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Monk in the World Guest Post: Rachel Grenier

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to our Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Rachel Grenier’s reflection “Returning to the Path.” When I sat down with my devotional this morning, I realized it had been a month since I had last cracked its cover. My days had been busy, and loud, and chaotic, weaving themselves into weeks, then a full month before I realized how long it had been since we had visited together. Fortunately, God does not withhold from us in retribution for our departures – however frequent or extended.

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The Soul’s Slow Ripening: 12 Celtic Practices for Seekers of the Sacred ~ A love note from your online abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, In 2007 I traveled to Ireland with my husband John and began to fall in love with the path of Irish monasticism. I discovered stories and a way of moving through the world that felt more spiral and less linear, more organic and less structured. The early period of Irish monasticism is quite unique in that it was less influenced by the Roman church and desire for uniformity of practice. The Irish monks integrated Christian teachings with the Druidic wisdom of their ancestors, and created a spirituality that was much more indigenous to the place

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Monk in the World Guest Post: Marlene Kropf

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Marlene Kropf’s reflection on practices of solitude, shared prayer, and contemplative walking. Monasteries are favored retreat spaces for my husband and me.  When we travel, we seek out monastic communities along the way and sometimes book a couple of retreat nights in the midst of our itinerary.  Whether in the United States, Canada, Scotland, England, or Ireland, we’ve enjoyed warm hospitality and peaceful, beautiful settings in many communities of prayer.  Usually we spend our days in solitude – praying,

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Celebrate the Sacred Feminine ~ A love note from your online abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, August 15this the Feast of the Assumption, a feast which celebrates Mary’s elevated role in the Christian church as the bringer of the holy to birth. Mary has received many names and titles over the centuries: Star of the Sea, Greenest Branch, Seat of Wisdom, and Gate of Heaven to name a few. She is multifaceted, offering us many possibilities for guidance and support on our own journeys of birthing. Mary as Mother of Mercy 2016 was celebrated as a Year of Divine Mercy in the Catholic Church. The Pope wanted the whole Church to

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Monk in the World Guest Post: Anne Marie Vencill

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to our Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Anne Marie Vencill’s reflection on the art of quilting as a spiritual practice. An email set me on my quest to be a monk in the world. It simply said, “I discovered Abbey of the Arts a few years ago. Can’t remember if I shared it with you. It has a lot of good things.” I clicked the link and found St. Gobnait, the art of Marcy Hall, a manifesto that resounded, and doubt. How could I possibly

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Gift for Pre-Ordering The Soul’s Slow Ripening + other resources ~ A love note from your online abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, It has been a wonderful time of sabbatical this summer, time spent resting, time spent dreaming, time spent writing. I even made a trip to the Collegeville Institute at St. John’s University in Minnesota for a memoir writing workshop with Lauren Winner which was a wonderful experience on so many levels, can’t recommend the Collegeville Institute or Lauren as a teacher (and writer) of memoir craft enough. But I also spent lots of days following my own rhythms, going to arts festival events, and taking our sweet dog Sourney on long walks up the canal

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Free Gift for Pre-Ordering *The Soul’s Slow Ripening*

If you pre-order your copy of my newest book The Soul’s Slow Ripening: 12 Celtic Practices for Seeking the Sacred (click the link for ways to order) and then email your receipt to my wonderful assistant Melinda she will send you a link to a free online mini-retreat which includes a song that has not yet been published, as well as invitations to contemplative practice and creative expression. If you want to share anything that came up for you in this retreat experience you can do so either in our Facebook group at Holy Disorder of Dancing Monks or if you are not on Facebook

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Summer Sabbatical (we return on August 5th) ~ A love note from your online abbess

Dearest monks and artists, Every summer we try to step back from this wonderful work and take a bit of time off for planning, dreaming, and resting. Sabbath is one of the profound gifts of a generous and abundant divine presence who says that work is good and rest is necessary. We are so grateful for all the ways this community supports our work in the world and we are eager to listen more deeply in the coming weeks to what new things want to be birthed through the Abbey in the coming year. We will be taking a break

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Monk in the World Guest Post: Nancy L. Agneberg

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to our Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Nancy Agneberg’s reflection “Summer Spirituality.” “May you breathe in the beauty of summer with its power of transformation.” I have a confession to make. I am not a summer person. I don’t like the heat and the humidity and what it does to my thick, curly hair. I don’t like mosquitos. To be honest, in the summer I often feel distracted, less productive, drawn away from my garret desk. Nope, I am not a summer person. I am

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Summer Solstice ~ A love note from your online abbess

Dearest monks and artists, In the northern hemisphere we approach the celebration of the summer solstice, the longest day. The seasons are connected to the different cardinal directions, as well as the four elements. Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th century Benedictine Abbess, allied the direction of the south and the season of summer with the element of fire. We find a similar connection in the Native American Cherokee tradition and in the Irish Celtic tradition. We might think of summer as the season of fire and stoking our passions. It is the season of coming to fullness connected to the Hour

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