God loves flesh and blood, no matter what kind of shape it is in. Whether you are sick or well, lovely or irregular, there comes a time when it is vitally important to drop your clothes, look in the mirror, and say, “Here I am. This is the body-like-no-other that my life has shaped. IContinue reading “whole: day 17”
Tag Archives: thanksgiving
K’s big birthday gratitude project 3
I often am to be found with a mug of tea, and love nothing better than sharing several pots with friends over the course of a long afternoon’s natter. So having the first of my birthday celebrations as a tea party felt right – and all thanks go to the staff at the Farnham PotteryContinue reading “K’s big birthday gratitude project 3”
K’s big birthday gratitude project
It is possible to grow hope, to grow love, to grow community; despair never needs to have the last word when it can be healed by a scribble, a blob of paint, a pile of clay, a pot of earth, a jumble of wool, a rip of fabric, a pin-hole camera and a safe space to play.
All Hallows. All Souls. All Saints. 2021.
All Hallows. All Souls. All Saints. This is one of my favourite liturgical seasons. A mini-season of three days which encapsulate so much of my faith about people and place. All Hallows. All Holies. Celebrating how we can hallow our daily surroundings. How the world of spirit is perhaps not so distant from the worldContinue reading “All Hallows. All Souls. All Saints. 2021.”
a monk in the world of 2021
I am honoured to have written another guest post for the Abbey of the Arts, which was published yesterday: As a contemplative photographer I thought I knew quite a bit about light and brightness, shadow and darkness. It appears I was wrong. During 2020 and 2021 a series of COVID-19 ‘Lockdowns’ have been offering meContinue reading “a monk in the world of 2021”
Sunday 4
Joy is hidden in compassion. The word compassion literally means ‘to suffer with’. It seems quite unlikely that suffering with another person would bring joy. Yet being with a person in pain, offering simple presence to someone in despair, sharing with a friend times of confusion and uncertainty … such experiences can bring us deepContinue reading “Sunday 4”
hallowing sight
(all images by Kate Kennington Steer) I ignore all the ridiculousness around Halloween, the dressing up, the tricks and treats, but I do quietly celebrate the three days of All Hallows, All Souls and All Saints. These days form the bridge from October to November, signalling the beginning of the end of Autumn light andContinue reading “hallowing sight”
furled fire (a Beltaine Birthday Blessing)
Every year I wonder whether to write something to mark Beltaine, the Celtic feast which celebrates a cross-quarter day in the year’s wheel, the end of the dark half of the year and the beginning of its half of light. I celebrate the waxing of the arc the sun’s path makes across the little sliceContinue reading “furled fire (a Beltaine Birthday Blessing)”
psalms for passiontide: Easter Eve vigil Psalm 136
Thank God! He deserves your thanks. His love never quits. Thank the God of all gods, His love never quits. Thank the Lord of all lords. His love never quits. Thank the miracle-working God, His love never quits. The God whose skill formed the cosmos, His love never quits. The God who laid out earthContinue reading “psalms for passiontide: Easter Eve vigil Psalm 136”
be the epiphany
A miraculous event unfolds when we throw the lead of our personal story into the transformative flames of creativity. Our hardship is transmuted into something golden. With that gold we heal ourselves and redeem the world. As with any spiritual practice, this creative alchemy requires a leap of faith. When we show up to makeContinue reading “be the epiphany”
image into ikon 