“Original Beauty”: Experiencing the Mystery of God with Meister Eckhart

Register for one or both: A free livestreamed book talk from Albertus Magnus College, followed by a contemplative weekend at Mercy by the Sea co-sponsored with The Eckhart Center.

Part 1: A Free Livestreamed Book Talk from Albertus Magnus College: 
“Meister Eckhart Inside the Heart of a Mystic”

Thursday, Feb. 18, 2027, 7 p.m. EST 

RSVP Here

 

Join us for a taste of the new book release, “Meister Eckhart: Inside the Heart of a Mystic” (Hampton Roads, 2026). The Rev. Mark S. Burrows, Ph.D., co-author of the book, will speak on the German Dominican friar, theologian, philosopher and mystic’s life and teachings. We will be invited to reflect on what we can learn from Meister Eckhart today and how we can put his timeless and inspirational teachings into practice.

​​“Original Beauty”: Experiencing the Mystery of God  with Meister Eckhart

Facilitated by the Rev. Dr. Mark S. Burrows, Ph.D.

Part 2: Weekend Retreat at Mercy by the Sea
Friday, Feb. 19 to 21, 2027

 $495 Single, $450 Double  
(includes an ensuite bathroom and all meals from Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast)  
$295 Commuter
(includes Friday dinner, Saturday lunch & dinner)

Register Here

 “The blessedness of the Spirit is found where it is being born, 
for it lives where God lives, which is to say in 
the simplicity and nakedness of life.” 
Meister Eckhart

About this offering

The beauty of simplicity is what many crave in this complicated and stressed world of ours. Yet it often feels out of reach. In this contemplative retreat, we will listen to Eckhart’s invitation to discover the “wayless way” that beckons us to live more simply. To practice the power of emptiness. To create “room” within our minds by unknowing. To risk inner freedom. All such images lead us to live from the power of “a single love,” as Eckhart put it. We will explore the experiential dimensions of this love, guided by Meister’s wisdom in conversation with Scripture and contemporary poets and artists. We’ll find ourselves invited to “know … [that] God has imprinted his image within you, and nothing you do and nothing that happens to you can erase this beauty, which is with you even when you ignore or betray it.” Beauty is that original. And necessary. Discovering it is a transformative experience. Join us for the journey!

About the presenter

Mark S. Burrows, Ph.D. is a scholar, poet and translator, well known for his contemplative retreats across the United States and in Europe, Great Britain, and Australia. A historian of medieval Christianity, he focuses on the mystical tradition and the connection of spirituality and the arts. His award-winning books on Eckhart with Jon M. Sweeney include most recently, “Meister Eckhart: Inside the Heart of a Mystic” (2026), along with three collections of poem-prayers inspired by Eckhart, most recently “Meister Eckhart’s Book of Darkness” (2024; winner of a Gold Medal from the Nautilus Book Awards). Learn more about Mark at www.msburrows.com.