Christian Tradition

The mystical and contemplative traditions of Christianity, seeking union with God through prayer, love, and inner transformation

Core Teachings

God is love, and the spiritual life is fundamentally about receiving and sharing this unconditional, transforming love that flows from the Divine.

The Kingdom of God is within. The mystics teach that God dwells in the depths of the soul, accessible through contemplative prayer.

The Eastern Christian teaching that humans are called to participate in the divine nature, becoming by grace what God is by nature.

Following Christ's example of self-emptying love, releasing attachment to ego and surrendering to God's will.

A method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, in which we experience God's presence within us.

Sacred reading — a contemplative way of reading Scripture that involves reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation.

A short, repetitive prayer from the Eastern tradition: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me." Used to cultivate unceasing prayer.

A daily practice of prayerful reflection on the day, noticing God's presence and guidance in all things.

Medieval German mystic who taught about the "ground of the soul" where God and the soul meet in unity.

Spanish mystic and poet who described the soul's journey through the "dark night" to divine union.

Spanish mystic who mapped the interior journey in "The Interior Castle," describing seven mansions of the soul.

An anonymous 14th-century guide to contemplative prayer and the way of unknowing

A collection of texts on prayer and the spiritual life from the Eastern Orthodox tradition

St. John of the Cross's profound exploration of spiritual purification and union with God

"I and Father are one."

— John 10:30