Janet Connor interviewed Christine Valters Paintner about her new book Illuminating the Way. You can listen to the conversation here about embracing your inner monk, visionary, and pilgrim through the inspiration of Thomas Merton, Hildegard of Bingen, and Brendan the Navigator.
I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Theresa Walker’s reflection on waiting, letting go, and opening to creative gifts. Years ago, I waited anxiously to see if I would get the job I had interviewed for. I wanted the job very much. At last my interviewer called and said, “I’m sorry, but I still can’t give you an answer.” My spirits plummeted. Disappointment, anxiety, and a worrisome desire to achieve my goal gripped me. That night I dreamed a woman stood in front of me holding a baby. I reached out my
Illuminating the Way takes you on a journey through your inner life accompanied by twelve great monks and mystics from the Christian tradition. Each figure invites you to discover the energy and potential of a particular archetype–the inner sage in Benedict; the inner visionary in Hildegard of Bingen; and the inner orphan in Dorothy Day. From the prophet Miriam of the Hebrew Scriptures to twentieth century monk Thomas Merton, Paintner offers an array of challenging and enlivening models to explore. Christine is beloved by readers for her creative practices, guided meditations, and beautiful prayers and poems, and she has
Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, Illuminating the Way: Embracing the Wisdom of Monks and Mystics will be released very soon! In my newest book I explore twelve monks and mystics and how each of them invites us into a deeper connection to our own inner multitude, sometimes described as archetypal energies. Last week I shared an excerpt from my reflection on the Sovereign. This week I share from perhaps my favorite archetype of all, that of the Orphan, the tender and vulnerable part of ourselves we so often push away: The Orphan appears across myths, fairy tales, and popular culture,
We continue our theme this month from our Community Lectio Divina practice with the Song of Songs passage about spring arriving and continued with this month’s Photo Party and Poetry Party. I invite you into a movement practice. Allow yourself just 5 minutes this day to pause and listen and savor what arises. Begin with a full minute of slow and deep breathing. Let your breath bring your awareness down into your body. When thoughts come up, just let them go and return to your breath. Hold this image of “Flowers return to the earth” as the gentlest of intentions, planting a seed as you prepare to step into
I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Shawn Kafader’s reflection on monastic service and retreat: I have felt the sense of God’s presence since the earliest memories of my life. As a child I loved to attend church, listen to the stories of the Bible, and share time with God in prayer. By the time I was a teen I knew that I would offer my life to God in some form of vocational ministry. Not always the smoothest of journeys, I can look back knowing that every
Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, Illuminating the Way: Embracing the Wisdom of Monks and Mystics will be released very soon! I am very excited to share this work exploring twelve monks and mystics and the archetypes they embody and invite us to live more fully into. This week I share another excerpt from the book, this time on the archetype of the sovereign from the chapter on King David: There is a story about Sir Gawain and Lady Ragnell which expresses the heart of sovereignty well. Sir Gawain must decide whether he wants Lady Ragnell to remain beautiful by day
Welcome to our Poetry Party! I select an image and suggest a theme/title and invite you to respond with your own poem. Feel free to take your poem in any direction and then post the image and invitation on your blog (if you have one), Facebook, or Twitter, and encourage others to come join the party! (If you repost the photo, please make sure to include the credit link and link back to this post inviting others to join us). We began this month with a Community Lectio Divina practice with a passage from the Song of Songs on the arrival of spring. We followed up
I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Heather van Warden’s reflection on the many ways of hearing God: To be fully receptive to God, we actually need to use all five of our senses. We receive God not only in “hearing” with our ears, but by feeling, smelling, tasting, and seeing our Maker…and then, by combining all those senses into the true receiving of our Lord. While I think we all need to receive God in this way, I believe that God communicates with each of us, in the
Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, I am so excited that my ninth book will be out by the end of this month, Illuminating the Way: Embracing the Wisdom of Monks and Mystics (you can pre-order at the link). Here is an excerpt from the introduction: My husband John and I pray lectio divina most mornings together. We also pray what is known as lectio continua, or the ancient practice of choosing a book of the scriptures and then praying through a couple of verses each day until we reach the end. It is a version of monastic stability, of staying