A funny thing happened in my fourth week of obsessive hand washing. The act of washing my hands stopped being an interruption, a chore, a necessary but perfunctory ritual, and became a comfort. Suddenly, washing my hands became self care, massage, healing touch. At a time when I haven’t been in the same room as…
One of the highlights of my day is walking with the land in my neighborhood forest, at Prairiewoods or both. At this time, I am spending more time with my neighborhood forest, going out twice a day and fully noticing the life and breath of the land. This land is a soul friend and a…
Why do we make things? Art doesn’t have to be beautiful, but the making of art, no doubt, is an act of beauty. We are called to beauty. “Beauty isn’t all about just nice loveliness, like. Beauty is about more rounded, substantial becoming. So I think beauty, in that sense, is about an emerging fullness,…
Come back to your breath Where God resides Where Spirit inspires Where you are one with all creation ***You are home*** Alive with the energy of the universe The power of breath is phenomenal. It awakens us to the energy inside of us and all around us. It connects us with all creation. We share…
Good morning, Prairiewoods Family! We are going virtual with our weekly Tuesday Prayer Experience Series. Please consider joining us via Zoom this Tuesday, March 31, from 11:30 a.m.–noon, as well as subsequent Tuesdays for the time being. This series offers an opportunity for us to pray together. We are blessed with many ways to pray, ranging…
As you may know, we coined the phrase PanDeepening as we work to see this unique moment in history as an opportunity to go more deeply into all our relationships and interconnections. Each day, we post activities, reflections and thoughts intended to help our community thrive, find ways to hold hope and become our own calm center…
I must admit, I’m struggling. In this time of social distancing, I—like many of you—am feeling fearful. My anxiety is often taking precedence over my sense of hope and optimism. But I’m reminded of a story Mary Pipher wrote in her book Women Rowing North: My brother told a story about a tailor who wanted…
I was moved by Sister Ann Jackson’s blog last week entitled “Coming Home.” What especially spoke to me was the stanza from the poem she shared by Jane Hooper as cited in Cynthia Bourgeault’s book The Wisdom Way of Knowing (p. 38–40). Please come home. Please come home INTO YOUR OWN BODY. Your own vessel, your…
In 2013 I completed the eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, facilitated by Chris Klug and based on the model developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Today I continue to use many of the techniques I learned in that program and often refer to it as a life-enhancing experience.…
One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river. Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier. Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey, he…