Creating contemplative communities
who practice the presence of God
for personal transformation
and compassionate service
with the world
ABOUT
A School Without Walls
In a world increasingly broken and divided
by hatred and violence, shrill voices and conflicting directions, there is a school that strives to teach another way. It is
"a school without walls" building bridges of understanding, cultivating contemplation,
teaching practices of prayer, nurturing inner peace, strengthening the soul, centering the spirit, promoting unity, practicing oneness, demonstrating love in stillness and simplicity, companioning the seeker
in small groups, auditoriums, hospitals, colleges, prisons, churches sanctuaries, on the streets, at the shelters, in the soup kitchens, beyond the boundaries and barriers, which have for so long
separated the souls of humankind.
The School for Contemplative Living founded and directed by Dr. William Thiele, has for over a decade offered small groups, workshops, classes, retreats, spiritual direction, and an annual conference to help transform lives through the practices and principles of centering prayer, meditation, sacred yoga, compassion cultivation, and the contemplative tradition.
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William Thiele, PhD.
wrote about the founding of the School in his first book, Monks in the World: Seeking God in a Frantic Culture, (Wipf & Stock, 2014). He writes more about the contemplative path in his manuscript, available in pdf version, The Gate of Heaven is Everywhere. You can also follow his blog, "A Contemplative Path," on Wordpress.com. Podcast videos about this path are on the Videos page of this website.
Dr. Thiele serves as adjunct professor at Loyola University, a licensed professional counselor and spiritual director in private practice, a group facilitator with http://pace.group, and a certified teacher of Compassion Cultivation Training. He leads retreats and workshops on contemplative living and compassion cultivation.
