Dom John Main

Dom John Main - the founder of the modern Christian Meditation movement. John Main rediscovered the authentic practice of mantra-based christian meditation by studying the ancient works of John Cassian.

WCCM website

Visit - the World Community for Christian Meditation website.

‘Maranatha’ is an Aramaic word from the time of Jesus, meaning 'Come Lord'. It can be found in Revelation 22.20 (the penultimate verse in the New Testament) and has been used as a prayer word since earliest days of Christianity. When meditating, use it simply as a focus for your attention, without thinking about the meaning of it.

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Bere Island: The birth place of Laurence Freeman's mother and a place to which he has returned from time to time for periods of prayer and solitude. In his book “Jesus, the Teacher Within”, Laurence uses his rediscovery of the island as an allegory of the search for personal identity and the gradual separation of reality and illusion we all need to make in order to grow spiritually.

Books and CDs by Laurence Freeman: The London Centre has a wide range of books and CDs by Laurence Freeman and other experienced meditators. Telephone 020-7278-2070 (Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm) or email welcome@wccm.org to find out whether they have the product you want in stock, its price in £ and the postage rate.

WCCM Bookshop: The London Centre has a wide range of books and CDs on all aspects of Christian Mediation from a wide range of authors, including John Main, Laurence Freeman, Richard Rohr, Bede Griffiths, Paul Harris, Margaret Rizza and many others. Telephone 020-7278-2070 (Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm) or email welcome@wccm.org to find out whether they have the product you want in stock, its price in £ and the postage rate.

Margaret Rizza: The London Centre has a wide range of music CDs by Margaret Rizza, an experienced meditator and meditation conference speaker. Telephone 020-7278-2070 (Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm) or email welcome@wccm.org to find out whether they have the product you want in stock, its price in £ and the postage rate.

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Scenes from Guildford: The historic town of Guildford is located between the rolling North Downs and the winding River Wey. It has an interesting past that hails back to Saxon times.

Hove: scenes from the sea front.

Laurence Freeman: a Benedictine monk and priest of the Congregation of Monte Oliveto, and director of WCCM. He is also the founder and director of the John Main Center for Meditation and Inter-religious Dialogue at Georgetown University, and author of many books and articles for the Tablet particularly, and a member of the Board of Medio Media.

Central London, viewed from Greenwich Observatory. Can there be space for quiet contemplation in a city like this? Well yes actually! Saint Marks Church in Islington, hosts the London Christian Meditation Centre. Cockfosters Retreat Centre also offers a range of meditation retreats throughout the year, and further meditation events take place at St Peter’s Centre for Meditation and Peace, at Vauxhall, and at Westminster Cathedral

Views, from Loweswater Village Hall. Usually, once a year in the summer, the Cumbrian Christian Meditation group meet here. The hall provides one of the most panoramic views in the Lake District looking up the valley that holds Crummock Water and Buttermere, to Great Gable, which is wreathed in cloud on this occasion.

The Newsletter is released quarterly and is the main source of information for many many members of the Community. In it you will find sections covering news of the Community's leaders, forthcoming retreats and events and a message from Father Laurence Freeman. Contact Saint Mark's Church if you want to receive it. There are details at the foot of this webpage.

North Staffordshire includes the City of Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme and their surrounding areas. There are currently three groups in the area: May Bank (Newcastle), Longton (Stoke) and Stone.

Benedictines: John Main, the founder of the World Community for Christian Meditation, and Laurence Freeman, the Community's current leader; a sketch of the former Christian Meditation Retreat Centre at Cockfosters and one of the corridors at the monastery of Monte Oliveto.

The Open Gate: a retreat house run by the Community of Aidan and Hilda on Lindisfarne, Northumberland. Courses and retreats on many aspects of christian spirituality are provided each year.

Oxford: Britain's oldest university town.

Portsmouth Catholic Cathedral was built in 1882 and is situated close to the City centre and the home of the Royal Navy.

Waterfall, in the grounds of Rydal Hall, near Ambleside. Meetings organised by the Cumbrian Christian Meditation group often take place here. The mountains of the Lake District make an inspiring backdrop to the grounds of the hall and remind us that although the path of meditation can sometimes appear rather steep and craggy, there is a way to the summit.

Autumn Colours, in the grounds of Rydal Hall, near Ambleside. Meetings organised by the Cumbrian Christian Meditation group often take place here. The mountains of the Lake District make an inspiring backdrop to the grounds of the hall and remind us that although the path of meditation can sometimes appear rather steep and craggy, there is a way to the summit.

