Welcome to this month’s Abbey Photo Party!
I select a theme and invite you to respond with images.
We began this month with a Community Lectio (Visio) Divina practice (stop by to pray with this beautiful image from Mary Southard). As I prayed with Mary’s art I felt held in this womb of waiting and watchfulness, attentiveness and presence, of sinking into the gift of stillness and knowing this is necessary before the birth can come.
With our overall theme of the year at the Abbey as discernment, I love the idea of exploring the gifts of waiting, being fallow, embracing rest, as essential dimensions of listening to what we are each called to birth into the world.
I invite you for this month’s Photo Party to play with this idea as you go out in the world to receive images in response. As you walk hold this image of holy waiting and be ready to see what is revealed to you.
You can share images you already have which illuminate the theme, but I encourage you also to go for a walk with the theme in mind and see what you discover.
You are also welcome to post photos of any other art you create inspired by the theme. See what stirs your imagination!
How to participate:
You can post your photo either in the comment section below* (there is now an option to upload a file with your comment) or you can join our Holy Disorder of Dancing Monks Facebook group and post there. Feel free to share a few words about the process of receiving this image and how it speaks of the “Holy Waiting” for you.
*Note: If this is your first time posting, or includes a link, your comment will need to be moderated before it appears. This is to prevent spam and should be approved within 24 hours.
33 Responses
Waiting in the Advent mysteries in anticipation for the birth of the Christ child.
Mother of Dark Spaces,
I bring myself to you,
And we sit, so still, waiting,
In the silent, early morning.
Sit, without a word;
Only breath,
Only breath.
At first light,
Snowflakes, perfectly formed,
Falling slowly, slowly.
Awe!
–MEW 12/8/13
As my dog Dusty waits with his nose at the door of my office, reminds me we are waiting obediently for the master to call us home…
A great place to contemplate. My farther’s boyhood home backyard view at Killyberry Farm, Bellaghy, County Derry, Northern Ireland. Father of four boy and two girls, lived the contemplative life in the world. A great fan of Thomas Merton.
This wrought iron bench at a bus stop reminds me that we have many “waiting moments” throughout the day when contemplation may occur in simple ways.
This is my personal retreat spot. I sit,wait and listen for Spirit’s messages on the banks of the slow-moving Bayou Teche. I may not get what I want, but I always get what I need. (borrowed from Mick Jagger;-)
I captured this shot during the last days of my dad’s life. We were all waiting for him to join our mom and Jesus in the “not yet”, something had he had long been hoping for. As my niece and her baby boy were getting ready to say goodbye during their last visit, my niece took dad’s hand. Her son reached forward and took their hands and I was overcome by the weight of waiting for something we wanted so much for our patriarch, but dreaded for our own sakes. So much life in this picture of approaching death. I felt as if I had stepped inside a very thin place, where any movement would shatter the beauty of it. I held my breath, wanting this moment of waiting, this holy, precious moment, to never end. The legacy of joy, of Jesus, was lovingly passed on by my dad to his children and subsequently to my niece, I look forward, with great hope, to the day the tiny hands in this picture embrace Jesus.
Robin, your achingly exquisite image invokes for me Presence beyond time, connecting our here and the not here in one seamless garment of deep joy and that peace that passes understanding. Blessings as you hold this gift of life in all its seasons and rhythms.
These ducks walking on the ice of our almost completely frozen pond remind me that sometimes we must be patient with the rhythm of nature and life… and trust…
The waiting line.
This photo reminds me that whenever there is Darkness it is followed by light. Waiting for that to happen is the hardest part of life.