The Contemplative Writer offers soul care for writers and resources for practicing daily prayer. It is hosted by Lisa Deam, author of A World Transformed: Exploring the Spirituality of Medieval Maps and 7 Ways the Ancient Church Saved My Faith. Recently, Prasanta Verma joined the team. Prasanta is a writer, poet, and artist. You can find her on Twitter @VermaPrasanta, on Instagram at prasanta_v_writer, and at her website.
On this site, you’ll find invitations to practice Christian spirituality and prompts or tips for both prayer and writing. The premise of this site is that writers of faith who care for their souls will cultivate a haven that will make their writing more focused, grounded in God’s calling, and professionally sustainable.
Richard Rohr recommends that we balance contemplation and action with 80% contemplation for 20% action. Along similar lines, the Contemplative Writer primarily focuses on practices, resources, and tips that will help anyone, especially writers, to cultivate prayer.
You’ll find:
- Blog posts with examen questions, prayers, and reflections from the history of Christian spirituality
- Resources on prayer and contemplation
- A weekly newsletter
Questions? Read the Frequently Asked Questions below. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, visit the Contact page.
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Who Runs This Site?
Lisa Deam (PhD, University of Chicago) is the author of A World Transformed: Exploring the Spirituality of Medieval Maps, 7 Ways the Ancient Church Saved My Faith, and a forthcoming book with Fortress Press. She is a writer and speaker who brings the lessons of historical Christianity to audiences today. Visit Lisa at www.lisadeam.com.
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F.A.Q.
What is contemplation or contemplative prayer?
Contemplative prayer typically describes spiritual practices that help us become aware of God’s presence and to commune with God apart from our own words. It can include centering prayer and Lectio Divina.
According to the website Contemplative Outreach: “In this traditional understanding, contemplation, or contemplative prayer, is not something that can be achieved through will, but rather is God’s gift. It is the opening of mind and heart – one’s whole being – to God. Contemplative prayer is a process of interior transformation. It is a relationship initiated by God and leading, if one consents, to divine union.”
St. Gregory the Great described contemplative prayer as “resting in God.”
I’m not a writer, is this site for me?
The focus of this site will be on nurturing spiritual practices, so any reader will benefit from the vast majority of the content here. In addition, many of the issues that writers face, such as envy, personal identity, and fear of rejection, will connect with everyone.
I’m new to prayer. Will this site help me?
I was first introduced to these spiritual practices in 2003, and I still feel like a beginner at times. This site is an invitation to try out simple spiritual practices that anyone can begin using immediately, but it may take some time to get comfortable using them.
Is this site Catholic?
The site’s founder, Ed Cyzewski, and its host, Lisa Deam, are VERY Protestant, but we are committed to prayer practices from the entire church, including Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions.
Is contemplative prayer “new age religion” or dangerous?
Contemplative prayer is a tried and true spiritual practice in Christianity that helps us remove the distractions that keep us from God. Contemplative prayer helps us listen for God to speak, a concept that is woven throughout the Psalms especially. It has roots as far back as the desert fathers and mothers from the 4th century.
I’m not Christian, but I’m a writer. Is this site for me?
We discuss prayer practices from the standpoint of the Christian tradition and assume that our readers are familiar with the Christian faith. However, many of these practices (such as the Examen) have proven helpful for writers of any faith background.
Can I guest post?
I am currently not accepting guest post solicitations, but I hope that changes in the near future as the site evolves.
Will you promote my book?
I do not plan to accept solicitations for book promotions at any time. This overview of book marketing should help if you need some direction.
The Contemplative Writer 