Your Online Monastery for Your Spiritual Practice

Abbess love notes

Hildy Tail + New Dancing Monk Icon ~ A Love note from your online Abbess and Prior

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, This week we are featuring one of our Hildy Tails. This series of essays were composed last year for our Sustainers Circle. They were dictated to John by the Abbey’s mascot, Hildy the Monk-ey. Hildy is a bit of a free spirit who likes to entertain and doesn’t normally feel constrained by conventional story structure . . . or grammar, in general. She lives by the motto that “all stories are true; some actually happened.” We wanted to share them with you, our wider Abbey community, to give you a small monkey-sized, humorous perspective on

September 25, 2022

Monk in the World Guest Post Series

Monk in the World Guest Post: Becky Boger

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on Becky Boger’s reflection on bringing horses into spiritual direction. I currently live a quiet, simple, contemplative lifestyle in the country as an introverted monk in the world. Most of my adult life has taken me far into the ways of the world as a professional musician, both in the church and in the bars, where I had to find a way to comfortably share my gifts and passions in a more extroverted, public way. But eventually I couldn’t

September 21, 2022

Abbess love notes

Please Help Us Sustain this Work ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks and artists, One of my heart’s great joys is the global nature of this community. To know that there are monks and artists spread all over the world who commit to this way of life brings me tremendous comfort and encouragement. I feel grateful daily for this vibrant and meaningful work and the amazing people I get to collaborate with to help create our programs and offerings. I am thankful every day for you and for the many notes of encouragement I receive about what our work means to you. We will be adding a fourth week to

September 18, 2022

Canticle of Creation Spanish-Language Version

We are so delighted to share this new Spanish-language song version of Canticle of Creation. We originally commissioned Simon de Voil to create this song for us and our Earth Monastery album and prayer cycle. The song was discovered by Yoga Master Teacher Andrei Ram in Barcelona, Spain who loved the song so much he plays it at the start of most of his classes. Andrei then commissioned Eva Donat Veiga and her partner Nono to create a translation and recording of the song which they sent on to Simon to share. (You can be in touch with Eva here). You are invited to listen to the song again below.

September 14, 2022

Monk in the World Guest Post: Sharon Johnson

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series. Read on for Sharon Dawn Johnson’s reflection, “The Green-Beaded Branch.” ‘Mary as the greenest branch.’ At the moment of reading this startling phrase, an image of a green-beaded branch appears in my mind’s eye – and issues an invitation, “Bring me to life.” I’m intrigued by this new-to-me name for Mary, even though I’m already rooting in the green power of viriditas, the term coined by Hildegard of Bingen. The V-word constantly alerts me to the life-greening sap flowing in my body and

September 14, 2022

Abbess love notes

Join Us For The Mystical Heart and Hildegard ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

St. Hildegard Strolls Through the Garden Luminous morning, Hildegard gazes at the array of blooms, holding in her heart the young boy with a mysterious rash, the woman reaching menopause, the newly minted widower, and the black Abbey cat with digestive issues who wandered in one night and stayed. New complaints arrive each day. She gathers bunches of dandelions, their yellow profusion a welcome sight in the monastery garden, red clover, nettle, fennel, sprigs of parsley to boil later in wine. She glances to make sure none of her sisters are peering around pillars, slips off her worn leather shoes

September 11, 2022

Monk in the World Guest Post: Jean Wise

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Jean Wise’s reflection “Travel Light.” “Travel light,” was our tour guide’s instruction. We were soon heading to Germany with a group of fellow pilgrims to visit historic sites and cathedrals and would complete our journey by seeing the Passion Play in Oberammergau. Excited, I was ready to pack. I chuckled thinking about her advice about packing. I have tended to overpack on most of our vacations and dreaded facing this challenge once again. I stuffed my suitcases

September 7, 2022

Christine Interviewed on “The Hagitude Sessions”

Christine Valters Paintner was this week’s guest on Sharon Blackie’s ‘The Hagitude Sessions’ podcast which helps to celebrate Sharon’s wonderful new book. In this episode we talk about Hildegard of Bingen, one of the inspiring elder women featured in ‘Hagitude’, other elders in the Christian tradition, and the transformative effects of chronic illness. See all the episodes here:https://hagitude.org/podcast/ Find Christine’s episode here.

September 5, 2022

Abbess love notes

The Sacred Art of Doll Making + New Dancing Monk Icon ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, This Saturday, September 10th, Wisdom Council Member Polly Paton-Brown is leading a retreat on Praying with Poppets: Rediscovering the Sacred Art of Doll Making. Polly worked for many years as a psychotherapist and trainer in the field of trauma. More recently, her focus has been on helping people explore their spirituality and prayer using creativity and connection with nature. Polly has a particular passion for creating healing dolls as a portal to transformation. Read on for Polly’s reflection on the art of doll making. Creativity, nature and spirituality have always been interwoven for me. As a child I loved the

September 4, 2022

Lift Every Voice Book Club

Lift Every Voice: Contemplative Writers of Color – September Video Discussion and Book Group Materials Now Available

Join Abbey of the Arts for a monthly conversation on how increasing our diversity of perspectives on contemplative practice can enrich our understanding and experience of the Christian mystical tradition. Christine Valters Paintner is joined by author Claudia Love Mair for a series of video conversations. Each month they take up a new book by or about a voice of color. The community is invited to purchase and read the books in advance and participate actively in this journey of deepening, discovery, and transformation. Click here to view or listen to the full conversation along with questions for reflection. This month’s selection is

September 1, 2022

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Hildy Tail + New Dancing Monk Icon ~ A Love note from your online Abbess and Prior

Monk in the World Guest Post: Becky Boger

Please Help Us Sustain this Work ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Canticle of Creation Spanish-Language Version

Monk in the World Guest Post: Sharon Johnson

Join Us For The Mystical Heart and Hildegard ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Monk in the World Guest Post: Jean Wise

Christine Interviewed on “The Hagitude Sessions”

The Sacred Art of Doll Making + New Dancing Monk Icon ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Lift Every Voice: Contemplative Writers of Color – September Video Discussion and Book Group Materials Now Available

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Recent Reflections

Abbey of the Arts Celebrates 18 Years!

Monk in the World Guest Post: Starr Regan DiCiurcio

Blessing of the Elements ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Monk in the World Guest Post: Diana Turner-Forte

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