Reflections

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Megan Karlen’s reflection on finding beauty in the most ordinary of places: It’s been a number of years since I signed up for Abbey of the Arts. I receive the newsletters, I read the love notes, I have worked through a few of the online courses and yet I’ve been waiting: waiting to find the right time to delve into practicing the monastic life. The call for guest bloggers got me thinking about how so much time has passed and

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Jacqui Avery’s reflection on the living as a monk in the world in the midst of anger: Despite numerous attempts over the years to create a more dramatic and exciting persona, the two words most commonly used to describe me continue to be ‘nice’ and ‘calm’. Whenever it comes up in conversation with people that I am interested in contemplative prayer, or that I can think of nothing more refreshing than going on a silent retreat, or that I get

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission for the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Heidi Hewett‘s reflection on the contemplative practice of doing puzzles: I have a variety of spiritual practices I use either daily or throughout my week: lectio divina, centering prayer, creativity, silence, and walking meditation, but one thing I am adopting into my “when I need it” spiritual practice toolbox is doing puzzles. Normally, I do not choose to do a puzzle, which is why I felt a divine nudge with this particular experience—and how it turned into an opportunity for