Abbey of the Arts

Transformative Living through Contemplative & Expressive Arts

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    • Breath Prayer:
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      Embracing an Intentional Way of Life
    • The Wisdom of Wild Grace: Poems
    • Earth, Our Original Monastery:
      Cultivating Wonder and Gratitude through Intimacy with Nature
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    • The Soul's Slow Ripening:
      12 Celtic Practices for Seeking the Sacred
    • The Wisdom of the Body:
      A Contemplative Journey to Wholeness for Women
    • Illuminating the Way:
      Embracing the Wisdom of Monks and Mystics
    • The Soul of a Pilgrim:
      Eight Practices for the Journey Within
    • Eyes of the Heart:
      Photography as a Christian Contemplative Practice
    • The Artist's Rule: Nurturing Your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom
    • Desert Mothers and Fathers: Early Christian Wisdom Sayings Annotated & Explained
    • Lectio Divina–The Sacred Art: Transforming Words and Images into Heart-Centered Prayer
    • Water, Wind, Earth & Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements
    • Awakening the Creative Spirit:
      Bringing the Arts to Spiritual Direction
    • Lectio Divina: Contemplative Awakening & Awareness
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        with Christine Valters Paintner
      • Revelations: The Mysticism of Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe
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        Aligning Body and Spirit Through
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        An Online Retreat with St. Hildegard of Bingen
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        A women’s discernment journey through the story of the Selkie
      • Earth, Our Original Monastery
        A Companion Retreat to the Book (SELF-STUDY)
      • Exile and Coming Home:
        An Archetypal Journey through the Scriptures
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        Photography as Contemplative Practice
        (Companion retreat to the book)
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        Online Retreat for the Season of Remembrance
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        The Sacred Art of Reading the World
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        Making a Conscious Underworld Journey (SELF-STUDY)
      • Sacred Rhythms of Sky, Sun, Sea & Stone:
        A Creative Retreat with the Elements (SELF-STUDY)
      • Sacred Seasons:
        A Yearlong Journey through the Celtic Wheel of the Year
      • The Soul of a Pilgrim:
        Eight Practices for the Journey Within
        (a companion retreat to the book)
      • The Soul's Slow Ripening: 12 Celtic Practices for Seekers of the Sacred (a companion retreat to the book)
      • Water, Wind, Earth & Fire
      • Watershed Moments
        in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures
      • Way of the Monk, Path of the Artist:
        A 12-Week Companion Retreat to The Artist's Rule
      • The Wisdom of the Body:
        A 10-Week Online Companion Retreat to the Book
      • The Wisdom of Mary and the Sacred Feminine
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      • Awakening the Creative Spirit: Experiential Education for Spiritual Directors in the Expressive Arts (Northwest)
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Contemplative Living

Sabbath Now

For the last two weeks there has been a funny thing happening with my calendar.  Each day when I open my Outlook program a notice appears just like all of the other appointment reminders except this one says "Sabbath: Now."   I do have my Saturdays blocked off as Sabbath days and so somehow this entry has been logged in as a daily event.  When I press the "dismiss" button I am told that the program can't find the entry and so I will continue to be reminded.  And so it is, each day I receive a message that Sabbath is now, increasing my anticipation of the rest that awaits me and reminding me to receive the grace of this moment.

My horoscope recently invited my to "intensify my commitment to rigorous authenticity."  I loved this simple phrase.  With so much fullness in my life my contemplative spirit has been hungry for extended rest and silence.  As a teacher of contemplative practice and a follower of the monastic way if I am to be authentic, I am called to deep Sabbath rhythms in my life.  I am called to remember that Sabbath is now.

The new moon is tomorrow night and in many traditions is a time of turning inward and planting seeds.  And so the Abbey will be on sabbatical for the next two moon cycles and will return on August 9th after drinking deeply of the well of silence.  In these coming days I will be celebrating my fortieth birthday and giving honor to this new season of life I am entering.  I will also be tending deeply to my body and allowing time and space for some healing and restoration.

Feb 14 2009 027Tomorrow – June 12th – is another birthday, Abbess Petunia turns 13 (91 in dog years).  She continues to be a very wise and cherished presence in my life.  She is a profound teacher of Sabbath gifts.

So I wish you – dearest readers and supporters of the Abbey – blessings of summer's fruitfulness.  May you discover the sweet ripeness of your dreams in the days ahead.

I'll be back August 9th with lots of wonderful new offerings for fall.  Subscribe above to my email newsletter if you want to be alerted to my return. And there's a free gift involved as well to help you discover the peace in this moment.

Remember, Sabbath now.

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June 11, 2010

Comments

  1. Christine says

    June 11, 2010 at 9:57 pm

    HI Rachel, we just purchased that book to bring on our own time of travel and I am very much looking forward to reading her perspective on Sabbath. Blessings on your own time of transition!

  2. Rachel Kopel says

    June 11, 2010 at 8:17 pm

    Just today Borders made me an offer I couldnt refuse to buy The Sabbath World. I will have time to read it during the travel time of a four day bus tour to Yosemite. An incredible opportunity has opened up for me this September, but it will require my greatly simplifying my life in the interim. You postings are a wonderful lead in these directions. Wishing you a blessed birthday and restful and renewing summer. Peace and blessings, Rachel

Upcoming Programs

  • Writing Into Bloom with Christine Valters Paintner
    • May 1, 2021
  • Revelations: The Mysticism of Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe
    • May 13, 2021
  • The Wisdom of Wild Grace: A Weekend Retreat Online
    • May 15, 2021 - May 16, 2021
  • View All Upcoming Programs

Recent Reflections

  • St. Kevin Holds Open His Hand and Radical Hospitality ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
  • Monk in the World Guest Post: Greta Kopec
  • Monk in the World Podcast + Harriet Tubman Mysticism ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
  • Lift Every Voice: Contemplative Writers of Color – April Video Discussion and Book Group Materials Now Available
  • Hildy Tails 12: Is ait an mac an saol ~ by John Valters Paintner

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