PhD

Meditation PhD

Many people are familiar with the practice of meditation in Eastern spiritual traditions. What many do not know, however, is that Western mysticism also gives us a rich meditative tradition. From the time of the desert fathers and mothers to the present day, a long line of mystics have given us inspiring, prayerful practices. In this series, you will learn powerful lessons about meditative prayer, or the silencing of the mind. Under the guidance of Fr. Donald Goergen, you will explore such themes as silence, group meditation, and the difference between meditation and contemplation. Along the way, you will be inspired by the teachings of the Philokalia, John Cassian, St. Augustine, St. Dominic, Thomas Aquinas, Meister Eckhart, Teresa of Ávila, John of the Cross, Thérèse of Lisieux, and many others. This series will invite you to pray with fewer words and deepen your experience of contemplation. In these twelve powerful talks, you will learn how to engage in meditative and contemplative practices while appreciating the Christian mystical tradition that has nourished these practices throughout the centuries. As you learn from the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us, you will expand your horizons of prayer. Embark on this sublime spiritual odyssey today.