Listening Spirituality

by Patricia Loring

Printable version of Year-long plan of study

  • August 10, 2008 Forum - Introduction

    An overview of personal spiritual practices among Friends. Introductory handout

    • What is "Listening Spirituality?"
    • Brief explanation of Lectio Divinis
      • Lectio/reading
      • Meditatio/reflections
      • Oratio/active prayer
      • Contemplative prayer
    • Patricia Loring's fifth step: Incarnatio/embodying
     

    Notes from August 10, 2008 Forum

    Notes from August 17, 2008 Discussion

  • September 14, 2008 Forum - Chapter 1

    Foundational personal practices in support of listening for God. This forum will focus on the first element of Lectio Divinis Chapter 1 Handout

    • Personal spiritual practices in support of the inner life with God
      • Setting aside a time and place of retirement
      • Finding a place in which to mediate or pray
      • Discerning the practice which you are led to at this time
    • Devotional reading
     

    Article Reprint : The Centrality of Listening by Patricia Loring, Friends Journal, August 1997
    ©1997 Friends Publishing Corporation. Reprinted with permission. www.friendsjournal.org


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  • November 23, 2008 Forum - Chapter 2

    Active meditative personal practices in support of listening for God (the second element of Lectio Divinis) Chapter 2 Handout

    • Forms of discursive meditation
    • Journaling

    The Examen, selected focus questions from Listening Spirituality
     

  • February 8, 2009 and April 5, 2009 Forum - Chapter 3

    Talking to God: human activity in prayer (the third element of Lectio Divinis) Chapter 3 Handout

    • Prayer
    • seasons in prayer: presence and absence
    • discerning how you are led to pray

  • May 24, 2009 Forum - Chapter 4

    Preparing to listen to God : prayer intermediate between Active and Listening prayer (a transition between the third and fourth elements of Lectio Divinis) Chapter 4 Handout

    • prayer grounded in visualization
    • icons and idols
    • prayer of the heart (e.g., chanting, mantras, the Jesus prayer)
    • active meditation in eastern styles
    • Centering prayer
     

    Handout on Chapter 4 and Sufi Practices discussed in forum, July 26, 2009.

  • Date TBD Forum - Chapter 5

    Moving toward and away from listening to God in contemplative prayer and in personal retreats (the fourth element in Lectio Divinis)

    • contemplative listening prayer
    • Self-knowledge, confession and transformation
    • personal retreats

  • Febrary 7, 2010 Forum - Chapter 6

    Personal practices wich embody and support listening faithfulness to God in the Outer Life (Patricia Loring's fifth element) Chapter 6 Handout

  • Date TBD Forum - Chapter 7

    Listening modes of communal support for personal growth.