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Bridges to Contemplative Living: A Resource for Small Group Dialogue

"The Bridges program is different from everything I've done to become more spiritual. I am experiencing my spiritual life in a way that feels more integrated. It works for me."

Contact: Vanessa F. Hurst, Merton Institute for Contemplative Living, 502-899-1991, vhurst@mertoninstitute.org

MEDIA ADVISORY, Aug. 13 /Christian Newswire/ -- Using readings from Thomas Merton and other spiritual writers, the Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton series invites participants to enter into individual reflection, contemplative dialogue, and group prayer as avenues of spiritual growth. Bridges encourages participants to mine the spiritual treasures of their life experiences.

Bridges was developed by the Merton Institute for Contemplative Living. Nine volumes comprise the series. Volumes one through eight focus on specific life experiences: Entering the School of Your Experience, Becoming Who You Already Are, Living Your Deepest Desires, Discovering the Hidden Ground of Love, Traveling Your Road to Joy, Writing Yourself into the Book of Life, Adjusting Your Life's Vision, and Seeing That Paradise Begins Now. The ninth volume, Lent and Holy Week helps participants prepare for Easter. Topics in each volume stress that our every day life is our spiritual life and provide insights for integrating contemplation and action, and spirituality and religion in our daily life.

The Bridges series is recommended for small groups of four to ten individuals. Although Thomas Merton was a Catholic Cistercian monk, the series is an excellent resource for individuals of all spiritual traditions who wish to deepen their spiritual lives. Currently over 2500 groups throughout the world are using Bridges in Christian churches of all denominations, in interfaith communities, on college campuses, in faith sharing groups and in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Bethany Spring, The Merton Institute Retreat Center, offers Bridges to Contemplative Living Retreats. The Merton Institute also offers training for those interested in facilitating a Bridges group.

The Bridges program is easy to facilitate. A Leader's Guide and sample Bridges sessions can be downloaded at www.mertoninstitute.org or call (800.886.7275) to request the Leaders Guide or Series Sampler. For more information about the Bridges series, retreats, or facilitator training contact Vanessa Hurst at 502.899.1991 or 800.886.7275. vhurst@mertoninstitute.org.

The Merton Institute for Contemplative Living's mission is to awaken interest in and provide resources for contemplative living through the works of Thomas Merton and others in order to create a more just and peaceful world.