— GUIDED CLASSES AND GROUP SESSIONS —

Opening to God’s Love:
A Course in Contemplative Prayer

Deepen Your Spiritual Journey with Contemplative Prayer

Experience the transformative nature of Christian contemplative prayer and enhance your spiritual practice through guided weekend classes and small group sessions.

Register by January 10, 2025, to secure your spot.

Registration Form

Deepen your spiritual journey with contemplative prayer

“Jesus said to them, Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while.” (Mark 6:31)

“Opening to God’s Love: A Course in Contemplative Prayer” invites you to deepen your relationship with God through an exploration of the tradition of Christian contemplative prayer. Through weekend classes and guided small group sessions, you will discover the 3rd-century roots of Christian contemplation and practice four core forms of contemplative prayer: Lectio Divina, Centering Prayer, the Examen, and Ignatian Imaginative Prayer. Additionally, you will learn several shorter prayer forms to deepen and further enrich your spiritual practice.

Learning and Teaching Approaches

  • Short teaching sessions
  • Short videos
  • Small group discussion
  • Guided practice
  • Personal reflections: journaling or creative options
  • Assigned reading

Between weekend sessions, participants will meet twice in their assigned small groups (times to be determined by the groups).

Small groups will provide an opportunity for participants to practice prayer, share with each other and have conversation.

Pre-Reading

Answering the Contemplative Call by Carl McColman.

Weekend One

  • Introduction to the course
  • Introduction to Christian contemplative prayer
  • Ignatian Spirituality
  • The prayer of Examen
  • Imaginative Prayer

Weekend Two

  • Benedictine Spirituality
  • Lectio Divina
  • Audio Divina
  • Visio Divina

Weekend Three

  • Desert Spirituality
  • Silence and Centering Prayer
  • Discussion of final project
  • Communion, reflection, and thanksgiving

Small Groups

Participants will be placed in small groups, which will meet a total of five times over the duration of the course.

Small Group Format

  • Practice the prayer form from the previous weekend together.
  • Reflect on the prayer practice and guiding questions provided by course facilitators

Assignments

  • Pre-read Answering the Contemplative Call by Carl McColman
  • Read one additional book from the course bibliography and write a two-page interaction with the ideas offered in the reading.
    OR
    Listen to a podcast series from the course’s curated collection and write a two-page interaction with the ideas offered in the podcast.
  • Plan and participate in a 6-12 hour personal silent retreat followed by a debrief during one of the small group sessions.
  • Final integration project

Location

Zoom Online (synchronous, not recorded)

Dates

Registration deadline: January 10, 2025

Weekend #1

Friday, January 17th:
6:30-9:00 pm
Saturday, January 18th:
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Small Group #1/2:
Date/Time determined by each small group

Weekend #2

Friday, February 28th:
6:30-9:00 pm
Saturday, March 1:
9:00 am -4:00 pm
Small Group #3/4:
Date/Time to be determined by each small group

Weekend #3

Friday, April 11:
6:30 – 9:00 pm
Saturday, April 12:
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday, April 13:
9:00 am – noon.
Small Group #5:
Date/Time to be determined by each small group

Cost

Application fee: $25

Course fee: $350

Fee Payment, Refund and Cancellation Policy

Registration or tuition will be payable as follows:

100% of fees due within 30 days of registration. No confirmed registration until payment received or payment plan confirmed.

Not covered by program fees

  • Personal spiritual direction
  • Books required for the course
  • Transportation

Cancellation Policy

  • Participants who cancel 15 days or more prior to the event will receive a full refund, minus a $50 administration fee.
  • Participants who cancel within 15 days of the event will receive no refund.
  • All application fees are non-refundable.
  • SoulStream recognizes that unforeseen circumstances may arise that cause participants to withdraw. When circumstances are beyond a participant’s control, they can contact the SoulStream administrator to discuss possibilities for refund or deferral.

If SoulStream cancels

If SoulStream cancels an offering/course without rescheduling, registration fees may be offered to SoulStream as a donation for a tax receipt if the participant chooses, or refunded in full.

Read/download SoulStream’s Fee Payment, Refund and Cancellation Policy as a PDF.

Jen Thompson

Jen
Thompson

Jen lives in the beautiful Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. She is married to Richard and is mom to two grown sons. Jen is a registered nurse, having worked for 40 years in the field of critical care. Jen was attracted to the goodness of learning to live contemplatively in the midst of the noise and urgency of life in the ER. Contemplative prayer and practices have been valuable touchstones of God’s presence in the midst of these daily challenges. Jen has completed SoulStream’s Living from the Heart and Art of Spiritual Direction, and she became a partner in 2018.

Laurie
McGillivray

Laurie lives in Delta, BC. She became a SoulStream partner in 2009 after completing Living from the Heart and The Art of Spiritual Direction. She is a registered clinical counselor, educator, and spiritual director.
Laurie has long been drawn to the spiritual journey, and deeply values taking time to savor and tune in to the still small voice and invitations of God through the practice of contemplative prayer.

Sue
McKerracher

Sue lives in beautiful Victoria, BC, where she worked as a high school outdoor education and world religions teacher for 30 years. In 2016, Sue was introduced to contemplative living and to the community of SoulStream; they were both a beautiful answer to her growing longing for a deeper, more holistic, and inclusive spirituality. She has completed both Living from the Heart and Art of Spiritual Direction and became a SoulStream partner in 2020. Sue currently works as a spiritual director.

Contemplative prayer is a practice focused on quieting the mind and heart to be more receptive to God’s presence, love, and guidance.

This course is open to adults who are interested in deepening their spiritual practice, regardless of prior experience.

The course consists of 3 weekend classes and small group sessions between weekends that cover the historical roots and practical applications of various forms of contemplative prayer.

No prior experience is necessary. The course is designed to accommodate both beginners and those looking to deepen their existing practice.

All sessions are synchronous only (live and not recorded).

Once you register, you will receive readings and some resources via email.

Be Transformed through the Practice of Contemplative Prayer

Engaging in this course will help you:

  • Center your life in prayer and cultivate peace amidst life’s challenges 
  • Strengthen your relationship with God and enrich your spiritual journey.
  • Connect with like-hearted individuals in a contemplative community. 
  • Gain insights and clarity through reflection and prayer, leading to personal and spiritual transformation.

Register before January 10, 2025

Register Now

What Will You Gain by Joining?

Engaging in this course will help you:

  • Experience Spiritual Renewal: Deepen your relationship with God.
  • Learn practices that ground us in God’s loving presence.
  • Find community: Connect with others on a similar spiritual path. 
  • Grow Personally and Spiritually: Gain tools and insights that foster holistic growth.

Join Opening to God’s Love: A Course in Contemplative Prayer

Registration Form

We are delighted that you are considering joining this Course.
Please complete the following application to secure your spot. Kindly complete the application below to secure your spot. Please note that the $25 application fee is separate from the $350 tuition.
Thank you for choosing to embark on this journey with us.

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