Reflections

I have a guest post up at the Spiritual Directors International blog in celebration of Earth Day and Hildegard of Bingen: “I am the fiery life of the essence of God; I am the flame above the beauty in the fields; I shine in the waters; I burn in the sun, the moon, and the stars. And with the airy wind, I quicken all things vitally by an unseen, all-sustaining life. For the air is alive in the verdure and the flowers; the waters flow as if they lived; the sun too lives in its light; and when the moon

To receive this love note straight to your in-box, subscribe here (and also receive a free gift!) Dearest monks and artists, I am back in Galway after two magical weeks in Vienna.  This past week, Kayce Hughlett and I were leading our first ever retreat in Vienna, exploring the beauty of the city through the contemplative practices of writing and photography.  I had been eagerly anticipating this experience for months, so excited to show others this city I love so much.  To show them Vienna, not through the lens of a tour bus, but through the eyes of the heart. 

I’m a Yankee-Doodle Catholic Greetings to The Abbey of the Arts community! My name is John Valters Paintner. I am blessed to be married to your online Abbess, Christine. And I am honored to be joining her in a more direct manner as your online Prior. I just returned from two weeks in Vienna, Austria where I assisted my wife and Kayce Hughett in leading a retreat. But before I begin more work with the Abbey, I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you all a little about myself, my background and my inspirations. I was born on the

. . . Terri Stewart!  Terri, you have won a space in my upcoming online class Eyes of the Heart: Photography as a Contemplative Practice (April 28-June 15, 2013) and a copy of my new book which the class accompanies.  Please email me with your snail mail address for the book and confirm your email for the online class. (Here’s a link to one of Terri’s photos. . .) Please stop by to see all the amazing photos shared.  If you are in the midst of March snow, you might find a little springtime warmth there.  As always, a deep

Abbey of the Arts is delighted to announce the addition of three new self-study retreats/classes along with a sale on the price of individual and multiple class registrations until April 21, 2013. Combined Registration Discount Purchase 3 self-study retreats at the already discounted sale price (Women on the Threshold counts as 2 retreats) and receive a 4th retreat for free! The beauty of self-study retreats is you can start the material at any time!  All three make wonderful possibilities for springtime renewal. Fine print: Simply register for 3 self-study retreats (or Women on the Threshold and 1 other) and then

To receive this love note straight to your in-box, subscribe here (and also receive a free gift!) Things to Think Think in ways you’ve never thought before. If the phone rings, think of it as carrying a message Larger than anything you’ve ever heard, Vaster than a hundred lines of Yeats. Think that someone may bring a bear to your door, Maybe wounded and deranged; or think that a moose Has risen out of the lake, and he’s carrying on his antlers A child of your own whom you’ve never seen. When someone knocks on the door, Think that he’s