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Reflections

Category: Abbess love notes

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Holy Week Blessing ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Holy Week Blessing* Godde of Paradox, you call us to sit these coming days in the heart of betrayal, abandonment, mockery, violence, to not avert our eyes but see ourselves in the story. Travel with us into the border spaces of unknowing holding death and life, the liminal realm of in-between. As we feel the suffering and loss of Jesus, let us not rush to resurrection just yet, but linger a while in mystery. In this temple of grief, strip us of our attachments, the identities we cling to, the securities we believe in, disorient us so we might walk

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March 24, 2024

Spring Equinox Blessing ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Spring Equinox Blessing* God of balance, we ask your blessing at this threshold when light and dark are equal. Teach us to welcome both into our lives, making room for joy and sorrow, for sunlight shimmering and moonlight radiance. As the light continues to grow, and birds and insects begin their migrations, journeying by impulse and intuition, help us to listen to your call to move in a holy direction. Inspire us to celebrate the burgeoning and blossoming of buds all around us as well as within our hearts. Holy Gardener, sustain us in nourishing this season of growth, cultivate

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March 17, 2024

The Dance of Conflict Transformation ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks and artists, We are so delighted to be welcoming Wisdom Council member Dena Jennings to lead a workshop for us on Dances of Conflict Transformation. Dena runs her own community in Virginia which she calls a Farmashramonastery.  She shares some of her wisdom here with us:  In the workshop we will look at the lives of 1st, 3rd, and 6th century saints. We will examine how each saint’s character can lead us as we work to transform social conflicts. You will have the opportunity to reflect on their lives while virtually visiting locations on the Farmashramonastery in the Appalachian

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March 10, 2024

Entering Silence Through Breath Prayer ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Blessing for Silence and Solitude* Holy Source of Silence, beneath the clatter and din of the everyday you offer your mysteries to our hearts. You call us to pause, to slow down and listen to the true longing planted in each of us by you, a seed of holy desire. Support us in letting go of the inner and outer noise. Open wide in us a sacred cave for stillness where we can attune to your presence. Enliven us with the gift of your sweet music and allow us to encounter your holy presence flaming in each of our hearts.

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March 3, 2024

St. Gobnait and the Place of Resurrection ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks and artists, Our featured self-study this month has been our virtual Celtic pilgrimage honoring Saints Brigid, Ciaran, and Gobnait. The pandemic inspired many new creative offerings and the virtual pilgrimages have been a favorite. (We have a brand new Celtic pilgrimage coming in late April for Beltaine where you can join us live for 9 days).  I only learned about St. Gobnait after moving to Ireland, but she is perhaps one of my favorite of the Irish saints. She is a fifth- and sixth-century monk who fled her home in County Clare and headed first for the island of Insheer. It is

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February 25, 2024

Sister Thea Bowman ~ A Love from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks and artists, We are very excited to be hosting ValLimar Jansen this Friday for a mini-retreat. She is an extraordinary musician and performer and has a special love for Sister Thea Bowman, a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration and prophetic witness to the Black American Catholic experience who worked to break down racial and cultural barriers. ValLimar wrote a musical to celebrate Sister Thea’s life.  ValLimar shares this reflection with us that she wrote originally for Liguori Publications:  Sister Thea Bowman was a trailblazing African American Catholic religious sister. She was a powerful voice for social justice and a passionate

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February 18, 2024

Fasting and the Three Renunciations ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks and artists, This week begins our Lenten journey through the desert of our hearts. If you want to make an intentional pilgrimage with kindred spirits, we invite you to join our companion retreat to my book A Different Kind of Fast, where we explore different kinds of fasting including from speed and productivity and from craving certainty.  This is an excerpt from the introduction of the book: One of the early teachings of the Christian church I find helpful to understand fasting is from John Cassian who talks about three renunciations. Cassian, an early theologian in the Christian church, writes

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February 11, 2024

Upcoming Programs

Sustainers Circle 2024-2025
Sustainers Circle 2024-2025
1 Aug 24
Calling on the Sacred Feminine for Times of Unravelling
Calling on the Sacred Feminine for Times of Unravelling
15 Aug 24
Tea with the Abbess
Tea with the Abbess
16 Aug 24

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