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Thanks for Stopping By
I’m glad you’re visiting my website. I’m Carl — and here’s a little bit about me. I am a writer, blogger, podcaster, spiritual director,...
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Books by Carl McColman
What Richard Foster and Dallas Willard were to my generation – prime tour guides to the spiritual life – I hope and believe Carl McColman will be fo...
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How to Support this Blog
Readers like you make this blog possible. When you make a pledge to support this blog, you not only have the satisfaction of knowing you are partnering with me ...
2020 Vision: How the Challenges of This Year Can Help Us to See More Clearly
Last month I was invited to participate in a panel discussion with several contemplative leaders here in the Atlanta area, under the topic “2020 Vision.&#...
Heart to Heart, Simple Awareness of Love
Recently I received this message from a new reader of this blog… Hi Carl, I found your site yesterday. I am a beginner and the Lord has been telling me to...
The Prayer of Recollection: A Classic Mystical Practice as Taught by Evelyn Underhill
Contemplative spirituality has its own jargon, and this “language of prayer” evolves over time. Nowadays you’ll find students of the mystical ...
Why Practice Centering Prayer?
Recently, I facilitated an online day of reflection and a participant asked me, “Why do you practice Centering Prayer?” I rarely get asked a questio...
Seven Ways to Think About Christian Mysticism
Here is the third episode of my “Schola Mystica” podcast. The transcript of the episode appears below. Mysticism is a notoriously difficult word to ...
Finding Your Perfect Prayer Posture
A question that sometimes comes up when people are first learning a practice like Centering Prayer is, “How do I sit?” In other words, what is the b...
Video: Mysticism and the Bible — Three Contemplative Verses
“Is mysticism in the Bible?” It’s a question I get asked from time to time. And while the word mysticism itself is not found in scripture, the...
What Contemplatives Think of Their Prayer Practice (and What We Can Do To Grow in Prayer)
Over the years I’ve had the privilege to speak to many people who practice, or are interested in practicing, Christian forms of silent prayer. Since I mys...
In Silent Prayer, We Let Thoughts Go… Even Holy Thoughts?
A reader writes, Hi Carl. I have a question that I can never find a clear answer to. In Zen meditation, one is to sit silently, and if thoughts come into your h...
Help Santa Out: Seven Books to Give to Anyone Interested in Learning About Christian Mysticism
Okay, friends, I know we haven’t even made it to All Saint’s yet, but Christmas is less than two months away. If you’re new to my blog, I writ...
Contemplative Wisdom from Evelyn Underhill, Martin Laird and Julian of Norwich
Contemplative Outreach Atlanta has just finished their first online 5-Day Retreat. Historically this retreat took place each year at the Monastery of the Holy S...
Nine Books for Exploring Franciscan Spirituality
This past weekend I conducted a retreat on Franciscan spirituality for the Rock Hill Oratory Center for Spirituality in South Carolina. Franciscan spirituality ...
Get Kindle Versions of My Books for as Low as 99¢! (Limited Time Offer)
Friends, three of my books are currently on sale as Kindle e-books in the USA. Act now for a chance to get these books at a deep discount. These prices are accu...
Why “Nobody’s Perfect” is Such Good News
Nobody’s perfect. It’s such a bit of folk wisdom that it just rolls off our tongue. But do we believe it? Do we accept the imperfections in ourselve...
A Dream and a Book (How I Learned About Christian Mysticism)
For episode 2 of my new podcast, Schola Mystica, I tell a brief story about how I first learned about Christian mysticism, beginning with a dream I had shortly ...