Visit the Abbey of the Arts online retreat platform to access your programs:

This is Not Photography (by Joanna Paterson)

This is not photography.

This is flower watching in sweet, soft September sunshine.
This is the smell of the lavender filling my senses.
This is the sound of the river rushing past, and the buzz of the bees going mad with abundance in the herbs.
This is earth time before office time.
This is stolen time.
This is me time.
This is all time falls away and nothing else matters.
This is the way the light falls on the petals of the flower on this softest, sweetest September morning.
This is silence.
This is all love to the flower all love from the flower.
This is being beyond thinking.
This is loving beyond judgement.

This is not photography.

This is my practice.

This is my salvation.

This is my love song.

This is my practice, and my prayer.

*This beautiful poem and photo are by fellow monk in the world Joanna Paterson (with gratitude to her for allowing me to repost)

Make sure to stop by this week’s Photo Party

Pour a cup of tea and linger over the beauty of images of silence.  Then share your own for a chance to win a free book from Christine!

You might also enjoy

Monk in the World Guest Post: Jaqui Eicher

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to our Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Jaqui Eicher’s reflection and poem. After reading Christine Valters Paintner’s poem, “St. Gall and the Bear,” I responded in writing to the prompt:

Read More »

For Deeper Gratitude ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

For Deeper Gratitude*Spirit of Generosity,we come to you with heartsoverflowing with gratitudefor your abundant creation.As we awaken each morning,help us to rememberthis day is a gift,this breath is a grace,this life a wonder.Remind uswith every flower we see,every act of kindness,every moment of connectionto something

Read More »

Monk in the World Guest Post: Rachel M. Srubas

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Rachel M. Srubas’ reflection and poems “Anchorheld: A Trinity (after Julian of Norwich).”   One spring day in 2023, feeling bereft and spiritually

Read More »

2 Responses

  1. Christine, I learned a deep appreciation of photography when I took the ‘seeing with the eyes of the heart’ course with you. It makes me very happy and grateful to see these reflections shared here. Thank you.