I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Karen Johnston’s reflection on the chapel of the heart: “I welcome silence. It is a quiet cushion in between everything that captures gentle fluidity. It’s where I become satisfied with the riches of nothing and wear the jewels of the empty. It’s where magnificent infinity is amplified and my awareness becomes keen to truth. Yet, oddly, it is a villain who has escorted me into this great simplicity. The noisy world has forced me to know my truest self. The

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Naomi Kelly’s reflection on lessons from a contemplative walk: “Earlier this summer, my friend and I embarked on a series of contemplative walks in the Adirondack mountains of Upstate New York that she called “Yoga Hikes.” While scoping out some new trails, we visited a small creek near Whetstone Gulf State Park.  At first, the creek’s wide banks were inviting us to walk along and enjoy the vegetation.  There were – birds feet, timothy and clover, the types of grass

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Barb Morris’ reflection on The Way of No Way: “I hate not knowing — now knowing how to do something, not knowing where I am, not knowing what’s going to happen. Like many of us, I’m attached to competence and control. My spiritual focus these days is being in “not-knowing” and being okay with that. I find this difficult. Is it easy for anyone? In the spring of 2014, my husband and I walked the Camino Francés, an ancient pilgrimage

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for George Anugs’ reflection the holy and creative process of working with a lathe: “Although the following spiritual practice is written in the form of a recipe, it’s aim is not to be a how-to-guide. It merely demonstrates that in our spiritual nourishment, often overlooked ingredients can play a major role.   Ingredients: A workshop A lathe (other machinery will do as well, but I find the rhythm and sound of the lathe to be soothing) A turning job (not job

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Meg Watson’s reflection initiation & ritual: After 72 years of life, I am finally beginning to understand how important it is to have rites of initiation.  I wrote before about two of the rituals I perform each day, i.e. making my bed and washing dishes.  But as I was remembering a conversation I had with a friend today, I suddenly began to understand what rites of initiation are really about: they are meant to make life sacred. I was thinking

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 reflection will be included in our weekly newsletter which goes out to more than 10,000 subscribers. Please follow these instructions carefully: Details: Please click this link to read a selection of the posts and get a feel for the tone