Contemplative Outreach of Central Pennsylvania Newsletter
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 Welcome to the January 2012 issue of the Contemplative Outreach of Central Pennsylvania newsletter. We are a chapter of Contemplative Outreach. Please consider sending us a few words on this month's question for the next issue. We'd love to hear from you, whether it's for the first time or you've contributed in the past. Please note the workshops and retreats listed in the left margin. There is still room if you would like to sign up! Plus some additional workshops . . . "Writing an Icon Workshop" in State College January 27 & 28. More info below
"The Two Halves of Life" at Bethany Retreat Center February 3-5. More info below "United in Prayer Day" at Bethany Retreat Center on March 17. Please note that at the end of the day there will be a chapter meeting for Contemplative Outreach of Central PA, and all are welcome. More info below As always, if you have suggestions or comments on the newsletter, please send them! Gwen Stimely and Jet Schneider p.s. The breathtaking photographs in this issue were kindly provided by Michael van Laar, who took them last Fall in Switzerland. |
Food for Thought
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Theological Principles of Contemplative Outreach
 There are 16 theological principles to help guide the organization of Contemplative Outreach. A great deal of thought went into developing these principles, and they fit nicely into our "Food for Thought" column. For the next several issues, starting with this one, we will list one or more of the principles. Hopefully, you will find them interesting to read and think about. Here are the first two: - Contemplative Outreach is a community of individuals and Centering Prayer groups committed to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel in everyday life.
- A commitment to the daily practice of Centering Prayer is the primary expression of belonging.
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 Reader Submissions |
| In our last issue we asked the question: Have you experienced moments of peace in your daily life, even during times of difficulty? If so, could you describe the experience? Here are the responses ...
 from M.H. State College
Oh yes! Different parts of me come to the fore and I can feel and see them so clearly. One part can feel the wings of God holding me at the same time I see and feel the pain and sadness of the other part. Experiencing this peace and love in times of difficulty gives me energy and hope and direction. These are not always automatic reactions. Centering Prayer helps me 'find' those feelings and remember them.
from J.S. State College
Yes, I have experienced such moments, and treasure them deeply - the moments that all had one thing in common: they came completely unexpected, all of a sudden, as a wonderful gift.. Driving through the mountains, suddenly becoming aware of the Oneness of Everything, of me Being One with the mountains, the grass, the birds, Everything. No thoughts, just a sense of Being... Suddenly, during washing dishes, being aware and "see" how God would see a person, the amount of Love.... Unexpectedly stumbling upon a newborn baby deer and its mother in a parking lot, the awe of something so beautiful and pure....again no thoughts, just a sense of Being. I find these "unitive experiences" as Gerald May, M.D. calls them, difficult to put into words - there are no thoughts during the experience, just a sense of being completely Aware and at Peace. I am adding some information about Gerald May and his understanding of the experience. What is clear, is that these experiences are pure gifts, which can be stored in the treasure chest of our hearts, to be revisited any time when needed.
