About
This retreat was recorded live in 2008 at Regis University for Spiritual Direction Colorado and revised and re-released in 2019. This purchase includes an MP3 audio download with a total running time of approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes. In this teaching, Cynthia Bourgeault introduces the foundational elements of Centering Prayer and its extraordinary capacity to bring about psychological and spiritual healing. Drawing on the work of Fr. Thomas Keating, she explores the unloading of the unconscious, the dismantling of the false self, and the release of the Spirit’s gifts as layers of egoic defense are loosened through regular practice. Cynthia highlights the kenotic response (self-emptying) as the heart of transformation, showing how the healing power of love arises from the heart’s capacity to surrender. Key themes include the stages of Centering Prayer, the process of divine therapy, ego and heart operating systems, conscious letting go, and the shift from ego healing to ego transcendence. Cynthia also addresses the role of the heart in perception, the neurological connection between heart and brain, and the relevance of contemplative practice for both adults and children. This retreat presents a pathway of personal transformation grounded in Jesus’ teaching and urgently relevant to our time. Cynthia Bourgeault is a modern-day mystic, Episcopal priest, and internationally known retreat leader. She is the author of numerous books, including Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening and The Wisdom Jesus, and is recognized for her pioneering work in integrating the Christian contemplative path with other global streams of wisdom.