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

I didn’t end up finishing a post for yesterday because I have been getting ready for a two-week trip I am leaving on this Saturday.  For several months now I have been studying and working with Bowen Theory and some genealogical work as well.  I first started seeing a Jungian analyst for spiritual direction about a year ago, mainly to move more deeply into dream work.  The unexpected gift of our work together has been exploring family systems theory and then having an opportunity to participate in a workshop on it where I was able to go even deeper into the

On Monday I received a very disheartening email.  The bookstore at the Graduate Theological Union where I did my graduate studies will be closing its doors.  They simply can’t keep up with online retailers anymore.  It is such a fine source of theological resources and the fact that a university bookstore can’t stay open is very sad to me indeed. I think even sadder to me right now is recognizing my own culpability in this.  I buy a lot of books, and I buy most of them through Amazon.  I wholeheartedly believe in supporting independent bookstores and have often thought I would be

I adore poetry and often find it to be a source of profound wisdom as valuable to me as other sacred texts. I sometimes write them myself and post them, although they often stay tucked in the pages of my journal. I love to lead poetry-writing exercises in some of my retreat and training programs, and of course I adore hosting the Poetry Parties here at the Abbey where you, my splendidly creative readers, share your own poetic gifts so generously with me. I’m feeling inspired to make poetry-writing a more sustained practice in my quiet moments, so I am pulling some good books off of my

How refreshing a Sabbath day can be.  I feel a little more spaciousness in my soul, more light-heartedness about the work I still have to do. I spent much of the day lounging in pajamas and reading through some books I have had sitting on my shelf calling to me. (Does it count as work if the fruits of my lounging ends up here in this week’s edition of the Abbey Bookshelf?) :-) First, I found these delightful art journals at the website of Teesha Moore.  Teesha is the person behind ArtFest held each April in Port Townsend.  I had never been before and last

Thanks to everyone who has submitted their poems already for the Poetry Party!  11 participants on the very first day is a great showing.  Make sure to scroll down or click here to see the fun.  And make sure to check out Annie Thorndike’s wonderful poem, I think our youngest ever participant at the age of 9.  Annie is the daughter of Rebecca who participated in our recent Awakening the Creative Spirit program.  Remember you have until Friday to share your poems here and then I’ll draw one person’s name to win a small prize. In light of our celebration

Advent begins a week from today and it is one of my favorite liturgical seasons in the Christian tradition.  Advent begins the new church year and is a season about waiting, preparing, and birthing.  It also occurs at one of my favorite times of year, this slow descent toward winter and the solstice.  This autumn was beautiful in the Northwest, and I kept thinking maybe it was my favorite season, but these last couple of weeks the trees are revealing in their essence again and those bare branches and the sun low in the sky make my heart dance (and I