About Us

THE ATLANTA JULIAN MEETING combines silent (contemplative) prayer with time for group reflection on the writings of Julian of Norwich. Each month we read one chapter from the Revelation of Love, Julian’s masterpiece of mystical Christian spirituality. The chapters are short (average 2 pages per), so we have time to read the chapter together during our meeting in the spirit of lectio divina, the Benedictine tradition of slow, meditative reading of a sacred text. Therefore, each meeting consists of our meditative reading of the chapter from Julian, time for silent prayer, and then time for optional shared reflection on how the text can be applied to our spiritual lives here in the 21st century.

Everyone is welcome to attend our meetings, newcomers are always especially welcome. We are open to people of any faith (or none), all we ask is that you come with a spirit of goodwill and an interest in the teachings of Julian and the grace of silent prayer.

Upcoming meeting dates:

• June 13, 2007: Reading chapter 9, pp. 19-20 (Lanier House Chapel)
• June 27, 2007: Reading chapter 10, pp. 21-25 (Center of Light)
• July 11, 2007: Reading chapter 11, pp. 25-27 (Lanier House Chapel)
• July 25, 2007: Reading chapter 12, pp. 28-29 (Center of Light)
• August 8, 2007: Reading chapter 13, pp. 30-31 (Lanier House Chapel)
• August 22, 2007: Reading chapter 14, pp. 32-33 (Center of Light)
• September 12, 2007: Reading chapter 15, pp. 33-34 (Lanier House Chapel)
• September 26, 2007: Reading chapter 16, pp. 35-36 (Center of Light)
• October 10, 2007: Reading chapter 17, pp. 36-39 (Lanier House Chapel)
• October 24, 2007: Reading chapter 18, pp. 39-40 (Center of Light)
• November 14, 2007: Reading chapter 19, pp. 41-42 (Lanier House Chapel)
• November 28, 2007: Reading chapter 20, pp. 43-44 (Center of Light)
• December 12, 2007: Reading chapter 21, pp. 44-45 (Lanier House Chapel)

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Here is the version of Julian’s text that we will be reading (click on the cover image to visit Amazon.com and purchase a copy):

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The Atlanta Julian Meeting was created in April 2006 by a group of friends who had met through the Atlanta Christian Mysticism Meetup. The group decided to affiliate with Julian Meetings because of its emphasis on contemplative spirituality in an ecumenical context. Currently, the Atlanta Julian Meeting gathers on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, at 7:30 PM. Meetings alternate between the Cathedral of St. Philip in Buckhead (in the Lanier House Chapel) and the Center of Light in Kirkwood. There is no charge for attending, and people of all denominations or faiths (or none) are welcome. For more information, please subscribe to our email list (see link on the left margin of this page). Also, please read the following article by a Julian Meeting participant from Illinois (this article in a slightly different form originally appeared on the St. Barnabas Episcopal Church website).

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Julian Meetings: Why Julian? Who is Julian?

By Jan Ord

The Julian Meetings were named for the fourteenth-century contemplative Julian of Norwich (the correct pronunciation is with a silent “w”—i.e., “Norrich”). Julian lived from approximately 1342 to 1412 and was an anchoress (a hermit), probably living in a cell outside the walls of St. Julian’s church. Norwich is a small Saxon city in East Anglia, located a short distance from the North Sea and about a hundred miles northeast of London.

Julian was probably a Benedictine nun before beginning her life as a recluse. In 1373 she had a series of revelations (which she called “showings”) for more than a day without interruption. She reflected on these for twenty years, receiving more understanding of their meaning and significance, and then wrote the results in her only book, Revelations of Divine Love.

Her book can be divided into two parts: the first part covers her understanding of the sufferings of Christ, and the second part covers questions that she puts to the Lord on the problem of evil, sin, predestination, and hell. Julian’s understanding, as a result of her experience, was of a blazing light of divine love enveloping the world, of a God who cares deeply for each individual person and thing in creation, and of a time of joy in which all things are set right.

Readings from Julian are occasionally used at Julian Meetings, but it is in no way a Julian cult. The purpose of the Julian Meetings is to

• foster the teaching and practice of contemplative prayer in the Christian tradition, and this accords with Julian’s precept that the highest form of prayer consists in simply waiting on God
• encourage people to practice contemplative prayer in their daily lives, and to explore ways of doing this that are appropriate for them; people from all traditions are welcomed

A Julian Meeting is usually six to fifteen people of various denominations, both lay people and clergy. It is usually led by a lay person. They meet regularly in a house, church, or chapel. A brief reading or a piece of music leads into about 20 to 30 minutes of silent contemplative prayer. This may be followed by a time for tea or coffee and conversation.

No specific method of contemplation is taught. People are encouraged to find what is right for them, to discover how they can integrate contemplation into their daily prayer life and how personal and group contemplative prayer can enrich each other. Julian Meetings vary and are free to do things in their own way.

Those who attend Julian Meetings usually take a full part in the life of their own church, but some have no formal church links.

St. Julian’s Church in Norwich, England, home of Julian of Norwich

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Check out this bibliography of books on Christian and world mysticism