Gerald May and the Term "Unitive Experience" Gerald May, M.D. (1940-2005) was a psychiatrist and spiritual director who conducted hundreds of in-depth interviews with people from all walks of life, asking them about their spiritual experiences. He was particularly interested in what he called the "unitive experience." Gerald May describes a unitive experience as when "one feels suddenly 'swept up' by life, 'caught' in a suspended moment where time seems to stand still and awareness peaks, ...becoming at once totally wide-awake and open. Everything in the immediate environment is experienced with awesome clarity, and the vast panorama of consciousness lies open. For the duration of the experience - which is usually not long - mental activity seems to be suspended. Preoccupations, misgivings, worries, and desires all seem to evaporate, leaving everything 'perfect, just as it is.' Usually there are some reactive feelings that occur toward the end of the experience, feelings such as awe, wonder, expansiveness, freedom, warmth, love, and a sense of total truth or 'rightness.' After the experience is over, there is an almost invariable recollection of having been at one." (Gerald May, Will and Spirit, p. 55)
Gerald May says that nearly everyone he has interviewed in depth, including people living with some brain damage or schizophrenia, can recall at least one or two unitive experiences. One man told of a moment on vacation in the mountains when
everything had become quiet. The crickets and cicadas had silenced their chirping, and even the breeze stopped. All I can say is that moment was an eternity, and it was the moment of my birth. ...I had no thought at the time - everything was just there. I had no reaction except for a deep quiet and peace. This is hard for me to say, but at some point I remember thinking "There is a God, there is a God." And my life hasn't been the same since then. I still practice law, and I keep the same friends. I still worry about money and politics. I still snap at my wife when I've had a hard day, but I'm different. Somewhere deep down something has changed. Now I look for God - I seek the wonder of life, and while I appreciate being here on the face of this earth more than ever before, I also fear death less. I sit alone sometimes, and now and then I enter that moment again. (ibid, p. 69) | |
Gerald May, MD (1940-2005)
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Gerald May was well-known for his writings on psychology and spirituality; he authored numerous articles and books, including Addiction & Grace, Will & Spirit, The Awakened Heart, Dark Night of the Soul and, most recently, Wisdom of the Wilderness. From 1983 to 2005, he served at the Shalem Institute in Washington, DC, USA, as Director of Spiritual Guidance, as Director for Research and Program Development, and finally as Senior Fellow in Contemplative Theology and Psychology.
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Writing an Icon Workshop, State College, Friday Jan 27 & Saturday Jan 28
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 What: Writing an Icon of Saint John the Baptist With Rev. Dr. Russell Hart, iconographer, author, spiritual director, and director of the Center for Spiritual Formation. in Carlisle, PA. When: Fri., Jan 27th at 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm, and till Sat., Jan 28th from 8:30 am until 4:30 pm. Where: Park Forest Village United Methodist Church, 1833 Park Forest Village Ave., State College, PA 16803. Cost: $75.00. This includes materials & 1 ceu. Please bring a bag lunch. To register, please contact Dr. Hart at The Center for Spiritual Formation, 64 East North Street, Carlisle, PA 17013, by phone 717-240-0678 or by e-mail. This event is limited to 12 persons. Back to Top |
The Two Halves of Life Retreat, Feb 3-5, 2012
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 What: A retreat based on the work of Ronald Rolheiser & Richard Rohr. How does a person's life journey lead to transformation in Christ? When: Arrive 6 pm Friday Feb 3. Depart 11 am Sunday Feb 5. Where: Bethany Retreat Center For more information, click hereBack to Top |
United in Prayer Day, Saturday, March 17, 2012
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Sponsored by Contemplative Outreach of Central PA
 What: A day of prayer in community with members of Contemplative Outreach around the world. Groups in 39 countries will gather on this day. The day will include Centering Prayer, silence, community, and a DVD with Fr. Thomas Keating.
When: Saturday, March 17, 2012, 9:30 am to 4:00 pm
Where: Bethany Retreat Center
More info: Bring a bag lunch. Suggested donation $10.00-$20.00 as you are able. To register, please contact Nancy Cord-Baran by phone, 814-237-1002, or e-mail.
Contemplative Outreach of Central Pa Chapter Meeting will follow the United in Prayer day. All are welcome to attend whether you are on the Leadership Team or not (or are interested in joining the Leadership team). Please let Nancy or Tim know if you have any agenda items.
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Please Share!
| |  As mentioned above, the first two Theological Principles of Contemplative Outreach are: - Contemplative Outreach is a community of individuals and Centering Prayer groups committed to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel in everyday life.
- A commitment to the daily practice of Centering Prayer is the primary expression of belonging.
Please share your thoughts on what these principles mean to you personally.
Please write a few words (or lots of words!) and send them to us. Selected submissions will appear in the next newsletter. Please include your town and note how you would like your name to appear - Anonymous, Initials, or Full Name. Back to Top |
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