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Going on Retreat

How necessary it is for monks to work in the fields, in the rain, in the sun, in the mud, in the clay, in the wind: these are our spiritual directors and our novice-masters. They form our contemplation. They instill us with virtue. They make us as stable as the land we live in.  -Thomas Merton On this night of the full moon, I am off for a few days of retreat with my spiritual director Abbess Petunia.  I will be listening to the wind, rain, and sunlight for their sacred whispers.  I will root myself among trees and allow the call of

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October 14, 2008

Sacred Artist Interview: Anne Ierardi

  I am delighted to be returning to these interviews again after a long hiatus.  I was introduced to Anne Ierardi‘s art through my work as art editor with Presence: An International Journal of Spiritual Direction. I am grateful to Anne for saying yes to my invitation to share her insights into the connections between art and spirituality with all of you, my wonderful readers. ______________________________________ Are you rooted in a particular faith tradition?  I’ve had a marvelous faith journey. The tree of life is still growing. My early roots are in Catholicism influenced by Thomas Merton’s ideas on faith as social action

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October 13, 2008

Invitation to Poetry: A Celebration of Poetry!

Our 25th Poetry Party and over a year of poetic inspiration!  I had no idea when I began these how meaningful they would become to me and to those of you who participate by writing or reading. Thank you for the wonderful creative community that forms around each of these. I select an image and suggest a title and invite you to respond with your poems, words, reflections, quotes, song lyrics, etc. Leave them in the comments or email me and I’ll add them to the body of the post as they come in along with a link back to your

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October 6, 2008

Art and Lectio Divina

Go see the delightful collage lucy made inspired by reading from my book!  You can order your own copy here.  For those of you looking for a creative twist on an ancient practice, there is an entire chapter on using lectio to pray contemplatively with art, music, life experience and more as well as using art-making to respond to your lectio divina experience. Come back tomorrow for a very special 25th Poetry Party! PS — if you are thinking of joining us for the Contemplative Art & Movement Retreat let me know– there is only one spot left!  Register here.

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October 5, 2008

The Table as Altar

Two weeks ago I went to a Shabbat dinner at the home of my good friend who is also a rabbi.  On occasion she will invite her “women of faith” friends to celebrate this welcoming in of the Sabbath so central to Jewish life and ritual.  There we were, one Jewish rabbi, one Benedictine Oblate, two ordained Methodist ministers, and two Tibetan Buddhists (one of whom has taken robes). We gathered around the table lighting the Shabbat candles while singing a Buddhist mantra.  We read the prayers in Hebrew, washed our hands, and broke the challah bread and drank wine.  As

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October 3, 2008

Forgiveness

Last night at sunset, on the night of the new moon — the time when we return to promordial darkness — the High Holy Day of Rosh Hashanah began. It is the Jewish New Year and begins the ten days of awe ending with Yom Kippur.  It is a time of introspection, of reflecting on the year that has past, a time to consider how you have wronged others and to seek forgiveness.  In my yoga class yesterday morning, my teacher began with a meditation in honor of this time.  We were asked to think back on the year that had passed

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September 30, 2008

What brings freedom?

What does real life look like to you in your best moments, your quiet moments?  What is it that you yourself actually want–down deep–and how much are you willing to give up to get it?  What really gives you life?  It’s time to consider what makes a thing life-giving and the point when even the life-giving becomes death-dealing for you. Then it is time to define life differently, perhaps. It’s the moment to put down what it is we’re doing that can be done but does not really need to be done, at least not by us. We need to

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September 28, 2008