Conversation - The Sacred Art: Practicing Presence in an Age of Distraction

Foreword ix
Introduction xiii

Part One
What Is the Sacred Art of Conversation? 1

Chapter 1: Encountering the Sacred Within 5
Practice: Entering the Cave of Your Heart 10
Practice: Listening to the Conversation in Your Heart 11

Chapter 2: Encountering the Sacred in Each Other 13
Reflection: Souls Who Have Made Us Wiser 17
Practice: Tending One Another's Light- Holding, Beholding, and Being Held 18

Chapter 3: Encountering the Sacred Between Us 19
Reflection: Increasing Awareness of the Sacred Between Us 24

Part Two
Gateways for Conversation 25

Chapter 4: Listening to Your Life 31
Reflection: Steppingstones on the Journey 40

Chapter 5: Noticing and Naming What Gives You Life 41
Reflection: Nurturing Awareness of What You Hold Sacred 49
Reflection: Looking at the World with the Eyes of a Poet 50

Chapter 6: Discerning a Heart-Centered Path 51
Reflection: Listening to Your Inner Guide 60
Reflection: The Thread You Follow 61

Part Three
Practicing the Sacred Art of Conversation 63

Chapter 7: Practicing Attentive Presence: Listening Within Before Speaking Out 69
Practice: Three Deep Breaths 75
Practice: Centering on the Breath 76

Chapter 8: Practicing Receptive Presence: Welcoming All That We Encounter 77
Reflection: The Three Gates 85
Practice: The Welcoming Prayer 86

Chapter 9: Practicing Compassionate Presence: Going Within Before Venturing Out 89
Practice: Offering the Gift of
Contemplative Questions 100
Practice: Sacred Holding 102
Practice: Compassionate Abiding 103

Conclusion 105

Appendices
The Sacred Art of Conversation in Community: Creating Occassions for Contemplative Conversations 111

Appendix 1: Cultivating Contemplation and Compassion in Community through Journey Conversations 115

Appendix 2: Appreciatively Focused Conversations at Home and Work 127

Appendix 3: Conversation Catalysts 131

Notes 139
Suggestions for Further Reading 147
Acknowledgments 151
About the Journey Conversations Project 153
Credits 154