Hildy Tails 11: Is fada an bóthar nach mbíonn casadh ann – by John Valters Paintner
Hello, gentle readers! This series of 12 essays were composed during John & Christine’s Jubilee Year (which began pre-pandemic, but some of which was written during varying degrees of lockdown). They were dictated to John by the Abbey’s mascot, Hildy the Monk-ey. Hildy is a bit of a free spirit who likes to entertain and […]
Sky, Sun, Sea, and Stone and Creative Inspiration ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
Dearest monks and artists, Thomas Merton, the 20th century Trappist monk, knew that the true mentor of the soul was nature itself. The fields, sun, mud, clay, wind, forests, sky, earth, and water are all companions for our own inner journeys. The elements of water, wind, earth, and fire offer us wisdom and guidance. They […]
Two new dancing monk icons!
Julian of Norwich & Clare of Assisi join the series
When John and I traveled to Assisi in 2019 to participate in a pilgrimage that started our sabbatical year, I went to encounter Francis more deeply. That did happen, but the holy surprise was encountering Clare, who I didn’t know as much about, and falling in love with her contemplative spirit. She was Francis’ treasured […]
Hildy Tails 10: Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine – by John Valters Paintner
Hello, gentle readers! This series of 12 essays were composed during John & Christine’s Jubilee Year (which began pre-pandemic, but some of which was written during varying degrees of lockdown). They were dictated to John by the Abbey’s mascot, Hildy the Monk-ey. Hildy is a bit of a free spirit who likes to entertain and […]
A 12 Month Journey through “The Artists Rule” with Linda Courage
Join monk and artist Linda Courage at Living Spirituality Connections for a guided, 12 month long journey through The Artists Rule: Nurturing Your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom. Linda previously led a community course on Earth, Our Original Monastery as part of a mentoring program with us and is a longtime dancing monk and member […]
Spring (or Autumn) Equinox and Sacred Time ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
Dearest monks and artists, As the wheel of the year turns to the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere (and autumn equinox in the southern hemisphere) I invite you to deepen your relationship to the sacred rhythms of nature and the cosmos with its blossoming, fruitfulness, release, and rest. To become fully present to these […]
Hildy Tails 9: Bíonn adharca fada ar na ba thar lear ~ by John Valters Paintner
Hello, gentle readers! This series of 12 essays were composed during John & Christine’s Jubilee Year (which began pre-pandemic, but some of which was written during varying degrees of lockdown). They were dictated to John by the Abbey’s mascot, Hildy the Monk-ey. Hildy is a bit of a free spirit who likes to entertain and […]