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

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Judith King’s reflection on a soulful entry into the day: Soul Breakfast Preparation time: 1 Good Night’s Sleep Cooking Time: 45 mins-1hour (For best results try 3-5 times per week) Ingredients 1 Gratitude statement per foot on the floor first thing 1 Mindful Minute at back door or best view window I Lemon Cleanse (glass of hot water, good squeeze of fresh lemon and 2-3tbsps cider vinegar) 1x The-Way-of-the-Three-Steps (Sr Jose Hobday, Plains Tribe Prayer) * 10-15 mins of Body

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Louise Crossgrove’s reflection on contemplative writing for social media: Being a Monk in the World – Does Facebook Count? This may seem odd as a practice, but I write and respond contemplatively to posts on Facebook. Until recently, my writing had all but stopped. I used to write on a daily basis in my journal. When family issues became more than consuming, the first thing to go was my creative energy. I had retired from full time nursing, though I

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Amy Livingstone’s reflection on creating beauty in a broken world: “Finding beauty in a broken world is creating beauty in the world we find.” – Terry Tempest Williams Being present to beauty and the sacredness of the creation is the ground of my contemplative and creative life: a cobalt blue, handmade ceramic teacup; rainbows twinkling on a canvas from the crystal hanging in the window on a sunny day; reading poetry under the Sweet Gum tree; or a tiny spider weaving

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Mary Anne Dorner’s reflection on aging with grace: Dyeing to be young . . . Reflections on turning 70 . . . I tell myself I am not like other women…I don’t spend endless hours prissing and preening myself in front of a mirror…nor do I spend countless hours at a gym working out on exercise machines, or doing jazzersize routines to pulsating music, or spinning for a time on a static bicycle. No…I would rather spend my morning hours