The Good Eye Opens: An Introduction to Contemplative Photography
CCE Contemplative Enrichment Day
Saturday, October 24, 2026
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (ET)
Ron Barnett, PhD
A Zen teacher observed that the moment we intellectualize what we see, it is no longer what we saw. Contemplative photography invites a different way of seeing—direct, fresh perception unfiltered by thought. From a still, silent, receptive mind, mindful photographing opens a richer visual field beyond concepts, revealing greater beauty, clarity, elegance, and poignancy. This is not merely a photography workshop, but a practice of cultivating nonconceptual awareness, allowing the camera to express perceptions precisely as they arise in present-moment experience without distraction or judgment.
This program will be offered both in-person and online via Zoom. Information on how to access the program on Zoom will be sent to participants in advance.
This program will include morning and afternoon sessions of Centering Prayer.
Limited to 18 total participants.
Offering: $75, includes lunch
Scholarships are available, please contact Mike Smoolca at cce@holyfamilyretreat.org for more information.
Presenter Profile
Ronald Barnett, PhD
Ronald Barnett holds a PhD in psychology and completed the multi-year teacher training curriculum at the Miksang Institute for Contemplative Photography in Boulder, Colorado and Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has taught contemplative photography with the Institute and independently. Ronald, for many years, has also been a practitioner and teacher of a variety of contemplative practices including meditation, centering prayer, psychosynthesis, bodywork and mindfulness. His contemplative images are published in the online book Opening the Good Eye.
Dietary restrictions? Holy Family is committed to making your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible, and to that end, we can accommodate most dietary needs. Please email Marianne, our Dining Room Manager, at mbrady@holyfamilyretreat.org, if you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, so that we may make preparations in advance of your retreat.
Online registration will be available soon. Please check back for updates.