Abbey of the Arts

Transformative Living through Contemplative & Expressive Arts

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      An Ancient Practice for the Everyday Sacred
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      Cultivating Wonder and Gratitude through Intimacy with Nature
    • Dreaming of Stones: Poems
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      12 Celtic Practices for Seeking the Sacred
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      A Contemplative Journey to Wholeness for Women
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      Embracing the Wisdom of Monks and Mystics
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      Eight Practices for the Journey Within
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      Photography as a Christian Contemplative Practice
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    • Water, Wind, Earth & Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements
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      Bringing the Arts to Spiritual Direction
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        with Christine Valters Paintner
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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
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        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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        (SELF-STUDY)
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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
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      • The Soul's Slow Ripening: 12 Celtic Practices for Seekers of the Sacred (a companion retreat to the book)
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        in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures
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        A 12-Week Companion Retreat to The Artist's Rule
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        A 10-Week Online Companion Retreat to the Book
      • The Wisdom of Mary and the Sacred Feminine
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      • Writing on the Wild Edges (Ireland)
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      • Awakening the Creative Spirit: Experiential Education for Spiritual Directors in the Expressive Arts (Northwest)
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Abbess love notes, Soul's Slow Ripening

St. Dearbhla – New Dancing Monk Icon ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks and artists,

We are in the process of sharing our four new Irish saints which Marcy Hall has painted, inspired by my new book forthcoming this fall – The Soul’s Slow Ripening: Twelve Celtic Practices for Seekers of the Sacred (through Ave Maria Press.)  Each of the twelve chapters includes a story of an Irish saint. In addition to the release of new icons, we are also releasing an album of Celtic songs compiled from several friends of the Abbey.

This week I introduce to you St. Dearbhla:

Dearbhla is said to have lived in the sixth century, of noble lineage in County Meath. Like many women of her time, she was supposed to marry but didn’t want to. So she fled to Belmullet in the northwest of County Mayo. Her lover followed her there much to her dismay. She asked him why he loved her, and he swooned over her beautiful eyes. The story tells us that she then plucked them out of her head and extended them out to him. He was, of course, horrified, and runs away.

Dearbhla is then said to have washed her eyes in the waters of the holy well and her eyes and sight were miraculously restored. Interestingly, she is not the only woman saint to have disfigured herself to get rid of a suitor, Brigid is said to have made herself look hideous to scare someone away and then was later healed.

Dearbhla then set up her monastery at that location where there is still a church ruin and a well dedicated to her. We sadly don’t have much more information about her life story, but again, I love that that landscape still holds stones and water dedicated to her memory and the service she offered to her community.

With great and growing love,

Christine

Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, REACE

Dancing monk icon © Marcy Hall at Rabbit Room Arts (click link to order a print)

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Leave a Comment February 25, 2018

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

  • A mini-poetry reading from Christine plus other publishing news
  • 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

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