March 1, 2025

The Process of Welcoming — Living Into Yes!

Join us to explore the depths of consent through the Welcoming process and prayer practice.

Living into a 'Yes' that includes every aspect of life and leads, if we consent, to ever expanding interior freedom.

Presented by Mary Dwyer

Mary Dwyer is a long-time student of Fr. Thomas Keating & has been practicing Centering Prayer since the 1980s. She now devotes her time between private practice & giving retreats & workshops throughout the US & internationally.

April 5, 2025

Deepening Centering Prayer — Learning to Let Go & Let Be

Is centering prayer meditation? Or is it prayer ?

And what is the difference between centering prayer and contemplative prayer anyway?

What practical ways can we deepen our practice? What practical implications are there for more mystical understandings? Join to explore how centering prayer is a mix of meditation and prayer, mindfulness and heartfulness, letting go and letting be.

Presented by Keith Kristich

Founder of Closer Than Breath, Keith is a commissioned teacher of Centering Prayer through Contemplative Outreach, trained with the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and is a teacher of meditation. Rooted in the Christian contemplative tradition, Keith brings an interspiritual approach to spiritual practice and teaching.

May 3, 2025

What is Mine to Do? — Centering Prayer As Ground for Right Action

It is challenging in these tumultuous times to maintain our Divine connection: to stay grounded in Love as a contemplative AND to be in courageous action in the world. What is mine to do amidst the chaos? What are the spiritual energies (or fruits) I am called to bring into my family, community and world?

Centering Prayer is an essential practice for the moment we are in. It grounds us in silent Presence so we can approach the events of our lives with clarity and right action. Our time will include silence together in Centering Prayer, insightful questions to increase awareness in our own lives, and inspiration for the journey from interspiritual truth-tellers.

Presented by Marybeth Redmond

Marybeth Redmond is an ordained interfaith/interspiritual minister and a certified spiritual director/companion. She has been a practitioner of Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, yoga, and the Christian contemplative wisdom path for many years. Marybeth’s Catholic formation, along with her deep study of the Christian mystics, led her to embrace interspirituality as an emerging path for seekers with diverse and multiple religious or spiritual backgrounds, as well as the spiritually independent. She is a longtime journalist with a deep commitment to advocacy and systemic change for justice-involved women and New Americans in Vermont.

June 7, 2025

Practicing the Pause — Embracing the Spark of the Divine Within

The message of the divine spark within is not only foundational to every ancient spiritual tradition, it is foundational to our spiritual journey, and integral to the healing of our everyday lives. Join Caroline Oakes as she offers us a journey through the first chapters of her book Practice the Pause, sharing with us wisdom from many of all of our favorite teachers on the original blessing of this divine spark within us and within all people.

Presented by Caroline Oakes

Caroline Oakes, author of the newly-released book Practice the Pause: Jesus' Contemplative Practice, New Brain Science, and What It Means to Be Fully Human. Caroline is a writer and spiritual director whose essays have been published at the On Being Project, the Huffington Post, and in her bimonthly “Mind & Spirit” column.