Abbey of the Arts

Abbey of the Arts Abbey of the Arts is a virtual monastery and global community

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Join us for pilgrimages on monastic wisdom and writing retreats in Ireland, Scotland, Germany, and Austria. The Abbey offers a variety of online retreats during the year, both at scheduled times for community conversation, as well as self-study programs you can take at any time.

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | October 2, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from-ab...
02/10/2026

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | October 2, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from-abbey-of-the-arts-october2-2026

“We live in a very summer-oriented culture. We value perpetual productivity and fruitfulness. And yet living this kind of energy all year drives us to burnout and depletes our bodies. It drives us to suppress grief over very real losses.”

—Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, "A Midwinter God: Encountering the Divine in Seasons of Darkness"

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | October 1, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from-ab...
01/10/2026

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | October 1, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from-abbey-of-the-arts-october1-2026

“Nature is a holy text for me, an icon, a window to the Divine Presence at work in the world. Just as we spend time gazing upon an icon or our beloved, we can also allow our gaze to be drawn to this most holy and splendid of sights.”

—Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, "The Artist’s Rule: Nurturing Your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom"

What element of Divine Presence is revealed to you today through nature as icon?

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 30, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from...
30/09/2026

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 30, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from-abbey-of-the-arts-september30-2026

“Ephesians 2:10 says that we are Christ’s workmanship, meaning we ourselves are a work of art, a skillful masterpiece crafted by the hand of God.”

—Nathan L. Nicholson, "In the Beginning We Create: Reflections on Collaboration, Creativity, and Rest" our Lift Every Voice: Contemplative Writers of Color Book Club selection for September & October

What would it look like to intentionally honor yourself as a masterpiece crafted by the hand of God?

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 29, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from...
29/09/2026

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 29, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from-abbey-of-the-arts-september29-2026

St. Pachomius and the Crocodiles (excerpt)

The river a threshold,
the animals as cyphers,
to go the way of the desert
is to be carried without effort,
is to become a bridge
to a deeper peace in the world.

—Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, "What Enters Through the Open Heart: Poems"

What love can you foster to bring you into deeper communion and peace in the world?

Our good friends at Mercy by the Sea will once again be sponsoring a Spring Sabbatical Program for Women Religious from ...
28/09/2026

Our good friends at Mercy by the Sea will once again be sponsoring a Spring Sabbatical Program for Women Religious from March 14 to May 2, 2027.This signature program has historically drawn women religious from a wide range of religious communities, as well as geographies -- both international and throughout the U.S.

The self-directed sabbatical is meant to provide time for rest, prayer, reflection, solitude and community in a serene setting located on scenic Long Island Sound.

Registration is at https://www.mercybythesea.org/programs/spring-sabbatical-2027/.

For more information contact Eileen Dooling, RSM, [email protected], or Eileen Campbell, RSM, [email protected].

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 28, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from...
28/09/2026

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 28, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from-abbey-of-the-arts-september28-2026

“The Celtic Christian tradition maintains that we receive two books of revelation. One is the book of the scripture texts, and the other is the vast book of creation. We need both to receive the fullness of divine wisdom.”

—Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, "Earth, Our Original Monastery: Cultivating Wonder and Gratitude through Intimacy with Nature"

Where do you easily see the Divine? Where are you being invited to bring more awareness?

{Abbey of the Arts} : Nourishment in the Orchard - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/nourishment-in-orchard-sept27-2026 ...
27/09/2026

{Abbey of the Arts} : Nourishment in the Orchard - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/nourishment-in-orchard-sept27-2026 The Handless Maiden begins tomorrow & is a 7-week series with weekly live sessions led by me & Te Martin will be present to offer the gift of song. I will also be joined by Polly Paton-Brown, Aisling Richmond, Dr. Kellie Kirksey, & Dr. Jamie Marich to invite you into a kaleidoscope of creative ways to engage the story’s meaning for your own life. We would love for you to join us. https://tinyurl.com/b8bsebp5

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 26, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from...
26/09/2026

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 26, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from-abbey-of-the-arts-september26-2026

“Sacred time is time devoted to the heart, to things that matter, to wonder and beauty, to catching glimpses of eternity. Sacred time is not measured in minutes or hours, but offers us an inner sense of expansiveness.”

—Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, Sacred Time: Embracing an Intentional Way of Life — A Self-Study Online Retreat

How do you practice and experience sacred time?

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 25, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from...
25/09/2026

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 25, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from-abbey-of-the-arts-september25-2026

“The mystical tradition is clear that the state of ecstasy—when the human person is caught up into union with the Divine—is considered highly favourable... The word ecstasy has become synonymous with joyous exaltation, and yet we might often find ourselves holding back.”

—Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, "Earth, Our Original Monastery: Cultivating Wonder and Gratitude through Intimacy with Nature"

What are the voices or feelings that hold you back from joyous exaltation?

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 24, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from...
24/09/2026

Daily Nourishment from Abbey of the Arts | September 24, 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/abbeyofthearts/daily-nourishment-from-abbey-of-the-arts-september24-2026

“The practice is to bring your attention back, again and again, to the breath, to the words, to the image of peace and love available to us and the world. We do this gently, knowing that distraction is also an integral part of being human. This is not a form of denial. It is a recognition.”

—Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, "Breath Prayer: An Ancient Practice for the Everyday Sacred"

What are ways you can cultivate recognizing distraction and gently bringing attention back?

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