I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Julia Casciola’s reflection, “Feather on the Breath of God.” The monk archetype has long been my comfort zone; I have been a lover of silence, solitude, beauty, nature, prayer and listening, while working in the world and being a mother. It has also been a dream of mine to create a small green monastery in the mountains near where I live. But it has changed; I cannot say that I am living as a monk-in-the-world. It feels instead

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to our Monk in the World Guest Post series from the community. Read for Elaine Breckenridge’s reflection on the Refuge Practice. “The Spirit will bring the selves of the self into a unity around the center of the indwelling Christ. The New Self will be a kind of inner community based on the principle of love in which there is room for everyone.” -Martin Smith, A Season for the Spirit, Cowley Publications,1991 Thanks to Martin Smith, Thomas Merton, Richard Rohr, Christine Valters Paintner; I have thought about the selves of the self for

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to our Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Bianca Esquivel’s reflection on prayer and work. “Prayer is work and work can become prayer.” ~  St. Benedict When I was a child, I would observe my mother in the act of various homemaking duties. Whether washing dishes, cooking, sweeping, or driving my brother and me to school, she always seemed to be at peace. She would be in silence and would be so focused on each task. In my naivete, and because we were always laughing and

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to our Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Frank Faine’s reflection God’s invitations. There she sat in a bright pink flowered dress, with a beige knit hat, thinning white hair underneath.  Pulling over a chair beside her in the day room of her assisted living facility, I spotted the vacant smile of many of the Alzheimer’s patients I spend my days visiting as a hospice chaplain. Making direct eye contact I introduced myself to Gertie in simple words to tell her who I was and

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to our Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Carmen Brown’s reflection on welcoming the Inner Critic. Christine Valters Paintner’s reflections and writings both challenge and soothe me like no other. This emotional juxtaposition often compels me to take the painful first step on a contemplative pilgrimage into self-discovery and love.  After reading Paintner’s reflection about welcoming all parts of ourselves as sacred, I realized that I had not been especially hospitable to my Inner Critic. I wondered if it was even possible for this tormenting,

We welcome you to submit your reflection for possible publication in our Monk in the World guest post series. It is a gift to read how ordinary people are living lives of depth and meaning in the midst of the challenges of real life. There are so many talented writers and artists in this Abbey community, so this is a chance to share your perspective. The link to the reflection will be included in our weekly newsletter which goes out to thousands of subscribers. Please follow these instructions carefully: Please click this link to read a selection of the posts and get a feel for the

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to our Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Michele Chung’s reflection, “Always We Begin Again.” I first learned about this phrase “begin again” right here on Abbey of the Arts. It is the best piece of wisdom for a recovering perfectionist like me. The idea to “begin again” gave me permission to stop the incessant self-criticism and this obsession to dwell on my latest “failed” attempts. It reminded me to focus on moving forward in my journey. Growth is often a dance that takes three