Contemplative Mystical Way
Adapted from The Spiritual Way by Philip Sheldrake
The Contemplative-Mystical Way, is associated with the desire for an immediacy of presence to God, frequently provoked through contemplative practice. It does not necessarily demand withdrawal from everyday life but suggests that the everyday may be transfigured into something wondrous. The mystical element does not need to be associated with extraordinary experiences, such as visions, but is more importantly linked to arriving at an intuitive (but obviously incomplete) “knowledge” of God that moves beyond discursive reasoning and analysis. The ultimate purpose of this type of spirituality is spiritual illumination and a sense of connection to the depths of human existence.
14 Day Retreat
On the Contemplative-Mystical Way
Day 1
“How good it is to center down!”
Psalm 46
Matthew 26:36-45
Center down into this space in which God has placed you. Mindfully create a space for prayer and focus for the next 14 days. Perhaps it’s by a window, or on a small table. Lay a textural or special cloth on the surface, place a candle there, which you can light to bring honor and intentionality to your time of reflection and prayerful contemplation over the next 14 days. Perhaps a plant, growing and changing and thriving within the place in which it is planted, an invitation to think about our roots, and how we transform our environment by our simple existence. Place a cross, or stone that connects you to a place when you felt the Divine near you. Prepare your space as you prepare your heart, this is a time of deepening roots and deepening joy.
Day 2
“To sit quietly and see one’s self pass by!”
Luke 10:38-42
1 Kings 19:9-12
Sit in the quiet space in which you created yesterday, light a candle to remind you of the presence of the Holy Spirit. In silence, close your eyes, and listen to all the sounds in the room. Do you hear the traffic outside? Can you hear the sound of your fan or the air moving through your vents? Listen to the noises of your body, the sound of your breath. God invites us into a holy place of stillness, to invite the relentless busy of our minds to practice the discipline of resting. Draw your attention to the space between thoughts, to God’s master weaving that is the matrix of grace in which we float. Notice your reactions, your discomfort or your relief, all your reactions are welcome, let them slide away and practice stillness, the deeper place beyond reactions. Practice this quiet. Be still and know that God is holding you. If this is a new practice for you, try this at other times in the day or night, and practice this new gift. God is with you, holding you, supporting you, waiting for you, calling for you.
Day 3
“The streets of our minds seethe with endless traffic;”
Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
Luke 14:25
Center into the sacred place you created two days ago. Allow yourself to reflect on the music in this Taize song, allow yourself to concentrate on the music, the instruments, the voices. Imagine yourself in the room with these musicians. What is it like to bear witness? Now imagine you are the musician. What is it like to give your all in worship, to surrender? Sing the song, really, sing it. Allow your self-consciousness to slide away. Present it as an act of prayerful worship, a gift of love to your Beloved.
Day 4
“Our spirits resound with clashing, with noisy silences,”
Psalm 142
Matthew 4:1-11
Our feelings and experiences rise and fall as waves, as does our experience of closeness with the Divine, or connection with our essential selves. In times of hardship, trust that God is intrinsically with you, closer and more natural than each and every inhalation and exhalation. Wear comfortable clothes, and practice this movement today, as an act of worship and thanksgiving to our creator. Breathe in healing Grace, breathe out peace and patience as your body moves, as you take in the beauty of the collective ocean that God has created in our souls. If yoga is not possible for your body, prepare a pot of tea with full mental concentration and think about the nuance and complexity of our body, the mind boggling requirements of cells and nerves to work in such beautiful shared purpose, and how easily we can become inured to the myriad miracles of each day. We are miracles, and we are never alone.
Day 5
“While something deep within hungers and thirsts for the still moment and the resting lull.”
Psalm 143
Matthew 11:25-30
Light the candle, and sit in your sacred spot you have prepared on Day 1. Notice if anything about it draws your attention. Does something call to be changed? Is it too busy? Do you long for more color? Has it changed at all with the passage of time, and life going on around it during this week? Reflect on the living nature of sacred spaces, and reflect on the hungers and longings in your own story. How was God with you in your times of hunger and longing? How has it changed? Write about it, as a love letter, with anguish, with joy, with lamentation and celebration of your hunger and thirst. What is God whispering?
Day 6
“With full intensity we seek, ere thicket passes, a fresh sense of order in our living; a direction, a strong sure purpose that will structure our confusion and bring meaning in our chaos.”
Isaiah 6:8
Galatians 5:22-25
Contemplate the full and powerful intensity in the ministry and wisdom of Howard Thurman, the spiritual teacher and writer of this poem which is writing our path to centering ourselves in God. Think about his witness, his quiet and thunderous power of his speech, and realize we worship the same God. We are called by the same God. What intensity have you noticed in your life? What dissonance have you leapt into or shied away from when you realized injustice and sin were around you? How is God calling us, right now, with powerful intensity? Pray and contemplate how we can have the sensitivity to notice and the courage to speak and the tenacity to continue to love with ferocious grace. Write about this.
