I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Maria Rodgers O’Rourke’s reflection on Morning Pages. Morning Pages saved my life. They started with The Artist’s Way and are now central to my “Monk in the World practice.” Here’s my story. Years ago, as a new wife and mother, mornings meant a deluge of To-Do’s and anxiety. Waking from a dream, after a few tender moments of peace and clarity, my brain chattered away with tasks and regrets. I wanted nothing more than to pull the

Abbey of the Arts presents our newest DVD offering 13 contemplative prayer dances for every-body created by Betsey Beckman and one poem video! All Teaching and Dance-Along videos are filmed outdoors to invite you into the joy of encountering the Divine in nature. Through embodied prayer, celebrate Earth as our original cathedral, scriptures, saints, spiritual director, icon, sacrament and liturgy. Move with the gifts of Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Pray with Saint Gobnait, Saint Francis, and walk with beauty in honor of the Diné Navajo tradition. The DVD accompanies the CD, Earth, Our Original Monastery: Singing Our Way to

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Keren Dibbens–Wyatt’s reflection, “Hidden Treasures.” I have long been nurtured and consoled by the life and writings of the 14th Century English Saint, Julian of Norwich. On what she thought was her deathbed, Julian, aged thirty, received a series of visions. They came whilst gazing on the crucifix brought along by a boy attending the priest who gave her the last rites. She survived her illness and spent the rest of her life meditating on the feast of

with Christine Valters Paintner July 11, 2020 – 9am-12noon Pacific time Join us for this session where we will explore writing as a spiritual practice. Christine will guide you through different exercises to help you yield to the process of writing as a journey of discovery, rather than holding too tightly to the end product. In this way words become maps and help us to encounter new parts of ourselves, our calling, and our relationship to the divine. We will engage in both free writing and poetry writing and all are welcome regardless of level of experience. This is a

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Michael Schoenhofer’s reflection “Awe.” Awe: It’s a key to well-being “an overwhelming feeling of  reverence, admiration, wonder produced by that which is grand, sublime, powerful. . .” (Dictionary.com ). Joshua Tree National Park My wife Mary and I traveled out west for a little sunshine and warmth during the last week of January. Our aim was to walk the trails in Joshua Tree National Park near Palm Springs, California. We flew to Las Vegas, rented a car,

We have collectively entered into a time and space of threshold, when the old has fallen away and the new has not yet come into being. In the Celtic imagination, thresholds were places where the veil between heaven and earth was especially thin and so we had access to a deeper connection with the spiritual wisdom of the divine, of the saints and mystics, and of our ancestors. Paraclete Press invited Christine Valters Paintner to speak about Celtic wisdom for the times we are in. Below is the recording of the session which includes teaching, meditation, and poetry. This is

We have a brand new album out now with 14 beautiful songs to cultivate our intimacy with Earth. So grateful to our musicians Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, Simon de Voil, Betsey Beckman, Lorraine Bayes, and Peter Mayer for sharing their gifts with Abbey of the Arts. The album accompanies Christine’s newest book and soon there will be dances to accompany all the songs as well!  The album is available as a CD or a digital download. Special discount if you purchase the digital download of all three of our albums.  Order the album as digital download or CD here>>