There have been over 5000 participants in the free 7-day e-course on being a Monk in the World! Because of this enthusiastic response I have also created a free series of monthly podcasts taking each of the principles from the Monk Manifesto and offer some reflections from my own life and then lead a brief meditation all in a downloadable mp3 file for you (or you can listen right from this site).
The first principle of the Monk Manifesto states: "I commit to finding moments each day for silence and solitude, to make space for another voice to be heard, and to resist a culture of noise and constant stimulation."
Part One: Christine's reflections on silence (19 minutes)
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Part Two: A guided lectio divina meditation (13 minutes)
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Song recommendation: Be (still and know that I am God) by Rivers Voice (click the link and then press play by the title to listen)
You can purchase the individual song for download at Amazon
The second principle of the Monk Manifesto states: "I commit to radical acts of hospitality by welcoming the stranger both without and within. I recognize that when I make space inside my heart for the unclaimed parts of myself, I cultivate compassion and the ability to accept those places in others."
Part One: Christine's Reflections on Inner Hospitality (13 minutes)
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Part Two: The practice of welcoming prayer (12 minutes)
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The third principle of the Monk Manifesto states: "I commit to cultivating community by finding kindred spirits along the path, soul friends with whom I can share my deepest longings, and mentors who can offer guidance and wisdom for the journey."
Part One: Christine's Reflections on Community (14 minutes)
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Part Two: The Practice of a Relational Examen Prayer (9 minutes)
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The fourth principle of the Monk Manifesto states: "I commit to cultivating awareness of my kinship with creation and a healthy asceticism by discerning my use of energy and things, letting go of what does not help nature to flourish."
Part One: Christine's reflections on kinship with creation (20 minutes)
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Part Two: An invitation to a contemplative walk (8 minutes)
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Video Bonus: Last June I shared a video meditation I created on the elements accompanied by Peter Mayer's beautiful song "Holy Now."
The fifth principle of the Monk Manifesto states: "I commit to bringing myself fully present to the work I do, whether paid or unpaid, holding a heart of gratitude for the ability to express my gifts in the world in meaningful ways."
Part One: Christine's reflections on work (19 minutes)
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Part Two: A meditation on work (13+ minutes)
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The sixth principle of the Monk Manifesto states: "I commit to rhythms of rest and renewal through the regular practice of Sabbath and resist a culture of busyness that measures my worth by what I do."
Part One: Christine's reflections on Sabbath (16 minutes)
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Part Two: Sabbath practices (6 minutes)
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The seventh principle of the Monk Manifesto states: "I commit to a lifetime of ongoing conversion and transformation, recognizing that I am always on a journey with both gifts and limitations."
Part One: Christine's reflections on Conversion (13 minutes)
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Part Two: A guided lectio divina meditation with Isaiah 43:18-19 (10 minutes)
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Consider helping to spread the word, and then sign the Monk Manifesto, watch the Monk Manifesto Visual Meditation, or subscribe to a free 7-day Monk in the World e-course.
Thank you! This gift was EXACTLY the blessing I needed today.
Thank you, Christine. It is Dec.5 and I am just now checking into The Monk in the World practice. Just reading about each week feels calming and so inviting to me with so much busyness of November behind me. Jenny
I just listened to the November podcast on silence and loved the song "Be". It really helped to bring me to a place of inner peace. Wouldn't it be a wonderful song to use in "crossing the threshold" at the beginning of a spiritual direction session?
Linda, what a wonderful idea. I will use this song at my next session of direction. thank you!
Dear Christine,
What a wonderful gift you have given to us. I was blessed by each podcast so far and look forward to hearing the rest. What a lovely support they offer for contemplative living. Thank you so much!!
Thank you for this gracious gift of sharing your wisdom with us! It is often so hard to acknowledge the darker aspects of our being, our Shadow. Thank you for affirming that they, too, are of God! I needed to hear that right now!
Blessings on your ministry.
Words cannot begin to express how meaningful your 7-day course was for me. And I so look forward to the course I'll be participating in beginning in January.
The discovery of the Abbey of the Arts website is a gift. Thank you.
Julianne
Thank you, Christine. I am a widow living alone with my cat, but have deep connection with an elderly neighbour. It was a blessing to remember our visit yesterday — she, recently home from a hospital stay, and I, helping her with errands that needed doing. Sometimes I forget that even though much of my life is spent in solitude, I am still part of a community, and it is good.
Christine, I have just discovered your website after coming across a book of yours at the local library. I am listening to your monthly podcasts and have just listened to December's Hospitality.
I am deeply grateful for hearing about welcoming the stranger within (not easy!)
I have just signed up for your 7-day course.
Widowed 10 years ago, I have desired to live as a monk-in-the-world – and chancing upon this website is PROVIDENTIAL!
I bow to you in thanksgiving.
I simply cannot thank you enough for these. They are such a blessing in my life.
Thank you and blessings.
Christine, what a beautiful gift to us all! thank you! and so lovely to read the comments and see how some of us are lead. As an empty nester and long-time single parent, I have chosen to remain unattached so that I can focus on the divine in our lives. I am not sure I want to be a monk in the world but I do aspire to be a divine reflection in a gender-rich world that encompasses all forms of sexuality and gender.
Blessings, Light and Love, in great gratitude, Catherine
Dear Christine,
I have been changing my life, food and exercise, and part of that is riding a friend's stationary bike once a week for 5 miles. I usually listen to dixieland or bluegrass music to keep my wheel going around. Today after some Telluride Bluegrass, I switched to your reflection on Silence.
What a lovely talk, just what I needed to hear. And before I knew it I had covered SEVEN pretend miles. Thank you so much for the inspiration. Peace and blessings, Rachel
"God works in history, therefore a contemplative who has no sense of history, no sense of historical responsibility, is not a fully Christian contemplative. …We must confront Him in the awful paradoxes of our day."–Thomas Merton, Letter to Sister M. Emmanuel (1962)
The monk in the world is indeed a contemplative, one who outside the cloister shares like Christ in the sufferings and deepest aspirations of humanity and purifies his heart thereby.
I cannot possibly say how much these offerings have meant to me. Thank you, and many many blessings!
Peace to you,
Merys
dear christine
i too count vienna as my spiritual home. i was born ,raised,married and ordained on the
danube and would love to hear more about your plans for further trips and retreats in austria. our network began with a pilgrimage to kildare and our patroness is bridsget in her many guises.
perhaps we could welcome you here in ohio at the heart of it all and partner tyrian with your abby?
spring blessings
dagmar