All beings
are words of God,
His music, His
art.
Sacred books we are, for the infinite camps
in our
souls.
Every act reveals God and expands His being.
I know that may be hard
to comprehend.
All creatures are doing their best
to help God in His birth
of Himself.
Enough talk for the night.
He is laboring in me;
I need to be silent
for a while,
worlds are forming
in my heart.
-Meister Eckhart
Well dear readers and friends, I will be away from this space for awhile. As Eckhart says, "I need to be silent for a while" as I journey through this doorway and open myself to encounters with the sacred in ancestral landscapes. I am taking a sabbatical from blogging during my summer pilgrimage and giving myself a little breathing space before and after as well. I will return no doubt with "new worlds" formed within me. The Abbey and the Abbess will be well cared for while we are gone and I am certain I will be eager to return to them when the time comes.
Look for my return to this space around August 18th with lots of photos and treasures to share from my travels. If you'd like to receive an email notification when I resume blogging, please sign up for my email list here. I never share your information with anyone else and you can unsubscribe yourself at any time.
I will be checking my email only occasionally while away, so feel free to contact me but please be patient with my reply. Wishes and blessings for my journey are of course welcome!
Blessings on your summer days, may you breathe in spaciousness and joy, may you breathe out compassion and kindness.
-Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts
(photo taken in Ireland during our pilgrimage last summer)
of course my selfish heart says, "no. you cannot go!" but the heart that cares deeply for you is excited and thrilled for you to take this pilgrimage. i know that we will all benefit from the new (& old) landscapes you discover on this journey. you will be in my thoughts and prayers and i will be traveling right alongside you in spirit. i look forward to seeing what you bring home
blessings, dear friend & traveling mercies! xoxooxoxoox
Ooooh, Christine, fare thee well in your pilgrimage
Thanks for this last post before you go, those Eckhart words just swished around in my soul.
I love the Eckhart, I love the photograph and I love you and your writing. So while I will miss you selfishly, like Lucy, I know that you are going to unselfishly enrich us all upon your return.
Have a wonderful sacred travelling time. Hugs.
I'm right alongside the "selfish" ones and will miss hearing from you. Blessings to you on your pilgrimage, Christine, and a safe and joyful return.
"Somewhere we know
that without silence words lose their meaning,
that without listening speaking no longer heals,
that without distance closeness cannot cure."
~ Henri Nouwen
… become the vacant parchment awaiting the ink of a sacred story!
Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow you all the days of your journey …
I too will miss you, but I wish you many blessings and discoveries on your journey.
laure–the nouwen words are fabulous! thank you!!
May your silence be full.
And know that I too will eagerly anticipate your return.
….diito..ditto…ditto…..
Go with God, Christine, and blessed be….shalom….shalom……
May you treasure the gift of pilgrimage and know that all of us devoted readers will eagerly await your return. Selfishly we know your journey will bring us many treasures when you return AND we will NOT, anyway I will not, mark off the days – they will fly too quickly anyway!
God bless your journey.
xoxo
It is certainly in God's own time that you came along with this beautiful blogs you have. I missed having my centering since 2005 through Benedictine way, I had been busy with the material world. God bless your journey and I truly believe that God sent you today to guide me back along the right path.
Thank you for all the wonderful wishes and blessings, they warm my heart and light the path ahead.
You will be missed!!
rgds
muvar