“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 **
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
Tomorrow is my birthday and lately I have been longing for some retreat time. I was wise enough to block off the next few days to rest in some stillness at home while my dear husband is away. This time of retreat is partly in preparation for a much larger pilgrimage I will be taking in just a couple of weeks and partly because I find birthdays invite reflection as I celebrate the anniversary of my own birth and sit in vigil waiting for what needs to be revealed for this next phase of my journey. This past week I wrote about the need to be willing to
This being human is a guest house. Every morning is a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. [S]he may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. -Rumi I am very grateful
I have come to recognize a deep despair that resides in the shadow part of myself, the shadow being of course those things about ourselves we don’t want to embrace. And yet the journey toward our own wholeness is precisely about naming our shadows, welcoming them into the inner rooms of our being, and listening for what they have to say to us. Those of you who have been reading along here for a while know that I am engaging in some family systems work as a part of my spiritual journey. My father was someone who let despair consume him,
When I die, I want your hands on my eyes: I want the light and wheat of your beloved hands to pass their freshness over me once more: I want to feel the softness that changed my destiny. I want you to live while I wait for you, asleep. I want your ears still to hear the wind, I want you to sniff the sea’s aroma that we loved together, to continue to walk on the sand we walk on. I want what I love to continue to live, and you whom I love and sang above everything
I first met Milton Brasher-Cunningham through the RevGalBlogPals, a blog ring for people who support the leadership of women in Christian communities. I was drawn to his blog ‘don’t eat alone‘ because it’s primarily about one of my favorite topics — food and the way food can be meaningful and sacred. Milton also writes about social justice, about discernment, about poetry, many of the things I feel passionate about as well. Then recently I got an unexpected gift in the mail from him — a copy of his new book Seven Summers at the Beach, a delightful collection of poetry and recipes from
Poetry Party Number Nineteen! 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!) Feel free to take your poem in any direction and then post the image and invitation on your blog and encourage others to come join the party! (a blog is definitely not required to participate!) The photo below
I first met Trish through blogging almost two years ago and discovered her amazing gift of music. I love music I can use on retreats and in prayer experiences and hers is beautiful and very accessible. Every time I play one of her songs at a gathering, everyone wants to know the name of the artist. She records some music solo and some with her husband Richard, their website is River’s Voice and you can listen to samples of songs there. Just a few of my favorites for use in retreat settings (if you visit the website click on the album title):
“Music arouses the sluggish soul to watchfulness. It has power to soften even hard hearts, and by rendering hearts moist it ushers in the Holy Spirit. Through the power of hearing, God opens to human beings all the glorious sounds of the hidden mysteries and of the choirs of angels by whom God is praised over and over again.” -Hildegard of Bingen 1098-1179 “I am not satisfied with him who despises music, as all fanatics do; for music is an endowment and a gift of God, not a gift of men . . . I place music next to theology