Earth, Our Original Monastery: Cultivating Wonder and Gratitude through Intimacy with Nature

by Christine Valters Paintner

Overview

How can we meet God in our everyday lives? In Earth, Our Original Monastery, Christine Valters Paintner, bestselling author and online abbess for Abbey of the Arts, shares how living contemplatively with an appreciation for the natural world can make you more aware of the presence of God in every aspect of your life. She explores monks, mystics, and saints who have experienced the goodness of the Divine in nature and invites you to find solace and spiritual revelation in the wonder of God’s creation.

The purpose of contemplative living, Christine Valters Paintner suggests, is to allow you to integrate the pieces of your life within yourself, in your community, and in the world around you. When you pay attention to each moment, you nurture your ability to see God’s actions in those moments. In Earth, Our Original Monastery, Paintner invites you to begin the journey of contemplative living by focusing on the image of the earth as your original monastery—the place where you learn your most fundamental prayers, participate in each day’s liturgy of praise, and experience the wisdom of the seasons.

Paintner provides seven ways of seeing the earth in light of faith and pairs each one with a practical invitation to a practice. These include:

• the earth as original cathedral—where you first learn to worship and feel God’s presence around us, paired with the practice of stability
• the earth as original saints—plants and animals live their calling without trying to be something they’re not and inspire you to do the same, paired with the practice of gratitude
• the earth as original icon—nature can serve as a window to the holy in the same way that icons do, paired with the practice of lament

As you explore what these connections between the earth and faith mean for how to see God in the world around you, you can also look at saints and mystics who experienced nature and the flow of the divine in similar ways.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781932057201
Publisher:	Ave Maria Press
Publication date:	04/03/2020
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	638,972
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Christine Valters Paintner is the online abbess for Abbey of the Arts, a virtual monastery offering classes and resources on contemplative practice and creative expression. She earned a doctorate in Christian spirituality from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, and achieved professional status as a registered expressive arts consultant and educator from the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association. She is also trained as a spiritual director and supervisor.

Paintner is the author of numerous spirituality titles, including The Love of Thousands; Birthing the Holy; Sacred Time; Earth, Our Original Monastery; The Soul’s Slow Ripening; The Wisdom of the Body; Illuminating the Way; The Soul of a Pilgrim; The Artist’s Rule; Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire; and three collections of poetry.

She is a Benedictine oblate living in Galway, Ireland, with her husband, John. Together they lead online retreats at their website AbbeyoftheArts.com.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

1 Earth as the Original Cathedral 1

2 Earth as the Original Scriptures 19

3 Earth as the Original Saints 35

4 Earth as the Original Spiritual Directors 51

5 Earth as the Original Icon 73

6 Earth as the Original Sacrament 93

7 Earth as the Original Liturgy 109

Conclusion 125

Acknowledgments 131

Additional Resources: Recommended Reading List 133

Notes 135

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Practical and insightful, this beautiful book is perfect for any seeker of renewed contemplative styles and practices. It invites you to enter the creative side of your inner monastery and discover faith in fresh and relevant ways.” —Br. Mickey McGrath, O.S.F.S., Artist and storyteller

“Earth, Our Original Monastery is both a proclamation of the holiness of nature and a practical guide to meeting God in ordinary and humble ways.” —Carl McColman, Author of Befriending Silence

“Earth, Our Original Monastery is a unique and fascinating paean to God’s sacred creatures.” —Sr. Mary Kathleen Glavich, S.N.D., Author of Praying on Empty and Heart to Heart with Mary

"Earth, Our Original Monastery is a love song—a sacred ecstatic chant in a language we somehow know." —Janet Conner, Creator of the Praying at the Speed of Love podcast