the empty bell
a contemplative sanctuary
Welcome! The Empty Bell is a physical and online sanctuary for the study and practice of Christian meditation and prayer. Our purpose is to learn about the history and practice of the Christian contemplative way as rooted in the Gospels, and to explore its common ground with other ancient Wisdom teachings. We give special attention to the Christian-Buddhist dialogue, to artistic expression of spiritual insight, and to how our spiritual awareness motivates and guides stewardship of our bio-diverse natural world.
Dr. Jonas’s Latest Book:
My Dear Far-Nearness is a ground-breaking exploration of the Holy Trinity as three dimensions of spiritual awareness. The book’s title is a name for God used by the 14th century mystic, Marguerite Porete. The Holy One is both near and far, because God has no location. God is not in any one place in time or space, and God is both inside and outside of us. This new book is Dr. Jonas’ reflection on 50 years of spiritual exploration, wondering, “What exactly is the Holy Trinity,” and “how can we access the inner life of the Trinity in our spiritual and everyday awareness?”
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Look for a different shakuhachi piece on each page of this website. All of them are played by Jonas. Press the play button to the left to listen.
Honshirabé – “origin investigation”
read more about this piece
Upcoming Events…
At the center of Jonas's work is a profound image of the Trinity as a sacred, flowing dance of awareness: God the Creator, incarnate human life and our relationships, and the Spirit as the living presence connecting them all. In this session we explore how this dance moves through the world and through us. We
Jonas will invite us to discover that this Trinitarian movement isn't only 'out there' — it also lives within us, in our awareness, our relationships, and our deepest longings. This session will explore the Trinity as a map of the inner life, psychological and spiritual, and what it means to be made in the image
