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Sacred Artist Interview with Jan Richardson

Over at Patheos is a reprint of an interview I did a couple of years ago with the wonderful and amazing Jan Richardson. It is definitely worth a re-reading (or first reading for my newer friends) for Jan’s insights into art as a sacred practice. Jan’s work has been inspiring me for many years, she is one of the first people I discovered as a kindred spirit in the contemporary connection between monk and artist paths (and her out-of-print Night Visions for the season of Advent is one of my favorite books ever). I am delighted to consider her a

February 10, 2010

Valentine

February 10, 2010

Ancient Wisdom of the Heart – A Practice for Lent

Listen to the long stillness: New life is stirring New dreams are on the wing New hopes are being readied: Humankind is fashioning a new heart Humankind is forging a new mind God is at work. This is the season of Promise. -Howard Thurman A week from Wednesday the Lenten journey begins. On Ash Wednesday we always hear the words of the prophet Joel: “Return to me with your whole heart.” Lent is an invitation toward whole-heartedness. The heart is an ancient metaphor for the seat of our whole being – to be whole-hearted means to bring our entire selves

February 8, 2010

50% for Haiti Update and Scholarship

Last week I offered 50% of the profits from registrations for my Lenten E-Course on Benedictine Spiritual Practices between January 25-31 to be donated to Haiti relief efforts. I am so delighted to report that we raised $500! I will be making a donation of half that amount each to Partners in Health and to Mercy Corps. Many thanks for your support of the Abbey. I’d also like to offer a limited number of partial scholarships for the Lenten E-Course to those who work in ministry in the margins and want to participate but can’t afford the full fee. Supporting

February 2, 2010

Stirring in the Belly

Monastic practice offers me the gift of paying attention to the seasons of the day and the year. February 1st is a potent time. On the Celtic wheel of the year it is Imbolc (meaning “stirring in the belly”) which is one of the cross-quarter days falling between the Solstice and the Equinox. Imbolc marks the first day of spring, the time when the very beginning of earth’s stirrings and awakenings from winter can be seen. In Christian tradition it is the Feast of St. Brigid (an Irish Saint who is associated with fire) and on February 2nd is Candlemas

February 1, 2010

Visual Meditation: Gathering Flock

Creation tells me a story – this is what beauty is for – it whispers, to soothe your wearied spirit, to enliven you, to invite you into dancing once again, to imagine gathering with a whole flock of kindred spirits who journey alongside you in grief and delight, who don’t ask you to be anywhere other than where your pulsing heart carries you right now. Sabbath begins for me this evening, a time when I can surrender into the restoration this time offers, a time to simply be and delight in my flock. Shabbat Shalom to all of the kindred

January 29, 2010

Lost

** Stop by last Monday’s post to find out more about 50% for Haiti ** © Christine Valters Paintner at Abbey of the Arts: Transformative Living through Contemplative & Expressive Arts

January 28, 2010

Let it Be Winter Still

I wrote this poem in my journal on Sunday and discovered this morning that a former student died suddenly yesterday. I offer this here in honor of Rob and for all those who are grieving for a multitude of losses: ___________________________________________ *** Let it Be Winter Still Let it be winter a while longer, Let darkness be my closest companion cradling me in her inky velvet shawl. Let the owl cry softly from his place among the long aching branches, under the bone-white face of the moon. Let my heart break for the dead in Haiti, buried under collapsed stone

January 26, 2010

Pondering

I have been feeling tired this week, unwell, my body feels tender and fatigued and so I am taking extra care of myself. My spirit is also feeling tender, in part because my body is vulnerable, but also because of the tragic events in Haiti, my mother-in-law’s gradual decline with dementia, and some much smaller personal struggles where I am being called to stand in my own strength in ways that are stretching me. I find myself drawn back again and again to this statue I posted last week (the images below are close-ups). I am so moved by the

January 21, 2010

Visual Meditation: A Place of the Heart

I grew up in New York City where my father worked for the United Nations. He was half Latvian (father’s side) and half Austrian (mother’s side) and at age 12, during World War II, he had to flee Riga where he was raised to go to Vienna and live with his grandparents. For my entire time growing up he would identify as Austrian (never talking about his Latvian roots) and we traveled regularly to Vienna in the summers where until I was 8 we had an apartment. The last time I visited was when I was 19 until two summers

January 18, 2010

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Sacred Artist Interview with Jan Richardson

Valentine

Ancient Wisdom of the Heart – A Practice for Lent

50% for Haiti Update and Scholarship

Stirring in the Belly

Visual Meditation: Gathering Flock

Lost

Let it Be Winter Still

Pondering

Visual Meditation: A Place of the Heart

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