Counterfeit Mysticism
Published on: 26 November, 2022
By: David Torkington
Just before I ended my tenure as the Director of the Diocesan Retreat centre I was approached for help by Emilia Tyler. After spending a lifetime importing fashions to sell in her shop in New Bond Street in London, Emilia Tyler retired with her husband and set up a house of prayer at her villa…
A course in Mystical Theology – Fourth episode – Lay Spirituality
Published on: 12 March, 2022
By: David Torkington
Although the later spiritualities of those who chose a celibate life may inspire us, and their teaching on prayer and other principles of the spiritual life might help us, we must firstly look to the spirituality that Our Lord gave to the laity in the early Church.
David Torkington Reads from The Hermit – Episode 8
Published on: 17 March, 2021
By: David Torkington
Peter was surprised to hear that James was introduced to the practice of Indian meditation and had unsuccessfully tried to adapt it to Christian prayer.
The Sacrament of the Present Moment
Published on: 1 January, 2016
By: David Torkington
You do not need to go anywhere other than where you are to find the treasure that we all, deep down desire more than anything else. It is not just any love, but the love from which all other love has its origin, being made available here and now to everyone, who is prepared to give the daily space and time in which to learn how to receive it.
The Perfect Model for Christian Prayer
Published on: 10 June, 2015
By: David Torkington
My little book ‘How to Pray’ had been commissioned by a Carmelite publishing house in Prague, as part of a pocket book series concentrating on different aspects of spirituality? I was delighted when it won the prize for the best spiritual book of 2004, and was then translated into twelve foreign languages. When I went…
As the Philosopher said to the Archbishop!…
Published on: 13 November, 2014
By: David Torkington
For the early Christians, the spiritual journey to which the faithful had committed themselves, was not directed to entering into exotic transcendental experiences, but to entering into Jesus Christ, who was alive and present to all of them every day of their lives. They were quite adamant that his sublime moral teaching, that they all…
True Contemplation and its Counterfeit – Part two
Published on: 16 September, 2014
By: David Torkington
I have yet to come across any Christians who belonged to ‘The World Community for Christian Meditation Movement’, inspired by Fr John Main, who have not been thoroughly good people. They don’t just take the external practice of their faith seriously, but also put aside regular time for daily going into ‘the inner room’ to…