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Ancestral Pilgrimage

My newest Seasons of the Soul column is up at Patheos: As we grow older we have more and more people to remember, people who have died before us. It is very important to remember those who have loved us and those we have loved. Remembering them means letting their spirits inspire us in our daily lives. They can become part of our spiritual communities and gently help us as we make decisions on our journeys. Parents, spouses, children, and friends can become true spiritual companions after they have died. Sometimes they can become even more intimate to us after

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Threshold: “ripened until it is real”

Transition (Excerpt) You are not surprised at the force of the storm —you have seen it growing. The trees flee. Their flight sets the boulevards streaming. And you know: he whom they flee is the one you move toward. All your senses sing him, as you stand at the window. . . Through the empty branches the sky remains. It is what you have. Be earth now, and evensong. Be the ground lying under that sky. Be modest now, like a thing ripened until it is real, so that he who began it all can feel you when he reaches

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Women on the Threshold: Trish Bruxvoort Colligan (Part 2)

This is a guest post from Trish Bruxvoort Colligan, another of my amazing co-creators and collaborators on the upcoming Women on the Threshold program (see Trish’s video post from earlier this week here). Trish and I first met virtually when she was blogging as the Story Midwife and I fell in love with her spirit and music (check out her beautiful songs here – *and* she will be sharing music from her new album Thresholds with participants in our program.) Later I had the gift of meeting her in person at the Spiritual Directors International conference in San Francisco, where she and her

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Women on the Threshold: Trish Bruxvoort Colligan (Part 1)

Trish Bruxvoort Colligan is another one of my amazing co-collaborators for this upcoming journey Women on the Threshold (I feel so incredibly blessed to me creating something so beautiful with such wondrous souls). She reflects here about the metaphor of midwife as a potent one for threshold-crossings. . . give yourself the gift of just three minutes to experience Trish’s radiant energy and welcoming presence: abbey thresholds video (direct link to Vimeo) Join us for Women on the Threshold.  Make space to nurture your own call across the threshold.  Let yourself be companioned on this path.  We are saving a space just for you.

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Women on the Threshold: Dana Reynolds (Part 2)

This is a guest post from Dana Reynolds, another of my fabulous co-creators and collaborators on the upcoming Women on the Threshold program (see Dana’s video post from earlier this week here). I had the pleasure of first meeting Dana several years ago when she attended a retreat I led in the Pacific Northwest on praying the Hours through art and movement.  I felt a deep kinship to her spirit and vision and have been delighted to keep our connection going, first through her appearance as a guest teacher in last year’s online Advent retreat, and now for this wonderful

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Pre-Order my new book on the Desert Fathers and Mothers and receive a free gift!

Desert Fathers and Mothers: Early Christian Wisdom Sayings — Annotated & Explained will be available by late August.  In the meantime it is available for pre-ordering at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and SkyLight Paths. When you pre-order your copy, I have a special gift for you: a retreat and reflection guide to accompany your reading.  Just forward me your online receipt for pre-order and I will send that to you as a thank you for your support.  Or if you have a copy of the actual book, you can just send me a photo of you holding the book up

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Thresholds: “It is not too late”

You see, I want a lot. Perhaps I want everything: the darkness that comes with every infinite fall and the shivering blaze of every step up. . . You have not grown old, and it is not too late to dive into your increasing depths where life calmly gives out its own secret. —Rainer Maria Rilke, from Selected Poems of Rainer Maria Rilke, trans. by Robert Bly I wanted to repeat that last stunning stanza of Rilke’s poem to you. Just to be certain you didn’t skim over those words: “You have not grown old, and it is not too

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Women on the Threshold: Dana Reynolds (Part 1)

Dana Reynolds is one of my amazing co-collaborators for this upcoming journey Women on the Threshold, and reflects here on her own experience of thresholds in waking from dreams, the seasons of the day and year, and a personal threshold . . . give yourself the gift of just under four minutes to experience Dana’s soulfulness and wisdom: Dana Reynolds Threshold Moments Join us for Women on the Threshold.  Make space to nurture your own call across the threshold.  Let yourself be companioned on this path.  There is now an even more affordable option for participating. Make sure to stop

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Invitation to Poetry: The Threshold of Summer

Welcome to the Abbey’s Poetry Party #59! I select an image and suggest a theme/title and invite you to respond with your own poem. Scroll down and add it in the comments section below. 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! (permission is granted to reprint the image if a link is provided back to this post). As I settle into my new life here in Vienna, I am aware that August for

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