You may be interested in…
-
Hidden Wings: Emerging from troubled times with new hope and deeper wisdom
Everyday Life, Spiritual Growth, The Inner JourneyYou must become the change you long for. Fine words, a great vision, but where to begin? We caterpillars know. From the moment we are conceived in our parents' mating dance, we already contain the cells that hold our future butterfly. Let us tell you our story... Tumultuous changes are occurring in the world around us, and the structures and values by which we have charted our lives seem to be collapsing. Many of us are struggling to plot a spiritual path through this unfamiliar landscape, and to believe in a positive future. Hidden Wings is a book offering hope and understanding. Using the example of a caterpillar entering the devastating, world-altering stage of the chrysalis, before emerging – transformed – as a butterfly, Margaret Silf helps us to see that these times of chaos could in fact be an opportunity for profound spiritual transformation.£12.99 -
From Darkness to Light
Lent & Easter, Scripture & PrayerFrom Darkness to Light is a masterpiece of contemplative exegesis of the Bible. Daniel Bourguet takes the reader on a challenging, three-chapter pilgrimage exploring the mystery of three conversions: in the darkness at Jesus's death, in the cries of descent into the grave, and in the light at his garden resurrection. Bourguet interprets with precision and passion the story of the one thief's conversion on the cross as he witnesses Jesus's suffering love. His treatment of Heman's cry from the depths in Psalm 88 plumbs the depths of a biblical theology of the cross. His final chapter on Mary Magdalene's transformative encounter with Jesus in the garden is brilliant, inspiring more careful study, contemplative prayer, and adoration.£17.00 -
Faith, hope and love: Greetings card
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthA square greetings card with envelope in a cellophane bag. The card has a print of original artwork by Francesca Ross.£2.00 -
Aidan, Bede, Cuthbert: Three Inspirational Saints
Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies & SpiritualityIn this rousing book, David Adam celebrates the lives and interweaving stories of Aidan, Bede and Cuthbert. Recalling, in a personal introduction, his ordination to the pastoral ministry in Durham Cathedral (the burial place of Bede and Cuthbert) and his thirteen years as Vicar of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne (where Aidan lived), the author communicates clearly his appreciation of these three great saints. They have much to teach us, he believes, about vision – about expanding our spiritual awareness and deepening our love for God.£9.99 -
A Month With Julian of Norwich
Daily Readings, Saints & MysticsThis short book contains 62 prayers and readings (one each morning and evening for a month). It will help the reader to steep him- or herself in the writings and thoughts of this favourite spiritual writer, and the introduction will introduce Julian of Norwich's particular appeal. The special angle unique to this series of books is the way they accompany the reader on a month-long journey with a favourite saint or writer.£7.99 -
Deep Peace: Greetings card
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthGreetings card supplied with envelope featuring original artwork by Francesca Ross. Blank inside. Illustrated text of the traditional blessing 'Deep peace of the running wave to you...'£2.00 -
Glimpses of Eden: field notes from the edge of eternity
Everyday Life, Seasons of Life, The Inner Journey'The land has a long memory...it forgets nothing, waiting only for the opportunity to ease the heart.' Glimpses of Eden is a seasonally-arranged collection of the very best of novelist Jonathan Tulloch's acclaimed nature column, which ran in The Tablet for more than 10 years. In 96 evocative daily records of his exploration of the land, mostly within an hour's bike ride of his North Yorkshire home, Jonathan captures snapshots of the wonders of the natural world. Here are eternal stories of resilience and beauty, hope and death, survival and renewal, a tapestry of miraculous creation to enrich our souls and deepen our understanding of life. Each reading is followed by a new reflection written for this book.£19.95 -
Multicoloured Life
CreativityA pocket collection of designs to colour in. Used Multicoloured Life for relaxation, prayer or meditation, on holiday or retreat.£3.49 -
Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation
Seasons of Life, The Inner JourneyA compassionate and compelling meditation on discovering your path in life. With wisdom, compassion and gentle humour, Parker J. Palmer invites us to listen to the inner teacher and follow its leadings toward a sense of meaning and purpose. Telling stories from his own life and the lives of others who have made a difference , he shares insights gained from darkness and depression as well as fulfilment and joy, illuminating a pathway towards vocation for all who seek the true calling of their lives. Hardback 25th Anniversary Edition with new introduction£18.99 -
Deep Peace: Print
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthA 21cm square print featuring original artwork by Francesca Ross. Illustrated text of the traditional blessing 'Deep peace of the running wave to you...'£10.00 -
The Circle of Peace: an antidote to distress
