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.

Accessibility: This site has been designed so that users who struggle to see the content clearly can make use of the browser controls to magnify web pages. With most browsers holding down the control key and pressing the + (plus) key repeatedly will enlarge the web page (images and text). Holding down the Control key and hitting the - (minus) key reverses the process.

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.

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 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.

The Website, has been produced using Adobe Creative Suite, and uses standard XHTML, JavaScript, CSS and PHP to achieve its effects. If you have any photographs or information that you think would be useful for the site, please contact the webmaster.

Doves logo link to wccm.org

Dom John Main

UK Home page

How to Meditate

Audio Downloads

School in the UK

Local Groups

Group Resources

Linking Hearts

Outreach

Retreats & Events

Newsletter

Shop

Contact Us

Reflections

Login

Waterfall and pool at Rydal Hall Autumn colours at Rydal Hall

Retreats and Events in Lancashire - 2010

Tuesday 1st to Thursday3rd June 2010

Midweek Contemplative Prayer Retreat

Theme: Learning to Love -  Inspired by the writings of William Law (an18th century English mystic) and  the life of St. Francis

Leader: Graham Skilling

Location: The Monastery of Our Lady of Hyning
Warton, Morecambe, Lancashire  LA5 9SE

Time: Tuesday 1st 10am – Thursday 3rd  4pm

Please note that this will be primarily a silent retreat. As the dining room is shared there may be conversation then. Accommodation is in single rooms. If you have any dietary needs please indicate when booking.

Contact: To book please contact Graham Skilling, 7 Danes Rd, Staveley, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 9PW

Tel: 01539-822695

You can download a leaflet detailing this retreat here


Saturday October 9th 2010

From Mind to Heart- praying from the heart

Time: 10am for10.30am to 4pm

Leader: Guest Speaker VERA DALTON - Vera is a Quaker who leads retreats & quite days. She accompanies people on their prayer journeys and lives a life of prayer herself.

Location: At Tabor Carmelite Retreat House 169 Sharoe Green Lane, Fulwood, Preston PR2 8HE. See the Google Map here.

Cost: Suggested Donation £7. Pay at door.

Domestics: Bring your own lunch, drinks provided

You can download a leaflet detailing this retreat here


March 18th to 20th 2011

Advance notice - further details to follow

Body Mind & Spirit (2)

Location: Briery Retreat Centre, Ilkley Tia Chia -

Theme: Meditation - Circle Dance.

Leaders: Terry Doyle, Gretchen Stevens and Christine Colbert.


 

WCCM Birds

Updated: 13-03-2010