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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 -
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 -
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 -
Sister Wendy’s Bible Treasury: Stories and wisdom through the eyes of great painters
Creativity, The Inner JourneyFrom the majesty of Genesis to the mystery of Revelation, the Bible contains some of the world's most powerful stories and sublime wisdom. It is also the inspiration for some the greatest pictures ever painted. Adan and Eve expelled from Paradise, Jacob wrestling with the angel, God appearing to Moses in the burning bush, Samson betrayed by Delilah, David slaying Goliath, the beauty of Bathsheba, the wisdom of Solomon: these are among the dramatic episodes and memorable characters from the Old Testament, portrayed here by artists such as Masaccio, Raphael, Rubens, Degas and Rembrandt Then, in the New Testament, the figure of Jesus takes centre stage, with his compelling parables and miracles depicted by artists such as Poussin, Delacroix and van Gogh, and with major events in his ministry – from the nativity to the resurrection – painted by Botticelli, Piero, Duccio, Leonardo, Giotto, Titian and Craigie Aitchison. Commenting on these and many other fine works, Sister Wendy takes you on a journey into the heart of the Bible and of biblical art, making this a book you will want to turn to again and again.£9.99 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
Peace of Heart: reflections on choices in daily life
Everyday Life, The Inner JourneyHow can we achieve peace of mind? We can only experience true peace of mind when we have true peace of soul: when we are in right relationship with God, our neighbour, and our deepest self. The meditations in this little book explore how small practices and daily choices can foster true peace of soul. Small enough to slip into a purse or coat pocket, these books fit easily into everyday routines.£5.95 -
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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 -
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 -
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 -
Gift from the Sea
Everyday Life, The Inner JourneyFirst published in 1955 and an instant bestseller, Gift from the Sea is a classic, wise book for women about how to flourish in life, how to balance life, work, motherhood; about finding space to think and breathe. Holidaying by the sea, and taking inspiration from the shells she finds on the seashore, Anne Morrow Lindbergh meditates on youth and age, love and marriage, peace, solitude and contentment. Her insights – into aspects of the modern world that threaten to overwhelm us, the complications of technology, the ever multiplying commitments that take us from our families – are as relevant today as they ever were, perhaps even more so. By recording her thoughts during a brief escape from everyday demands, Ann Morrow Lindbergh helps readers find a space for contemplation and creativity within their own lives.£12.99 -
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 -
The Cloud of Unknowing for Everyone
Saints & Mystics, Spiritual ExercisesIn this adaptation of a classic 'how to' book of contemplative prayer, beautifully and simply expressed and illustrated, the riches of contemplative prayer are made available to all. Those who find this way of praying natural for them and those who wish to discover hitherto unknown facets of the beauty of prayer can alike find in it real spiritual nourishment.£5.95 -
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Reclaiming the Common Good : How Christians can help re-build our broken world
Culture & Mission, Everyday LifeAfter decades of political consensus, we are entering a time in which everything about the way we live today, and about how our society and communities are structured, is up for discussion. Many people are feeling empowered to ask: What kind of world do we want to live in? One that works for a few, or one that works for the common good?What part can Christians play in building a future of hope, peace, equality an justice?Reclaiming the Common Good is a collection of essays which consider these themes. Beginning with an explanation of the history and meaning of the term `common good', it explores how the sense of working for this ideal has been lost. Focussing, biblically, on issues such as welfare, austerity, migration, environment, peace and justice, it provides a compellingly fresh and insightful analysis on the state of the world today, and offers a realistic vision of how it could be better. This vision is rooted in the idea of a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem, as suggested in the book of Revelation. This collection has been compiled and edited by Virginia Moffatt, a writer, community activist and former Chief Operating Officer of the belief and values think-tank, Ekklesia. Its other contributors are: Dr Patrick Riordan SJ, John Moffatt SJ, Simon Barrow, Bernadette Meaden, Dr Simon Duffy, Rev. Vaughan Jones, Savitri Hensman , Ellen Teague, Edward P. Echlin, Henrietta Cullinan, Susan Clarkson and Rev.Dr Simon Woodman.Original price was: £14.99.£7.99Current price is: £7.99. -
The Artist’s Rule: nurturing your creative soul with monastic wisdom
