Abbey of the Arts

Transformative Living through Contemplative & Expressive Arts

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    • About John Valters Paintner
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  • Books
    • Breath Prayer:
      An Ancient Practice for the Everyday Sacred
    • Sacred Time:
      Embracing an Intentional Way of Life
    • The Wisdom of Wild Grace: Poems
    • Earth, Our Original Monastery:
      Cultivating Wonder and Gratitude through Intimacy with Nature
    • Dreaming of Stones: Poems
    • 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
  • Poetry | Art | Music
    • Music + DVD
    • Poetry by Christine Valters Paintner
    • Poetry Videos
    • Dancing Monk Icons
    • Other Art Collaborations
      • Monk in the World art series by Kristin Noelle
      • Saints & Animals art series by David Hollington
      • Sacred Time art series by Alexi Francis
      • Mary block print art series by Kreg Yingst
  • Programs
    • Lift Every Voice: Contemplative Writers of Color Book Club
      • Embodied Spirits: Stories of Spiritual Directors of Color (Book Club – March 2021)
      • God Alone is Enough: A Spirited Journey with Teresa of Avila (Book Club – February 2021)
    • Community Online Retreats
      • Harriet Tubman and Howard Thurman-on Being Free
      • Writing Into Bloom
        with Christine Valters Paintner
      • Revelations: The Mysticism of Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe
      • The Wisdom of Wild Grace: A Weekend Retreat Online
      • The Spiral Way:
        Celtic Spirituality and the Creative Imagination
      • Sacred Balance:
        Aligning Body and Spirit Through
        Yoga and the Benedictine Way
    • Self-Study Online Spiritual Retreats
      • Creative Flourishing in the Heart of the Desert:
        An Online Retreat with St. Hildegard of Bingen
      • Dreaming of the Sea:
        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
      • Eyes of the Heart:
        Photography as Contemplative Practice
        (Companion retreat to the book)
      • Honoring Saints and Ancestors:
        Online Retreat for the Season of Remembrance
      • Lectio Divina:
        The Sacred Art of Reading the World
      • A Midwinter God:
        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
    • Live Programs: Pilgrimage & Retreats
      • Writing on the Wild Edges (Ireland)
      • Hildegard of Bingen (Germany)
      • Awakening the Creative Spirit: Experiential Education for Spiritual Directors in the Expressive Arts (Northwest)
  • Calendar
  • Reflections
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Soul Care Institute

Guest post from Kayce Hughlett (Live it to Give it facilitator)

I am delighted to feature a guest post today from Kayce S. Hughlett, one of my fabulous teaching partners, and the facilitator of the upcoming Soul Care Institute class Live it to Give it: Essential Practices of Self-Care and Soul Nourishment (November 5-December 14, 2012), as well as co-teacher with Betsey Beckman of the LIVE SCI intensive Body Wisdom for Soul Care Practitoners (December 3-6, 2012 in the beautiful Pacific NW):


There is a simple yet powerful question I pose to participants at the beginning (and throughout) each Live it to Give it class. What do you need right now? Upon asking the question, we begin to engage our internal non-judgmental witness and listen deeply while closely observing. What do I really need?

The question itself can stir up all sorts of thoughts and responses. That’s selfish. I’m selfish. I can’t do that. What if…? Throughout the coursework, we experience what it is to pay attention to those additional questions and practice ways of discernment in order to arrive at a place of peace where we are able to offer the very best of ourselves to the world.

Wise ones say we teach what we need to learn. For me, it’s much preferable over the statement: “Those who can DO. Those who can’t TEACH.” I want it all! To be able to “do” and “teach,” but most importantly to recognize and acknowledge how to “be” in this world. How about you? What do you need? How will you be?

Originally my all-time favorite class, Live it to Give it: Essential Practices of Soul Nourishment and Self Care was scheduled to begin October 1. This timing arose more out of habit (that’s when we did it last year, there are fewer schedule conflicts, etc.) rather than deep listening (what do I need, where is my spirit calling me). While I have been (and continue to be) extremely excited about offering this class for the third time, I noticed that as the date has approached I’ve felt an odd resistance and registration has been slower than previous times. As I prepared to write this post for the Abbey, my words didn’t flow, my body felt slightly lethargic, and in quiet moments of stillness I knew something was askew. Saturday, after hours of wrestling with myself, I asked the question, What do I need? In that moment, I knew I needed a witness—someone to bounce my spinning thoughts off of, because conversing with myself wasn’t working. (You can read more about that process here.)

I don’t know about you, but it’s easy for me to get stuck in regular patterns of spiritual care (meditate, journal, read my favorite inspirational author) and forget there could be other ways of discovery (call a friend, take a walk, unearth a new or old teacher). I’m personally grateful when I remember (and listen) to those internal prompts pointing toward movement.

Long story short, I ultimately realized that October 1 isn’t the perfect start date for Live it to Give it. My heart doesn’t sing and my spirit says there’s a better time. Additional preparation time is needed for me, for you, for more of what I do not know. Right now the Pacific Northwest is glistening with all its earthly abundance. In this season, I am being challenged to make this change and, like a solar panel, to store up and prepare for future days. Bottom line… I am being called to live what I give: Compassion. Self-care. Soul Nourishment.

I am grateful for the courage to listen for what I need and then offer the best of what I have back to YOU! My heart breaks into song as I announce the NEW beginning date of November 5 for Live it to Give it. This beautiful timing will allow us to sink into this current season and then mindfully prepare for a time of generous giving through the coming holidays. One of the primary principles of the Soul Care Institute is that if we as soul care providers are depleted then not only do we suffer, but also those in our care.

What do you need right now? I invite you to pause and listen deeply. Imagine yourself as someone under your tender care. How do you speak? What do you offer? Where might you be called to make a change?

To enhance your precious way of being in the world, I hope you’ll consider joining me in our next perfectly-timed session of Live it to Give it. Together we will explore, practice, refine, and enhance what it means to be compassionate citizens of the world.

With love and gratitude,

Kayce


Join Kayce for the new class dates for Live it to Give it: November 5-December 14, 2012 to begin a vital online journey of radical self-care and soul nourishment.

Make sure to stop by this week's Poetry Party as well on the theme of silence, savor the beautiful poems shared there, and offer your own to those gathered.

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Leave a Comment September 16, 2012

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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