The Contemplative Network was formed following a visit to Aotearoa New Zealand by Cynthia Bourgeault in 2009 to give a series of talks and lead a retreat with the practice of Centering Prayer the core focus. The CN gratefully received its start-up financial support from the Coromandel Christian Trust.
Cynthia subsequently returned to Aotearoa New Zealand several times, each time offering talks in Auckland and Wellington, as well as Wisdom Schools at Vaughan Park Retreat Centre in Auckland and Te Moata Retreat Centre in the Coromandel.
The CN has brought other contemplative teachers to New Zealand, the most recent being James Finley in the spring of 2020. A core faculty member of the Centre for Action and Contemplation, Jim offered teaching via Zoom, and members of the CN offered a fuller retreat around his teachings. Additionally, over the last 12 years members of the CN have offered a range of retreats and Wisdom Schools.
While originating in the Christian mystical tradition, the Network has naturally broadened to include and be supportive of all contemplative practices, whichever tradition they’re rooted in. We recognise that, at their depth, all spiritual and religious traditions have more similarities than differences and that the Wisdom stream flows through them.
The current volunteer coordinators/kaitiaki of the CN are Pip Nicholls, Pat Neuwelt, Lucy Hastings, and Philippa Ranby.