A Midwinter God: Encountering the Divine in Seasons of Darkness

Registration Fee: $150 USD

Program Description

Our western culture denies the reality of difficult feelings, demonizes the experience of darkness, and rejects the invitation of winter to move into a place of unknowing and mystery. Our religious institutions don’t leave any room for the experience of doubt and despair. Certainty, planning, and achievement always trump unknowing, mystery, unfolding, and fallowness. We are encouraged to move full steam ahead through every season, never taking time to rest.

The seasons of the year offer us a profound invitation to embrace the gift of darkness and mystery, and to honor what I call the Midwinter God. John of the Cross describes one aspect of this experience as the dark night of the soul which is a spiritual journey of having one’s attachments stripped away.

In the midst of anxiety and distress, how might we begin to cultivate our ability to stay awake and present through the dark night of the soul we experience both individually and collectively?

What gifts might emerge from creating safe holding spaces for folks to do their own deep inner work, wrestling with the shadows, expressing grief, and embracing the mysteries of life?

This journey asks us to cultivate an ability to be with life’s questions.

This online retreat in particular requires that participants come with a certain amount of spiritual maturity and experience, as well as a willingness to plumb some dark depths in a container of support. We recommend having a soul friend or spiritual director with whom you can process what emerges in this material.

You will need to purchase a copy of Christine’s book A Midwinter God: Encountering the Divine in Seasons of Darkness.

You have lifetime access to all online programs.

What's Included

Six days a week you receive an email with a link to the day’s content. The materials are in written, video, and/or audio format which you can view and listen to at any time. The seventh day is a day for rest and integration.
6 webinar recordings with Christine and music from Simon de Voil (audio and video)
6 Somatic Resourcing Practices with Aisling Richmond (audio and video)
6 Mindful Movement Practices with Jamie Marich (video)
6 Guided Meditations with Christine (audio)
6 Guest Teacher Conversations with Dr. Jamie Marich, Dr. Jamie Eaddy, Brother Richard Hendrick, Dr. Christena Cleveland, and Lydia Violet Harutoonian (audio and video)
6 Written Guest Teacher Reflections from Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, Jamie Marich, Simon de Voil, Kayce Hughlett, Melissa Layer, and Michael Moore
6 Creative Explorations and Reflections (From the companion book)
Closed captioning and transcripts
You have lifetime access to all online programs.

Weekly Themes

Week 1:

The Gifts of Winter and Darkness

When we approach life through the rhythms of creation, we begin to see that winter is an essential part of the cycle of life. Our experience of flowering and fullness is punctuated by seasons of releasing and resting.

Week 2

Spiritual Bypassing and Shadow Work

Spiritual bypassing means using spiritual concepts to avoid dealing with difficult feelings. Central to this work of honoring our winter seasons is to learn to welcome our emotions with compassion. We are also called to tend to our shadow selves as voices longing for expression.

Week 3

Grief as Holy Path

Grief is a sacred sign of how much we have loved, whether a person, a place, a dream, our abilities, or other beings. Tending grief is a vital part of the journey and helps us to honor what has been lost.

Week 4

The Apophatic Path or Way of Unknowing

John of the Cross describes the dark night of the soul as a time when God seems to become absent. We must learn to walk the way of unknowing into the seasons of deeper mystery as they ultimately lead us to a more mature and enriched understanding of the divine.

Week 5

The Compassionate, Fierce, Dark Feminine

One of Mary’s faces is as Mother of Sorrows, she being one who has experienced her own terrible losses. She is also depicted as the Black Madonna of fierceness and compassion. In many religious traditions, it is the goddess or sacred feminine who embodies the journey to the Underworld.

Week 6

The Transformative Mythic Journey

We will explore the archetypes of Orphan, Destroyer, and Sovereign and the journey of Persephone to the Underworld to support us in our own movement from victimization to embodying our power.

Your Guides for the Journey

Christine Valters Paintner

Christine Valters Paintner is the online Abbess and director of AbbeyoftheArts.com, a virtual monastery exploring contemplative practice, creative expression, and ways to nourish an earth-cherishing consciousness. She is a spiritual director, teacher, pilgrimage guide, Benedictine oblate, and author of numerous books on spirituality and the arts. Her deepest belief is that the earth is the original monastery–a wisdom guide and mentor in living a soulful and vibrant life. Visit the “About Christine” page for more information.

Aisling Richmond

Aisling Richmond is a Somatic Therapist and transformative guide who is deeply inspired by nature and the wisdom of the soul. Aisling is currently undertaking a PhD in Psychology and Transformative Leadership to work with cultural change. She shares a home with her partner in the rugged wildness of Donegal, North West Ireland. Aisling works as a therapist, supporting people to resolve trauma and life challenges through body-psyche-soul wisdom. She also mentors people in finding their deep soul purpose, and teaches a rich range of transformative programs online. Aisling is passionate about soul centred living, where nature and the feminine are deeply valued. Having worked collaboratively with many organisations including Amnesty International, Aisling has also been a guest lecturer with both Galway and Limerick Universities. Visit Aisling’s website here.