Everyday Life, Spiritual Growth, The Inner JourneyA much-needed book which gives people - Christians in particular - permission to love themselves as they should. Written by a chartered psychologist and a priest with a distinguished teaching and pastoral ministry, this book offers an encouraging hand to those who want to experiment with making beneficial changes in their life, especially those bothered by anxiety, depression, low self-esteem or feelings of helplessness. Full of reassuring and engaging stories. Includes practical exercises throughout to enable people to understand where discomfort originates and to discover ways forward. The Church is very good at inviting or challenging people to love their neighbours - it is not so strong on encouraging us to love ourselves. This book illuminates the healing truth that encountering the love of God sets us free to live as we were intended to live - loving ourselves and those around us. Through Bible passages, stories and exercises, the authors encourage us to throw off the sense of apprehension that bothers so many, and to enjoy living to the full in God's exhilarating company.£10.99 -
Contemplation in a World of Action
The Inner JourneyThe spiritual and psychological insights of these essays were nurtured in a monastic milieu, but their issues are universally human. Thomas Merton lays a foundation for personal growth and transformation through fidelity to "our own truth and inner being". Our desire and need to attain "a fully human and personal identity" is the focus of Merton's concern.£24.99 -
Photographic Prayers
Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies & SpiritualityThis second book from Mary, Mark and Aurian Fleeson contains a further selection of stunning images and words exploring the land and sea around Lindisfarne.£7.99 -
Sold out
Acquainted with the Night: An Exploration of Spirituality and Depression
Everyday Life, Spiritual Direction, Spiritual Growth, The Inner JourneyDepression is pandemic today; as the demands of modern life prove too much for many adults, it has also clawed its way into the minds and souls of our young people, so that it is not unusual to hear that teenagers, or even children, are taking anti-depressants, sometimes committing suicide. The aim of this book is to illustrate that depression is often a spiritual malaise that can be "treated" by spiritual measures. Award-winning author, Robert Waldron explores the common causes and symptoms of depression, and in so doing underscores the Socratic ideal of "the unexamined life is not worth living." When depressives take their depression seriously, they see that they are living superficially and understand that there is a deeper kind of living available: it is this realization that leads them into a spiritual dimension. Indeed the cure for much depression lies within the Christian message of mercy, forgiveness, compassion, acceptance and love. Using Jungian theory on spirituality as a foundation, Acquainted With The Night goes on to explore the scrutiny and expression famous Christians have given to their individual acquaintance and struggle with darkness, these include: Gerard Manley Hopkins, T.S. Eliot, Henri Nouwen, Philip Toynbee, Thomas Merton, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Loran Hurnscot.£12.99 -
Lessons from a Hospital Bed: A Spiritual Tonic for Anyone Facing Illness and Recovery
Everyday Life, Spiritual Growth, The Inner JourneyJohn Piper shares ten beliefs he brought with him to hospital, and ten lessons from his hospital bed.With deep pastoral insight, practical wisdom and sensitivity, he encourages others in hospital to look beyond their circumstances. This can be a deeply meaningful time in which to draw from God's wisdom, trust him and rest in his love.£4.99 -
A Blessing and Comfort Prayer Book
Creativity, Scripture & PrayerA collection of original prayers and complementary Bible passages. Use the prayers in this book to bless people at significant moments in their lives, the words of comfort in the second part of the book may be used at any time. The booklet comprises of prayers, Bible passages and pictures which can be coloured in.£3.99 -
Anxious For Nothing: finding calm in a chaotic world
Everyday Life, Scripture & Prayer, Seasons of Life, The Inner JourneyWhen it comes to anxiety, depression, and stress-related illnesses, America is the frontrunner. Thankfully, there's a practical prescription for dealing with them. Anxious for Nothing, the most recent book from New York Times bestselling author, Max Lucado, provides a roadmap for battling with and healing from anxiety. Does the uncertainty and chaos of life keep you up at night?Is irrational worry your constant companion?Could you use some calm?If the answer is yes, you are not alone. According to one research program, anxiety-related issues are the number one mental health problem among women and are second only to alcohol and drug abuse among men. Stress-related ailments cost the nation $300 billion every year in medical bills and lost productivity. And use of sedative drugs like Xanax and Valium have skyrocketed in the last 15 years. Even students are feeling it. One psychologist reports that the average high school kid today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950s. Chances are, you or someone you know seriously struggles with anxiety. Max writes, "The news about our anxiety is enough to make us anxious." He knows what it feels like to be overcome by the worries and fear of life, which is why he is dedicated to helping millions of readers take back control of their minds and, as a result, their lives. Anxious for Nothing invites readers to delve into Philippians 4:6-7. After all, it is the most highlighted passage of any book on the planet, according to Amazon: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. In the characteristic tone of his previous books like You'll Get Through This and Fearless, Max guides readers through this Scripture passage and explains the key concepts of celebration, asking for help, leaving our concerns, and meditating. Stop letting anxiety rule the day. Join Max on the journey to true freedom and experience more joy, clarity, physical renewal, and contentment by the power of the Holy Spirit. Anxiety comes with life. But it doesn't have to dominate your life.£14.99 -
Photographic Prayers 2: the Holy Island of Lindisarne through images and words.
Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies & SpiritualityThis second book from Mary, Mark and Aurian Fleeson contains a further selection of stunning images and words exploring the land and sea around Lindisfarne.£7.99 -
Caim: A4 signed print
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthBackground: Artist Mary Fleeson tells us that...'"Caim" was originally designed as a CD cover for an album of prayers set to music by the same name, therefore the imagery reflects themes of the music included, however as is often the case the illustration evolved into something which speaks beyond the obvious inspiration. The hand seems to reach out in a loving, gentle gesture to caress the face of the Creator, symbolised by the star (Revelation 22:16 ‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.’). The complex knotwork intersperses three overlapping circles which represent the Trinity and the patterns and colours are life patterns, weaving and merging, coloured by experiences, actions and reactions.' Printing and Sizing: This item is 210mm x 297mm and is printed on 300gsm card stock using our in-house printer. Each print is individually signed by Mary Fleeson and is packaged in a cellophane wrapper with a descriptive backing sheet explaining more about the piece and the Scriptorium.£12.50 -
A Silent Action: engagements with Thomas Merton
Spiritual GrowthThomas Merton's life, especially once he had become a writer, was to a great extent one of dialogue with people who were distant, both geographically and historically. In these probing and perceptive studies, Rowan Williams looks closely at the key intellectual and spiritual relationships that emerge in Merton's writings, exploring the impact on him of thinkers as diverse as Hannah Arendt, Karl Barth, William Blake, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Olivier Clement, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Paul Evdokimov, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Vladimir Lossky, John Henry Newman, Boris Pasternak and St John of the Cross.£11.99 -
Multicoloured Seasons
Advent & Christmas, Creativity, Lent & Easter, Resources for the Christian YearA collection of sixteen images to colour based around the Church Year, two images for each season starting at Advent, then Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost and Harvest with mediations on the reverse of each image.£4.49 -
Rising Strong
The Inner JourneyWhen you are brave in life, sometimes you fall. Even though you want to get back up, the stories you tell yourself about your personal and professional struggles keep you stuck in a cycle of fear, self-doubt and regret. Rising Strong will help you challenge those stories so you can rewrite your future. It presents a powerful process to rise from fall, overcome mistakes and face hurt in a way that brings more wisdom and meaning int your life.£18.99 -
Wings and Waves Celtic Cross: Greetings card
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthSquare greetings card with Celtic knot work design by Francesca Ross. Blank inside.£2.00 -
Hermits of the Inner Farne
Celtic Daily Prayer & Liturgy, Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies, Celtic Studies & Spirituality, Northumbria Community Resources & TeachingThis booklet has been compiled by Andy Raine, a Companion with the Northumbria Community, as a way of retelling the story of the hermits who lived and prayed on the little island of Inner Farne, just off the north Northumberland coast. It begins with a reprinting of Kathleen Parbury’s manuscript of The Hermits of the House of Farne, which she self-published in 1983, and which is contained here with the permission and blessing of her surviving relatives. It also includes relevant liturgical material taken from Celtic Daily Prayer, and other articles about the hermits.£6.00 -
The Love Is Activity Book
CreativityThis little book contains meditations, prayers and activities about Love, inspired by the verses in the book of Corinthians. In Paul's first letter to the Christians of Corinth in Greece, he spends a long time instructing, advising, challenging and encouraging the young church there. He hasn't visited for a few years and he knows of the immorality in the wealthy pagan city and the divisions that have emerged within the church. Although he aims not to diminish the message of the cross with 'wisdom and eloquence', he gave us, in chapter thirteen, some of the most powerful and well-known verses of the New Testament.£3.99 -
The Lent Creative Retreat Activity Book
Creativity, Lent & EasterThe Lent Creative Retreat Activity book is the newest of a series of Retreat books written and illustrated by Mary & Mark Fleeson with readings, prayers and activities split into sections to help you Take time out with God. This book gives an opportunity to discover some of the things that the approach to Easter can teach us. Some of the meditations, prayers and activities are intended to challenge and some to help you relax and clear your mind. All encourage you to hear the ‘still, small voice’. It is recommended that the activities are spread over the weeks of Lent and cover 'Sharing Together', 'Prophecy Fulfilled', 'Forgiveness', 'Behold' and 'Father into Your hands'£3.99 -
Wingshadow: Greetings card
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthA square greetings card with envelope in a cellophane bag. The card has a print of original artwork by Francesca Ross and uses wording from our Community's Evening Prayer.£2.00 -
May God Shield A4 poster
Celtic Daily Prayer & Liturgy, Music & Creativity, Northumbria Community Resources & TeachingThis prayer is part of the Patrick Compline (for Saturday each week) in Celtic Daily Prayer. This calligraphic design by Pam French is also available as an A5 poster, an A6 Greetings card and an A6 postcard.£2.00 -
Calm me O Lord A5 poster
