CDs from The Contemplative Society

Audio Resources: CD Sets of Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault's Teaching

Please Note: These CD sets are LIVE recordings of Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault’s teaching at various retreats, teaching sessions, and Wisdom Schools. We would like to acknowledge that the recording for some of this material is not of studio quality and you may occassionally hear background noises or variability in the audio volume. Despite the minor quality issues we believe that the content is of such relevance and importance that we opted to produce and make available to those interested in these teachings.

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NEWEST CD Recording:

ASSISI PILGRIMAGE: Journey to the Heart of St. Francis & St. Clare (11 CD set) - live recording

Recorded LIVE at a Wisdom School in Assisi Italy, August 6-13, 2010

Cynthia Bourgeault is joined by Ward Bauman and Susanne Olin in an exploration of the lives of Saint Francis and Saint Clare. In this seven day Wisdom School held in Assisi Italy, Francis and Clare are presented as “models for conscious love.” An exploration of sacred artifacts and historical sites of Assisi, 'The City of God', is also included. The teaching explores surrender, embodiment, immolation, and salvation showing how they work together to create a sustained force of love in our lives. The teaching further explores the inner meaning of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as an embodiment of the Wisdom Way. As we come to know the true heart of Francis and Clare, new light is shed upon early Christian thought regarding our bodies, human sexuality, renunciation, and the natural world. Contemplative Compline with chant and instruction in grounding practices is also included.

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FEATURED CD Recording:

RELEARNING SURRENDER (3 CD set) - live recording

Relearning Surrender - Dr Cynthia Bourgeault

Recorded LIVE 1999, Nanaimo BC - Revised and re-released 2012

When we surrender and yield, we are putting ourselves in the company of Christ and Mary and all those who modeled this for us in their lives. Cynthia Bourgeault guides us to look deeply at Centering Prayer “the prayer of the experience of surrender,” as well as other meditative prayer practices, to better understand surrender as a gesture of love. By taking a fresh look at pain, pleasure, and personal boundaries, we discover our interconnectedness with God and all human beings, accessible only through spiritual surrender.

Approximate running length: 3 hours, 40 minutes.

Click HERE for a complete list of disc and track titles.

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The Cross for Contemplatives (2 CD set) - live recording

Recorded LIVE 1998, at Salt Spring Island BC - Revised and re-released 2011

This pre-Lenten retreat includes various teachings related to the mystery of death and the wisdom to be learned from the daily letting go until the final and ultimate surrender to death itself. It also includes a short summary on the practice of lectio divina. Cynthia speaks of the cross as the meeting point of the temporal and eternal which intersect in the present moment. The challenge is to stay present and resist temptation to get lost in daydreaming about past or future. Cynthia describes how sacred gesture (legominism) conveys a higher spiritual truth and is an embodied practice modeled by Jesus throughout his life and death. These gestures include abandonment, surrender, stripping, and ultimately death itself. We can learn to say “yes” to each moment and even to the final “yes” of our death. Jesus models this path with an openhearted acceptance of all that is. Drawing from Ladislaus Boros’ book The Mystery of Death, Cynthia describes how Christ’s body has become fully accessible to everyone. In Jesus’ death, form meets the formless and the finite meets the infinite and it is through his death that the world becomes united with his mystical body. Everything we are in our essence will continue in this Body of Christ. We can abandon ourselves to and trust this place of Divine providence.

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The Depth of Silence (6 CD set) - live recording

Recorded LIVE 2010, at Cowichan Lake Education Centre, BC

(Teachings for this recorded session are taken from the book Silence: The Mystery of Wholeness by Robert Sardello. Cynthia uses two editions: Goldenstone Press (2006) and North Atlantic Books)

In this cd set, Cynthia fine-tunes and raises to a new level the subtleties of Centering Prayer as she explores a slightly different, yet compatible practice. Through this teaching we discover that Silence is the Beloved and our constant companion. As our relationship with Silence develops it becomes a place of aliveness and intimacy not merely a backdrop, void and empty. When we respond from the depths of Silence, we become acutely present and discover we are lovingly held in that Silence. We discover our deep connection with the infinite and learn to live from that place. This embodied practice springs from our yearning rather than our effort as we discover the mystical marriage between soul and spirit which is our life. Gradually through a more "soft focused" approach to life, we become connected to the living stream that flows from the inside out. From this place, we learn to see our way in the dark and move out into the world with more presence.

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An Introduction to the Practice of Centering Prayer (2 CD set) - live recording

An Introduction to the Practise of Centering Prayer

Recorded LIVE 2009, at Auckland New Zealand

Centering Prayer is a wordless, trusting prayer practice that seeks to open us more deeply to the presence and action of God. As we rest in silence at the centre of our being, our awareness of the Divine grows. Through the regular practice of Centering Prayer, our ability to be present, flexible, and forgiving increases. We become more honest and comfortable in our own being. This CD offers a full introduction to the method of Centering Prayer. Cynthia discusses the basics such as handling thoughts and the logistics of setting up a regular practice. She has been a practitioner of Centering Prayer since 1988 and this practice is core to her teaching

This recording was produced for the Contemplative Network Aotearoa NZ with the support of the Coromandel Christian Trust.