Shrewsbury: typical half timbered houses in the town and plate glass windows in the cathedral

Lindisfarne Slakes, in the fading light of a late February afternoon. The tranquility of the sea and sky on this day, might remind us of our quest for tranquility of mind and spirit during meditation.

Staffordshire Moorlands at the southwestern end of the Pennines, provides an opportunity for solitude. The Staffordshire Peak District is distinctly quieter than its more famous Derbyshire neighbour!

Scenes from Surrey famous for its gardens and picturesque villages, and also an area where WCCM UK is very active, with a good number of groups and local events

Painted Ceiling, in one of the corridors of the Vatican Museum, leading to the Sistine Chapel.

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Scenes from Bere Island John Main, Laurence Freeman, Cockfosters, Monte Oliveto Waterfall and pool at Rydal Hall

The 2011 UK Annual Conference

Coming Home

The challenge of meditation in a world of multiple overwhelmings

Full Details and Booking: You can download a flier providing full details of the event, including costs, accommodation, and a booking form here.

10th – 12th June 2011

Speaker: Patrick Woodhouse

Venue: Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 1AU

We are delighted to be back at the Hayes Conference Centre in the picturesque Amber Valley, Derbyshire for this year’s UK conference. The Centre is situated within 110 acres of tranquil grounds and is well known for its hospitality with modern, light and airy facilities, chapel, formal gardens, woodside walks and well equipped gymnasium. A beautiful Victorian conservatory is the venue for afternoon tea and there is a well stocked bar. All bedrooms have en suite facilities. Disabled access is good and there is an induction loop in the conference hall.

Conference Centre Website: www.cct.org.uk

For further booking information contact: Jacqueline Russell 01296 488450

The Christian Meditation Community in the UK holds a conference every year to offer the Christian tradition of meditation/ contemplative prayer to all, regardless of any church affiliation, to share in the practice of meditation and to deepen understanding of this way of prayer. The tradition of meditation practised and taught in the World Community for Christian Meditation owes its rediscovery to the Benedictine monk Dom John Main (1926-1982). For this conference, our speaker Patrick Woodhouse, looks at the very stressful and confusing times we live in and how Meditation can help us see a way through this world of “multiple overwhelmings”, and our place and purpose within it.

Our speaker, Patrick Woodhouse is a Canon of Wells Cathedral. He has a particular concern for the recovery of a more contemplative spirituality within the life of the church and a deeper understanding of, and respect for, other faith traditions. His writings include Beyond Words, an introduction and guide for a contemplative way of prayer (Kevin Mayhew 2000), and With You is the Well of Life, a collection of prayers for private and public use (Kevin Mayhew 2005). Recently he published Etty Hillesum, a Life Transformed (Continuum 2009), the story of a young Jewish diarist who died in Auschwitz. Over the last three years he and his wife Sam have led a pilgrimage to south India each winter, exploring the practice of meditation in three faith traditions. Periods of meditation will be an integral part of the weekend and there will be opportunities to attend workshops related to the theme of the conference. There will be a special celebration on Saturday evening with readings and music of two great 20th century pioneers of the contemplative journey: Etty Hillesum and Thomas Merton: twin guides in a postmodern age.

Costs and Accommodation:

Payment: Cheque deposit of £50 made payable to CMT UK (not WCCM) to Jacqueline Russell, Christian Meditation Trust UK, St Mark’s, Myddelton Square, London EC1R 1XX. Telephone: 020 7833 9615.

Payment can be made by bank transfer to: Cooperative Bank, A/C 65095005, sort code: 08-92-99, Account name: Christian Meditation Trust (UK). Please give as a reference “Conference” plus your name so that we can allocate the payment – thank you.

Remainder of fee due by early May, deposits non refundable after 1st May. To help us keep costs down email will be used for all correspondence where possible. Full programme details to follow but to help you plan ahead, registration from 3.30, conference ends after lunch on Sunday.

Come and be encouraged - some financial help for those on low incomes

Bursaries

The Community has set aside some funds to help meditators who could not otherwise afford to come. Bursaries covering up to 75% of the Conference fees are available. Apply early as the funding is limited.

Students

We want to encourage younger meditators/students to come to the conference so our trustees are offering a special rate of £80. To apply for a bursary or student/younger meditator rate, please contact us at the address overleaf or email: jacq@wccm.org You may be asked to provide a reference.

Further Details and Booking: You can download a flier providing full details of the event, including costs, accommodation, and a booking form here.

WCCM Birds

Updated: 06-03-2011