Key teachings from this modern mystic on contemplative practice, the Wisdom tradition, and non-dual awareness.
“What if attention is the new form of time in the fourth dimension? That time gets converted into attention, which yields Jean Gebser’s intensification of consciousness.” Cynthia Bourgeault The Nature of Intensification "One of the things that Gebser insists about as...
Time and consciousness, time and attention. “I’m more and more persuaded that attention is the new time in Gebser’s Integral [structure of consciousness].” Cynthia Bourgeault Traditional Views of Time "Time creates nothing; it only combines and recombines that which...
He who aspires to authentic spiritual experience never confounds the intensity of the experience with the truth that is revealed. The Nature of True Spiritual Experience "An important rule of 'spiritual hygiene,' namely, that he who aspires to authentic spiritual...
“The Quakers taught a practice of welcoming that inner light of conscience when it entered, standing still in it, submitting to it." The Nature of Conscience as Inner Light "Direct communication between intelligence and wisdom is, truth to tell, only the development...
Ora et Labora … no transformation without washed dishes! Ora et Labora: The Benedictine Foundation "It is humility alone, due to poverty, obedience and chastity—the three universal and eternal vows which renders us 'inspirable'. It cannot be helped…the spiritual world...
The more that you have a truly humble spirit in the old monastic sense, the more you become free. “It's the gentle laying down of self, the humble work, the not asking for visions, the not asking for illuminations, not even caring if anybody notices that you exist....
Those practicing lectio divina steep themselves in the words of a text, becoming one with them, lingering over them, taking them into the heart and mind deeply, repeatedly, slowly, meditatively, even memorizing the words. “Lectio Divina: That wonderful Christian,...
Intellectual presence decreases our alertness to present moment awareness. “The whole work is based on extending the diameter of the present moment through conscious awareness so that it spans the gap from your birth to your death. It is possible to become so...
In the Wisdom way of service, “there isn't a my will and thy will. There is only one will, which you join.” Cynthia Bourgeault. In Service of Love "It's not love in the service of enlightenment. It's enlightenment in the service of love." Cynthia Bourgeault, Claymont...
“Attention. That’s the most immediate form of what we call psychic energy. And will and love.” Cynthia Bourgeault “Will is one of the most powerful psychic forces in the world. And you can name a lot of them, almost all of what we're going to call the imaginal...
“One of the spiritual practices which spiritual teachers teach over and over and over again is attention. It's the ability to just say no to all interior self-preoccupation and commentary, which is pulling you out of the moment.” Cynthia Bourgeault The Sacred Nature...
Logion 8, the parable of the net full of small fishes, and hidden among these is one large, exceptional fish. A ‘B influence’ is the large, exceptional fish. “A influences are created by life. They arise within the life of mechanical humanity from the interests of...