Day 7
“We look at ourselves in this waiting moment—the kinds of people we are.”
Psalm 40
Ephesians 2:4-10
Sit comfortably in the sacred space you created on day one. Remember you are rooted all the way down to the Source and Author of all selfless and transformative Love, our beautiful God. Today, strengthen yourself by trusting enough to rest in God’s loving heart, and practice the meditation linked here, remembering the boundless grace of our God. Carry this Grace with you all day. You are rooted and transformed, and God has placed Eternity in the Holy Spirit which dwells within the beautiful finitude of your body.
Day 8
“The questions persist: what are we doing with our lives? —what are the motives that order our days?
Micah 6:8
1 Thessalonians 5:15-22
Listen to this sermon by Howard Thurman “What do you want really?” that can be found on youtube. Try your best to answer the question. Do not force it, do not judge yourself, as you try to answer.
Day 9
“What is the end of our doings? Where are we trying to go? Where do we put the emphasis and where are our values focused? For what end do we make sacrifices?”
Proverbs 3:3-8
Romans 8:24-28
Practice Centering Prayer focusing on the word SACRIFICE.
Follow these guidelines on centering prayer.
HOW TO “DO” CENTERING PRAYER:
Find a quiet space where you are unlikely to be disturbed.
Sit in a way that allows you to be relaxed in body and alert in mind. Use a chair, meditation cushion or prayer rug, according to your own physical needs and preferences.
Gently close your eyes.
“Allow your heart to open toward that invisible but always present Origin of all that exists ”
Whenever you become aware of a thought, no matter what its nature, let it go.
Use a “sacred word” (SACRIFICE). This is a word or short phrase that helps you to let go of thoughts. It is a reminder of your intention to remain open to the silence. Generally sacred words fall into one of 2 categories: “God” words/phrases such as “Abba”, “Jesu, “Mary”, “Reality”, “Come Lord” or “state” words/phrases such as “love”, “peace”, “be still”. Sacred words are not used as mantras, as in constantly repeating them, but as a reminder of your intention to remain open.
Continue this practice for 20 minutes. At the end of the time get up and go about your business, leaving the practice behind, in the same way you let go of your thoughts.
People who are just beginning, and are particularly restless in mind and body, may find it easier to start off with shorter prayer periods, perhaps only 5 minutes per sit to start. Then after a few days extend the time to 10 minutes and so on until you are able to sit for 20 minutes. Give the practice at least 2 weeks before you decide if it is right for you.
Two 20-30 minute sits per day are considered ideal. It is strongly recommended that no one meditates for more the 60 minutes a day unless you are attending a structured retreat with experienced leaders.
Day 10
“Where is my treasure and what do I love most in life?”
Proverbs 2:1-8
Matthew 6:31-34
Locate an object that you really value. Hold it in your hands if you can or simply gaze upon it. Take about 5 mins to really notice it. Pay attention to all of the object’s characteristics (size, shape, color, etc.) Notice things about the object you have never noticed before. Try to see it afresh. Tell yourself the story of how you acquired this object? Ask yourself why is it so valuable? Thank God for this gift.
Day 11
“What do I hate most in life and to what am I true? Over and over the questions beat upon the waiting moment.”
Jonah 4
Romans 12:9-13
Choose one of the following movies to watch:
Journal while watching the movie, note your emotions as the story progresses. Which character do you find it the most difficult to empathize with, why? What is the role of hatred in the movie? Reflect on the role of hatred in your own life.
Day 12
“As we listen, floating up through all of the jangling echoes of our turbulence, there is a sound of another kind— A deeper note which only the stillness of the heart makes clear.”
Psalm 131
James 1:19-25
Intentionally practice silence for the day or a few hours. This includes social media posting and electronic communications. When you feel the urge to speak remember the acronym W.A.I.T. (Why am I talking). Notice your internal dialogue, attempt to silence this as much as you can. Walk through the day without any agenda. Be open to what the spirit reveals to you.
Day 13
“It moves directly to the core of our being. Our questions are answered, Our spirits refreshed, and we move back into the traffic of our daily round With the peace of the Eternal in our step.”
Psalm 51:10-17
Philippians 4:4-9
Take a virtual tour of a museum or aquarium. Notice which paintings, objects, creatures speak to you in this waiting moment. Have a conversation with the painting, object, or creature. Ask what does God want to tell you through what you behold?
A few places where you can do a virtual tour
Day 14
“How good it is to center down!”
Psalm 23
John 15:1-11
Reflect. Choose to write a letter either to your future self two weeks from now about what you hope to carry with you from this journey; or write a letter to your past self two weeks ago at the beginning of this journey about what you might expect and how you could better prepare for the journey. Ask yourself, how will you interact with the world differently having gone through this journey?