PRAYER, MEDITATION AND RETREATS
Prayer and Meditation
Visio Divina is a New Creation art gallery that invites us to explore the dynamic unity of God, cosmos, and humanity through the contemplative engagement of images. Visio Divina, or “divine seeing,” shares a history with the ancient practice of lectio divina, through which religious scripture was read through the heart as well as through the mind.
https://christogenesis.org/category/visio-divina/
The Australian Benedictine Nuns provide reflections and insights into how best to relate with God – various prayer methods, especially Lectio Divina, and retreat opportunities.
https://www.jamberooabbey.org.au/
Contemplative Outreach is a spiritual network of individuals and small faith communities committed to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel. The common desire for Divine transformation, primarily expressed through a commitment to a daily Centering Prayer practice, unites our international, interdenominational community.
https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/
The Welcoming Prayer is a method of consenting to God’s presence and action in our physical and emotional reactions to events and situations in daily life. The purpose of the Welcoming Prayer is to deepen our relationship with God through consenting in the ordinary activities of our day — “consent-on-the-go.”
https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/welcoming-prayer-method/
The Active Prayer is an aspiration drawn from Scripture for us in daily life, it is short, usually six to twelve syllables. The saying of the syllables is synchronized with one’s heartbeat. While some people like to use a variety of aspirations for this purpose, it is easier to work a single aspiration into the subconscious. The great advantage of this practice is that it eventually becomes a “tape” similar to the “tapes” that accompany one’s upsetting emotions. When this occurs, the aspiration has the remarkable effect of erasing the old tapes, thus providing a neutral zone in which common sense or the Spirit of God can suggest what should be done.
https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/the-active-prayer-practice-method/
The World Community for Christian Meditation: Meditation is a universal spiritual wisdom and a practice found at the core of all great religious traditions, leading from the mind to the heart. It is a way of simplicity, silence and stillness. It can be practised by anyone, wherever you are on life’s journey. The community aims to communicate and nurture meditation.
https://wccm.org/meditate/what-is-meditation/?
Daily Prayer is a free daily prayer service, providing by the Australian Jesuits with reflections on the day’s Gospel readings, as well as, other articles exploring people’s experiences of God.
Pray as you Go is a daily prayer session based on Ignatian Spirituality, designed to go with you wherever you go, to help you pray whenever you find time, but particularly whilst travelling to and from work or study. Lasting between ten and thirteen minutes, it combines music, scripture and some questions for reflection.
Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox: Creation Spirituality is about recovering nature and all of creation as sacred again.
https://dailymeditationswithmatthewfox.org/
3-Minute Retreatsinvite you to take a short prayer break right at your computer. Spend some quiet time reflecting on a Scripture passage. Knowing that not everyone prays at the same pace, you have control over the pace of the retreat. After each screen, a Continue button will appear. Click it when you are ready to move on. If you are new to online prayer, the basic timing of the screens will guide you through the experience.
https://www.loyolapress.com/3-minute-retreats-daily-online-prayer/
Retreats
Jamberoo Abbey offers a place where people can find this peace through silence, nature, open spaces and prayer.
https://www.jamberooabbey.org.au/retreats/abbey-retreat-programs
The Hermitage provides an opportunity for participants to experience input, reflection time, journaling, different styles of prayer (including Eucharist), and the opportunity to meet with a Spiritual Director.
Group Retreats – The Hermitage Mittagong (ABN: 96 932 856 240)
St Clements, Galong, set in more than 300 hectares of rural land, the centre’s peaceful location is conducive to reflection, prayer and study, and provides an ideal setting for conferences, workshops, seminars and religious retreats. It has a peaceful ambience that will meet the needs of both individuals and groups.
Retreats – Redemptorists of Oceania
Hartzer Park is a retreat and conference centre owned and managed by the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart as a place of rest and a centre for human and spiritual development where each guest is made to feel at home in the quiet and tranquil surroundings.
https://www.hartzerpark.org.au/retreats
Mount Carmel Retreat Centre is a professional, contemporary conference & retreat centre. Set in the scenic hills of the Macarthur region, Mt Carmel caters to a wide range of groups including School, Church, Corporate and Special Interest groups.
St Mary’s Towers, set on 500 hectares of bushland, St Mary’s Towers is home to a way of life. In keeping with the charism of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, it is steeped in a spirituality of the heart. This creates a beautiful peaceful environment with a supportive and praying community for anyone seeking to relax and enjoy communion with God. This is now a venue where individual groups can organise to hold their own retreats.
https://www.towersretreat.org.au/
The Contemplative Evolution Network “is a network of people who seek to change the violent and hurting situations in our world”