This probably sounds like an odd combination, but I’ve been pondering beans, butterflies and cosmos these days. All are abundant in my garden and yard. The vegetable garden is in full harvest mode—beans, peppers, tomatoes, kale, dill, basil. And then there are all the herbs just outside my back door—sage, oregano, thyme, garlic chives, mint…
Relating with Our Creature-Kin, Part 2 On last Sunday’s blog, we began exploring the wild world of our creature-kin. (https://prairiewoods.org/wild-thing-you-make-my-heart-sing/) We looked at our perception of other-than-human kin in their own integrity, rather than who they are solely in relationship to us humans. Now we shift our attention to our ethics, our practical ways of relating…
“We cannot live in a world that is not our own, in a world that is interpreted for us by others. An interpreted world is not a home. Part of the terror is to take back our own listening, to use our own voice, to see our own light.” —Hildegard of Bingen For many, this…
Each day—sometimes two or three times a day—I go outside for a contemplative walk. Sometimes I walk far into the woods, sometimes to the edge of the river and sometimes I’ll just walk right outside my door to touch my bare feet to the Earth. Sometimes I find myself singing a prayerful song called “Hidden…
For Love of Our Creature-Kin, Part 1 In the Harry Potter world where magic’s power is felt most profoundly within the protection of love, Newt Scamander is a wizard for our times. He speaks, lives and breathes with the beasts. In the first film of the series, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” Newt…
Let’s be real here. When we’re truly struggling, it can be hard to put words to the unrest in our soul. Connecting with our Creator can feel insurmountable. In trying times, I find that I fall back on the simple repetition of a mantra, a hymn from childhood or a memorized line of scripture. When…
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, now and in the hour of our death. Amen. I’ve been thinking about the spiritual soundtrack of my life, reflecting on songs I…
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. —John 14:18 There is a wonderfully songful prayer chant inspired by the scripture passage from John 14:18 called “I Will Not Leave You Comfortless” by Jan Phillips from her album All the Way to Heaven. This song is such a comfort and can be…
“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” —Isaiah 43: 18–19 No! I’m not sure I can perceive it. I want…
“It’s strange to be here. The mystery never leaves you alone.” —John O’Donohue Spirituality is defined as “the quality of being concerned with the human spirit as opposed to physical or material things.” Thank you, Oxford, we forgive you. That definition no longer works for millions of souls who have ceased to separate the two,…