Blog
Some of my greatest spiritual teachers are horses.
The more time I spend with them, their breath, their bodies, their instincts, the more I realize they carry a kind of wisdom that speaks directly to the places in us where God is still trying to get through. Horses have been showing me things about...
How do we meet events we cannot fix?
A massive winter storm swept across the continental United States this weekend. I read that nearly 40 states were under winter weather alerts. Here in Nashville, TN, we have snow and ice.
So far, news reports indicate that tens of thousands of customers across ...
For the first 18 years of my life, I felt as if I was inhibited from seeing the breadth and
depth of Holy Mystery. It’s not because God was small, but my understanding of my
image of God was.
Everything was so black and white. I was so trapped in dualistic thinking. Right and
wrong. Saved or lost. I n...
During my early years as a dean of students, many of the students I talked with were burdened with issues similar to what I had experienced. The main difference between us was that I had had time to reflect and learn from them. It was an unsolicited invitation to listen to students with fresh ears, ...
" At its foundation, it is a journey of opening our hearts to the love of all those sacred beings who dwell in spiritual form across the veil. Our Western minds may tell us that what we see is all there is, but the religious and mystical imagination knows a deeper truth."
~Christine Valters Pai...
“Ring around the rosie. Pocket full of posey. Ashes, ashes, all fall down.”
For reasons I can’t quite explain, this curious rhyme recently intruded upon my thoughts. It carried me back to childhood, to evenings when my mother would recite it at bedtime. I had no idea what the words meant then, and ...
My spiritual director once gave me valuable advice: begin keeping a gratitude journal and make thankfulness a part of my everyday routine.
She encouraged me to approach gratitude as an Examen, so each evening I pause to jot down things I'm thankful for that day.
At first, I was worried that I’d tr...
Rooted in Wisdom, Growing in Community: Voices from the Collective
What if the innermost questions of your life weren’t problems to solve, but invitations to listen?
What if the chaos or longing you carry could develop on the holy ground where wisdom takes root?
When I first joined Wisdom Tree Co...
Last week, I went away on retreat, hoping for rest and restoration. Admittedly, after more than a year of navigating chaos, that may have been a lot of pressure to place on just four and a half days! So it shouldn’t have surprised me that, no matter where I went, I was met with distraction after dis...
Thresholds in Antigua: A Visual Examen
My friends and I are in the early stages of planning another trip to Guatemala next year. We're comparing travel rates, dreaming up itineraries, and hoping for good timing and good company. It’s still just a hope, but it’s stirring something in me.
I’ve been ...
What does it mean to hold a sacred space for others? Is it simply the ambiance? The art of holy listening? Deep empathy? The joy of Godly play?
Most of us know the grace of being in a group that nourished us, where we felt seen, heard, and gently held. And unfortunately, many of us have also known ...
This week, I felt a quiet tug, an invitation to return to Scripture. I’d been praying with apps like Hallow and through Centering Prayer, but this felt different. I needed a new rhythm. Not analysis. Not to study. I’ve done plenty of that lately.
What I longed for was presence.
Less head, more hea...