Oasis Ministries-Letter from Glenn

Dear Friend of Returning to the Well Retreats:

Our final Returning to the Well retreat is coming up in a few weeks, Monday-Tuesday, November 8-9, at Mariawald Retreat Center in Shillington. Our theme for this retreat is: “Eckhart meets Eckhart: The Meister and Tolle.”

It is hard to believe but we started these retreats almost ten years ago. I hope you consider joining us as we celebrate this decade of “Returnings” and take a look at the two Eckharts.

In keeping with our practice of late, the first day of this retreat is open to all, so bring a friend or two and come, immerse yourselves in an Eckhartean retreat. The evening and second day are reserved for those who are graduates of or students in a spiritual direction training program. To register or to check out more information visit our website http://www.oasismin.org/Assets/ReturningtotheWell.html or call Betsy Keller in the Oasis Office. (717) 737-8222.

Though they lived some 700 years apart both Eckharts have much to offer the modern reader. Eckhart Tolle looked to Meister Eckhart (1260-c.1327) in taking on his name but there is a lot more than a name that they share in common. Both took their mystical message to the masses. The Meister, though a great scholar, loved most of all preaching to the masses and much of his gold is still preserved in his sermons. Eckhart Tolle in a similar spirit has taken his message to the masses via Oprah and the technology of the digital age.

You do not need to read ahead--it is not essential for your participation, but if you’d like to dig deeper prior to our retreat or following it, here are some suggestions.

Bernard McGinn has edited for the Paulist Press series The Classics of Western Spirituality, two volumes on Eckhart: Meister Eckhart: Teacher and Preacher; and Meister Eckhart: The Essential Sermons, Commentaries, Treatises, and Defense. These are the two classical source books for Eckhart’s writing.

McGinn also edited as a part of the Continuim Series a book entitled, Meister Eckhart and the Beguine Mystics: Hadewijch, Mechthild, and Marguerite Porete. This book explores the connection between Eckhart and the women mystics and their contribution to his thought. The beguines were an early women’s movement that sought God via a mystical path and served the elderly and poor, outside of official church sanctions and structures.

McGinn's latest book on Eckhart is: The Mystical Thought of Meister Eckhart. For those who really want to dive into Eckhart’s thought this is a good book to have. McGinn, one of the foremost scholars on medieval mysticism, explores in depth the theology and mysticism of Eckhart. New York: Crossroads Publishing, 2001.

There are several other books on Eckhart set up for meditation. God Awaits You: Based on the Classic Spirituality of Meister Eckhart, Richard Chilson, Ave Maria Press,1996, is a small book in the "30 Days with A Great Spiritual Teacher" series. This series, available on a number of the mystics, has quotes framed for "My Day Begins" and "My Day Ends," with a sentence to be carried through the day and a short prayer for the night.

Praying with Meister Eckhart by Wayne Simsic, is a book in another mystic series, "Companions for the Journey”, by Christian Brother's Publications, Saint Mary's Press, 1998. This excellent book has a good introduction to Eckhart and his spiritual themes along with 15 meditations for daily use. Each meditation includes some reflections on Eckhart and his times, a quote from Eckhart and some reflection on the quote including a number of questions for the reader to hold and pray.

Matthew Fox has a couple of books on Eckhart: Breakthrough: Meister Eckhart's Creation Spirituality in New Translation. Image Books. 1980. Fox presents 37 of Eckhart's sermons complete with Fox's commentary on them. He also offers a very thorough 52 page Introduction and a helpful index to Eckhart themes. Fox sees Eckhart as an early proponent of creation spirituality and one who, like Fox, experienced the censorship of the Church.

Meditations with Meister Eckhart. Matthew Fox. Bear & Company. 1983. This is one of a series of meditation books on the mystics that Fox published. He organizes in this volume, quotes from Eckhart grouped around these four themes: Creation; Letting Go and Letting Be; Breakthrough and Birth of Self, God and Self as Child of God; and The New Creation: Compassion and Social Justice.

If you have an appreciation for Fox you will probably also appreciate the frame he brings to Eckhart; if you don't, you may want to stick with one of the Classics of... books, if you are looking for a primary sourcebook.

If you only buy one Eckhart book I would suggest you choose between these two: Everything as Divine: The Wisdom of Meister Eckhart. This tiny and very inexpensive volume from Paulist Press, is abridged by Edmund Colledge and Bernard McGinn from their longer collection in The Classics of... books. It has parts of five German sermons and some selections from the Counsels on Discernment. OR, Conversations with Meister Eckhart, by Eckhart and Simon Parke, 2009, White Crow Productions. (There is also an audio version) Conversations…is Eckhart material grouped around particular themes that are given order by a series of questions posed to him. Both of these books would be a great places to sample the Meister.

For grounding yourself in Eckhart Tolle the two significant works are: The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, Namaste Publications, 1999; and A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, Penguin Publications, 2005. These books are available everywhere.

You can also go to Tolle’s website: http://www.eckharttolle.com/home/ and order books and CD’s of various audio presentations—even Eckhart Tolle TV! He is a good one to take in via audio. Whether audio or print, leave lots of time to digest what you take in. Here is another link created by a fan that lists a number of resources and information about Tolle: http://www.inner-growth.info/power_of_now_tolle/eckhart_tolle_home.htm

Krista Tippett also has some fine interview material with Eckhart Tolle (available as podcasts) on the Being website (Speaking of Faith) http://being.publicradio.org/

Please don't hesitate to give me a call at home: 814-422-8843 or e-mail me glenn@likeafeather.com with any questions you might have. I hope to see you soon.

Blessings, Glenn

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