Conversion: Day 6 Morning and Evening Prayer Dearest monks and artists, Today we release Day 6 Morning and Evening prayer of our Monk in the World audio podcast on the theme of conversion! Conversion is very much a monastic principle that has less to do with the idea of “being converted” as a one-time event and more of a commitment to a lifetime of growing and deepening. We are very much committed to the practice of conversion here at Abbey of the Arts, believing that none of us is done growing and transforming during our lives. There is always more

Dearest monks and artists, This week we are delighted to share with you the audio podcasts for Day 4 morning and evening prayer of our Monk in the World prayer cycle on the theme of Work. We hope that you are enjoying being able to pray with us in this way! On May 13th – the feast of Julian of Norwich – I will be leading a Zoom mini-retreat on Julian and Margery Kempe with Mary Sharratt whose new novel Revelations about these two remarkable women was published last month. I am delighted to share this reflection from her on

St Kevin Holds Opens His Hand by Christine Valters Paintner from Abbey of the Arts on Vimeo.

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 are the original soul friends. Air is the gift of breath we receive in each moment, the rhythm of life sustaining us. Fire is the gift of life force and energy and we might call to mind St. John of the Cross’ image of God