Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims, This Friday, June 13th we are delighted to welcome Wisdom Council member and award winning translator Carmen Acevedo Butcher to lead us in a retreat on Brother Lawrence and the Practice of the Presence. Read on for Carmen’s reflection Courageous Brother Lawrence and His Easy Practice. In the Paris of King Louis XIV, Brother Lawrence was little noticed. Born Nicolas Herman into poverty, he was uneducated, a disabled war veteran, and the cook for a local monastery. Over 300 years later, though, his Practice of the Presence is beloved for its easy-on-the-heart wisdom for living with love and

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, Last spring I received an email from my editor at Broadleaf Books to connect me with Carmen Acevedo Butcher who had a new translation of Brother Lawrence’s writings out. That connection was such a gift as I have been a fan of Carmen’s work for years, having especially loved her work with the women mystics.  We went on to record a conversation about The Practice of the Presence for our book club and found Carmen to be not only a wise teacher of contemplative practice, but a beautiful human being full of kindness and enthusiasm. A friendship