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Reflections

Category: Dance Party Invitation

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Invitation to Dance: The Deer’s Cry

We continue our theme this month of “The Deer’s Cry” which arose from our Community Lectio Divina practice with the Ash Wednesday passage from Joel and continued with this month’s Photo Party and Poetry Party. I invite you into a movement practice.  Allow yourself just 5 minutes this day to pause and listen and savor what arises. Begin with a full minute of slow and deep breathing.  Let your breath bring your awareness down into your body.  When thoughts come up, just let them go and return to your breath. Hold the images from the prayer as the gentlest of intentions, planting a seed as you prepare to step into

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Abbey of the Arts celebrates 10 years in 2016 ~ A love note from your online abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, I have been savoring some time of reflection over these midwinter days. Now is an especially ripe opportunity for looking back and forward because in 2016 Abbey of the Arts celebrates its 10th anniversary of ministry and service. In many ways the Abbey began years before 2006, as the seeds were planted in my years of teaching high school and working as a campus minister, then going on to pursue my PhD in Christian spirituality, study spiritual direction and expressive arts, and my early years living in Seattle listening for how to bring the things I loved most together. Our existence as a virtual monastery and global community, however, began

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Invitation to Dance: Kinship with Creation – How might you nourish an Earth-cherishing consciousness?

We continue our theme this month of “Kinship with Creation” which arose from our Community Lectio Divina practice with the passage from Psalm 104 and continued with this month’s Photo Party and Poetry Party. I invite you into a movement practice.  Allow yourself just 5 minutes this day to pause and listen and savor what arises. Begin with a full minute of slow and deep breathing.  Let your breath bring your awareness down into your body.  When thoughts come up, just let them go and return to your breath. Hold this image of “Kinship with Creation” as the gentlest of intentions, planting a seed as you prepare to step into

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Invitation to Dance: Community – Who is your tribe?

We continue our theme this month of “Community — Who is your tribe?” which arose from our Community Lectio Divina practice with the story from the Third Principle of the Monk Manifesto and continued with this month’s Photo Party and Poetry Party. I invite you into a movement practice.  Allow yourself just 5 minutes this day to pause and listen and savor what arises. Begin with a full minute of slow and deep breathing.  Let your breath bring your awareness down into your body.  When thoughts come up, just let them go and return to your breath. Hold this question of “Who is my tribe?” as the gentlest of intentions, planting

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Invitation to Dance: Thomas Merton on Silence

We continue our theme this month of “Silence” which arose from our Community Lectio Divina practice with the quote from Thomas Merton and continued with this month’s Photo Party and Poetry Party. I invite you into a movement practice.  Allow yourself just 5 minutes this day to pause and listen and savor what arises. Begin with a full minute of slow and deep breathing.  Let your breath bring your awareness down into your body.  When thoughts come up, just let them go and return to your breath. Hold this image of “Silence” as the gentlest of intentions, planting a seed as you prepare to step into the dance. Play the

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Invitation to Dance: Honoring Saints & Ancestors

We continue our theme this month of “Honoring Saints & Ancestors: which arose from our Community Lectio Divina practice with the letter to the Hebrews and continued with this month’s Photo Party and Poetry Party. I invite you into a movement practice.  Allow yourself just 5 minutes this day to pause and listen and savor what arises. Begin with a full minute of slow and deep breathing.  Let your breath bring your awareness down into your body.  When thoughts come up, just let them go and return to your breath. Hold this image of our “Saints & Ancestors” as the gentlest of intentions, planting a seed as you prepare

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Invitation to Dance: Letting Go

We continue our theme this month of “Letting Go” which arose from our Community Lectio Divina practice with the story from the Gospel of Luke and continued with this month’s Photo Party and Poetry Party. I invite you into a movement practice.  Allow yourself just 5 minutes this day to pause and listen and savor what arises. Begin with a full minute of slow and deep breathing.  Let your breath bring your awareness down into your body.  When thoughts come up, just let them go and return to your breath. Hold this image of “Letting Go” as the gentlest of intentions, planting a seed as you prepare to step into

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