I am excited to announce that I have recently released my first book, Women Give Voice to Wisdom: Praying Lectio-Visio Divina. It’s available in paperback on Amazon here. I’m working with a designer and plan to publish it as an ebook soon.

Women Give Voice to Wisdom pairs spiritual words of wisdom from women across the ages with my original artwork that can be used for prayer or meditation. Simply sitting with the artwork and quotes in this book helps us slow down and develop a meditative approach to your journey toward wholeness.

Women Give Voice to Wisdom also provides instructions for a prayer method that combines the ancient practice of lectio divina with a visual element: visio divina. Standing at the intersection of wisdom, feminism, and contemplative Christian spirituality, this book calls you to hear the voice of Sophia Holy Wisdom and to respond to Her in your heart.

Women Give Voice to Wisdom began with a celebration of Mary Magdalene, inspired by FutureChurch. For four years, I celebrated the Mary Magdalene feast day with a group of women at my local parish.  However, one year the image (shown here) of her speaking to a group of disciples (Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles by Emer O’Boyle) was displayed in the narthex (foyer) of the church to publicize the celebration.  Objections were voiced by some parishioners, so I invited the women to move the feast day celebration to my home. I hosted and led the celebration every summer for over a decade, evolving and adapting the ritual, and throwing in a champagne breakfast.

I have been a collector of quotes for a long time, going back to my college and young adult days, when I taped quotes and images on my mirrors and on the insides of my cabinet doors.  It felt natural to include quotes from wise women that have come down to us over the centuries in the Mary Magdalene ritual. I provided colorful cards with wisdom quotes (from both medieval mystics and more contemporary women) to select from as we were gathering.  Part of the ritual included going around the circle with each woman reading aloud her quote.  Each reading was followed by a response from the group of, “God speaks Her Wisdom through our voices.”

To my surprise, this part of the ritual created a great deal of energy, and the quotes began to take on a life of their own.  Women would come early to find just the right quote or would bring in favorite quotes of their own.  It was an incredibly strong and joyful experience to speak women’s wisdom out loud with our own voices and to acknowledge our connection to Sophia, Holy Wisdom.

Beginning in 2006, I became interested in visual art and its use in expressions of faith and spirituality.  I attended an art as spirituality workshop and began exploring images and creating artwork of my own, as part of spiritual direction. In 2015, I was inspired by the book Painted Prayers by Jody Uttal. I became interested in the idea of matching the quotes I was collecting with the acrylic monoprints that I was making. And now, ten years later, Women Give Voice to Wisdom is available in paperback on Amazon here. I pray that his book will provide a valuable addition to your spiritual life and become a sanctuary for you, a holy place to enter and dwell within.

Image: “Mary of Magdala” by Emer O’Boyle, copyright We are Church Ireland, used with permission.  Prints of this painting may be ordered online at http://wearechurchireland.ie/.