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Ash Wednesday: Beginning the Lenten Journey

Lent What will you give up for the season, To help life along In its curious reversals? As if we had a choice. As if the world were not Constantly shedding us Like feathers off a duck’s back – The ground is always littered with our longings. You can’t help but wonder About all the heroes, The lives sacrificed In the compulsion toward the good. All those who dropped themselves Upon the earth’s hard surface – Weren’t they caught in pure astonishment In the breath before they shattered? Forget sacrifice. Nothing is tied so firmly that the wind Won’t tear

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February 25, 2009

Visual Meditation

Photos taken while in Sooke, BC, top photo is of course the lovely Abbess Petunia doing what she does best. (and yes, the Golden is for you lucy)

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February 24, 2009

Invitation to Poetry: From Dust to Dust

Poetry Party No. 32!  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 blog if you have one (not required to participate!) Lent begins this week.  During the imposition of ashes at the Ash Wednesday service some of us will hear the words “from dust you came and to dust you shall return.”  The ashes are a tangible reminder of our

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February 23, 2009

Photography as a Sacred Practice

A week and a half ago I participated in a Blog Meme Interview and I asked if readers had any other questions for me.  kigen asked me:  “Is it, and if so, what makes the doing of photography a sacred or religious practice for you?” The answer is, of course, an unqualified YES! :-) Mythologist and storyteller Michael Meade says the word “moment” comes from the Latin root momentus, which means to move.  We are moved when we touch the eternal and timeless.  There is a sense of spaciousness in moments.  Art and spiritual practice are how we find this moment

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February 19, 2009

Sacred Artist Interview: Shiloh Sophia McCloud

I am not certain how I first discovered Shiloh Sophia McCloud‘s work, I am just grateful that I did.  I find her art inspiring, invigorating, captivating, whimsical, and utterly delightful.  She describes her art below as “images of what is possible for our lives” — and I say amen! On her website it says that Shiloh has been working with people and as a full time Artist for over ten years in an arena she calls “the sacred arts movement” which is dedicated to exploring the tri-fold relationship between intention-based arts, meaningful life-work and the path of personal transformation. Sounds just like my

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February 18, 2009

i carry your heart with me (Valentine’s edition)

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) i am never without it (anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling) i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true) and you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky

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February 13, 2009

Sacred Artist Interview: Liora

I was connected to Liora‘s work through another artist (I love when that happens) who sent her my way.  I loved her vibrant images on her website, especially the mandalas she has created and the way she integrates Buddhist and Hindu symbolism into her work. She teaches art and creativity workshops down in the Florida area which sound delightful.  I am grateful, as always, to Liora for taking time to reflect on my questions for this interview and offer you, my wonderful readers, some insight into her creative process and the integration with spirituality.  _______________________________________________ Are you rooted in a

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February 11, 2009

Blog-Tag Interview

Beth at the Virtual Tea House is having some fun.  Here’s how it works.  I read Beth’s blog about this exercise. I asked to be interviewed. Beth sent me the five questions below, which I also answered in this post.  Then…it’s your turn.  If you want to play, either on the comment section to this post, or in an email to me, just let me know you would like to be interviewed.  I will then dream up some questions with whatever info about you I can gain from your blog or other sources that you give me.  Hopefully you’ll have fun exploring the questions

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February 8, 2009

Invitation to Poetry: Stirring in the Belly

This is the 31st Poetry Party!  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 blog if you have one (not required to participate!) Happy Feast of Imbolc, St. Brigid’s Day, Candlemas, and Groundhog Day! Imbolc is a Celtic feast that is cross-quarter day, meaning it is the midway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox.  The sun marks

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February 2, 2009

Out Sick :-(

I started coming down with a cough/cold thing that is going around on Wednesday and despite my best efforts and a full arsenal of resistance — Wellness Formula, Immunity Tea, raw garlic, and rest — I am fully sick today.  Sigh.  The worst part is that Betsey Beckman and I had a wonderful retreat day planned for tomorrow on Mary Magdalene.  Since hacking and sneezing my way through the day doesn’t sound very pleasant for the participants or me, we are postponing it until Saturday, February 21st and I will be spending the weekend in bed practicing the necesary humility of

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January 30, 2009