One Heart One Mind

Whether we realize it or not, the Desert Mothers and Fathers are spiritual giants on whose shoulders we stand in the Christian tradition. In the harsh landscapes of Egypt, and later Syria and Palestine, they faced their own humanity and their demons to an astonishing degree, leaving behind a priceless body of teaching for purifying the heart and seeing God.

Join us in the mountains and high desert of Salt ...

If all of creation is the site of divine self-disclosure (theophany) — God's longing to be known — then perhaps nowhere is God more felt than in the divine qualities of the human heart. In part II, Thomas shares a personal account of how he came to know some of God's most profound qualities through his grandmother. He then expands the scope of theophany to include all of humanity — the qualities that ...

The wisdom traditions bear witness that the universe is not some cold place that is indifferent to you. Rather, teachings across the Abrahamic faiths suggest creation is more like a love letter from God — an invitation to intimately know God's divine being and to participate in ongoing creation. Theophany literally means "divine appearance," or "divine self-disclosure."

In part I of this two-part teaching, Thomas reflects on ...

Wouldn't it be so nice if we could just sit around and meditate all day? But there's so much stuff to do — so many responsibilities to meet. Thomas introduces the wisdom pattern of Doing and Being through the story of Mary and Martha in this episode. We find that both styles of spirituality illustrated in the story are absolutely necessary. When we're fully present, life's demands stop pulling us away from the Di...

One Heart One Mind is back! And now, we're on Youtube, too. Thomas kicks off the season with a wisdom teaching from Yeshua — the parable of the feast. Who in their right mind would say "no" to the most splendid party in town? It turns out, all of us. The master sends his servant out to invite guests to the royal banquet, but each one is too busy, and begs to be excused. How can we make sense of this? By understan...

In the final episode of this season, Thomas speaks to the role of sincerity in prayer life. Many of us have a tendency to think we've got to do it all—that if we're going to grow spiritually, we've got to do it by the sweat of our brow. But in a world of Grace, a little sincerity goes a very long way indeed.

7-day meditation retreat (September 30th - October 7th)

3-day meditation retre...

This is a continuation of last week's episode about committing more fully to life's challenging moments. Thomas explores the sacred, transformative element of suffering that we can turn to in times of agony and distress. The more willingness we cultivate to remain present through life's trials, the more we find Christ's Love invincibly present in us and through us as a catalyzing force making all things holy.

In a world moving at hyperspeed, it's difficult enough to find a moment to touch into genuine stillness. But even if we do manage to center ourselves in prayer and meditation, how do we remain still and centered throughout the full catastrophe of each day's events? Thomas shares a practice in this episode that will help you "train to remain" in stillness, to abide in a deep reservoir of Silence.

7-day meditation retre...

It is easy to assume that we know ourselves. After all, who could be more familiar with me than, well, me? But contemplation teaches us that there are many layers to the self, some superficial, but others so hidden from us that only God can know us at these extraordinary depths. Enter an exploration in this episode with guidance from St. Augustine and the wisdom teachings of Jesus to discover your True Self.

7-day med...

One of our first tasks as a human being—from the moment we're born—is to form a healthy sense of self. Without it, we can't navigate the world, form relationships, and move choicefully towards the things we want. At a certain point, though, our sense of self starts to get in the way. We start to mistake our possessions, even our ideas, for who we really are. Jesus, master teacher, saw this pitfall in our humanity and in...

There is prayer, and then there is prayer. When you pray, do you ever get the sense that you're not really praying? That nothing much is happening? Through the teachings of John Climacus, a 7th century spiritual teacher, and through personal story, Thomas speaks to the importance of attention in our prayer life. Ultimately, our quality of attention and quality of prayer turn out to be one and the same offering.

What would it be like if, at will, we could "silence the mind and be aware at the core of our being." Sufi Master, Kabir Helminski writes that from these depths we receive "help from the Source of Life." As we learn to join ourselves with this Source—some would call it God—we find that it contains all the qualities of Spirit in potential, waiting to express through our unique vessel.

Upcoming, in-person off...

Jesus tells us that "unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone." Rumi, the Sufi poet, echoes this wisdom, declaring that, "Except for dying…no other skill impresses God." What does this mean? How do we "die before we die?" Prepare to enter the mystery in this episode and discover what "plentiful harvest" awaits on the other side of life.

Upcoming, in-person offering...

Father Richard Rohr shared at a recent gathering that his spiritual practice nowadays is to, " look at something till I love it. It doesn't take very long." What could this mean? What would that be like? Thomas shares a related scripture in this episode and invites you to see with the eyes of love, and to marvel how all things are made new.

Upcoming, in-person offerings with Thomas:

7-day me...

At the heart of contemplation is an attitude of total surrender to the Divine. This is easier said than done, of course. In our minds, we may sincerely believe that we wish to do God's will in all things. But the moment the bitter cup is served, we often find ourselves protesting and howling at life's unfairness. Christ's prayer in Gethsemane is an archetype of perfect "willingness": the willingness to experience exact...

Today's episode offers a longer, deeper meditation to help you integrate the themes and skills from the past 7 episodes. Practice fasting not just from food and drink, but from thought and feeling. Consent to God's Presence and action within. Cling to nothing. Risk getting lost— forget even who you think you are. And trust that you hold in hand the only key you need to unlock the Divine Force in your life.

In a sense, contemplative prayer is none other than the practice of deepening one's faith in God. But faith manifests in many guises. Perhaps a less obvious quality of faith is confidence. What does it mean to sit with a "restful confidence," fully trusting that God is bringing about a mighty work in you? Listen to this episode as Thomas draws from the inspired thinking of Sri Aurobindo as well as a favorite scripture ...

It feels assuring to know the answers to the most important questions in life. It takes more humility to admit we might not know where we're going, and at a deeper level, who we even are. Thomas reflects in this episode on the vulnerability of not knowing and shares a poem from Thomas Merton that shows this special kind of faith in action.

And now that Thomas is all done with graduate studies, he'll be ded...