Thresholds: “Infinitely Enlarge Your Life”
And you wait, you wait for that one thing that will infinitely enlarge your life; the gigantic, the stupendous, the awakening of stones, depths turned round toward you. The volumes bound in rust and gold flicker dimly on the shelves; and you think of lands traveled across, of paintings, of the clothes of women found […]
Make friends with sunflowers
Hello beautiful monk friends, I have been relishing my summer sabbath time, savoring the sweetness of so many goodbyes. When I chose the word “savor” for this year (or more accurately, when it chose me) I had no idea that I would be spending several weeks without a home or car, saying goodbye to many […]
The Great Migration
It is the time of the great migrations; wild winged ones fly in ragged formations away from the summer fields of plenty, down from the tundra, up from the tropics, ordinary hearts beating against the winds, resisting the updrafts, into the storms, through the autumnal fogs that hide the hunters and the seductions of rest; […]
It’s not too late to make a journey through the desert!
My four-week online class on the Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers has begun over at Spirituality and Practice, if you want to join us it is not too late. You can still register and once you log on you will be able to read any emails from the first couple of days you might have […]
A new interview with me about spiritual direction at Anam Cara
The lovely Tara at Anam Cara has interviewed me about spiritual direction. Here is an excerpt: Introduce yourself to the Anam Cara readers. Who are you? Where do you live? What do you do other than spiritual direction? I am Christine Valters Paintner and I live in Seattle, WA with my husband and my canine […]
Welcoming in Tenderness
Last fall I participated in a two-week yoga teacher training retreat through the Samarya Center, a wonderful non-profit yoga studio here in Seattle that is committed to making yoga accessible to everyone. In addition to their regular offering of classes to the general public, they also offer yoga to those in hospice, to veterans, to […]
Abbey Bookshelf – Simplifying the Soul: Lenten Practices to Renew Your Spirit
*Leave a comment on this post in the comment section below and enter a random drawing for a free copy of Simplifying the Soul: Lenten Practices to Renew Your Spirit* I am a big fan of Paula Huston’s work. Her book The Holy Way: Practices for a Simple Life is one of my favorites and […]