What is Blossoming Within You? (a love offering from the Abbey)
Dearest monks and pilgrims,
I am getting ready to travel for the next month in the U.S. and there are lots of details to tend to, so this week instead of a love note, I am bringing you a love offering.
Several years ago I self-published a series of small reflective art journals on different themes which included my own photography and art with reflections to ponder. I really loved making them and sending them out into the world.
Every so often, I get an email from someone who has found a copy and wants to order more because they love them so much, but sadly when we moved overseas, we didn't bring them with us. I am so grateful to each and every person who bought one of the physical copies.
I was looking in my archives the other day and realized that it is unlikely I will publish these in physical form again, so for now I am offering What is Blossoming Within You? as a free digital gift and love offering to you! Just download the PDF file and enjoy! Even if it isn't springtime where you live, perhaps there will be a blossoming in your soul sparked by your time of reflection.
These journals were created with much love and the hope that they would invite a time of slowing down and moving inward. They are perfect companions for times of retreat.
Please feel free to share the link to this post with others!
There are other reflective art journals in the series including:
Callings: Becoming Who You Already Are
Crossing the Threshold: New Year, New Beginnings
Illuminating Mystery: Creativity as a Spiritual Practice
and perhaps my favorite one of all - Season by the Sea: A Contemporary Book of Hours
Over the next several months, I will be offering these as free gifts in PDF format for you to savor and guide your reflection. Stay tuned for more love offerings to come. . .
As we enter this Holy Week in the Christian tradition, I send blessings for staying with the difficult things of this world. For me, this week ahead is an invitation to be present to grief and unknowing, as well as the joy and celebration to come.
Join us for a new Invitation to Photography on the theme of "Arise and bloom", another new and fabulous Monk in the World guest post by fellow monk in the world Morgana Morgaine, and an update from one of our Earth Monastery Project grant recipients creating a global dance video (plus grant applications are currently being accepted). We also have a wonderful post from herbalist Tonja Reichley on The Monk's Garden.
We also have two new online programs for summer! Join us for our brand new Novena of Resurrection: Earth as Our First Monastery (May 31-June 8 culminating on the feast of Pentecost) and Exile and Coming Home: An Archetypal Journey through Scripture (June 16-July 27). If you register for them both by May 12th, you also get a free self-study retreat as a bonus (click the links to see the options).
With great and growing love,
Christine
Photo: Cover of What is Blossoming Within You?
Summer Online Programs (and another free gift!)
We have two brand new programs coming in June!
The first is an online Novena of Resurrection – which is a 9-day prayer experience – we are celebrating resurrection and the earth as our first monastery. The retreat will culminate in the feast of Pentecost (and the arrival of the wild Spirit)! A beautiful way to honor the season of Easter or celebrate springtime. Several years ago, when I worked for the Ignatian Spirituality Center, I coordinated the annual Novena experience which was held during Lent. It ended up being one of my favorite parts of the work I did there and I am excited to bring you the power of this prayer form online.
The second is an online course offered previously to just the men of the Abbey community. John Valters Paintner has done some extensive editing and we have added the marvelous voice of Ronna Detrick, and are now making it available to the entire Abbey. (If you participated in the winter version and want to repeat the class for free please email Christine and let her know).
Novena of Resurrection: Earth as Our First Monastery (May 31-Jun 8, 2014)
and
Exile and Coming Home: An Archetypal Journey through Scripture (June 16-July 27, 2014)
Register for both programs by May 12th and receive another free gift - a self-study class from the following options (after making payment for the two programs above, email Christine to let her know which self-study class you would like):
Celtic Spirituality Self-Study Online Retreat
Creative Flourishing: A Self-Study Retreat with the Wisdom of Hildegard of Bingen
Seasons of the Soul
Soul of a Pilgrim
Lectio Divina: The Sacred Art of Reading the World
Eyes of the Heart: Photography as a Contemplative Practice (accompanies Christine's book which is not included)
