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…
DetailsDear 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,…
DetailsWe 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,…
DetailsPrairiewoods 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…
DetailsDear 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…
DetailsKintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold or other precious metals. The object is more beautiful and valuable after being put back together. The Franciscan Spirituality Center (Prairiewoods’ sister center in La Crosse, Wisconsin) has hosted multiple retreats focused on this practice, and we are able to bring this retreat to…
DetailsAccording 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…
DetailsAfter the festive month of December, January often feels like a slog. The fun is over, and now we’re left with just winter. True, the light is returning, but there are still months before the green time—months of snow, ice, mud, and melt. Culturally, we’re told to start anew at the New Year, to remake…
DetailsAs 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…
DetailsWant to learn more? Join Dr. Lisa Miller in Cedar Rapids or virtually on May 5 or 6 for Spirituality in the 21st Century: The Awakened Brain. Learn more here.
DetailsThey walk a rustic, sandy footpath toward countless unknowns, flanked by mesquite trees, their branches intertwining overhead. In the searing, dry days of summer these branches can offer life-saving shade from the brutal Sonoran Desert sun for those on this passage paved in uncertainty. Here, near the Mexico/United States border, the Arivaca Creek Trail is…
DetailsJoin 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…
DetailsTraversing 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…
DetailsAs 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…
DetailsI 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…
DetailsAn 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.…
DetailsJust 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…
DetailsWhen the temperatures drop, the number of hours of daylight shortens and a tree’s sugar intake is reduced, the leaves shine the most. We all marvel in the beauty of brilliant oranges, deep reds and bright yellow hues that the trees have been hiding under shades of green the entire season. Something about the changing…
Details“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. A civilization which destroys what little remains of the wild, the spare, the original, is cutting itself off from its origins and betraying the principle of civilization itself.” ―Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire…
DetailsBecause of love I kneel down here— To a bird, a seed, a story. To a wildflower, a stream, a vision of The light cracking on sky Because of love I leave myself here— On the far side of the place where I thought I was going— Nearer to something that I cannot name, And…
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