his preface to[…]
Discerning Listening and The Choir
Running the course Discerning Listening with a great group this winter has seen us exploring how a discerning listener might function well. This is about an ability to listen deeply, attentively to the whole person an ability to notice the spiritual movements within what is shared This requires a stance that is poised and open,[…]
Seeking Spiritual Direction – its arrived!
I was really pleased today to receive the first copies of the book Liz Hoare and I worked on over the summer. Published by Grove Books in the Spirituality Series we wanted to produce a book that was practical and theological in helping people think about Spiritual Direction who may never have come across it[…]
Preparing for the Spiritual Exercises
I’ve used John Veltri’s ‘Orientations’ to take people through the Spiritual Exercises. Of the various adaptations of the Exercises for the 19th Annotation that I have used, this is my preferred option. All the resources are online but some of the key elements are: Prayer exercises to help someone prepare for the Exx: http://orientations.jesuits.ca/bob/page5.htm#77 The[…]
Seven Directions of Prayer
Jim Cotter provides a wonderfully creative description of the various aspects of prayer in his book ‘Exploring’. Reaching downwards and delving, we are rooted in our true ground. Reaching upwards and yearning, we adore the One who is beyond us. Being slimmed by admitting the truth, we enter life by a narrow[…]
Soul Spark 2
I have been asked several times over the years about ‘Soul Spark 2’ and my stock answer is – if you found the process useful – then you have enough to take this further yourself!! By this I mean that a group could easily do the prayer and the sharing parts together – by a[…]
Consolation and Desolation
Ignatius defines these terms in a very specific way, that is different to their common usage. This makes it important when using the terms to be clear about their meaning. One really helpful explanation which I have been reminded of since writing my book comes from understanding the spanish / french roots of the words. consolacion –[…]