Visit the Abbey of the Arts online retreat platform to access your programs:

Login Here

Reflections

Filter

Holy Pause: The Practice of Retreat

Last Friday and Saturday I was at St. Placid Priory leading a workshop and a retreat.   Much of my work is leading retreats – and while I spend a lot of time designing the flow of experiences, ultimately it is about creating and holding sacred space for others.  On retreat the invitation is to cross the threshold of ordinary awareness and enter liminal space for a few hours or days to receive the new questions waiting for us. This coming weekend I go on my own time of retreat to the place where the forest meets the sea.  This space

Read More
May 4, 2010

A Monk in the World

One of the ways we become intimate with the fire in our lives is to explore our passions, our deepest desires, the commitments which make our hearts burn with love.  The mystics across traditions describe God as the spark or flame dwelling in each of our hearts, the source of infinite compassion.  When we live from the heart – which is where Ignatius of Loyola said that God plants our deepest desires – we become a temple of fire and reveal the splendor of God to the world. I feel deeply blessed to be intimate with my own deepest desires,

Read More
April 28, 2010

Pink Petaled Profusion

What are your pink-petaled dreams? What is the longing deep within you just beginning to blossom forth into the world? Will you say yes? And YES? ________________________________________________ © Christine Valters Paintner at Abbey of the Arts: Transformative Living through Contemplative & Expressive Arts

Read More
April 22, 2010

Practicing Resurrection through the Elements

Our Easter Season E-Course is underway and it is a joy to guide others through the practice of praying with water, wind, earth, and fire as vessels for awareness of the ways God moves through the world. This first week’s focus is on wind.  Click the links below for some blog posts written by participants: Mind Sieve and Diamonds in the Sky With Lucy both offer their beautiful poetic reflections on the gift of wind. Laurel at The Rose Window shares her thoughtful reflections as she begins this time of retreat. ___________________________________ David Crumm at Read the Spirit shares these

Read More
April 21, 2010

On Angels

On Angels All was taken away from you: white dresses, wings, even existence. Yet I believe in you, messengers. There, where the world is turned inside out, a heavy fabric embroidered with stars and beasts, you stroll, inspecting the trustworthy seams. Short is your stay here: now and then at a matinal hour, if the sky is clear, in a melody repeated by a bird, or in the smell of apples at close of day when the light makes the orchards magic. They say somebody has invented you but to me this does not sound convincing for the humans invented

Read More
April 15, 2010

Season of Resurrection

Do you have a body? Don’t sit on the porch! Go out and walk in the rain! If you are in love, then why are you asleep? Wake up, wake up! You have slept millions of years Why not wake up this morning -Kabir I have been away this last week, traveling to visit family for Easter and then the Spiritual Directors International conference where Awakening the Creative Spiritwas officially released (and the bookstore sold out of their copies!) In between I was going to have a few days to play in San Francisco with my beloved. Instead we both

Read More
April 12, 2010

Here and Now

Getting There You take a final step and, look, suddenly You’re there. You’ve arrived At the one place all your drudgery was aimed for: This common ground Where you stretch out, pressing your cheek to sandstone. What did you want To be? You’ll remember soon. You feel like tinder Under a burning glass, A luminous point of change. The sky is pulsing Against the cracked horizon, Holding it firm till the arrival of stars In time with your heartbeats. Like wind etching rock, you’ve made a lasting impression On the self you were By having come all this way through

Read More
April 8, 2010

Another great review of Water, Wind, Earth, & Fire

I am honored to have my book Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements reviewed on the wonderful site Spirituality and Practice: “This well-done and quote-filled paperback forges deep and rich connections between the Christian faith and the natural world.”

Read More
April 1, 2010

Easter Season E-Course Registration Reminder

Register for the Easter Season E-Course by the end of today – April 1st – and receive an early registration free bonus copy of What is Blossoming Within You? and your books will mail out tomorrow. If you order between April 2-11 your books will ship on Monday, April 12th.  Hope you will join the fun! WATER, WIND, EARTH & FIRE: Easter Season Five-Week E-Course Practice Resurrection •  Pray with the Elements April 18-May 23, 2010 Forest and field, sun and wind and sky, earth and water, all speak the same silent language, reminding the monk that he is here

Read More
April 1, 2010

Invitation to Poetry: Blessed Be

Welcome to our 45th Poetry Party! I select an image and suggest a theme/title and invite you to respond with your poems or other reflections. Add your responses in the comments section.  Feel free to take your poem in any direction and then post the image and invitation on your blog (if you have one) and encourage others to come join the party! (permission is granted to reprint the image if a link is provided back to this post) _________________________________________________ POETRY PARTY THEME: Blessed Be I co-lead two Soul Care Supervision Groups here in Seattle with my wonderful partner Kayce Hughlett (click the

Read More
March 22, 2010

Upcoming Programs

To Be is a Blessing: An Online Retreat for Advent
To Be is a Blessing: An Online Retreat for Advent
1 Dec 24
Contemplative Prayer Service: Community
Contemplative Prayer Service: Community
9 Dec 24
Centering Prayer
Centering Prayer
18 Dec 24

Recent Reflections

Connect with Us

Envelope Facebook Instagram
Join the Holy Disorder of Dancing Monks
Join Our Newsletter
Donate to Support Our Ministry
Search
Consent Preferences
© 2024 Abbey of the Arts. All rights reserved.