Jamie Marich

Jamie Marich, Ph.D., LPCC-S, REAT, RYT-500, RMT travels internationally speaking on topics related to EMDR therapy, trauma, addiction, expressive arts, LGBTQ issues, spirituality and mindfulness while maintaining a private practice in her home base of Northeast Ohio. Jamie is also the developer of the Dancing Mindfulness expressive arts practice. Jamie is the author of several books including Dancing Mindfulness: A Creative Path to Healing and Transformation (2015, with foreword by Christine Valters Paintner) and Process Not Perfection: Expressive Arts Solutions for Trauma Recovery released in 2019, heavily influenced by the growth she has experienced through her study with Abbey of the Arts! Now primarily a North Atlantic Book author, she has recently released Trauma and the 12 Steps: An Inclusive Guide to Recovery (2020), Transforming Trauma with Jiu-Jitsu (2022), Dissociation Made Simple: A Stigma-Free Guide to Embracing Your Dissociative Mind and Navigating Life (2023), and You Lied to Me About God: A Memoir (2024). Visit Jamie’s website here.

Simon de Voil

Reverend Simon Ruth de Voil is an interfaith-interspiritual minister, sacred musician, spiritual counsellor, and chaplain. His sacred work—both musical and interpersonal—explores themes of the inner landscape of the soul, the enchantment of the natural world, and the healing power of spiritual practice. As a chaplain and counsellor, Simon helps individuals and groups connect sacred presence with everyday life. Simon is also a transgender activist and a luthier in training. Visit Simon’s website here.

Guest Teachers

Dr. Christena Cleveland is the author of God is a Black Woman, a social psychologist, public theologian, and activist. She is the founder and director of the Center for Justice + Renewal which supports a more equitable world by nurturing skillful justice advocacy and the depth to act on it.

Dr. Jamie Eaddy is the founder and principal of Thoughtful Transitions and the creative mind and heart behind The Ratchet Grief Project™. She is a healer, thanatologist, traumatologist, theologian, author, and innovative educator.

Kayce Stevens Hughlett, MA LMHC is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Spiritual Director, Life Coach, Speaker/Facilitator, and co-creator of SoulStrolling® ~ a movement for mindfulness in motion, at home or abroad. She is the author of three books including SoulStroller: experiencing the weight, whispers, & wings of the world.

Lydia Violet Harutoonian is a musician, composer, scholar, teacher, and social justice advocate. She founded and runs the School for the Great Turning.

Melissa Layer is a psychospiritual therapist, hospice grief counselor, and spiritual director whose work focuses on unfolding journeys of our wild and precious lives as compelling invitations for creative, integrative meaning-making in BodyMindSpirit.

Michael Moore is a writer, photographer, retired USAF Chaplain and a retired pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA) who currently lives in Mobile, Alabama with his wife and partner in life and ministry, Denise.

Brother Richard Hendrick is a Capuchin Franciscan priest-friar, living and working in Ireland. He also teaches Christian meditation and mindfulness, and works with the Sanctuary Spirituality Centre in inner city Dublin.

Richard Bruxvoort Colligan is a Psalmist, spiritual director, freelance musician, and frequent contributor to Abbey programs

Praise for the Course

It's Easter Monday and I am sad to see the end of this Creative Flourishing retreat, but oh so grateful for the multi-layered experience. I made the decision to take this journey at the last minute, but with great conviction it would deepen my Christian life. I had no idea what it would be like. It was like nothing I have experienced before. Thank you to Christine for originating the idea and doing such a thoughtful and tender job of guiding us through this journey. My deepest joy was to reconnect with the artist within me. The art literally flowed from me. Like living water. A well-spring fed by Christ himself.

Laurie Wagner

I'll be stepping into the season of Easter and spring with more ease, joy and awake from having prayed with, reflected on, moved with and daily witnessing of the mandalas during the past five and one half weeks. Thank you Christine for your vision, knowledge, design and guidance throughout this Lenten season; Hildegard of Bingen is now a living Saint for me. Betsey, i've become more embodied, through participating in your interpretations of Hildegard in dance and chant. This spiritual community has filled my heart with divine blessings. I will pass these blessings on.

Beatrice Randall

I'm so grateful for this retreat. It has been the most amazing experience of learning and growth, spiritually, artistically, and emotionally. Most of which I was not expecting when I signed up. Christine, I want to thank you again for this amazing Lent retreat. It was a joy, honor and privilege to attend. This has been an experience I won't soon forget. I've learned so much about myself and this process of healing through artistic expression. I look forward to doing more with you

Tamara Mapp

Thank you, Christine, for the best retreat I've ever experienced. I'm hooked on Hildegard! She will ever be part of my spirituality as she has added both depth and richness to my faith.

Evelyn Jackson

Sincere and grateful thanks for this marvelous retreat. Your guidance and song will live in my heart. Hildegard's presence has been a source of light and love. Your ministry is much appreciated. We are greener!

Mary Mason

This has been a very rich retreat. I have loved creating, singing, breathing, moving, reading and praying with you. Thank you.

Judith Bryan

My heart is so full. This has been the best retreat in my life.

Louise Thigpen

Registration

All prices displayed in USD.

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$150

Registration Fee

If you need a different payment plan or a scholarship to make this program accessible, please get in touch with us.

If you are in need of additional financial assistance please fill out our Scholarship Request form.

Purchase the Companion Book

The book is not included in the registration fee. You may purchase the book at the links below or at your local book seller. Thank you for your support!

Terms and Conditions

No refunds are provided for online program registrations.

Please consider your purchase carefully and review the many free materials we have on our website to make sure the program will be a good fit or get in touch with any questions.

You will have access to all the program materials for the lifetime of this website.

The registration fee is per person

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All video and audio was previously recorded live.

Some self-study retreats include video or audio recordings of sessions that were recorded in a live community offering of the retreat and may make reference to forums or other modes of sharing. Please disregard these as self-study retreats do not have these available.

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