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Abbess love notes

Returning from Sabbatical ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims, My time of sabbatical from teaching is come to a close. During my writing time I was able to complete two manuscripts: a fourth collection of poetry titled What Enters Through the Open Heart (to be published by Monkfish Publishing in fall 2026) and a book of devotions for the Easter season about practicing resurrection (to be published by Broadleaf Books in spring 2027). I also completed the final edits for A Book of Everyday Blessings: 100 Prayers for Dancing Monks, Pilgrims, and Artists (being published by Ave Maria Press in February 2026!) And of course my newest

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November 23, 2025
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Announcing the Map of the Dancing Monks

As a virtual monastery, our community reaches around the globe. As of November 2025, over 1700 people have affirmed the Monk Manifesto to join the Holy Disorder of Dancing Monks, committing to live a compassionate, contemplative, and creative life.  We love how our virtual format allows dancing monks around the world to stand in solidarity with one another. At the same time, our leadership team has longed to find ways for our community to connect locally and face-to-face. While technology offers many gifts, there is also something special about being in the embodied presence of other kindred spirits. A unique

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November 21, 2025

Monk in the World Guest Post: Lillian Lewis

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Lillian Lewis’ reflection and poem Winter Morning Prayer. I am dancing my morning prayer around an outdoor “shrine or altar” to the Great Mother who is Creating the winter morning even as She is creating me. I vest myself for the prayer with joyful bells, family faith, and the petition for my child. In other words…I bring everything I am to the moment of worship. Winter Morning PrayerI offer myselfon cold cobblestonesHumming to youO Dark Mother of Love,“She

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November 19, 2025
Abbess love notes

Crossing Identity Boundaries ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims, We are delighted to welcome Dr. Luther E. Smith, Jr. who will lead the Crossing Identity Boundaries: Where Hope Enlivens Us to Life retreat this Friday, November 21st. Luther offers this reflection. The spiritual journey takes us to our hearts and the hearts of others as we pursue and experience the beloved community that God dreams for us. The journey entails crossing identity boundaries—the boundaries of other persons, and our reception of persons crossing our identity boundary. Encouraging journeys across identity boundaries is the work of hope. The retreat will highlight exercises (things we can do) to clarify our own identity

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November 16, 2025

Monk in the World Guest Post: Felicia Murrell

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post from the community. Read on for Abbey Wisdom Council member Felicia Murrell’s reflection on the path of love. Loving is the ability to see the Beloved in everyone around us.   —RAM DASS, Vedanta (Hindu) There are all kinds of ways of being in the world. For me, that way is Love. More succinctly, it means that I aspire to walk the path of Love in such a way that the truth of who I know myself to be is in harmony with the way I live

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November 12, 2025
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The Love of Thousands ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims, My book, The Love of Thousands, came out two years ago because of my deep belief in the presence, support, and witness of the angels, saints, and ancestors.  At its foundation, it is a journey of opening our hearts to the love of all those sacred beings who dwell in spiritual form across the veil. Our western minds may tell us that what we see is all there is, but the religious and mystical imagination knows a deeper truth. Various religious traditions have taught about the existence of angels, saints, and ancestors for millennia. The

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November 9, 2025
Monk in the World Guest Post Series

Monk in the World Guest Post: Kate Kennington Steer

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Kate Kennington Steer’s reflection, poem, and artwork on the elements. I am currently spending a year exploring the elements in the company of the Kinship Photography Collective.  My practice group (a special mix of people who are able to meet on zoom during the day in the U.S. and Canada so I can join with them here in the U.K.) are exploring each element by paying attention to the land-based calendar of the Celtic Wheel.  Thanks to the cultural background

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November 5, 2025
Abbess love notes

The Interconnectedness of All Things ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims, We are entering what the ancient Celtic tradition calls the dark half of the year. The feasts of Samhain, All Saints’, and All Souls’ Day coincide as we make a journey of descent into the gifts of darkness. Tomorrow, November 3rd, Simon de Voil and Polly Paton-Brown will lead our Contemplative Prayer Service on the theme of Mycelium.  Mycelium is the beautiful, root-like, branching, underground network of fungal systems that act, in part, as a communication highway for plants. Trees in particular communicate with one another through this mycorrhizal network, sharing information essential to their health and the health

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November 2, 2025

Monk in the World Guest Post: Tom Delmore

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Tom Delmore’s poems Sparse hay does not a savior make and Ascension Thursday ~ Heal Thyself. These two poems come on the heels of retirement and a shift in writing. What is God calling me to in this craft? I began to see this as words jumped onto the page that seemed part of the poem but out of place, but not wrong. “A push the envelope moment” that sent shutters of not what I think but

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October 29, 2025
Abbess love notes

Samhain and the Grace of Descent ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims, We live in times when it often feels like everything is coming undone. The Celtic hinge points of Autumn Equinox, Samhain, the Winter Solstice, and Imbolc offer the wisdom of living into a rhythm that honors the importance of times of rest as essential to our personal and collective wellbeing. This Friday, October 31st begins the Feast of Samhain. Simon de Voil, Jamie Marich, and Polly Paton-Brown will lead us in a mini-retreat to deepen into the wisdom of the season. Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year. The Celts divided the

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October 26, 2025