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Living Between the Ancient and the New

A simple post tonight as I am very tired from two full days of teaching. Our first session of Awakening the Creative Spirit was wonderful with twelve holy women participating. This first session focused on an overview of all the arts and we had everyone use a collage process to focus on the question “What does your soul long for?” Such richness revealed in that exploration. As I made mine, a very simple one weaving together images of rootedness and the flow of ocean, I was tempted to add more images to it. But, it felt done with all that spaciousness and simplicity. While

October 8, 2006

I live my life in widening circles. . .

I live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world. I may not complete this last one but I give myself to it. I circle around God, around the primordial tower. I’ve been circling for thousands of years and I still don’t know: am I a falcon, a storm, or a great song? -Ranier Maria Rilke Round and Round the earth is turning Turning always round to morning And from morning round to night. -Song Lyrics (source unknown) The rain I am in is not like the rain of the cities. It fills the woods with an

October 5, 2006

Trafficking and Prostitution: A Litany for the Wounded

My friend Michelle and her partner had to take a spur-of-the-moment trip into Seattle today and are staying the night with us. A treat to see her since we don’t get to spend time together very often. She works up in Vancouver for the rights of women who have been trafficked into the sex industry. Below is a prayer she wrote for a gathering. I invite you to pray for these women, to spread wide your imagination, and to live into freedom and possibility for all those who have been oppressed. Opening Prayer Scripture For a long time I have kept silent,

October 4, 2006

Celebrating the Feast of Saint Francis

I went looking for images of Saint Francis in honor of his feast day tomorrow (October 4th) and found some lovely ones above (see below for the links to the artists). Francis is known for many things, his life of poverty, his commitment to peace, and especially his great love of animals and all creation. He is often depicted with creatures at his side and this feast day is celebrated with a “Blessing of the Animals.” I remember attending such a service when we lived in Berkeley with Duke. There in the pews were cats and dogs, rabbits and birds, pot-bellied pigs and guinea

October 3, 2006

Life Illuminated

I had another wonderful pilgrimage into the forest yesterday. The sunlight was radiant, the trees luminous. A pilgrimage is a journey of discovery initiated by a sacred impulse, the deep longing we each carry to see holiness more clearly. It is both an inward and outward journey where I open my heart, face the unknown, and hope for transformation. I am transformed in the process and doing of it. In the act of walking and praying, I am knit together, body and soul, into a wholeness. Thomas Merton said that there is in all things “a hidden wholeness.” The wholeness in me

October 2, 2006

So what would you think of. . .

. . .a series of art journals around different themes? This is an idea that has been stirring in me the last few weeks and I want to put it out there to the blogosphere and see what kind of response it might get. What I am thinking of are different journals that would include a combination of text and art. Each would have a focus like discernment, grief, dreams, creativity, lectio divina, liturgical and natural seasons, etc. There would be some content — reflections on the theme, but there would also be lots of luscious open pages with photos, collage,

September 29, 2006

More Icons

More beautiful icons by Heather Williams Durka. As I mention in my previous post, Heather is an iconographer in the Orthodox tradition. Please visit her website: Icons and Sacred Images Scroll down for a post on using lectio divina to pray with images. . .

September 28, 2006

Lectio Divina Unleashed: Part Three (Icons)

“For the invisible things of God since the creation of the world are made visible through images.” (John of Damascus, On Holy Images) The beautiful icon above is by iconographer Heather Williams Durka who lives in Olympia. You can find her website here. Heather offers icon workshops and has affordable reproductions of her wonderful images available for purchase. She also has some great reflections on the role of icons in Orthodox tradition. There are many wonderful books available on praying with icons. The tradition of gazing upon icons as a window to God is an ancient one. Lectio divina

September 28, 2006

(Interlude continued)

Another amazing hike along the middle fork of the Snoqualmie River today, I took loads of photos but Flickr is telling me I have reached my limit this month (maybe I need to upgrade!). Just as well, I am tired, that wonderful kind of tired when you have walked for hours, listened through the silence for the invitation of moss and trees, and engaged in long conversations with a soul friend. These weekly sojourns out to wild places never fail to open up something new in me. Sweet dreams, tomorrow more lectio divina. . . -Christine Valters Paintner

September 27, 2006

Soul Nourishment (Interlude)

What feeds your soul? What is essential for you to feel well-nourished, alive, and energized? I don’t just mean how many calories you need to consume to function, or what balance of vitamins and minerals you need for body processes. I mean, what are the things in your life that bring you such delight you feel as though your heart might burst with gratitude? I’ve had one of those weeks so far of feeling my soul deeply nourished (and its only Wednesday and I go out on my Sabbath hike with Kathy in a little while). Last Sunday my husband and

September 27, 2006

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Reflections

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Living Between the Ancient and the New

I live my life in widening circles. . .

Trafficking and Prostitution: A Litany for the Wounded

Celebrating the Feast of Saint Francis

Life Illuminated

So what would you think of. . .

More Icons

Lectio Divina Unleashed: Part Three (Icons)

(Interlude continued)

Soul Nourishment (Interlude)

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