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Additional Information:

Click HERE for a copy of the brochure "The Method of Centering Prayer" by Thomas Keating, produced by Contemplative Outreach.

Mary Magdalene & the Path of Conscious Love (10 CD set) - live recording

Mary Magdelene and the Path of Conscious Love - Cynthia Bourgeault

Join Cynthia Bourgeault as she takes us on a vivid in-depth journey through the Canonical and Gnostic Gospels to reclaim the highly esteemed Mary Magdalene of the early church, and to reveal her role as principal teacher and apostle. Learn to see both Mary Magdalene and Jesus with new eyes and to understand Jesus' teaching on 'relationship' with others as a tool for transformation.

Through this CD set, Cynthia leads us to uncover a "vision of Christianity based on transformative and redemptive love, versus renunciation and judgment -- a Christianity based on what connects us rather than what separates us".

* Please note: This recording has some noticeable audio variability and background noise; however the teaching is clear, highly relevant, and very beneficial.

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The Divine Exchange (8 CD set) - live recording

Recorded live 2008, at Rosemary Heights Retreat Center, Surrey BC

As we allow ourselves to participate in the freely flowing exchange of Divine creativity, love is made manifest. If on this reckless and extravagant path, we do not “store it all up” as in the classic ascetic traditions of attaining being, but “throw it all away,” divine love will always come to us. We will come to know – and finally become – the river itself, circulating through all things as a hidden dynamism. Like a seed, we have to “die” to something – something which at first defines and protects us – before we can emerge fully into who we are, before the deepest potential is released in us.

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Additional Information:

Click HERE for the handouts provided by Cynthia at The Divine Exchange retreat.

Christophany - East Coast Meditation Retreat (12 CD set) - live recording

Recorded LIVE 2009, at Contemplative Outreach Meditation Retreat, Orange County NY

During each era there arrives a profound Christian thinker who reshapes our worldview and subsequent relationship with the Divine. Raimon Panikkar, son of a Catholic mother and Hindu father, is a pioneer in East-West dialogue. In his book, Christophany: The Fullness of Man, he claims that the Trinity is the symbol par excellence of Christian advaita, or non-dualism. His work is a pioneering effort toward articulating Christian consciousness within a non-dual meta-physics. In this intensive series of presentations and discussions, the profound content of Panikkar’s material is made accessible for those seeking spiritual depth. Cynthia Bourgeault deftly conveys Panikkar’s cosmology and the inherent wisdom of its unitive and mystical paradigm, simplifying both facets into useful adaptations for our own Christian journey.

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Additional Information:

Read Cynthia’s notes on Raimon Panikkar's book Christophany: Fullness of Man:

Going Deeper Into the Mystery of Christ (5 CD Set) - live recording

In this teaching series Cynthia Bourgeault emphasizes the importance of renewing our understanding of the Cosmic Christ who is an icon of unitive coherence as witnessed in the Pauline texts of the Bible. She uncovers the theme of the awakening of non-dual perception in the scrolls of the Nag Hammadi, in 5th & 6th century Syriac texts and in the esoteric wisdom of the world’s religious traditions as well as in the contemporary Christian practice of Centering Prayer. Central to this perception is the kenotic path taught by Jesus. Kenotic, out-pouring love is at the heart of the Trinity and the Eucharist. Cynthia concludes with a discussion on practical ways we might live out this teaching.

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From Healing to Holiness (5 CD set) - live recording

In this CD, we are introduced to the foundational elements of Centering Prayer and its extraordinary capacity to bring about psychological healing. Based on the work of Fr. Thomas Keating. Cynthia Bourgeault explores the concepts of the unloading of the unconscious, the dismantling of the false self, and the gifts of the Spirit that are released as the layers of egoic bands are loosened through the regular practice of Centering Prayer. By examining the process of the kenotic response, or self-emptying, and the role of the heart in healing, Cynthia offers an approach to personal transformation, based on the essential teaching and being of Jesus, and its great relevance to our time.

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The Cloud Of Unknowing (7 CD set) - live recording

Written by an anonymous Christian mystic in medieval England, the Cloud of Unknowing provides profound advice and instruction for all persons on the contemplative path. The author believed that the cloud of unknowing that appears to separate us from God cannot be penetrated with the intellect but only through a form of love. Cynthia Bourgeault offers an introduction to the core teachings in this classic text of Christian mysticism, showing how it remains as relevant today as when it was written in the fourteenth century. The topics covered include an examination of the relationship between the active life and the contemplative life; the nature of sorrow of being that may arise in contemplative practice; and the role of apophatic love in the centering prayer practice.

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Letting Go – How Far Can It Take You? (3 CD set) - live recording

Letting Go - How far can it take you

Letting go – how far can it take you? is the question Cynthia Bourgeault poses and explores in an analysis of the journey which we begin at birth and continue to the death of the body. Drawing particularly from Helen Luke’s book Old Age: Journey into Simplicity as well as John S. Donne’s Four Consents , Cynthia offers a transformative alternative to the North American obsession with staying young, fearing aging, and denying death. As we practice letting go of our attachments we discover that all is tenderly held in God’s love and in wholeness. The welcoming practice, another tool of transformation, is also discussed.

