The image is my view from the hermitage over the Hood Canal toward the Olympic mountains.
-Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts
Christine Interviewed on the Podcast Find Your Center, Find Your Feet
Christine was interviewed on the podcast Find Your Center, Find Your Feet: Going Deeper in the Spiritual Life produced by the Moravian Seminary. She had a lovely conversation with hosts Pam Rotelle Robertson & Marcella Kraybill-Greggo, Director of the Spiritual Direction Training Program at Moravian
May 19, 2025
11 Responses
Simply beautiful. What a perfect combination.
Thanks, Christine.
And thanks, Mary!
We are richly blessed.
Thanks for sharing that poem by Mary Oliver along with your stunning hermitage view photo and Your creative, poetic words “bring the circle of the day together”. I’d love to read more of your own poetry too, Christine :)
In Mary’s poem above, when she speaks about the beast shouting from within – it made me think of the book I’m reading now “Women Who Run With The Wolves” by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. This book is really helping me to understand how I’ve lost sight of my inner beast (wild archetype) and how I can recover it.
Just lovely! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Awesome!! What a treasure to have such a view right outside your window and to have a poem that seems as if it were written for this photo. Thank you!
When I find myself stuck creatively, I open one of my many Mary Oliver books and pick a poem to read. It always makes me feel more alive.
lovely!
me again.
Well, I’ve fallen in love with another Mary Oliver poem. The first time I read it, I focused on the orange sticks because of a photo I had taken early today. But when I re-read it, other lines spoke to me. I pray that when I go along trails for hours, I will be swimming not trudging.
I found a thoughtful analysis of the poem here: http://audiopoetry.wordpress.com/2006/11/02/morning-poem/
“It affirms that our lives are things of beauty and instruments of joy. It also acknowledges that many people are blind to the world’s grace; but it does so in a way which neither faults, nor patronizes those who fail to apprehend. At the very least, a kernel of understanding of the world’s perfection can be found in each of us; and in this grain of instinct lays the promise that everyone might someday see the beauty and feel the joy.”
And yes, I agree, your golden photo closes the circle of the day.
Beautiful words and image. Thank you.
I’ve been struggling to find the words to describe Autumn sunlight as the day wanes. Orange sticks…so perfect.
Wonderful poem … and the view from your hermitage is glorious!!! I especially love the line “If it is in your nature …..” because it is SO in my nature to be happy, no matter what is going on in my life.