Welcome
Welcome to The Contemplative Society website. We are an inclusive non-profit society that encourages a deepening of contemplative prayer based in the Christian Wisdom tradition while also welcoming and being supportive of other meditation traditions. We are based in Victoria, BC, Canada and serve a global audience. Our work is conducted by a voluntary Board of Directors and one part-time Administrator.
We offer local retreats, wisdom schools, and workshops led by Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault and other teachers of the Christian contemplative path. In cooperation with other similar organizations, we promote the contemplative Wisdom path and offer events in other geographic locations.
On this website you will find instructional and inspiration materials, in both text and audio format, supportive of the contemplative life.
NEWLY RELEASED!
Eye of the Heart – teaching by Matthew Wright
Recorded at a retreat focused primarily on the Gospel of Thomas, Matthew begins by laying out the divergent paths of mainline Roman Christianity (characterised by ascent of and escape from this fallen world) and the more fringe heart-centred Jesus wisdom tradition (characterised by healing a divided soul and faith in a nondual reality as manifested through the diverse faces of God lived out by each individual). Together, we explore the Gospel of Thomas’ themes of attention, non-identified presence, embodiment, and singleness, while the Gospel of Mary Magdalene helps tie these teachings to the heart as an organ of spiritual perception and Teilhard’s writings further illuminate this wisdom tradition in terms of evolutionary thought. Matthew’s approach is meticulous, engaging, and uplifting, showing us the potential of the collective when we all take up the call to incarnate our unique expression of the divine, creating heaven on earth.
Available as a 11-CD set or MP3 download. More details and audios for purchase on the Audio page.
Cynthia Bourgeault
Modern day mystic, Episcopal priest, writer, and internationally known retreat leader, Cynthia Bourgeault divides her time between solitude at her seaside hermitage in Maine, and a demanding schedule traveling globally to teach and spread the recovery of the Christian contemplative and Wisdom path.
