May 2026 Newsletter

The Contemplative Society
4 days ago
4 min read

"Just as a flower unfolds in silence and its scent worships its Creator in silence, the interior soul must do likewise.”

- Sister Marie-Aimée de Jésus OCD in

The Twelve Degrees of Silence (P54).

In This Month's Issue...

Reflect with Milla McLachlan on Wandering through the Woods: Reflections on being a Contemplative.
Learn about the ancient Christian monastic practice of Lectio Divina ("divine reading"), through viewing TCS's new video on: A Contemplative Introduction to Scriptural Engagement-From Interpretation to Lectio Divina.
Picture TCS's April 2026 Stillness in Motion retreat through images.
Thanks for your community support of TCS during our Easter Appeal 2026, plus the winner of the draw for a gift certificate.
Plan to join TCS at "Forthcoming Retreats" over Year 2026, including in October 2026 with Formed by Silence: Seminarians 40-and-under, Experiencing the Tradition of Contemplative Prayer, a retreat In Honour of Constance Irene Burns.

Wandering through the Woods: Reflections on being a Contemplative.

by Milla McLachlan

On Friday, I went for a walk in Mary Young Park, a lush oasis on the banks of the Willamette River in a suburb of Portland. Well-trodden paths meander through tall coastal redwoods and sitka spruce, big leaf maple and western red cedar, ponderosa pine and a small stand of old Oregon white oak. The river flows wide and deep at this time of the year, and on a Friday morning, there are no speedboats to disturb its tranquil slate surface. The trilliums are past their prime, but in shady spots, they still smile shyly, white and pink and purple. Newly unfurled ferns climb up the trees, and deep green moss covers fallen logs. To cross the small streams heading to the river, my path zig-zags down and up before continuing for a while on level terrain.

Walking here restores me and reminds me of the twists and turns in my contemplative path.

I was thankful for the respite and the exertion of a walk in the woods. I have been caring for my wife, Elizabeth, after surgery, and for my cat, Boetie. His care means getting up before 5 am every day. Strangely though, the early morning - tough as it is for me - has become a time of bonding with him. After his breakfast, he stretches out on the glass coffee table, invites me for a snuggle, and submits to receiving his insulin injection. And I get to watch the day break...

Image taken by: Milla McLachlan.

READ MILLA'S FULL REFLECTION HERE

"Lectio Divina ('divine reading')."

Discover Lectio Divina ("divine reading"), the ancient Christian monastic practice that transforms Scripture from study to living encounter with God. In this 7 1/2 minute overview, The Contemplative Society traces the profound history of Lectio Divina, from Desert Fathers' heart-ruminating repetition, John Cassian's transmission of prayerful lectio, St. Benedict's daily mandate, Guigo II's 12th-century ladder of four movements, to Fr. Thomas Keating's modern revival as "divine therapy."

TCS thanks Nicholas Fournie for his excellent support in both designing and creating this and other of our recent contemplative videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZCeTAPwzJ8

Kimiko Karpoff

Leslie Sandra Black

Invite you to experience in pictures:

"Stillness in Motion:

Weaving together contemplative and energy-healing practices."

A TCS retreat held on April 18, 2026 at Broad View United Church in Victoria, B.C., Canada.

Retreatants in the beautiful renovated Sanctuary of Broad View United.

Leslie with Kimiko who is leading a chant.

Past long-time TCS President, Henri Lock, as a retreat volunteer.

Thanks for your Easter Appeal 2026 community support, thanks to BFIT Personal Training, and congratulations to the draw winner.

The Contemplative Society (TCS) thanks our community for its heartfelt financial support offered during our Easter Appeal 2026.

We also thank BFIT Personal Training of North Vancouver, Canada for their kind donation of a $400 gift certificate for virtual services that was made available as a draw prize to all donors who contributed $100 or more during TCS's Easter 2026 appeal.

The winner of the draw for the gift certificate was John B.

"Forthcoming Retreats" with TCS

"The SACRED FEMININE in a Fractured World,"

online with Cynthia Overweg.

Thursday 24 September 2026, 6:30-9pm Pacific Time.

"Formed by Silence: Seminarians 40-and-under, Experiencing the Tradition of Contemplative Prayer,"

In Honour of Constance Irene Burns;

online with Nicholas Fournie and Rev. Dr. Therese DesCamp.

Saturday 24 October 2026, 9:00am - 2:00pm Pacific Time.

"Why Ritual? The relationship of stability and openness in contemplative prayer,"

online with Paula Pryce.

Thursday 05 November 2026, 6:30-8:30pm Pacific Time.

FORTHCOMING TCS RETREATS HERE

TCS is a non-profit society and registered charitable organization in Canada run by a volunteer board and a dedicated circle of contemplatives. It was formed in Victoria, BC, Canada in 1997 to serve an emerging contemplative renewal, and to support and spread the teachings of Cynthia Bourgeault and other distinguished Wisdom teachers. We lovingly carry forward this work, adapting to the changing needs of the present and future, while anchoring ourselves in the ancient Wisdom tradition.

We would love for you to join us as a member and to help sustain and build our offerings with a donation of any amount.

Please visit our website to find out more about membership & support options.