Invitation to Photo Party: Your 'Word' for 2013

Welcome to the Abbey Photo Party!

photo source ~ Christine Valtners Paintner

Christine at Abbey of the Arts invites you into some creative exploration 

with the word[s] which have chosen you for this year. 

( share yours here if you haven't already and enter to win one of several wonderful prizes).

In the free 12-day online mini-retreat I offer to newsletter subscribers

(click here to subscribe)

I invite you to go on a photo pilgrimage holding your word for 2013

in your hearts and noticing what images are shimmering in the world around you.

You can share images you already have which illustrate your word,

but I encourage you also to go for a walk with the theme in mind and see what you discover.

You are also welcome to post other art you created inspired by your word for the year –

collages are powerful as are paintings and drawings. 

See what stirs your imagination!

How to participate:

1. Go to the Flickr Group Christine has created. [You need a free Flickr account first]. 

When you go to the link it will ask you to join the group first before posting. 

Share as many as five of your images in response to the theme. 

When you post your photo please include your word as the title 2. Leave a comment HERE  to let us know you have joined the party and what your Flickr profile name is.

3. Please post the invitation on your blog or Facebook page and encourage others to come join the party!

If you haven't yet,

share your word over at this post for a chance to win some wonderful prizes

and join in with the Abbey community.

  

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Your Transformative 'Word' for 2013 ?

Have you discovered your Word for 2013 ?

In ancient times, wise men and women fled out into the desert to find a place where they could be fully present to God and to their own inner struggles at work within them. The desert became a place to enter into the refiner's fire and be stripped down to one's holy essence. The desert was a threshold place where you emerged different than when you entered.

Many people followed these ammas and abbas, seeking their wisdom and guidance for a meaningful life. One tradition was to ask for a word –  this word or phrase would be something on which to ponder for many days, weeks, months, sometimes a whole lifetime. This practice is connected to lectio divina, where we approach the sacred texts with the same request – "give me a word" we ask – something to nourish me, challenge me, a word I can wrestle with and grow into.  The word which chooses us has the potential to transform us.

• What is your word for the year ahead? A word which contains within it a seed of invitation to cross a new threshold in your life?

A free 12-day online mini-retreat to help your word choose you. . .

This year  Christine of Abbey of the Arts is offering all Abbey newsletter subscribers a gift: a free 12-day online mini-retreat with a suggested practice for each day to help your word choose you and to deepen into your word once it has found you.

Sign up here and you can start your mini-retreat today. Once you subscribe you will receive a confirmation email with access to the mini-retreat content
(and you are free to unsubscribe at any time). 

Subscribe to the Abbey newsletter for your free gift.
Share the love with others ~ invite them to join us and participate... 

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