Books by Christine Valters Paintner

Be inspired by the writings of ordinary Christians who chose to renounce the world in order to individually follow God's call. Insightful commentary and historical background illustrates how you can use this wisdom in your own spiritual quest.

The poems in Dreaming of Stones are about what endures: hope and desire, changing seasons, wild places, love, and the wisdom of mystics. Inspired by the poet's time living in Ireland these readings invite you into deeper ways of seeing the world. They have an incantational quality. Drawing on her commitment as a Benedictine oblate, the poems arise out of a practice of sitting in silence and lectio divina, in which life becomes the holy text. No stranger to poetry, Paintner's bestselling spirituality titles have often included poems. In this first exclusively poetic collection, she writes with a contemplative heart about kinship with nature, ancestral connections, intimacy, the landscape, the unfolding nature of time, and Christian mystics. It can be read for reflection to spark the heart and to offer solace and inspiration in difficult times. BreathThisbreathingin is a miracle,this breathing out, release,this breathing in a welcome tothe unseen gifts which sustain me eachmoment, this breathing out a sweet sigh,a bow to my mortality, this breathing ina holy yes to life, this breathing outa sacred no to all that causesme to clench and grasp,this breathing in is arevelation, thisbreathing out,freedom.

Designed to help spiritual directors and others use expressive arts in the context of spiritual direction

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. Summarized in the phrase pray and work, The Rule of St. Benedict provides the inspiration for Christine Valters Paintners 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. Through this twelve-week course, themes like Sacred Tools and Sacred Space, Creative Solitude and Community, and Nature as a Source of Revelation and Inspiration are enriched by Paintners perceptive discussion and enhanced by insightful quotations from well-known artists and writers. Each week offers suggestions for grounding both the creative and the spiritual life through three basic practices: walking, lectio divina, and journaling. In sync with Paintners vibrant Internet presence, The Artists Rule is supplemented with online resources, including guided meditation podcasts, video lessons, and discussions.