A Blessing for Creativity ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
A Blessing for Creativity*Spirit of Holy Imagination,we ask you to bless our visionwith the wisdom to see what is possible.Help us trust our desire to createthrough color, word, shape, gesture, and song.When our fingers trembleat picking up a pen or marker,connect us to the joy of playingon the white page,drawing, doodling, dabbling, dreaming,letting our livesbe […]
A Spirituality of Blessing: A 21-Day Self-Study Retreat
A 21-day self-study retreat led by Christine Valters Paintner and guest teachers to guide you through the spiritual practice of blessing.
Monk in the World Guest Post: Kathleen Deyer Bolduc
I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Kathleen Deyer Bolduc’s reflection Light in the Darkness. One of my favorite scriptures—one that I repeat to myself often—is from the book of John: “The light shines in the darkness, and the […]
Advent Invitations ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims, Today the sacred season of Advent begins! We stand at the threshold of a potent time when we are invited to move inward to listen to the Divine presence in a deeper way and then stand in the wonder of holy birthing for the Christmas season. Thresholds are powerful […]
Monk in the World Guest Post: Elaine Patterson
I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest posts series from the community. Read on for Elaine Patterson’s reflection on walking labyrinths. Pilgrims are poets who create by taking journeys. ~ H. Richard Niebuhr I have always thought of myself as a ‘pilgrim’. I have never thought of […]
Returning from Sabbatical ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims, My time of sabbatical from teaching is come to a close. During my writing time I was able to complete two manuscripts: a fourth collection of poetry titled What Enters Through the Open Heart (to be published by Monkfish Publishing in fall 2026) and a book of devotions for the Easter […]
Monk in the World Guest Post: Kate Kennington Steer
I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Kate Kennington Steer’s reflection, poem, and artwork on the elements. I am currently spending a year exploring the elements in the company of the Kinship Photography Collective. My practice group (a special mix of […]