A five-session winter series
Saturdays January 10, 17, 24, 31 & Saturday February 7.
All sessions are 9am-noon Pacific time.
Series Overview
This 5-session series introduces participants to Contemplative Rest is a relaxing, present-moment, embodied meditation practice which draws somatically on previously lived experiences of the numinous—wonder, connectedness, ease, love, mystery, revelation—in order to, among other things:
cultivate peace in one’s own heart and in the world
mitigate stress, anxiety, habitual over-reaction, and other difficulties
enhance connectedness, curiosity, and kindness
strengthen one’s experience of community and sense of belonging
improve general wellbeing and mindfulness.
Contemplative Rest founder M Freeman teaches the meditation practice, gently guiding participants through an initial preparation—selecting past experiences, savoring those experiences in vivid somatic detail, reflecting on them, and sharing discoveries and insights. Folks can expect a spacious schedule that will include guided and silent meditations, reflective writing, sharing and listening, and Cinema Divina film screenings.
M Freeman*
Media artist, writer, spiritual director and contemplative guide, M Freeman works at the intersections of reckoning and resiliency, queerness and film, and contemplative, creative and social art practices. M is author of The Illuminated Space: A Personal Theory & Contemplative Practice of Media Art (The 3rd Thing Press, 2020, and winner of the Nautilus Book Award’s Gold Medal for Creativity & Innovation); and creator of Cinema Divina—short films made through and for contemplative practice. A Benedictine oblate at St. Placid Priory, see more about M at marilynfreeman.com. Learn more about M Freeman*
SISTERS SPEAK: OUR BLOG
Sisters post on our Blog monthly. See what our Sisters have to say about living Monastic Life in the 21st Century.
SR. LAURA ON YOUTUBE
See Sr. Laura’s youtube channelfor some of her work in “restoring women to the stories we tell.”
CLICK, TAP, OR SCAN QR CODE WITH PHONE FOR HANDY MAP & DIRECTIONS TO ST PLACID:
Programs
Date & Time Details: Saturdays January 10, 17, 24, 31 & February 7 All sessions are 9am-noon Pacific time.
Hybrid: Contemplative Rest Winter Series
With M Freeman*
January 10 - February 7, 2026
A five-session winter series
Saturdays January 10, 17, 24, 31 & Saturday February 7.
All sessions are 9am-noon Pacific time.
Series Overview
This 5-session series introduces participants to Contemplative Rest is a relaxing, present-moment, embodied meditation practice which draws somatically on previously lived experiences of the numinous—wonder, connectedness, ease, love, mystery, revelation—in order to, among other things:
Contemplative Rest founder M Freeman teaches the meditation practice, gently guiding participants through an initial preparation—selecting past experiences, savoring those experiences in vivid somatic detail, reflecting on them, and sharing discoveries and insights. Folks can expect a spacious schedule that will include guided and silent meditations, reflective writing, sharing and listening, and Cinema Divina film screenings.
For a detailed schedule and additional information please visit— https://marilynfreeman.com/contemplative-rest-winter-series/
Facilitator
Media artist, writer, spiritual director and contemplative guide, M Freeman works at the intersections of reckoning and resiliency, queerness and film, and contemplative, creative and social art practices. M is author of The Illuminated Space: A Personal Theory & Contemplative Practice of Media Art (The 3rd Thing Press, 2020, and winner of the Nautilus Book Award’s Gold Medal for Creativity & Innovation); and creator of Cinema Divina—short films made through and for contemplative practice. A Benedictine oblate at St. Placid Priory, see more about M at marilynfreeman.com.
Learn more about M Freeman*
SISTERS SPEAK: OUR BLOG
Sisters post on our Blog monthly. See what our Sisters have to say about living Monastic Life in the 21st Century.
SR. LAURA ON YOUTUBE
See Sr. Laura’s youtube channel for some of her work in “restoring women to the stories we tell.”
CLICK, TAP, OR SCAN QR CODE WITH PHONE FOR HANDY MAP & DIRECTIONS TO ST PLACID:
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