January – April 2026
Your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
Course Description
Further enrich your contemplative living and embrace the practice of living each day as a form of prayer. In Contemplativing Living I (CL I,) the focus was on deepening your interior prayer life, leading to the awareness of God's presence in all that is. The interior life cultivated in CL I brings you to greater humility and vulnerability and lowers your defenses. You might think of it as standing naking before the God of Love.
In Contemplative Living II (CL II,) the focus shifts towards increased intentionality in how you are living your daily life. You likely have a better understanding of what blocks you in deepening your relationship with God, others, and even with yourself. You are now more capable of looking at your part in relationships and what gets in the way of being and becoming the person God created you to be. Building on the contemplative practice learned in CL I, in CL II you will assess where you are in your life and how you can make choices aligning with your authentic self.
Course Objectives
- To deepen established daily practice of Centering Prayer
- To integrate contemplative awareness into everyday activities and interactions
- To foster contemplative sensibilities and a listening heart in decision-making in daily situations
- To create contemplative Rule of of Life that supports ongoing transformation, making daily life as prayer
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Click here to read more about the design of Contemplative Living II: Daily Life as Prayer
Gaining contemplative attitudes and dispositions through
- Contemplative Listening - a practice of active listening in group spiritual direction, raising your awareness of the movements of the Divine within yourself and in others.
- Contemplative Discernment - a method of going to God with your questions and desires, allowing the answers to find you.
- Contemplative Awawreness related to Additions, Attachments, and Aversions - using contemplative discernment to surface habit patterns that have become compulsions you no longer freely choose.
- The Forgiveness Prayer - a prayer that guides you to follow Jesus' example to live with hearts open to love.
- Contemplative Service - a vocation, calling, or way of life that's rooted in living a contemplative life.
- Commitment to a Contemplative Rule of Life - looking at the rhythm of life you've created in thsi course; what has worked for you that you will continue to be committed to in the ordinary activities of your life.
- Contemplative Living Communities - the support we receive from community enhances our spiritual journey and is helpful to continue in some way at the end of the course.
Location
Online
Facilitator
Julie Saad
Julie Saad is a spiritual director, author, teacher and retreat leader. Since 1994 she has been a student of Thomas Keating (1923-2018), a Trappist monk who was a found member and spiritual guide for Contemplative Outreach. Julie has served Contemplative Outreach as coordinator of the Denver Chapter, facilitator of spiritual journey courses and retreats, member of the Governing Board, and coordinator of the Contemplative Living Experience Program. She has been practicing and teaching Centering Prayer and other contemplative practices for over 25 years. She recently published the book Contemplative Life: Discovering Our Path into the Heart of God, a guidebook to spiritual formation in the Christian contemplative tradition based on the teaching of Thomas Keating.
Schedule
Contemplative Living II consists of four monthly synchronous teachings and practices, with individual and group devotion between monthly sessions.
- Monthly synchronous sessions lasting six hours each. Sessions will meet from 9:00 AM ET to 3:00 PM ET on the following Saturdays:
- January 24
- February 21
- March 21
- April 25
- Monthly Holy Listening Circles (Group Spiritual Direction): The first Monday after the monthly group sessions from 7:00-9:00 PM ET.
- Weekly Prayer Chapel: Monday evenings from 7:00-8:00 PM ET.
Program Fee
$725, which includes a nonrefundable $150 deposit. All balances are due January 10, 2026. Cancelations must be received before January 10, 2026, to receive a refund of the program fee minus the deposit.
Course Reading
Required Reading
Contemplative Life: Discovering Our Path into the Heart of God by Julie Saad
Recommended Reading
Addiction & Grace by Gerald May
Additional Information
Prerequisite: Having completed Contemplative Living I: Contemplative Practices in Daily Life through the Center for Lifelong Learning.
Requirement for Credit: Holy Listening and monthly sessions are required. One excused absence is permitted with a reflection paper. Weekly chapel is highly recommended. Monthly writing assignments and a final paper are also required for credit.
Participants must be comfortable using technology, as this course is hosted online though the course site (Moodle) and Zoom meetings.
Registration will close two weeks prior to January 24, 2026, or when registration has reached maximum capacity. Day-of registrations are not permitted.
Contact
