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Live in the Layers

The Layers I have walked through many lives, some of them my own, and I am not who I was though some principle of being abides, from which I struggle not to stray. When I look behind, as I am compelled to look before I can gather strength to proceed on my journey, I see the milestones dwindling toward the horizon and the slow fires trailing from the abandoned camp-sites, over which scavenger angels wheel on heavy wings. Oh, I have made myself a tribe out of my true affections, and my tribe is scattered! How shall the heart be

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August 21, 2008

Complexity and Layers

In this family systems work I am doing every time I make a new discovery it leads me down a whole new trail of inquiry.  Every question leads to a dozen more.  Each thread I follow leads to a whole new landscape for exploration.  It is exciting work and speaks to me of the complexity of who we are as human beings. Layer upon layer reveals an inexhaustible depth to our stories if we consider them rooted in the spiral of stories I spoke of the other day. My father was born in Riga, Latvia, the city of his father’s ancestors. When

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August 20, 2008

Visual Meditation: To Feel the Weight

It’s great to live only by the spirit, to testify day by day for eternity only to the spiritual side of people. But sometimes I get fed up with my spiritual existance. … Instead of forever hovering above I’d like to feel there’s some weight to me To have a fever, to have blackened fingers from the newspaper to be excited not only by the mind but, at last, by a meal by the curve of a neck by an ear. -words spoken by the angel Damiel in the film Wings of Desire (images of angels from churches in Vienna) (c) Christine

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August 19, 2008

Sacred Stories

“All the great voyagers return Homeward as on an arc of thought; Home like a ruby beacon burns As they crest wind, scale wave, soar air; All the great voyagers return…” – from “The Homecoming,” by Barbara Howes Thank you dear readers for the many warm comments and emails I have received as a welcome home.  I am truly blessed to have such a supportive virtual community.  A special thank you to Laure who shared the above quote in her comment on my previous post.  She wrote that she imagined me on the other side of an arc of thought.  These words provided

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August 17, 2008

Returning Home

I am home once again from my month of travels, glad to be back among familiar things, my own bed, and most of all with my sweet Tune.  It was an amazing trip through Austria, Latvia, Germany, and Belgium. I have much to unpack, both literally and metaphorically. My heart is very full, there is so much stirring within me. Plus over 5000 photos to sort through! The jet lag has hit me hard and so this weekend I will be resting and recuperating, trying to reconnect with this space and time back home. But I am eager to return here

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August 15, 2008

Article on Contemplation (bonus post)

My article on “The Practice of Contemplation as Witness and Resistance” has been published in the October 2007 issue of The Way (a journal of contemporary spirituality published by the British Jesuits).  They have been behind in their production because of the editor’s illness, but the issue is now available.  Click on the link above to read the article. I also just ran across one of my absolute favorites of the Peanuts comics — it was very tempting to follow Charlie Brown’s lead during those long years in graduate school and it still holds lots of appeal!  I think Tune would embrace this

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July 9, 2008

Abbey Bookshelf: Pilgrimage

And it was then that in the depths of sleep Someone breathed to me: “You alone can do it, Come immediately.” -Jules Superveille, from ‘The Call” You cannot travel the path until you have become the path. -Gautama Buddha Wayfarer, the only way is your footsteps, there is no other. Wayfarer, there is no way, you make the way by walking. As you go, you make the way and stopping to look behind, you see the path that your feet will never travel again. Wayfarer, there is no way – Only foam trails to the sea. -Antonio Machado I have written here

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July 2, 2008

Invitation to Poetry: Closing Doors

Our Twenty-First 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!) I’ll add your contributions all week and then I will draw a name at random on Friday from everyone who participates and will send the winner a copy of my newest zine Season by the Sea:

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June 30, 2008

Visual Meditation: “I was called for this”

“At the entrance, my bare feet on the dirt floor, Here, gusts of heat; at my back, white clouds. I stare and stare. It seems I was called for this: To glorify things just because they are.” -Czeslaw Milosz (most of these photos have appeared on this blog before, but the quote inspired me to group them together)  -Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts ** Come back on Monday for our 21st Poetry Party  **

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June 27, 2008

Sacred Artist Interview: Marcy Hall

I first encountered Marcy Hall‘s work through her partner’s blog blisschick who comments here very thoughtfully from time to time.  I was delighted to follow the links that landed me at Marcy’s website because I discovered an artist with a wonderful sense of playfulness to her work, while at the same time exploring very sacred themes. I also adore her use of animals in her imagery that speak to me of the sacred power our connections to creatures have.  Each animal in her work seems to occupy its own world of peace and play, while also inviting the person gazing upon

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June 25, 2008