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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A variety of books on sale from the WCCM bookshop in London John Main, Laurence Freeman, Cockfosters, Monte Oliveto Scenes of Oxford A variety of books and CDs  by Laurence Freeman on sale from the WCCM bookshop in London A variety of CDs  byMargaret Rizza on sale from the WCCM bookshop in London Portsmouth Cathedral

The 2011 Programme


Select Your Region

Events are listed in 11 regions covering Britain. Select the region you are looking for events in:

Major Events Are Listed Below

For details of the UK Annual Conference, click here


UK National Retreat 2012

There will be no UK conference, as such, in 2012 but we are planning a 5 day retreat to be led by Fr Laurence, held at the Belsey Bridge Conference Centre, near Bungay in Suffolk. See www.cct.org.uk.  

There will be room for approximately 100 to attend and the retreat will last from Friday evening October 12th through to Wednesday lunchtime on the 17th.

Priority will be given to people able to commit to the whole session. A flyer and booking form with more details will be available in early 2012.


Other National Retreats

Event ID: 38

Friday 9 March to Sunday 11 March 2012

The Essential Teaching Weekend

Times: Starting at 17:15 on 2012-03-09 and finishing at 13:30 on 2012-03-11

Leadership: Liz Watson and Briji Waterfield

Venue: Ladywell Retreat Centre, Ladywell Retreat Centre, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1ST

Theme: A residential weekend for meditators who have been meditating in our tradition for at least a year and want to deepen their personal experience and understanding of the rich tradition we are part of, and who may wish to share the gift of meditation with others. The weekend will focus on the core teaching, the history of the Christian mystical tradition and stages of the journey. Working in groups, participants will share practical ways of introducing meditation to others. The weekend will be framed with meditation three times a day and will allow time for participants to reflect on their own experience, the teachings of John Main, Laurence Freeman and others, and to enjoy the sense of community which meditation creates.

Catering: Residential - meals provided

Cost: Between £110 and £160 according to your means

Booking: Contact Liz Watson - download the flyer, it includes a booking form

Contact: Liz Watson

Telephone: 020 7249 8701

Download a flyer for this event by right clicking here, and selecting Save As (or the equivalent, if you are using an Apple Mac!)


Event ID: 42

Friday 4 May to Sunday 6 May 2012

Christian Meditation as an 11th step practice

Letting Go- A weekend retreat

Times: Starting at 16:00 on 2012-05-04 and finishing at 14:00 on 2012-05-06

Leadership: May Nicol, Linda Kaye and Terry Doyle

Venue: the Kairos Centre , Mount Angelus Road Roehampton London SW15 4JA

Theme: During this retreat, we will explore how Step 11 and the practice of meditation can assist us in the process of letting go so that we can ‘Let Go and Let God’. In the silence and the stillness, we learn how to let go of thoughts, desires and expectations and to open our hearts to God's ‘grace, wisdom and love’

Catering: residential or non residential available

Cost: £160 or £135 full residential £75 non-residential £30 day retreat

Booking: kate@wccm.org

Contact: Kate Coombs

Telephone: 020 8728 2070

Alternative Contact: May Nicol

Email: maymbnicol@aol.com

Telephone: 07768 310666

Download a flyer for this event by right clicking here, and selecting Save As (or the equivalent, if you are using an Apple Mac!)

Download a separate booking form for this event by right clicking here, and selecting Save As (or the equivalent, if you are using an Apple Mac!)


Event ID: 41

Saturday 5 May 2012

Exploring the Cloud of Unknowing

Time: 11:00 to 16:00

Leadership: Graeme Watson

Venue: The Quaker Meeting House, 43 St Giles, Oxford OX1 3LW

Theme: The day will look at how this spiritual classic can help with exploring and developing our practice of Christian Meditation.

Catering: Please make your own arrangements for lunch or bring packed lunch. Plenty of sandwich bars and cafes near by. Tea and Coffee supplied on arrival

Cost: Recommended donation £10

Booking: Pay on door

Contact: Jacqueline Russell

Telephone: 01296 4488450

Download a flyer for this event by right clicking here, and selecting Save As (or the equivalent, if you are using an Apple Mac!)


Event ID: 39

Thursday 11 October to Wednesday 17 October 2012

UK National Retreat

Tell Me a Story - Meditation and the History of Salvation

Times: Starting at 18:00 on 2012-10-11 and finishing at 12:00 on 2012-10-17

Leadership: Father Laurence Freeman OSB

Venue: Belsey Bridge Conference Centre, Belsey Bridge Conference Centre, Ditchingham, Bungay, Suffolk NR35 2DZ

Theme: 'From childhood we learn to love stories and remain attracted to them as adults since they help us make sense of our lives. How does meditation- a way without words, images or storyline- relate to the religious story and all the stories within it that form so much of the Christian tradition? Do the stories cease to matter or do they matter even more in the light of meditation? Our daily practice and our Christian maturity can depend on this'. In this UK Retreat Father Laurence will explore this theme. The times of meditation and other ways of prayer and preparation will also be essential to making this a week of peace, renewal, solitude and blessed community. There will be a Eucharist on each full day and simple relaxation exercises will help keep our body and mind in tune.

Catering: Residential - meals provided

Cost: Between £195 and £390 - See Flyer

Booking: The booking form is part of the flyer - see below

Contact: Jacqueline Russell

Telephone: 01296 488450

Download a flyer for this event by right clicking here, and selecting Save As (or the equivalent, if you are using an Apple Mac!)


Meditatio logo

Meditatio is the outreach and sharing of the fruits of meditation with the wider world and with the problems and crises of our time.The three year programme includes a series of seminars and workshops on themes of Education, Business and Finance, Mental Health, the Environment, Inter-Religious dialogue and Citizenship.

Visit the meditation website at www.wccmmeditatio.org


WCCM Birds

Updated: 18-11-2011