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.
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.
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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Christian Meditation and Mental Health
Recent research shows that Christian meditation amongst other types of meditation has a very positive impact on the mental health of practitioners. For more information look below. If you have further questions please contact Don Boyle who is WCCM's UK leader in this field.
Mental Health and Meditation

Hello, my name is Don Boyle, UK Mental Health Co-ordinator
There is a growing number of people interested in mental health and Christian meditation within WCCM . We work together through the UK Mental Health Special Interest Group. This group meets every 6 weeks to develop information and guidance and engage with the wider community about the benefits of regular meditation practice for wellbeing and recovery.
You can contact me on don.boyle@oxleas.nhs.uk to
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Contribute to the the work of the Special Interest Group
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Discuss issues of concern and interest as a group leader or meditator regarding mental health
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Share any news and developments about mental health, recovery and well being.
Mental Health Guidance for Group Leaders
You can download this as a Word file here
/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Mental%20Health%20Guidance%20for%20Group%20Leaders%20April%202012.doc
New Mental Health web resource launched by the Church of England at the General Synod (added 25.11.12)
This new resource Mental Health Matters has been developed by Mental Health Matters National Co-ordinator and member of the Church of England’s Committee for Ministry With and Among Deaf and Disabled People (CMDDP), the Revd Eva McIntyre.
Eva said: “The Church is well-placed to make a significant difference in the area of mental health. We can be a force to end stigma, and we can also be a place of inclusion, welcome and ministry. Mental Health Matters is working to make mental wellbeing a priority in our churches today.”
Signing the Time to Change pledge in February, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Dr Rowan Williams, said: "Mental health issues touch the lives of every family and every congregation in England, the UK and across the globe. It is time we assigned stigma and discrimination to the history books, and started to talk more openly about the issue as a way of breaking down stigma and misunderstanding, and building more empathy and support for recovery. As a society we must take more responsibility for the negative attitudes that people with a mental illness face on a daily basis.”
RESOURCES
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The Impact of Spirituality on Mental Health: A Review of the Literature by Dr Deborah Cornah on behalf of The Mental Health Foundation (2006)
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/content/assets/PDF/publications/impact-spirituality.pdf?view=Standard
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Royal College of Psychiatrists: Spirituality and Mental health
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/expertadvice/treatments/spirituality.aspx
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Understanding Mental Health Problems: MIND 2011
http://www.mind.org.uk/shop/booklets/diagnoses_treatment/501_understanding_mental_illness
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The National Spirituality and Mental Health Forum
http://mhspirituality.org.uk/
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The Mental Health Project (Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales)
http://www.mentalhealthproject.co.uk/

Updated: 30-11-2011