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 Divina practice with words from the ancient Hebrew text of the Song of Songs. While the northern hemisphere begins to turn to spring through the arrival of birdsong and blossoms, we are all invited to tend to our inner flowering. In my own prayer with the text, the word “arise” shimmered strongly, which is an invitation to awaken from slumber, to take action in the world, to bring more beauty to life.
I invite you for this month’s Photo Party to hold these words in your heart as you go out in the world to receive images in response. As you walk be ready to see what is revealed to you as a visual expression of your prayer.
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 – your file size must be smaller than 1MB – you can resize your image for free here – choose the “small size” option and a maximum width of 500).
You can also 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 “Arise and bloom” 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
26 Responses
Inspired by the soul inside this tulip
This is my wild cyclamen, which blooms in January, quite often in the snow!
This is the flower bud for the magnificent cana lilly. I took it last year before the bloom opened. One of the things I have been asking myself regarding spiritual growth is, is the process one of transformation, or is it one of unfolding that which is already within us? My picture choice indicates what I think the answer is.
I took this photo yesterday when I went outside to check on the flowers after we had freezing temperatures overnight. I was so happy to see that the tulips had survived the cold and were opening little by little. This is an up-close view of one of the tulips as it opens.
I am coming out of a season of death. I lost my dad in the fall and shortly after suffered an accident that left me unable to walk for several months. I am just now able to get out and about. The idea of joy in suffering, of life in the midst of death, has been a theme I have lived and breathed this year. When I saw this invitation, I pondered anew the idea of rising, blooming, even in the midst of pain and suffering. We have had a harsh Winter here in the northeast, once that seems to be continually encroaching on Spring. Blooming and rising are not coming easily, but I saw this weeping willow all afire with new leaves and color and my heart sang. Beauty from a piece of God’s creation KNOWN for its weeping and continual search for water. It spoke deeply to my soul.
Written this past Sunday, I may add an image here later.
Spring Greening
How many ways to say Yes to Life,
and Yes to Love and the Beloved?
Yes to seeing the good in my Self, and in others?
Yes to the sparkling, singing creek that flows within me!
Gratefulness bursting open and budding
in softness and sweet colors, flying on wings
that transcend & caress all life’s worries & sorrows
Yes to embracing this very precious & blessed moment.
Yes to the Light and the Glow that enfolds us,
connects us and dances us.
Yes to the Beloved, The Great Mystery & all of Nature,
the Beauty in ourselves and in one another.
This is beautiful Fiona. Something to meditate on.
Thank you Susan!
Trying to get the photo to load!
Hope I got it this time!
YYYYYYEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!
Stunning!
This has been a hard search for me. Winter is lingering long and furious in NW Iowa where I live. We have just gotten the first brave blades of grass, only to have them covered with snow . . . again. But yesterday morning I awoke to this beautiful pink moon, blossoming outside my kitchen. So my bloom is. . . the moon!