Description of Talk: 

These times call for a need to unify the seeds of contemplative practice–to return to our fundamental essence and realize our shared human purpose as conscious transmitters of faith, hope and love. In the words of Bede Griffiths, we can learn to “join the growing Christ.”

Jonathan’s presentation style includes teaching, practice and unifying the power of gathered intention. His themes focus on the importance of surrender, community, service, silence and the practice of learning to directly sense the inner body, or inner-man as St. Paul refers to it. Learning to sense the inner body gives us a physiological rootedness where we can stand in a strong, compassionate witnessing presence amid polarization.

Together we will engage prayer exercises that imprint both Jesus’ recollected presence and self-emptying nature more deeply into our being. Most spiritual traditions have tended to emphasize one or the other: enstatic practices (service through conscious presence) or ecstatic practices (service as self-giving) but not both. The integration of the two supports our collective awakening in becoming people who can change the events of our world from the inside-out without our attention getting hi-jacked by manufactured desire.

  
We offer this day of experiential integration and hope-filled practice on behalf of all beings throughout creation and to bring spiritual healing to our lives and, by God’s grace, to this precious planet. 

About Jonathan Steele: 

Jonathan L. Steele, M.A., is a retreat leader, spiritual teacher and companion on the spiritual journey. His work draws deeply upon the transmission of the Christian Wisdom lineage and the Christian Contemplative and Inner-Traditions. In addition to his lived integration through contemplative practice, study and service, he leans on the works of Thomas Keating, Cynthia Bourgeault, Valentin Tomberg, G.I. Gurdjieff and J.G. Bennett. Jonathan currently serves as the Devotional Minister at the Church of Conscious Harmony, a Contemplative Christian Community in Austin, TX.  

Jonathan also has significant experience working with recovery communities, utilizing the path of the 12-Steps and implementing the work of Bowen family systems theory. 

He has previously companioned others in the context of spiritual direction and hospice chaplaincy, as well as guiding groups on pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain where he lived over the course of eight years.