“Bridges is different from everything I’ve done to become more spiritual. I am experiencing my spiritual life in a way that feels more integrated” comments one Bridges participant.
Reflection, dialogue, and prayer are cornerstones of Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton. Using readings from Thomas Merton and other spiritual writers, each session invites participants to deepen of their inner lives through reflection, contemplative dialogue, and prayer. Through Bridges participants recognize, mine, and integrate the spiritual treasures of their life experiences.
Ten volumes comprise the series. Volumes one through eight focus on specific life experiences: Entering the School of Your Experience, Becoming Who You Already Are, Living Your Deepest Desires, Discovering the Hidden Ground of Love, Traveling Your Road to Joy, Writing Yourself into the Book of Life, Adjusting Your Life’s Vision, Seeing That Paradise Begins Now. The ninth volume, Lent and Holy Week Bridges to Contemplative Living, prepares participants for Easter during Lent and Holy Week; the tenth volume, Advent and Christmas, engages participants in more solemn, less commercial aspects of the season. Session topics stress that our every day life is our spiritual life. Bridges forms a bridges contemplation and action; between spirituality and religion.
The Bridges series is recommended for small groups of four to ten individuals. Although Thomas Merton was a Catholic Cistercian monk, the series is an excellent resource for individuals of all spiritual traditions who wish to deepen their spiritual lives. Bridges is used in churches, in interfaith communities, on college campuses, and in faith sharing groups. Currently over 3800 groups worldwide are using Bridges. The U.S. House of Representatives has a group that meets regularly.
Bethany Spring, The Merton Institute Retreat Center, offers Bridges to Contemplative Living Retreats and training to those wishing to facilitate Bridges groups. More information is available online at www.mertoninstitute.org or by calling 800.886.7275.
A leader’s guide, Bridges sampler, and a DVD are available online at www.mertoninstitute.org or by calling 502.583.6117.
For more information regarding the Bridges to Contemplative Living series, Bridges retreats, or Bridges facilitator training, contact Vanessa Hurst at The Merton Institute: 502.583.6117 or vhurst@mertoninstitute.org.
The Merton Institute for Contemplative Living’s mission is to awaken interest in and deepening the understanding of contemplative living through the works of Thomas Merton.
Contact
Vanessa Hurst
502.583-6117