Celtic Daily Prayer & Liturgy, Music & Creativity, Northumbria Community Resources & TeachingThese words by David Adam form part of the Felgild Compline (for Wednesday each week) in Celtic Daily Prayer. This calligraphic design by Pam French is also available as an A4 poster, an A6 Greetings card and an A6 postcard.£1.50 -
Sunset on Lindisfarne: Greetings card
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthGreetings card with a beautiful photograph by Lindsay Grant of a spectacular sunset on Lindisfarne. Blank inside for your own message.£2.00 -
Celtic Daily Prayer – music CD
Celtic Daily Prayer & Liturgy, Celtic Daily Prayer & Liturgy, Celtic Prayer, Celtic Studies & Spirituality, Music & Creativity, Northumbria Community Resources & TeachingSung and spoken versions of Morning, Midday and Evening Prayer; and Complines for each day of the week. This music and liturgy is recorded in normal Audio CD format and can be played on any CD player or computer. This album is also available as an audio download. To purchase the download please click on one of these options:£10.00 -
The Creative Pilgrimage Activity Book
CreativityThis little book has been created to inspire the would-be pilgrim, as a companion for the travelling pilgrim and as an introduction to making a pilgrimage to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Included are prayers and activities to help you focus on your journey whether your pilgrimage is part of your inward journey or a physical journey to a sacred place.£3.99 -
In Search of Julian of Norwich
Saints & MysticsIn Search of Julian of Norwich is a spiritual detective story. Who was Julian? Why has she suddenly become so famous? Why did her writings disappear for centuries? Why is everyone reading them today?This fascinating illustrated exploration of Julian's world - her city, her century, and her remarkable book, the first written by a woman in English - uncovers the clues to the exciting mystery that is Julian. Those who have already encountered her through the tantalising short extracts from her writing in the best-selling Enfolded in Love will be delighted that Sheila Upjohn, who made the lively translation, has now included longer passages in this perceptive analysis of Julian's life, her writing and her relevance to the world today.£8.95 -
The Christmas Creative Retreat Activity Book
Advent & Christmas, Creativity, Resources for the Christian YearThis book has been designed to be used from Christmas Day to Epiphany. It has been created to help you find moments of meaning amidst the mince pies and re-runs of old sit-coms. Be inspired by the stories of Saints and find peace with the activities. The Christmas Creative Retreat Activity Book offers a combination of meditations, prayers and activities. Some to challenge and some to help you relax and clear your mind and always to encourage you to hear the 'still, small voice'.£3.99 -
Hollow of His hand: Greetings card
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthGreetings card supplied with envelope featuring original artwork by Francesca Ross. Blank inside. Illustrated text of the traditional blessing 'May the road rise to meet you...'£2.25 -
Sale
The Love That Made Saint Teresa
Culture & Mission, Everyday Life, Leadership, The Inner Journey, Traditional MonasticismPart biography and part spiritual reading, this book brings to light little-known stories from Mother Teresa's life that will help you to grow in your love of God. You will learn her approach to reading Scripture, what enabled her to persevere through agonizing nights, and the remarkable -- some would say mystical -- events that led her to start the Missionaries of Charity.In considering Mother Teresa, her private visions, and her secret sufferings, David Scott has discovered scores of early episodes and chance encounters that point to later, larger meanings. These remarkable patterns, he suggests, show that Mother Teresa's life was choreographed from above, as if a divine script had been written for her from before her birth.In these pages, you will meet for the first time the Mother Teresa who challenged the ancient Goddess of Death and became the first saint of our global village. You will read as she describes, in long-secret letters, the dark night of her soul. The woman you will meet is one that God himself sent to you as a clear sign that despite pain and suffering in our lives and in our world, God's good love will prevail ...beginning in what she called the slums of our hearts. We are all called to holiness, and the saints are sent to us as real-life examples of God's love. With Mother Teresa as your guide, you'll learn how to follow God's call and find holiness in a world marked by the shadow of death and growing indifference to God. Indeed, you'll learn how to be an everyday missionary of Christ's love in the ordinary activities of your daily life.Original price was: £9.99.£5.99Current price is: £5.99. -
Labyrinth: Greetings card
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthGreetings card supplied with envelope featuring original artwork by Francesca Ross. Blank inside.£2.00 -
Daring Greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent and lead
Church & LeadershipEvery time we are introduced to someone new, try to be creative or start a difficult conversation, we take a risk. We feel uncertain and exposed. We feel vulnerable. Most of us try to fight those feelings - we strive to appear perfect. In a powerful new vision Dr. Brené Brown challenges everything we think we know about vulnerability, and dispels the widely accepted myth that it's a weakness. She argues that vulnerability is in fact a strength, and when we shut ourselves off from revealing our true selves we grow distanced from the things that bring purpose and meaning to our lives. Daring Greatly is the culmination of twelve years of groundbreaking social research across the home, relationships, work, and parenting. It is an invitation to be courageous; to show up and let ourselves be seen, even when there are no guarantees. This is vulnerability. This is daring greatly.£10.99 -