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The Essentials of Benedictine Spirituality (5 CD set) - live recording

The Essentials of Benedictine Spirituality - Dr Cynthia Bourgeault

Cynthia Bourgeault reconstructs Benedictine Spirituality, with its creative rhythms, patterns, and musical emphasis, as a practical form of spirituality to be used by all. Learn the key difference between chanting and speaking the psalms and additional practices to achieve Benedictine balance and transformation in everyday life. Subjects include: The Three Vows of Benedictine Life, the Three Values of Benedictine Community, and Work and Prayer Life – Alone and with Others.

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The Contemplative Journey (2 CD set) - live recording

The Contemplative Journey - 2 CD set by Cynthia Bourgeault

In this CD set, Cynthia Bourgeault explores various topics including psychology and contemplation; unloading of the unconscious; the web of woundedness; depression and the dark night; fearfulness, effort and rest; walking meditation and why Christian meditation?

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Learning To See (8 CD set) - live recording

Learning to See - A wisdom School This CD set covers Cynthia Bourgeault teaching at a Wisdom School on the book “And There Was Light” by Jacques Lusseyran. Cynthia pays special attention to ‘kenosis’ or self-emptying, the wisdom path taught and modeled by Jesus as the “royal road” to unitive consciousness.

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Deepening The Practice of Centering Prayer (7 CD set) - live recording

Deepening the Practice of Centering Prayer - Cynthia Bourgeult

In this CD set, Cynthia Bourgeault explores various topics including the boundaried self, self-emptying, heart alignment and perception, conscious presence, burnout, the dark night, spiritual non-possessiveness and contemplative action.

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Awakened Mind, Awakened Heart (4 CD set) - live recording

Awakened Mind, Awakened Heart - Cynthia Bourgeault

Cynthia Bourgeault provides an introduction to working with conscious presence and the inner observer from a Christian perspective. While these disciplines are familiar in eastern spirituality, they are less commonly taught in traditional Christian spirituality, although well known in Christian mysticism. Working from the touchstone of Centering Prayer, topics include balanced awareness, small self and the transcendent Self, developing a stable inner observer, moving beyond likes and dislikes, and unlocking the transformative power of surrender.

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Conscious Love (4 CD set) - live recording

In this CD set, Cynthia Bourgeault explores how conscious love flows from our deeper selves, beyond identification, craving, wanting, and needing. We discover that conscious love abides beyond all emotional states and polarities in a place where boundaries are diminished and our egoic perceptions dissolve. By living from this deep and ever present wellspring, we may feel pain, fear, and anxiety but it will not overcome us. Conscious love exposes the cages that trap us and guides us on the journey of transformation – a journey of out-pouring that comes from an open and relaxed heart.

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Boehme for Beginners (7 CD set) – live recording

In deep contemplative stillness this 17th century German shoemaker, gazing at a pewter dish sparkling in the sun, was suddenly swept up in a firestorm of unitive vision. Boehme, an underground genius of the Christian contemplative path, offers a unified metaphysic, with cosmology and psychology reinforcing each other in a transformative path. Boehme understood that will, desire, and pain are the raw materials through which something powerful and mighty is brought about. Thus these things are not to be feared or denied but transformed. In this CD set Cynthia Bourgeault explores topics such as surrender & Centering Prayer, levels of awareness, identification, the resigned will or letting it be, the supersensual life (beyond the 5 senses), Boehme's cosmology, building being, flow & constriction, friction & darkness as path, and the inner ground of liberty and peace.

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Additional Information:

Quotes from Jacob Boehme

Boehme for Beginners by Cynthia_Bourgeault

Word and Silence (3 CD set) - live recording

In this CD set, Cynthia Bourgeault explores various topics including the recovery of the Unitive Word, the practice of Lectio Divina, the Four Senses of Scripture, the word made song, and moving toward a Lectio Divina way of living.

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Roots and Wings of Christian Mysticism (4 CD set) - live recording

Based on a study of Olivier Clement’s, Roots of Christian Mysticism, Cynthia Bourgeault explores some of the core concepts of our Christian mystical heritage and their relevance for contemplative spiritual practice. Topics include: mysticism & visionary seeing, the human vocation, the invisible in the visible, the Trinity, the praxis of prayer, and the heart’s own language.

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Encountering The Wisdom Jesus (6 CD set) - audiobook

Available for online purchase through Amazon. Click the CD cover for order information.
Read Review

“Dear Cynthia, In preaching the passion yesterday, I called heavily on your teachings that were recorded in the “Wisdom Jesus” series. I must say that your wisdom approach to holy week has changed my life and that of the congregation I serve. I have told many friends how you have singlehandedly rescued Christianity for me, and that isn’t an understatement. I just thought it would be nice to let you know that, especially in lieu of the fact we are now in Holy Week, and that is clearly where your impact on my ministry has been so significant...”

- from an Episcopal Priest

Cynthia’s book, "The Wisdom Jesus", is available for online purchase through Shambhala Publications.
For order information click HERE

Please check back frequently as more CD sets are added as they become available.