Enrolment Options
Free for Supporting Members
Get unlimited access to our ever-growing library of selected digital content when you sign up for a regular monthly contribution.
– OR –
This course is for anyone interested in the living tradition of Benedictine wisdom. As well as appealing to those who have some knowledge of the Rule of St Benedict and its central place in the development of Western spirituality and culture, it will also serve as an excellent introduction for anyone new to the Benedictine way. Throughout, the emphasis is on how this timeless practical wisdom can help each of us now as we seek to live an authentic, other-centred life. Making the link between Benedict’s teaching and the contemporary practice of meditation in a “monastery without walls” is one of the major strands of what follows.
COURSE OVERVIEW
The course consists of an introduction plus six lessons. Each lesson is in turn made up of six sections: an introduction to a main theme of Benedictine wisdom which is then followed by a closer consideration of three key aspects of that central theme.
Each lesson closes with the same two sections: a consideration of the implications for our “practice and our life”, including a number of questions designed to invite further personal reflection, followed by an encouragement to sit in meditation as a way of letting go of all thought and opening to the loving teaching of Wisdom itself.
It is possible, of course, to practise meditation on your own; it can also be enormously supportive to be part of a meditation group. The World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM) has an extensive network of meditation groups in over 100 countries throughout the world. There is also an international Oblate Community formed of people who have made an explicit commitment to the practice of meditation and to living a life informed by the wisdom of Benedict.
Obedience is another of the central vows. In this lesson we see how this quality can lead us towards an infinitely richer level of self-knowledge. Benedict is encouraging us to cultivate a “silent mind” – not a blankness, nor a mere absence of sound, but a readiness to listen deeply and attentively to something other than our own internal chatter. Such listening can lead us to live from a place of authentic, other-centred authority.
“Inspirational and contemporary. I found this course to be a refreshing and enjoyable exploration of this ancient wisdom that remains ever new.”
– Cathy
“Just thank you. WCCM making courses/reflections available online has made a difference regarding welcome and inclusion.”
– GT
I received an immense benefit, Jim, from the course from its source of Benedictine spirituality. With sincere gratitude.
– Robert. TSSF
It helped very much in deepening my understanding of incorporting the Rule of St. Benedict …as part of leading a contemplative life of prayer
– Sandy
Expand your perspective by engaging in peer discussions around learning objectives, or start your own topic.
Search our global network of meditators and find local groups to support you in your spiritual journey.
Get access to our vast and ever-growing resource library to supplement your practice at every stage.
Jim Green has worked for many years in the field of mental health with local and national organisations, the Open University and the BBC. He has practised meditation since the 1980’s in both Buddhist and Christian settings. Jim has been an oblate of The World Community for Christian Meditation since 2009. He is the author of several books on meditation and mental health, the most recent being ‘Giving Up Without Giving Up: Meditation & Depressions’. Bloomsbury Continuum, 2019.
Receive weekly mailings to support your meditation journey and your daily practice.
Any gift, no matter how small, will help us sustain this work and achieve our mission of nurturing Christian meditation inclusively around a world in greater need than ever of contemplative wisdom.
Due to Covid-19, all events will be held virtually. Please stay safe.
|