Contemplative Prayer
Influences & Suggested Reading, Scripture & PrayerThomas Merton's classic study of monastic prayer and contemplation brings a tradition of spirituality alive for the present day. But, as A M Allchin points out in his Introduction to this new edition, Contemplative Prayer also shows us the present day in a new perspective, because we see it in the light of a long and living tradition. Merton stresses that in meditation we should not look for a 'method' or 'system' but cultivate an 'attitude' or 'outlook': faith, openness, attention, reverence, expectation, trust, joy. God is found in the desert of surrender, in giving up any expectation of a particular message and 'waiting on the Word of God in silence'. Merton insists on the humility of faith, which he argues 'will do far more to launch us into the full current of historical reality than the pompous rationalisation of politicians who think they are somehow the directors and manipulators of history'.£11.99 -
As the Touch: A4 signed print
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthWords: Embrace me Lord As the loving parent to a new born babe; As the gentle wave on a windswept shore; As the summer breeze lifts the soaring bird; As the fall of rain on the parched garden soil; As the pure note of song caresses an ear; As the touch on the face from a lover; As the clear starlight falling on a deep, still lake; As the warming sunlight on a butterfly wing; As the brushstroke on a painters canvas; As the soft hug of a much loved toy; As the familiar words of a memorised poem Embrace me O Lord Background: An encouragement to invite God to be intimate with every aspect of our life. Printing and Sizing: This item is 210mm x 297mm and is printed on 300gsm card stock£14.50 -
Wind, water, flame – the Holy Spirit: Print
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthA 21cm square print featuring original artwork by Francesca Ross.£10.00 -
A Retreat with Thomas Merton
The Inner JourneyThe celebrated spiritual writer Thomas Merton remains one of the most influential voices of our day. His many books have become modern spiritual classics and he opened up the riches of the monastic tradition for many. Here, Esther de Waal devises a seven day personal or group retreat programme using extracts from Thomas Merton's writings and a selection of the photography for which he was also renowned. She creates a retreat that can be made at home, at a centre or on holiday, over a week or a period of weeks. The focus of each of the seven days is: The Call; Response; The Solitary Within; Encounter With Christ; The Demands of Love; Common and Natural and Ordinary; Integration.£14.00 -
With Pity Not With Blame: contemplative praying with Julian of Norwich and the cloud of unknowing
Saints & Mystics, Spiritual ExercisesBased on a series of retreat addresses to clergy, parishes and religious communities given over a period of five years, this is one of the most acclaimed guides to Christian contemplative prayer. First published 30 years ago, it is truly a modern spiritual classic. Robert Llewelyn provides a practical yet profound guide for anyone venturing on the path of prayer and contemplation. He explores Julian of Norwich's way of prayer and discovers its enduring wisdom for today. He also finds essential insights into the contemplative life from Julian's contemporary, the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing. The treasures of this medieval English mystical tradition are brought to fresh life with simple and homely examples that illustrate their lasting appeal and power for today.£12.99 -
Wind, Water, Flame – the Holy Spirit: Greetings card
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthSquare Greetings card with image of original artwork by Francesca Ross.£2.00 -
Fire of the North: The Life of St Cuthbert
Celtic Sites & SaintsSt Cuthbert, monk and bishop of Lindisfarne, was a man of extraordinary charm and ability. A preacher, teacher and pastor, he was also reputed to have gifts of prophecy and healing. David Adam, one of the most prolific and best-loved writers in the Celtic tradition, vividly relates the story of this central figure in Celtic Christianity. Drawing out the qualities which make Cuthbert so important in our own time, Fire of the North celebrates the saint's ready sense of God's presence and eager response to nature. The narrative is complemented throughout by prayers specially composed to help us experience the direct force of Celtic spirituality for ourselves.£10.99 -
Merton’s Palace of Nowhere
Spiritual Growth, The Inner JourneySpiritual identity is the quest to know who we are, to find meaning in life and to overcome that sense of "is that all there is?" At the heart of this quest are found Thomas Meron's illuminating insights leading from an awareness of the false and illusory self as the way to a realization of the true self. For twenty-five years, Merton's Palace of Nowhere has been the standard for exploring, reflecting on, and understanding this rich vein of Merton's thought.£14.00 -
May the Peace: Greetings card
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthAn 11.5cm square greetings card. Original artwork by Francesca Ross with the Blessing from Morning Prayer (May the Peace of the Lord Christ go with you) from Celtic Daily Prayer.£2.00 -
Sold out
Learning to Walk in the Dark
