Building Bridges to Unity in Diversity

For the last year, Prairiewoods has been exploring six important principles that are central to an ecological spirituality. Principles that are supported by science as well as our own experience. We have talked about the Universe Story, transcending dualism, revisiting a sense of oneness, multi-disciplinary wisdom and moving from dominion to kinship. The sixth principles…

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What Science Reveals

Strengthening our spirituality is more than something that feels good or is “nice to do.” According to research by Dr. Lisa Miller from Columbia University, cultivating our spirituality is imperative for our thriving, wellbeing and wholeness. As we care for our physical bodies through the food we eat, the movement we participate in and the rest…

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Exploring Traditional Chinese Meditative Arts

The methods of self-cultivation found in Chinese meditation, Qigong and Tai Chi were developed over thousands of years as a way to remain strong and balanced when confronted by times of cultural and political unrest similar to today. In this retreat we will learn some of these methods to enhance our wellness, improve our ability…

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Combatting Diseases of Despair

Many of us have had to say goodbye to someone far too soon as the weight of mental illness has become too heavy. Or we’ve sat on the side of a hospital bed, gutted and in shock that a loved one has attempted to take their life. The epidemic of depression, anxiety, addiction and other…

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Journey of Healing

Dear friends, At a dark time in my life when I desperately needed a spiritual community and divine feminine energy, the people and the sacred space of Prairiewoods helped bring me healing and illuminated my path. Since first experiencing the magic of Prairiewoods five years ago, I have experienced an intense time of breaking down,…

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Stewards of Divine Creation: God’s Guests

We are all guests of God’s hospitality. The world in which we live is pure gift,” proclaims theologian Monika Hellwig in her famous work Guests of God: Stewards of Divine Creation. Our very existence, human nature, consciousness, intelligence, creativity … all are gift. Companionship of other humans, plant and animal life, water, air, minerals, light,…

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Spirituality in the 21st Century: The Awakened Brain

Prairiewoods is preparing for our annual Spirituality in the 21st Century event May 5 and 6. This year, Dr. Lisa Miller will talk about the connections between spirituality and mental health. We asked Prairiewoods friend Kimberly Abram questions about her experiences as a school counselor and how she thinks Dr. Miller’s work could impact each…

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Litany of the Saints

Dear friends, In these turbulent times, many of you have been asking how we can be positive and constructive in bringing peace and justice. Besides writing to our representatives, I might recommend tapping into a very powerful resource. During meditation I was reintroduced to holy men and women who dedicated their entire lives to bringing…

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What Is Life Showing You Now? 

According to Columbia University researcher and psychologist Dr. Lisa Miller, an Awakened Brain is an aware brain. It is available for new opportunities, surprises or even new information that turns our heads. She writes, “We are not alone. Life is always reaching out to us. Through integrated awareness, we’re available to see, feel, and know life’s hand…

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Stepping into Wholeness

As we move into the new year and the light steadily grows, I find myself reflecting on the fullness of life that emerges through connection and balance—within ourselves, with others, and with the natural world. It is a process of embracing the richness of existence: the beauty, the challenges, and the quiet moments that call…

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Food as a Pathway to Peace

Join us for the Pathways to Peace: Food as Relationship Retreat Jan. 24–26, 2025. Learn more and register on our website. “What would happen, for example, if we were to start thinking about food as less of a thing and more of a relationship?” —Michael Pollan Peace, as defined by the Earth Charter, is the…

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Walking the Cosmos: On Creation & Grandeur

Traversing a Franciscan Hiking Route I’m fortunate enough to work for an employer with a structured (and mandatory) sabbatical policy, so over this past month, I’ve been enjoying the blessing of rest. There’s been plenty of reading, a surprisingly fruitful period of writing, and increased time spent with my family, all without the lingering anxiety…

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Pause for Peace

As we approach the beginning of a new year, I’ve been reflecting on simple actions that might just impact the state of the world. Jeremy Lent, a past speaker at Prairiewoods’ Spirituality in the 21st Century, extended an invitation to do just that! We invite you to engage his Pause for Peace. It’s simple! Stand…

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When the Trees Say Nothing

I recently found a collection of nature essays by Thomas Merton called When the Trees Say Nothing: Writings on Nature, edited by Kathleen Deignan. The title really caught my attention. How can that be, I asked? The trees talk to me every day. I cannot imagine a world when they say nothing, one where we…

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The Wisdom of Many

An essential principle of ecological spirituality is multi-disciplinary wisdom. It is a phrase that sounds academic and not particularly spiritual. Other words we might use for the same idea are interconnection and interdependence. It means that the path to flourishing for people and the planet has been laid by many hands over thousands of years.…

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Just Sitting

Just Sitting is related to the full moon, tides, and that idea that the earth is mostly water and so are we. So I thought it’s not hard to believe that the moon would impact our internal energies and water tides too—if we can tune into them. I call it “just sitting” as this is the…

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