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Measuring Time

         Before I left for Ireland I had a dream in which my husband and I return to our old apartment building in San Francisco which was going to be demolished and help to save an old clock tower that rests on top of it (the clock tower is not there in waking life).  I brought this dream to my spiritual director who pointed out that clock towers rest at the junction between chronos time and kairos time.  For those of you not familiar with those terms, chronos time refers to everyday time, the time we measure out

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July 9, 2007

The Swan

This laboring through what is still undone, as though, legs bound, we hobbled along the way, is like the awkward walking of the swan. And dying-to let go, no longer feel the solid ground we stand on every day- is like anxious letting himself fall into waters, which receive him gently and which, as though with reverence and joy, draw back past him in streams on either side; while, infinitely silent and aware, in his full majesty and ever more indifferent, he condescends to glide. -Rainer Maria Rilke (trans. Stephen Mitchell) Rilke is one of my many favorite poets.  We

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July 7, 2007

The Prayer of Trees

I have been having problems with my online access all day so I offer above a wordless meditation. -Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts (photo taken at Glendalough in Ireland)

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July 5, 2007

Home Again

My husband and I returned home last night after three amazing weeks in Ireland.  We went to Dublin, Waterford, Kenmare, Dingle, Galway, and Westport and drove through much of the countryside.  We saw ancient stone circles and tombs, remains of monasteries, wondrous illuminated manuscripts, field after field filled with woolly sheep and majestic trees, we perched at the edge of the Atlantic ocean, we walked and walked, and we listened to music that makes your pulse quicken.  It is hard to know where to begin exactly, but I imagine it will unfold in my reflections in the coming weeks.  We experienced

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July 4, 2007

Happy Birthday Tune!

I wasn’t planning on posting anything else before our trip but this sweet, beautiful girl turns 10-years old tomorrow and that deserves a mention.  Even though we’ve only had her a few short months, she has already worked her way deep into my heart.  If you missed the story of our rescue of Abbess Petunia, read here and here and here.  I will miss her a great deal while we are away. Thanks so very much for all the beautiful wishes you have left in comments and emails for my upcoming trip– they mean a lot to me! The last few days have been a flurry

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June 11, 2007

Blogging Sabbatical

I am leaving for a pilgrimage to Ireland next week and so will be taking a blogging Sabbatical for the next month until early July.  We have done so much planning, the housesitter will be staying at the Abbey to care for our Abbess Tune, now all that is left is a few more details like packing and then heading off on our adventure.  The next few days will be busy, so I need to set aside any other work.  While I am away I have some resources for you to peruse.  K. at the blog Onehouse recently started a community blog called Listening Point about the contemplative

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June 7, 2007

Self-Portrait

How do we live out of our most authentic selves?  The self that Thomas Merton described as the True Self, the one that was created by God and dwells in God.  He said it is like a wave in the ocean of God, or a flame in God’s fire.  We are distinct from God, but also a part of the sacred presence in the world. We live in challenging times.  Of course, I often think that life itself is challenging whenever you live it.  But these times we live with so many choices and possibilities it can be paralyzing.  At

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June 5, 2007

Priory in Images

  This statue is of St. Placid and stands in front of the main building at St. Placid Priory.  Click the link to read the story of this relatively unknown Saint. I love what the sisters say about the anawim and being in solidarity with the least. Their chapel is very modern and simple.  My favorite part are the windows that look out onto the lush trees surrounding the Priory. They remind me when we pray the Psalms together here that creation is God’s first scripture. I also love watching the stained glass under the skylights above cast their hue on the wall and make their

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June 5, 2007

Come and Play!

Greetings dear friends, In a week and a half I will be heading to the Emerald Island from the Emerald City and will be out of email and blogging touch for a bit.  More blogging to come this week though.  In the meantime I wanted to post another invitation for you to consider joining Betsey and myself for what promises to be a wonderful time.  I have had lots of folks express interest, and it would be helpful for us to have you register before August for us to be able to confirm with the retreat center.  Registration requires a

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June 3, 2007