Influences & Suggested Reading, The Inner JourneyNew from best-selling author Barbara Brown Taylor, perhaps best known for An Altar in the World, comes Learning to Walk in the Dark. In this hardback book she writes with wisdom, grace and beauty as she seeks to rehabilitate what we have learned to fear - the dark. Here she reflects on how our lives do not only work when everything is brightly lit; twilight and deep darkness have treasures of their own waiting to be discovered. Babara Brown Taylor writes: 'Darkness is shorthand for anything that scares me - either because I am sure that I do not have the resources to survive ti or because I do not want to have to find out. If I had my way, I would eliminate everything from chronic back pain ti the fear of the devil from my life ad the lives of those I love. At least I think I would. The problem is this: when, despite all my best efforts, the lights have gone off in my life, plunging me into the kind of darkness that turns my knees to water, I have not died. The monsters have not dragged me out of bed and taken me back to their lair. Instead, I have learned things in the dark that I could never have learned in the light, things that have saved my life over and over again, so that there is really only one logical conclusion. I need darkness as much as I need light. Learning to Walk in the Dark is a wise spiritual companion and guide for those times in life when we don't have all the answers. Recognising our tendency to associate all that is good with light, and all that is evil and dangerous with darkness, Barbara Brown Taylor asks whether God doesn't work at night too? With her characteristic grace and generosity, she invites us to put aside our fears and anxieties and to discover all that the darkness has to teach us. She takes us to underground caverns, subterranean chapels, basement night clubs and unlit cabins in the woods on moonless nights. Through darkness, we begin to see the world and sense God's presence around us in new ways, guiding us through things seen an unseen, and teaching us to find out footing in times of uncertainty. Like seeds buried in the ground, we will find how darkness is essential for our own growth and flourishing.£12.99 -
The Making Of Us: who we can become when life doesn’t go as planned
Everyday Life, Seasons of Life, Spiritual Growth, The Inner JourneyBeautiful Things Can Emerge from Life Not Going as Planned. When life takes one too many unexpected turns, do you find yourself saying, "I don't know who I am anymore"? In the wake of shattered dreams, do you wonder how you will keep going-and if you'll ever find purpose or joy again? After infertility, an international move, and a professional change shook Sheridan Voysey's world, he realized that he couldn't reconcile his expectations with the life he was living. Feeling lost, he decided to pair his spiritual journey with a literal one: a hundred-mile pilgrimage along the northeast coast of England. Inspired by the life and influence of the seventh-century monk Cuthbert, Sheridan travelled on foot from the Holy Island of Lindisfarne to Durham. Taking his friend DJ along for the journey, and keeping a journal by his side, Sheridan discovered not resolution but peace. Not ambition but purpose. Not shouts of convictions but whispers of the presence of God. In The Making of Us, Sheridan invites us to join him as he walks along England's shores and we trace the borders of our own hearts. Part pilgrim's journal, part call to reflection, The Making of Us eloquently reminds us of the beauty of journeying into uncertainty, the freedom of letting go, and the wonder of losing our identity only to discover who we really are.£12.99 -
Advent and Christmas Wisdom with Thomas Merton
Advent & Christmas, Resources for the Christian YearAdvent and Christmas are special times for all Christians. The spiritual longing of the Advent season can only be satisfied by the joy and celebration of a Christmas focused on Jesus' birth in our hearts. Advent and Christmas Wisdom with Thomas Merton give readers the opportunity to experience Advent and Christmas in a way that unwraps the spiritual joy, allowing it to shine brighter that all the tinsel and trappings that can blind our eyes to the deeper meaning of the season. This book is arranged for use on every day of the Advent and Christmas seasons. Each day's reflection begins with a scriptural quotation, continues with a thought from the writings of Thomas Merton, and concludes with a prayer for the day. Merton's writing capture the familiar themes of the season: the Incarnation, anticipation, angels, giving, and many others - each drawing us closer to the joy of welcoming the Saviour into our lives. An appendix includes a suggested plan for using each day's meditation as part of a morning or evening prayer.£11.99 -
Sale
Untamed Gospel: protest, poems and prose for the Christian year
Church & Leadership, Creativity, Resources for the Christian Year, Scripture & PrayerUntamed Gospel complements The Bright Field and Darkness Yielding, and offers meditations, reflections, stories, prayers and poems for use throughout the church year. Each one focuses on the often startling nature of Jesus' sayings and teachings, the raw honesty of the psalms and other biblical texts, and on contemporary issues, such as mental health and displacement, seen in the light of the demands of the kingdom of God. A rich resource for worship, preaching, teaching and personal reflection throughout the year, Untamed Gospel contains hundreds of reproducible items, including seasonal reflections, stories, homilies, poems and some of Jim Cotter's last writings as he was being treated for cancer: a moving sequence of prayer poems inspired by the psalms.Original price was: £17.99.£13.99Current price is: £13.99. -
Sale
Into the depths: A Journey of Loss and Vocation
Everyday Life, The Inner JourneyIn January 1984, Sr Mary Margaret Funk, a Benedictine nun from Indiana, paid a visit to Maryknoll missionary nuns working in Bolivia. On what should have been a routine trip to the local town for a convocation ceremony, a flash flood swept away the jeep in which she, three nuns, a priest, and a disabled boy they had adopted were travelling. Only she and the priest survived What happened that night catapulted Sr Meg into twenty-five years of prayer and self-examination. She relentlessly explored her relationship with the transcendent and immanent God, the profundities of her religious tradition, her commitment to spiritual practice, and her very human failings. It was a journey that left her spiritually naked before the terrible love of God; a journey to keep one's heart open to the transforming wounds of suffering. In the great tradition of spiritual confessions from Augustine to Thomas Merton's The Seven-Story Mountain, Into the Depths is a fearlessly honest and simply told account of one woman's struggle to engage at the deeper levels with the most profound questions of faith.Original price was: £12.99.£8.99Current price is: £8.99. -
