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Prayer for Evening

The image is my view from the hermitage over the Hood Canal toward the Olympic mountains.

-Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts

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Give Me a Word Winners!

Thank you to all of our dancing monks who shared their word of guidance for the year with us here.  Congratulations to our winners of the random prize drawing: Please email Melinda at dancingmonk@abbeyofthearts.com to claim your prize. 

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January 8, 2026

Monk in the World Guest Post: Melissa Layer

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to our Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Wisdom Council member Melissa Layer‘s reflection on making nature mandalas. I became aware of how the extraordinary is exquisitely entangled within the

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January 7, 2026

11 Responses

  1. Thanks for the wonderful comments my friends.

    Elaine, I really like that quote you posted.

    Bette, I adore that book! I read it after my mother died because it was one of her favorites, and I just inhaled it. Yes, we all need to connect with our inner wild woman (or man). :-) Thanks for the request for my own poems. Funny thing, as much as I adore other people’s poetry I feel more shy about sharing my own than almost anything else, but I think your invitation will help me to bring them more consciously to this space. They tend to hide in my journals quietly like shy deer. Maybe I can get them in touch with their own inner wolves. ;-)