One of my favorite books of all time is Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O’Donohue. He writes that “time as a rhythm of soul has an eternal dimension where everything is gathered and minded. Here nothing is lost. This is a great consolation: The happenings in your life do not disappear.…
A virus that attacks respiration has many of us focusing on our breath. In his recent essay on “The Meaning of Air,” Boyce Upholt takes us through a journey of the chemical composition of air, its place in natural and cultural evolution, and the disproportionate and deleterious effects of Industrial Era pollution on communities of…
In the weeks ahead as we move through the holiday season, “What really matters most?” may be one of the most critical questions we need to pose to ourselves. When we pause and remember what really matters most, we host the potential to re-vision and respond with connection, compassion and love. Sensing the choice and…
If you’re like me, you have that one friend or relative who doesn’t seem to be constrained by what others think, about looking cool or being perfect. They cultivate gratitude and joy and are compassionate with themselves and others. They are truly happy. Dr. Brené Brown calls them “the wholehearted.” She is a researcher, professor,…
“Attention is the beginning of devotion.” ―Mary Oliver, Upstream: Selected Essays When I first moved to Minneapolis in 2013, I knew three people in the metropolitan Twin Cities and knew very little of the city I suddenly called home. After a few weeks of feeling alone and overwhelmed, I decided to engage in a project…
While on the Spiritual Renewal Day, I was walking at Prairiewoods on the afternoon of Nov. 9, 2020, and as always when I’m there, the beauty of God’s Creation struck me. I had every intention of going to the labyrinth and walking the labyrinth, one of my favorite things to do. However, God had something…
What hearkens to us in these disillusioned days following a bitterly divided election, when the aches and hollow places left by familial relationships and friendships torn asunder leave us desolate and perplexed? Is there a balm in Gilead for what ails us? A voyage into the imaginal realm, where mythic storytelling, music, art, dance and…
Inspirited with gratitude during this beautiful month of November, poised in the season of harvest, deeply breathing the crisp air that animates our anticipation of the holiday season, we long for grounding. Grounding energy invites us to hold our center amid these tumultuous times and difficult decisions swirling about how and with whom we will…
There are still many people who haven’t yet recovered from Aug. 10th’s derecho. It was the first storm of its kind for many in Iowa and has been designated as the nation’s most destructive natural disaster in 2020. We’ve endured many storms, and not all of them physical. The poem “Onto a Vast Plain” by…
In March, Prairiewoods staff wrote a response plan that envisioned the need to respond to varying stages of how the coronavirus pandemic might manifest locally. We have done our best to be responsive and responsible in decision-making about how available Prairiewoods is to guests and visitors—and to safeguard the health of all our staff. While…