Contemplative Practices in Times of Transition
Church of the Servant / February 8, 2026 / 45 minutes
We humans are always in the midst of transition. Just to name a few examples, we graduate, move, get a new job, marry, parent, divorce, or retire. In these moments of change, we can lose our footing as the ground shifts beneath us. In this workshop, I led twenty-five participants in discussing these disorienting seasons. We imagined together how God might meet with us as we engage in contemplative practices. We explored how these practices help us move through unsettling life transitions with more clarity.
During transitions we feel uprooted. Contemplative practices help us to come home to ourselves.
I rely on the work of Bruce Feiler to illuminate the elements of transitions. He says we make meaning in them through one of these styles: claiming agency, finding belonging, or giving ourselves to a cause. Whether you are in the long goodbye, the messy middle, or the new beginning stage of a transition, leaning into one of these three styles will help you find your way. Below are three suggestions for contemplative practices to try based on your transition style.
Looking for a sense of agency?
Try creating rhythms of rest and work that hem in your time and activities. Another name for this is Sabbath.
Is belonging what you want?
Find a program at the Dominican Center, or some place like it, that connects you with other people on the spiritual path. This may involve creating art in a Soul Collage workshop, sharing stories of faith in a compassion support group, or reading poetry together based on the liturgical season.
What cause motivates you?
Connecting to your purpose and giving to something larger than yourself is cathartic. In your time of transition, volunteer alongside others who share your passion.