‘Roots of Christian Mysticism’ Course 2003
 by Kim Nataraja

The pilot of the ‘Roots of Christian Mysticism’ Course finished in December 2004 and was so well appreciated that we will be running a new course from 14 September 2004 finishing with a Retreat Day on the 25th June 2005.

This year the Course will follow the academic year with weekly meetings on a Tuesday at the London Meditation Centre at St Mark’s Myddelton Square. Each term will be concluded with a Review/Retreat Day at the Monastery of Christ the King Cockfosters.

For many participants the Course was profoundly significant and life changing, leading to

  • some have let go of unsatisfactory occupations
  • many started to meditate in a regular and disciplined way to whom the practice was new at the start of the Course
  • one started a contemplative community
  • one is doing further studies- MA in Christian Theology.

As shown in the evaluations most appreciated were:

  • Meditation and its reflective introduction at the start of the evening.
  • The presenters’ scholarly knowledge and inspiring enthusiasm
  • A multi-media approach
  • Creative practical exercises to help integrate understanding gained into real life
  • Lectio of actual texts
  • Small group discussions to assimilate the often new ideas.
  • Provision of detailed reading lists for further in-depth study.
  • The summary notes provided by Margaret Lane, which were also widely read and appreciated on the School website by many people worldwide.
  • Break with soup and bread, provided by Stefan Reynolds, which allowed the discussion to continue in a relaxed environment.

I cannot stress enough the real sense of community, which this Course has engendered. There was a real feeling of being on a pilgrimage together, sharing both deep thoughts and laughter.

I would like to give you an impression in the students’ own words of the effect the cause has had on their life.

  • “It was a gift to be on this challenging and enriching Course”.
  • “It opened up whole new worlds for me and has been profoundly inspiring and transformative”.
  • “Doors have been opened for me, especially coming from an evangelical background, into a less cerebral and more heart centred approach.”
  • “It has led to a deeper understanding of the intimacy of God’s relationship with us”.
  • “It supplied a historical continuity to my scattered and discontinuous knowledge”.
  • “It made me appreciate the solid foundation of Christian Meditation and the mystical depth of Christianity, which is not generally taught within the institutional Church.”
  • “My meditation has now been deeply grounded in the Faith Tradition I was born into. This has been deeply healing and brought a new and increasing wholeness to my spiritual life and practise.
  • “the course made me feel like a child in a sweet shop”.


Kim Nataraja
2 March 2004