Six-Day Centering Prayer Retreat: Intensive & Post-Intensive

The retreat will provide an opportunity to deepen one’s practice of Centering Prayer in an atmosphere of profound silence and community support. All participants observe silence from the opening to the closing of the retreat. The Intensive and Post Intensive tracks share the same schedule of several hours of group Centering Prayer daily, with one exception. The Intensive track includes a daily video with discussion of some of Thomas Keating’s teachings. If you are relatively new to Centering Prayer, have not previously attended a Centering Prayer retreat, or would like a refresher of some of the teachings, choose the Intensive track.

The Setting
The retreat will be held at the Claggett Retreat Center in Adamston, Maryland. The Center is nestled in the rolling hills of Frederick County on 268 wooded acres with a working farm and fantastic views, yet only an hour’s drive from three international airports. Lodging will be in the Christiane Inn; a range of dietary needs can be accommodated. (For details and directions, visit: https://www.claggettcenter.org/)

Retreat Leaders
Ron Barnett, a psychologist by education, has practiced Centering Prayer since 1997 and is a commissioned presenter of the practice. He has served Contemplative Outreach (CO) as a chapter coordinator, retreat leader, board member and trustee, and currently facilitates the Board’s Gift Committee which oversees Thomas Keating’s intellectual property, a gift to Contemplative Outreach. He is now retired from medical research and teaches at The Miksang Institute for Contemplative Photography.

Susan Rush has been serving in the field of health care throughout her adult life. She has been involved with Contemplative Outreach for about three decades. Susan was the founding coordinator of Contemplative Outreach of New Mexico, and served on the governing board of Contemplative Outreach, Ltd for ten years. Currently she serves as a spiritual director and retreat facilitator. Susan is a presenter for the Living Flame program and serves on the Retreat Service team. The opportunity to serve in CO communities has been a great gift in her life.