Guest post by Carl McColman

I’m writing this blog post the morning after returning home from a lovely weekend where I was the guest presenter at Minnesota Contemplative Outreach’s fall retreat. We spent our time together reflecting on my book Eternal Heart: the Mystical Path to a Joyful Life.

So many retreats that I lead are structured around the writings of one of the great mystics of the past, such as Julian of Norwich, Thomas Merton, or the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing. It’s a bit humbling when I’m asked to speak about my own writing. But it’s also an honor, so when I’m asked to talk about one of my books, I’m glad to do so.

In one of this past weekend's retreat conferences, I spoke a little about my creative process. I suppose you would call me a “right brained” writer, which means I approach my work intuitively rather than systematically. I don’t write in a linear fashion; rather, I develop a concept (in this case, a book about the spiritual gifts of the heart), and then sketch out the key themes and main ideas that I want to cover, before finally getting down to the task of writing (and revising) the book.

Eternal Heart has ten chapters. The first chapter is actually “Chapter 0” and the final chapter is “Chapter ∞” so the numbering is a bit unconventional, to say the least. But this unusual sequence actually fits some of the ideas about emptiness, eternity, and infinity that inform the key ideas of this book.

A slight digression: writing about mysticism is challenging! By its definition, mysticism concerns the mystery of God, in relationship with the mystery of being human, and such “mysteries” can best be expressed by silence, not by words. So writing about mysticism is a fools’ errand. Nevertheless, following the New Testament idea that we are called to be fools for Christ’s sake, I’ve learned to embrace my own inner harlequin and so I love to write about this impossible topic.

Anyway, back to the weekend retreat: in describing the writing process, I shared with the group the ten original themes or ideas that I structured the chapters around. I mentioned how, in the writing process, sometimes themes like this can evolve or even be subtly hidden in the final work. Nevertheless, these were the ideas that guided me as I wrote Eternal Heart. After the retreat, the leaders of Minnesota Contemplative Outreach asked me if I could share these themes with their community, and so that’s the purpose of this post.

Here, then, are the themes of each chapter of Eternal Heart:
0 Infinity  Do you want a happier, more joyful life? Within your heart you have been given all that you need.
1 Passage  The path to joy is in your heart. So what are you waiting for — get on the path!
2 Silence  Silence is the matrix of possibility. Imagine the possibilities...
3 Discernment  The very Mind of God is encoded in your heart. Celebrate what this means for you.
4 Renewal  No one (and no heart) is perfect. Yours will make mistakes. Acknowledge when you need renewal, and accept the gift of new life.
5 Wisdom  Be patient with your own imperfections and your slow process of growth and healing. Let yourself be transformed.
6 Love  Calibrate your life to the Divine Love that has already been poured into you. Receive it and give it.
7 Eternity  You have all the time in the world. So take your time. This is the initiation into joy.
8 Joy  Know that you are always and already one with God. This is the fullness of joy.
∞ Courage  Now what? The future is yours to imagine — and create. Hope, trust, and be courageous.

So when you read the book, look for these themes. Some of them are easier to spot than others. Think of this like an Easter Egg Hunt, or even “Find Waldo Now” — only the “Waldos” are ideas that I hope can bless you as you continue to respond to the amazing gift of Divine Presence and Love: in your heart, and in your life.

Cross-posted on Carl's website, Anamchara.

John Keller, MNCO co-coordinator

On Saturday, September 21, Minnesota Contemplative Outreach will host its Second Annual Gathering at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Apple Valley.

This blog post is part of a series highlighting the four key purposes of the event:

1. Celebrate and enjoy each other's company
2. Listen to the needs of chapter participants
3. Invite and enlist new volunteers, focusing on gifts and discernment
4. Inspire hope in the process of transformation

Today, I’ll focus on the second purpose: listening to the needs of chapter participants.
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As contemplatives, we deeply value the practice of listening. Each day, we spend twenty minutes twice a day in silence with God, consenting to God’s presence and action within us. This simple act of listening, free from expectations, allows us to understand what it means to be beloved children of God. To honor this commitment, our gathering will include two Centering Prayer sessions.

Our contemplative practice doesn’t end with prayer; it extends into our daily lives and interactions. We strive to listen with open minds and hearts, truly hearing the needs, joys, and sorrows of those we encounter. At our annual gathering, we will have extended conversations in both small and large groups, discussing how our Centering Prayer groups are serving the needs and dreams of their participants.

Our chapter hosts over 35 groups, each with unique formats and schedules, ranging from daily or weekly Zoom meetings to in-person gatherings in churches or homes. Some groups meet for a single twenty-minute session, while others include faith sharing, Lectio Divina, or book discussions. All are united in the goal of embracing transformation in Christ through Centering Prayer.

The Leadership Team hopes these conversations will not only support personal transformation but also strengthen our Centering Prayer groups. All group facilitators, or a representative, are strongly encouraged to attend and share insights on their group's progress and needs.  Together we can discover and plan future events and materials to strengthen our Centering Prayer groups
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You can register for the Annual Gathering here