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Reflections

Category: Prayer Cycle

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Prayer Cycle Day 1 Morning and Evening Prayer

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, We are thrilled to release our third prayer cycle with the theme of Birthing the Holy! Inspired by my latest book Birthing the Holy: Wisdom from Mary to Nurture Creativity and Renewal, this free resource honours 14 of the 33 names of Mary explored in the book. The text for all seven days of the prayer cycle is available now. We will release the companion audio podcasts for morning and evening prayer weekly for the next 7 weeks. The video podcasts will be available in winter 2023. We are also releasing a Birthing the Holy companion album which includes 16 songs for Mary, 14

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Monk Manifesto + Updated Artwork ~ A Love Note From Your Online Abbess

Dearest monk, artists, and pilgrims, I want to share a brand new video for our Monk Manifesto principles! We originally had our wonderful companion illustrations created about twelve years ago. They were delightful but in recent times, with our own growing awareness, we have realized they could be even more inclusive of a diversity of people than they were. Abbey of the Arts is committed to its own ongoing growth and transformation! See principle #7 of conversion which is all about being on a lifelong journey of discovery.   So we were delighted to find illustrator Quynh Nguyen and loved her playful, colorful style (she

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Monk in the World Video Podcasts (Conversion) ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, Today we offer you the gift of morning and evening prayer from our Monk in the World Video Podcasts on the theme of Conversion. Conversion may sound harsh to some ears, especially when it comes from a place of wanting others to be different, to be changed. In the Benedictine tradition, however, conversion is about a lifelong commitment to our own transformation. It is acknowledging that we are always growing and learning, we have never fully “arrived.” Conversion is a commitment to always beginning again, to know that we will falter in our passion and

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Monk in the World Video Podcasts (Work)

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, We have our newest Monk in the World Prayer Cycle video podcasts available for you this week on the principle of meaningful work. Follow the links above for morning and evening prayer.  I am also hosting a book launch tomorrow (October 25th) for my newest book Breath Prayer: An Ancient Practice for the Everyday Sacred. I will be joined by Simon de Voil who will be offering his gift of music and Jamie Marich who will lead us in a short dancing mindfulness practice connected to breath. I will be talking about the roots of breath prayer and leading us

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Monk in the World Video Podcasts (Community) ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, We continue our exploration of the Monk in the World Prayer Cycle Video Podcasts with morning and evening prayer for Day 3: Community. The reflection below comes from my new book Breath Prayer: An Ancient Practice for the Everyday Sacred which was released in the US and Canada on Oct 12th.  I see you with love gifted, cherished. Grateful for who you are. How often do we really see another person as the beautiful gift they are? Perhaps this happens sometimes with those we love, where we are caught in a moment of grace and see them

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Monk in the World Video Podcasts (Hospitality) + Breath Prayer ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, We continue our exploration of the Monk in the World Prayer Cycle Video Podcasts with morning and evening prayer for Day 2: Hospitality. Hospitality invites us to welcome the stranger both within and without. The ancient practice of breath prayer is a lovely way to engage with the principle of hospitality. The reflection below comes from my new book Breath Prayer: An Ancient Practice for the Everyday Sacred to be released in the US and Canada on Oct 12th.  I surrender the ache, and the worry. Breathe in stillness, breathe out anxiety. Monks used to awaken

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Monk in the World Video Podcasts being released! ~A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, We are thrilled to start releasing the Monk in the World Video Podcasts today beginning with Day 1 on Silence and Solitude. We will bring you morning and evening prayer for each day over the next seven weeks. Inspired by the principles of the Monk Manifesto we created the 7-day prayer cycle in the spring and released the audio podcasts then. Now we are adding the video versions – created by Betsey Beckman – for those of you who prefer visual guidance and want to dance along with the gesture prayers Betsey has created for each song and prayer

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