Sold out
-
The Advent Creative Retreat Activity Book
Advent & Christmas, Creativity, Resources for the Christian YearThe Advent Creative Retreat Activity Book is one of a series of Retreat books written and illustrated by Mary & Mark Fleeson. It's an A6 format, 20 page book with readings, prayers and activities split into sections to help you to take time out with God. This book gives an opportunity to discover some of the things that the approach to Christmas can teach us. It includes excerpts from Henry Van Dyke’s short story ‘The Other Wise Man’, come and join him as he seeks the King! The Advent Creative Retreat Activity Book offers a combination of meditations, prayers and activities. Some to challenge and some to help you relax and clear your mind and always to encourage you to hear the ‘still, small voice’.£3.99 -
Julian of Norwich: A Very Brief History
Saints & MysticsOver six hundred years ago a woman known as Julian of Norwich wrote what is now regarded as one of the greatest works of literature in English. Based on a sequence of mystical visions she received in 1373, her book is called Revelations of Divine Love. Julian lived through an age of political and religious turmoil, as well as through the misery of the Black Death, and her writing engages with timeless questions about life, love and the meaning of suffering. But who was Julian of Norwich? And what can she teach us today? Medievalist and TV historian Janina Ramirez invites you to join her in exploring Julian's remarkable life and times, offering insights into how and why her writing has survived, and what we can learn from this fourteenth-century mystic whose work lay hidden in the shadows of her male contemporaries for far too long£10.99 -
Sold out
May the Peace: Print
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthAn 21cm square print. Original artwork by Francesca Ross with the Blessing from Morning Prayer (May the Peace of the Lord Christ go with you) from Celtic Daily Prayer.£10.00 -
Small Boat, Wild Sea: Print
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthPrint featuring original artwork by Francesca Ross.£12.50 -
Seasoned By Seasons: flourishing in life’s experiences
Seasons of Life, Spiritual GrowthLike the seasons themselves, our lives are variable and can change in a moment. In Seasoned by Seasons, Michael Mitton acknowledges this and offers Bible reflections for the variety of life's seasons: spring, the season of emerging new life; summer, the season of fruitfulness; autumn, the season of letting go; winter, the season of discovering light in the dark. What can we learn, and how can we be encouraged in each season of our lives? This book will empower you to discover for yourself the truths and messages of scripture, and might well change the way you view life's changes.£7.99 -
Poverty – Simplicity – Joy: Stories of St Francis and his Companions for Everyone
Saints & Mystics, Spiritual ExercisesOccasionally in the Church some spirit is raised up who proves to have a universal significance that endures through the ages. Such a one was Francis of Assisi, whose life continues to inspire countless thousands of Christians, and even people of other faiths and none. When the present pope chose the name Francis, the Church thrilled with a sense of something new, radical, focused on Jesus and the poor. The name Francis alone symbolizes a way of life that challenges and offers hope. It returns us to the basic message of Christianity, the love that is ever ancient, ever new, and demands a response on our part. Francis was born in 1182. It was the era of the crusades, which heralded enormous changes in the Christian West. During his lifetime Francis himself was to go to the East, not as a fighting Crusader, but as one who wanted to bring peace through dialogue and understanding. It was also a new era of lay holiness. There was a reaction to the wealth of the Church and its distance from the ordinary person. People flocked to the growing cities, but for most it was a life of misery and squalor. They were uprooted from the land they had lived on for years, and there was little provision in urban areas for their spiritual welfare or material well-being.£5.95 -
Colonies of Heaven: Celtic Models for Today’s Church
Celtic Studies, Celtic Studies & Spirituality, Re-imagining Church'Celtic' Christianity continues to fascinate us, but is it relevant to the life and witness of the church today? Ian Bradley is convinced that it is; that the building of 'colonies of heaven' drawing on Celtic models provides the way forward for the churches in the twenty-first century. Colonies of Heaven explores how the distinctive themes in the early Christianity of the British Isles – monasticism, blessing and cursing, penance and pastoral care, worship, the communion of saints and pilgrimage – might be applied in practical terms to Christian life today. Building 'colonies of heaven' (communities of prayer, artistic and creative activity, hospitality and team ministry), Bradley argues, would revitalise our churches with a new spiritual and social role in an increasingly secular and fragmented society.£14.99 -
Eyes of the Heart; photography as Christian contemplative practice
