David Frenette: Consenting to the Presence of God
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Tami Simon speaks with David Frenette, a leader and senior teacher in the Centering Prayer movement, and a friend and advisor of Father Thomas Keating for 30 years. He is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and serves as an adjunct faculty member at Naropa University. With Sounds True, he has published the book The Path of Centering Prayer: Deepening Your Experience of God. In this episode, Tami speaks with David about his apprenticeship with Father Keating in the practice of Centering Prayer, the role of a spiritual father or mother in one’s contemplative life, what he means when he talks about God and the Trinitarian mystery, and the most important contemplative attitude to support a practice of Centering Prayer. (66 minutes)
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A lovely interview on aspects of the Christian practice of Centering Prayer. David’s gentle and humble quality of being is palpable, and his presence speaks more eloquently about the ineffable mystery of the Love of God than words could ever describe.
Comment by S. Mathilda — August 30, 2012 @ 9:08 am
What a wonderfully rich interview! I am so grateful. I can’t wait for the book! Tami, thank you SO MUCH for including Christian contemplatives in your interview series. More, please! :-)
Comment by Lynn T. — August 30, 2012 @ 1:30 pm
David has always been a most inspiring mentor for me. I met him many years ago and was very impressed with his spiritual awareness and ability to transmit his realizations so clearly. I have practiced CP for a long time, but listening to David’s summary has brought me to the beginning where I needed to be. Thank you also, Tami. Your questions are always so delving. Bernie
Comment by Bernie Thibodeau — September 4, 2012 @ 8:50 am
Nice Talk. Yes. Perhaps one way to learn to say yes to the presence of Love (Ananda) is to say yes more often as we go about our lives. For example we can practice saying yes more often to doing some selfless sacred service, to contributing to worthwhile charities, and to our homeless and hungry brothers and sisters who cross out paths; even if all we can afford to say yes to is 50 cents, or 25 cents, or even 10 cents. Let us learn to say yes anyway.
As for the Christian trinity; maybe Christ represents gross reality, the Holy Spirit subtle reality, and the Father causal? And perhaps all of these are fully made of the substance of God?
Comment by Stanley — September 10, 2012 @ 3:49 am