Two months from today (May 17-22, 2009) a dozen or so participants will gather at the beautiful Hood Canal (see photo above) in the height of spring here in the Northwest for five days of creative awakening.  I have been co-teaching this program with the delightful Betsey Beckman for four years now (and a previous variation for those in ministry for five years prior) and it is one of my favorite things to teach. In the program we offer tools and experiences of entering into the arts — visual art, poetry, movement, storytelling, and song — to claim them for

Thank you for the notes I have been receiving inquiring about the Abbess after her surgery last week.  She is recovering quite well, after a few days of extra sleepiness and soreness she returned to her usual spunky self.  Her stitches will be in for another week.  The medical report indicates that this tumor, like the one removed in late November, was indeed cancer.  But also like the previous one it is classified as low-grade with clean margins (meaning it looks like it was all removed).  My concern is, of course, that another mammary tumor developed so soon after the

I started coming down with a cough/cold thing that is going around on Wednesday and despite my best efforts and a full arsenal of resistance — Wellness Formula, Immunity Tea, raw garlic, and rest — I am fully sick today.  Sigh.  The worst part is that Betsey Beckman and I had a wonderful retreat day planned for tomorrow on Mary Magdalene.  Since hacking and sneezing my way through the day doesn’t sound very pleasant for the participants or me, we are postponing it until Saturday, February 21st and I will be spending the weekend in bed practicing the necesary humility of

Dearest friends, thank you so much for the prayers for Petunia’s surgery today.  The surgery went well, the doctor thinks she was able to remove all of the growth.  Tune has a four-inch scar up her belly but seems to be doing okay. Now we wait.  The biopsy results could come in as early as Wednesday or in a week’s time.  Sigh. In the meantime she’ll continue to be doted upon in the manner to which she has become accustomed.

Experiential Education for Spiritual Directors in the Expressive Arts Betsey Beckman and I have scheduled new dates for our next offering of this wonderful program.  Consider joining us May 17-22, 2009 on the beautiful Hood Canal for five days of creative exploration and deep discovery through storytelling, poetry writing, visual art-making, movement, and song. The International Expressive Arts Therapy Association defines the expressive arts as “combin(ing) the visual arts, movement, drama, music, writing and other creative processes to foster deep personal growth and community development. . . By integrating the arts processes and allowing one to flow into another, we

I have been listening a lot these days.  My life feels full and rich and I am also feeling a bit gluttonous for wanting it all, not really wanting to say no to anything.  There is a playful, exuberant little girl inside of me relishing the sheer abundance of possibility. And yet there is also my inner hermit who hears the call of spaciousness, the invitation to make sure in the coming months as my work energy shifts and continues to pick up speed, that I also have time to spend with my beloved, with my dear Abbess, with my amazing friends, and oh yes, time just

Today I am continuing our theme this week of illumination.  Several weeks ago I did my Sacred Artist Interview with Jan Richardson.   I shared the kinship I have felt with Jan because of her love of illuminated manuscript and the way they serve as inspiration for her own work.  Several years ago Phil Cousineau edited these two wonderful books (which you can still find used copies of) — The Soul of the World: A Modern Book of Hours and The Soul Aflame: A Modern Book of Hours, which was really the first place I had ever seen anyone create a contemporary version of