Pentecost and Holy Surprise ~ A Love Note from your Online Abbess
Dearest monks and artists, “What is serious to men is often very trivial in the sight of God. What in God might appear to us as ‘play’ is perhaps what He Himself takes most seriously. At any rate the Lord plays and diverts Himself in the garden of His creation, and if we could let […]
Feast of St. Brendan the Navigator ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
Dearest monks and artists, Tuesday, May 16this the Feast of St. Brendan, one of my favorite of the Irish saints. His story embodies the journey of the pilgrim. Here is an excerpt from my book Illuminating the Way: Embracing the Wisdom of Monks and Mystics. Help me to journey beyond the familiar and into the unknown. […]
Falling in Love with the Monastic Way ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
Dearest monks and artists, With our online retreat Way of the Monk, Path of the Artist starting later this month, I offer you an excerpt from the introduction to The Artist’s Rule which shares a bit of my story of how I came to this work of bringing the contemplative and creative paths together: “You may […]
What is Blossoming Within You? (continued) ~ A Love Note from your Online Abbess
Dearest monks and artists, The fertility of spring speaks of an abundantly creative God who is at the source of the potent life force beating at the heart of the world. Created in God’s image, we are called to participate in this generous creativity ourselves. Our own blossoming leads us to share our gifts with […]
What is Blossoming Within You? ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
Dearest monks and artists, It takes time to see. Around us the world is exploding in a celebration of new life and we may miss much of it in our seriousness to get the important things of life done. Lynn Ungar has a wonderful poem titled “Camas Lilies” in which she writes: “And you—what of […]
Easter Blessings: Practicing Resurrection ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
Dearest monks and artists, Lent is a powerful season of transformation. Forty days in the desert, stripped of our comforts, and buoyed by our commitment to daily practice so that we might arrive at the celebration of Easter deepened and renewed. But often, we arrive at the glorious season of resurrection and celebrate for that […]
Spring Equinox Blessings ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
Dearest monks and artists, The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. —Isaiah 35:1-2 I believe deeply that the seasons have a great deal of spiritual wisdom to offer us if we make space to […]