We are delighted to continue our practice of invitations into lectio divina, photography, poetry, and dance each month around a given theme.
Join the Conversation: You are invited to join the Holy Disorder of Dancing Monks Facebook page as a place to participate or in the comments below each blog post as they appear.
Below is a look ahead at the weekly themes. All are welcome to participate.
Winter-Spring 2014 Community Invitations
January 5: Community Lectio Divina
January 12: Invitation to Photography
January 19: Invitation to Poetry
January 26: Invitation to Dance
February 2: Community Lectio Divina
February 9: Invitation to Photography
February 16: Invitation to Poetry
February 23: Invitation to Dance
March 2: Community Lectio Divina
March 9: Invitation to Photography
March 16: Invitation to Poetry
March 23: Invitation to Dance
March 30: A chance to pause and savor
April 6: Community Lectio Divina
April 13: Invitation to Photography
April 20: Invitation to Poetry
April 27: Invitation to Dance
May 4: Community Lectio Divina
May 11: Invitation to Photography
May 18: Invitation to Poetry
May 25: Invitation to Dance
Our approach to the arts at the Abbey is one of exploration, discovery, and prayer. Our aim in art-making isn’t to create a beautiful product and impress others, but to pay attention to the process of unfolding that leads to the creation of something that is an authentic expression of our experience in the moment. We welcome in the discomfort and resistance, as well as the ease and joy. When we create what is truly within us, rather than what we want others to see, we dance on the wild edges and expand our understanding of the Spirit’s movement in our lives.
Art can be a journey of revelation and truth-telling. Creating from the heart (as opposed to the mind or ego) draws us closer to the Great Artist who is continuously at work in the world, and with whom we can collaborate on life’s artistry.
Upcoming Monk in the World Guest Posts:
If you follow along at the Abbey, you know that over the last six months we have had a great Monk in the World guest post series from fellow monks, authors, bloggers. It has been a gift to read how ordinary people are living lives of depth and meaning in the midst of the challenges of real life.
I have been pondering lately how many talented writers and artists there are in this Abbey community, and so starting in January, we are opening up the series to submissions from YOU. The reflection will be included in our weekly newsletter which goes out to 8000 subscribers.
We are accepting submissions for the Monk in the World guest post series. Posts for the first half of 2014 are due by January 31st. You can read the details and call for submissions here.
2 Responses
What is community Lexio Divina?
Community lectio is when a group of people come together to ponder on a passage from the Bible – or another spiritual book. The passage is read by one of the group followed by a few minutes silence. Generally each person in the group has the same book – or if it is the Bible people will bring their own and this gives more emphasis and insight if the translation of some words is different according to the one the person is reading. After a few minutes silence people are invited to go round the group and just say (or write) the word or phrase that touched them. Then again after some moments of silence each person, who so wishes, shares why that particular phrase or word spoke to them. There is no room for judgement or a person forcing their own opinion (which can be stated, but not argued about). By this group pondering many feel enriched in prayerful reading .