Creativity, Monasticism & New Monasticism, Spiritual Exercises, Spiritual Growth, The Inner Journey, Traditional Monasticism, nature, solitude, artists, creativity The Artist's Rule: Nurturing Your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom by Christine Valters Paintner, author of Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire, invites readers to discover and develop their creative gifts in a spirit of prayer and reflection. This twelve-week course draws on the insights and practices of Benedictine spirituality to explore the interplay between contemplation and creativity. Sumarised in the phrase 'pray and work,' The Rule of St. Benedict provides the inspiration for Christine Valters Paintner's newest exploration of the mutually nourishing relationship between contemplative practices and creative expression. Artists of all stripes and stations in life - poets or painters, potters or photographers - will discover how traditions of Benedictine, Celtic, and desert spirituality can offer new sources of inspiration for their work. Themes like 'Sacred Tools and Sacred Space', 'Creative Solitude and Community,' and 'Nature as a Source of Revelation and Inspiration' are enriched by Paintner's perceptive discussion and enhanced by insightful quotations from well-known artists and writers. Ideally formatted for faith sharing groups and parish retreats, this guide offers suggestions for grounding both the creative and the spiritual life through three basic practices: walking, lectio divina, and journaling. The Artist's Rule is supplemented with online resources, including guided meditation podcasts, video lessons, and discussions.£14.99 -
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 -
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 -
Freehand Celtic Knot Manual
CreativityA practical manual for creating Freehand Celtic Knots. All you need is paper, a pencil, a plastic eraser and some colouring pens or pencils. There are aso ideas for using the knot in meditation and prayer. Mary Fleeson has developed the technique and use of the Freehand Celtic Knot and has been using it in her artwork since she founded Lindisfarne Scriptorium in the late nineties. Mary teaches workshops and leads retreats on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne where whe has lived since 1997.£4.99 -
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 -
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 -
Celtic Parables: Stories, Poems and Prayers
Celtic Prayer, Celtic Studies, Celtic Studies & Spirituality, Scripture & Prayer, Spiritual GrowthNever mock what others say. Perhaps their words are full of nonsense. Perhaps they are trying to puff themselves up. Perhaps they like hearing the sound of their voices. Perhaps they are trying to deceive their hearers. Perhaps they are foolish and dim. Perhaps they are more clever than wise. Yet amidst the useless clay You may find jewels beyond price. The word of God is in every heart, And can speak through every voice. Never mock (p.104) This collection of stories, meditations, poems and prayers evokes the authentic spirit of Celtic Christianity. Capturing the atmosphere of parables passed down through generations, it shows the human warmth, respect for the natural world and robust, down-to-earth qualities for which Celtic spirituality is so greatly valued. With its rich treasury of material – most of it previously unavailable in modern editions – Celtic Parables offers a fresh lively introduction to the Celtic world. It will appeal to all those fascinated by our Celtic heritage and the way it speaks directly to us today.£10.99 -
Egfroth of Lindisfarne (not a saint!)
Celtic Studies & SpiritualityKate Tristram has written an entertaining and accessible account of the remarkable years of the 7th century Golden Age of Northumbria from the viewpoint of a fictional monk called Egfroth and his cat. She tells the story of Saint Aidan coming to Lindisfarne at the request of King Oswald, the traumatic events of the Synod of Whitby, the ministry of the charismatic Saint Cuthbert, the creation of the Lindisfarne gospels and the emergence of the great historian The Venerable Bede. Like Bede, Kate Tristram is an historian and author; she has lived and worked on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, at the heart of this story, for forty years. Combining her detailed knowledge of the era with a delightfully light touch, she provides a succinct overview of the momentous events that stamped their mark firmly on the religious, cultural and artistic life of our nation.£5.99 -
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Watching, Waiting, Walking: A pattern of prayer and a path for disciples
Church & LeadershipEngaging and anecdotal in style, Watching, Waiting, Walking is structured around three key moments in the transformation of one of Jesus' closest friends: St Peter. In the garden of Gethsemane, Peter is told to 'watch' his life. Then, along with the other disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, he is told to 'wait' for the Holy Spirit. And in Jerusalem, following Pentecost, he 'walks' out to address the crowd, and subsequently heals a crippled man who begins to walk himself. Andy Rider believes that reflecting on this pattern of watching, waiting and walking can not only help to shape our prayers on a daily basis, but also to deepen our ability to perceive where we are in the cycle of discipleship. And given the author's honesty about his now times of struggle and reassurance, this warm-hearted column cannot fail to encourage us – whatever our circumstances – to become more open to the work of God's transforming spirit.Original price was: £7.99.£5.99Current price is: £5.99.