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Thomas Merton and the archetype of the Monk ~ A love note from your online abbess

Dearest monks and artists, Our final webinar in the Illuminating the Way series will be happening on Monday, April 17th on Thomas Merton and the archetype of the monk. See details below for how to register. All the previous webinars are available by recording. For me, one of the gifts of contemplative practice is the reminder that my own grasping at what I think is most essential is so often not. Being a monk is, of course, one of the archetypes with which I most deeply identify, I think because I need it so much. My desire to always live

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A Different Kind of Fast: Part Seven – Embrace Mystery

Dearest monks and artists, Let mystery have its place in you; do not be always turning up your whole soil with the plowshare of self-examination, but leave a little fallow corner in your heart ready for any seed the winds may bring, and reserve a nook of shadow for the passing bird; keep a place in your heart for the unexpected guests, an altar for an unknown God. — from Amiel’s Journal, translated by Mrs. Humphrey Ward John Cassian, one of the ancient desert fathers, describes three renunciations he says are required of all of us on the spiritual journey. The

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Monk in the World Guest Post: John Paul Lichon

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for John Paul Lichon’s reflection entitled, Discipline. Let’s be honest, I am not a very disciplined person.  Pulling all-nighters to write papers in college was a regular ritual, it took several unfortunate cavities to convince me it was essential to floss every day, and anyone close to me can tell you that I often have insatiable cravings for McDonald’s double cheeseburgers.  Thankfully, over the years all three of these unhealthy tendencies have drastically declined in frequency, but I think these habits illustrate

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A Different Kind of Fast: Part Six – Embrace Organic Unfolding

Dearest monks and artists, It was said of Abba Agathon that for three years he lived with a stone in his mouth, until he had learnt to keep silence. (Agathon 15) The silence of the desert elders is called hesychia, which means stillness, silence, inner quiet. However, it is much deeper than just an external quiet. A person can live alone and still experience much noise within and a person can live in the midst of a crowd and have a true sense of stillness in their heart. There is always a shadow side to silence—the kind of silence that keeps hidden

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Monk in the World Guest Post: Jessica Curtis

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Jessica Curtis’ reflection Metaphors as Messages. Poetry has long been part of my spiritual practice. I especially love metaphors and have begun noticing places where they show up in my life other than poetry. At church recently, the minister was talking about the idea that we come into this world with an inheritance. He referred to this inheritance as taking the form of a “blessing bundle” and a “burden bundle.” The goal over the course of a lifetime is to

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Chronic Illness and the Body’s Journey ~ A love note from your online abbess

Dearest monks and artists, I was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when I was 21 years old. The only other person I knew at the time with this disease was my mother and her body had been ravaged by the effects of deterioration, with multiple joint replacements and eventually use of an electric wheelchair for mobility. I first dealt with my diagnosis through denial. I had just graduated from college and travelled across the country to begin a year of volunteer work. I managed to push my way through fatigue and pain for about six years before I was forced

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A Different Kind of Fast: Part Five – Embrace Attention

Dearest monks and artists, It can be so tempting to think, that in our busy lives multitasking will somehow make us more efficient and productive. We bemoan not having more hours in the day, but the hours we do have our attention is scattered, always trying to keep up. We spread our gaze between so many demands that we may get many things done, but none of it is nourishing. St. Benedict wisely wrote 1500 years ago, that we are called to always be beginners in the spiritual life. The desert is a place of new beginnings; it is where Jesus began

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Monk in the World Guest Post: Peggy Acott

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Peggy Acott’s reflection on holding space. How do I live as a monk in the world? This reminded me of a recent writing prompt by Krista Tippett of On Being, that came to me by way of Jeffrey Davis and Tracking Wonder’s Quest2017 – #yourtruecalling: What is your vocation, your sense of callings as a human being at this point in your life, both in and beyond job and title? My initial response to Krista Tippett’s question was that of a

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Spring Equinox – Join us for the Sacred Seasons of the year! ~ A love note from your online abbess

Dearest monks and artists, We are so excited to be offering our online program Sacred Seasons: A Yearlong Journey through the Celtic Wheel of the Year in a community format starting tomorrow with the spring equinox! In addition to the wonderful mini-retreats we created for each season, I am also hosting a live webinar session for each of the eight Celtic thresholds so we can join together in ritual and honoring. We also will have some added content on working with herbs and a vibrant online forum. To celebrate, I offer you an excerpt from our reflection on the spring

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A Different Kind of Fast: Part Four – Embrace Slowness

Dearest monks and artists, Modern life seems to move at full speed and many of us can hardly catch our breath between the demands of earning a living, nurturing family and friendships, and the hundreds of small daily details like paying our bills, cleaning, grocery shopping. More and more we feel stretched thin by commitments and lament our busyness, but without a clear sense of the alternative. There is no space left to consider other options and the idea of heading off on a retreat to ponder new possibilities may be beyond our reach. But there are opportunities for breathing

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