In ancient times, wise men and women fled out into the desert to find a place where they could be fully present to the divine and to their own inner struggles at work within them. The desert became a place to enter into the refiner’s fire and be stripped down to one’s holy essence. The desert was a threshold place where you emerged different than when you entered.
Many people followed these ammas and abbas, seeking their wisdom and guidance for a meaningful life. One tradition was to ask for a word – this word or phrase would be something on which to ponder for many days, weeks, months, sometimes a whole lifetime. This practice is connected to lectio divina, where we approach the sacred texts with the same request – “give me a word” we ask – something to nourish me, challenge me, a word I can wrestle with and grow into. The word which chooses us has the potential to transform us.
What is your word for the year ahead? A word which contains within it a seed of invitation to cross a new threshold in your life?
Share your word in the comments section below by January 4, 2026 and you are automatically entered for the prize drawing (prizes listed below).
Read Christine’s book Give Me a Word: The Promise of an Ancient Practice to Guide Your Year for guidance and inspiration.
This book is designed to help you contemplate what holiness is birthing within your soul. Each day there are different practices offered to inspire, challenge, and support you in listening for the word that wants to be spoken to your heart.
The practices are not about resolutions or goal setting, they are not about achieving more in the new year or accomplishing tasks or goals. They are about listening for what is calling to you in a particular season of life. They ask us to trust a greater wisdom at work in the world than our own egos.
Through this book, you will be invited to release your thinking mind and enter into a space of receiving.
WIN A PRIZE – RANDOM DRAWING GIVEAWAY ENTER BY JANUARY 4th!
- One person wins a space in the mini-retreat Brigid’s Day (Imbolc) Deep Rest Retreat ~ Emergence with Christine Valters Paintner, Deirdre Ní Chinnéide, and Nóirín Ní Riain
- Two people win a space in our upcoming Way of the Monk, Path of the Artist retreat
- Two people win a space each in their choice of Self-Study retreats
- Three people win a Dancing Monk Medallion
Please share your word with us in the comments below
(and it would be wonderful if you included a sentence about what it means for you)
Subscribe to the Abbey of the Arts newsletter to receive ongoing inspiration in your in-box. You can choose daily, weekly, or monthly. Share the love with others and invite them to participate. Then stay tuned – on January 11th we will announce the prize winners!
270 Responses
The Word that chose me for 2026 is humility. I typically start getting a shimmerings in October. And at that time, I would’ve said my word would probably have something to do with taking care of myself and my health. The image that shimmered up to me at that time was a Willow Tree ornament of an angel holding up an apple. I continued to be open to what came throughout the fall season and recently I was watching Kevin Costner‘s Christmas story. During his post-log the word humility shimmered for me – I had to rewind it and play it again. I sat with that for a bit and It occurred to me that the apple is not about my health but rather it’s more deeply rooted. It echoes back to the story of Adam and Eve. Rather than eating the apple, I’m lifting it up for God to bless and show me the way. The word humility is about being rooted in and centered on God… that God alone is enough.
My word for 2026 is CHERISH – to live, express and give appreciation with an abundance of love and attention. For every one, every being, and every thing, in every form, everywhere.
Be kind.
Trust. To allow myself to listen to the word and allow it to penetrate my heart and to lead me where I am suppose to go
Lestine
My word is attentive -like pay attention ! It comes from an experience that just keeps lovingly teaching me from a Greek Orthofox mass I attended in the summer . it was in both Greek and at times English . Each time the priest returned from being inside the Holy of Holies ( the sanctuary behind and beyond the altar where the assembly sees him ) , he said in English :” Let us be attentive”. It resonates as my word -attentive -to my heart, peoples words , my physical surroundings .
My word is “sunrise.” It stems from a drawing that hangs in my home – a mystical path of stepping stones crossing water and leading to the sunrise on the horizon.
I cannot wait to see what is in store.
“Allow”. I am so good at planning, steering, managing, organizing, structuring, evaluating… and I would like to soften into allowing, receiving, resting, noticing, etc. What grace is offered that I miss because I am busy, scampering, trying hard? What would happen if I let my little coracle move with the Current to see where it takes me rather than rowing like crazy against it? What might I discover, and how might that be of use to others?
My word is Departure.
My word is Kaleidoscope.
I want to be a I want to be a kaleidoscope person who sees the world and people from beautifully changing perspectives. I want to be wonderfully multifaceted and see Kaleidoscope Jesus in the wonderfully multifaceted other.
just write