Creativity, Spiritual ExercisesEyes of the Heart by Christine Valters Paintner explores photography as a spiritual practice from a Christian perspective. Christine builds on the process of contemplative creativity in her book The Artist’s Rule (also available from the community bookshop) by adapting the monastic practice of lectio divina (sacred reading) into a form of visio divina (sacred seeing). A spiritual director and Benedictine oblate, she guides readers through a new way of spiritual observation – through the lens of a camera – and in receiving images, not simply taking them. She writes that, ‘My hope is that, in exploring the language of photography, you [develop] new portals into the your own experience and awareness of God. Shadow and light, framing, colour, reflections, and mirrors all offer us metaphors for ways of understanding how we might move towards seeing ourselves and God with the eyes of the heart.’ She invites us to use our cameras to help us to release our expectations of what we think we ought to see and learn to discover what is actually there. And then helps us to bring this kind of interaction into our everyday lives.£12.99 -
Walking in Valleys of Darkness : A Benedictine Journey through Troubled Times
Leadership, Scripture & Prayer, Spiritual Growth, The Inner Journey, Traditional MonasticismTrusting in the Lord and his benevolence is easy when life is going well - not so easy when life seems difficult. Yet, walking through what the author calls 'valleys of darkness' can bring us opportunities for insight and grace we might not experience when we are walking through good times. Benedictine monk Fr. Albert Holtz invites the reader to walk with him through five periods of pain and difficulty in his own life, including being diagnosed with cancer and dealing with the death of his brother. In a series of twenty-four meditations, the author shows how insights behind such New Testament words such as courage, compassion, and trust, became a source of practical help and spiritual strength for him during those difficult times. His down-to-earth reflections can do the same for anyone trying to understand how the mystery of Christ's passion, death and resurrection can help us cope with, and even profit from, life's inevitable struggles and sufferings.£9.00 -
God Doesn’t Do Waste: Redeeming the Whole of Life
Everyday Life, The Inner JourneyMeet 'the Bookless Bunch', a very ordinary family who went green. When God challenged him over his attitude to the environment, Dave Bookless did a total rethink. This led to major changes, not only in his family's lifestyle but also eventually in his career: full time involvement in the global A Rocha movement that aims to care for God's fragile world. But in one sense this book isn't about going green at all. It's a personal account of a life lived in relationship. It's about roots and belonging, suffering and healing, identity and meaning, faith and doubt. It's about how in God's economy nothing need be wasted. It's about the messiness that each human being wades through in every area of life, and about a God who can take all that seems most wasteful and useless, and recycle it into something of infinite worth.£8.99 -
Sacred Strangers: what the Bible’s outsiders can teach Christians
Culture & Mission, Everyday Life, Scripture & PrayerThe Bible is laced with stories in which strangers behave better than believers. What do these encounters with "others"--people from different cultures, religions, genders, economic and social classes--teach us about our own spiritual values, about the faith and God behind them? In Sacred Strangers, Nancy Haught leads readers through these stories, line by line, offering insight to open hearts to sacred strangers at a time when personal encounters can make us or break us--as people and citizens of the world.£10.99 -
The Holiday Creative Retreat Activity Book
CreativityThis book has been designed to help you make the most of your holiday whether you have a long weekend or two weeks away. It offers a combination of prayers and activities. Some to challenge and some to help you relax and clear your mind and always to encourage you to hear the 'still, small voice'.£3.99 -
Sold out
One Day Creative Retreat Activity Book
Creativity, Spiritual Exercises, The Inner JourneyThis book has been designed to guide you through a day long creative retreat or quiet day whether it be at home or away. It offers a combination of prayers and activities, some to challenge and some to help you relax and clear your mind and always to encourage you to hear the 'still, small voice.'£3.99 -
Faith, Hope and Love: Print
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthA 21cm square print of original artwork by Francesca Ross.£10.00 -
Course in Desert Spirituality: Fifteen Sessions with the Famous Trappist Monk
Desert Monasticism, Influences & Suggested ReadingThomas Merton's sessions with the young monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani showcase Merton's brilliant ability to survey the key figures and synthesize their writings, inspiring his listeners and readers with what it means for the spiritual life. Like its companion volume, A Course in Christian Mysticism, this book is a collection of fifteen lectures that get to the heart of Merton's belief that monastic wisdom and spirituality are applicable for everyone. This compact volume allows anyone to learn from one of the twentieth century's greatest Catholic spiritual teachers. The study materials at the back of the book, including additional primary source readings and thoughtful questions for reflection and discussion, make this an essential text for any student of Christian desert spirituality.£13.50 -
Healing the Purpose of Your Life
Everyday Life, Spiritual Growth, The Inner Journey£12.99The Linns have a knack for choosing topics that are very timely and communicating them in a way that speaks to our everyday experience. In this book they explore how we discover our unique calling and develop it as a gift – for ourselves, others and the earth. For those caught up in our hectic culture, this little book is a rich source for reflection and prayer that can be used either individually or with groups.
Robert T Sears, SJ Professor of Pastoral Theology, Loyola University