A theologian friend of mine once told me that we need to tell our story over and over again until we get it right. What he meant, of course, was that we wrestle with getting to the Truth of our stories, much as the biblical Jacob did with his Angel, until we find the meaning of our lives, the Calling that is uniquely ours to live. What Writing the Prayer of Your Life offers is not only the experience of enhancing one’s skills in the art and practice of writing, but the distinctive opportunity to explore the profound and mysterious landscape of one’s inner resources in the process. My participation in the course deepened and reinforced awareness of my need to attend more mindfully and purposefully to self care as a way of honoring the earthen vessel that shelters my Soul, maintaining and sustaining the balance in body, mind and spirit that nurtures a Right Relationship with the Spirit, and responding to my Call to write. Engaging in Debora’s adventurous writing exercises draws out one’s story in ways that honor, respect and celebrate the complexities and paradoxes of the quest for the More in life. Debora offers the opportunity to wrestle safely with ones Angels – and Demons! For reasons I cannot yet fully comprehend or understand, this course is essential for my Spiritual Journey and a unique opportunity to embrace and not avoid, devalue or diminish my call to attend to my Writing Voice. And so, with Debora’s guidance, I continue to discern Life’s Meaning and Purpose as I continue to Write the Prayer of My Life. Karen Pugliese, MA, BCC Advanced Practice Chaplain Manager, Spiritual Care Resources Central DuPage Hospital Winfield, Illinois … [Read more...]

In Writing the Prayer of Your Life, Deborah created a deeply sacred place for me to unearth my writer's voice and more importantly the mechanics of how to develop my own spiritual writing practice for my voice to flow from each day. This power comes from her own practice as a writer deeply rooted in her own faith and in the wisdom of the Amherst Writers Project. Deborah brings a level of equanimity to her class as a teacher who practices beginners mind. She is both the teacher and always student with you along the path of transformation and healing through the written and spoken word. Like roots running through the ground supporting a tall tree, she supports you with her own faith and her own practice to give birth to yours. I feel like the two rivers of my voice flowed in the safe harbor she created. Her encouragement calling my work "both a dharma teaching and a science lesson" has given me the faith and courage to keep writing my book and to blog about the dangers of lawn chemicals to the ecosystem and humanity. I'm eternally grateful to her lending a hand to ignite my pen on this mission to heal the Earth. In Deepest Gratitude, Bernadette Giblin, NOFA-AOLCP 413-727-3427 MA 631-613-6211 NY 2011 TURI Grant Project Grant Writer & Consultant Creating Safeground: Transitioning Look Park's Pines Theater to a 100% Pesticide & Petrochemical Free Organic Land Care Strategy … [Read more...]

The practice of writing as a form of prayer is equally a practice of prayer as a form of writing. Each act nourishes the other when melded into one. In the process, my writing has deepened into the heart of what matters in my life. There is something about the prayer aspect in all of this which has opened my writing to an uninhibited communication between my soul and God. Often it feels like a one-way conversation, until I read back what I wrote and am surprised by the clarity that echoes back, sometimes as an answer, other times as a question that contains the answer, or as a call to look deeper. But always, there is a two-way expression of love between the writing and the prayer. Writing as prayer allows me a safe place for honoring the sacred in all life, and for caring for the earth as my home. It’s a place where I can experience the fruits of sorrow and joy, learn humility, tolerance and forgiveness, and practice gratitude and charity. It’s through the faithful practice of writing as prayer that the Divine shines through as a gift of grace in the words that flow onto the page. Cynthia Sidrane, Phoenix, Arizona Cynthia writes for the blogs: Canyon Stones, Canyonwren's Rambles, and Prayer Feathers http://canyonstones.blogspot.com, http://prayerfeathers.blogspot.com, http://canyonwrensrambles.blogspot.com and has been published in the anthologies: Pay Attention: A River of Stones, compiled by Fiona Robyn and Kaspa Thompson. … [Read more...]

My work with Debora on "Writing the Prayer of Your Life" has helped me to slow down in life and writing. I really needed and valued the discipline of daily writing from prompts and assignments that forced me to take more time to observe closely and specifically, engaging all my senses; to imagine, free associate, and seek metaphors, to explore and linger with uncomfortable, even painful thoughts and (especially) emotions. I'm a lot closer [to where I want to be as a writer] because of Debora's gentle, on-target exercises, suggestions, prodding -- and faith in the process. I now live the prayer of my life more consciously and gratefully. Meg Newhouse http://www.passionandpurpose.com/ … [Read more...]

“I am understanding more and more what keeps me stuck….I’m trusting myself to be where I am. I’m learning to be more present in my body and on earth…I’m learning to let go, which can feel like giving up safety even when I know the habits are no longer serving me…I am being compassionate for myself and having patience for where I really am. I am looking at things like my desire for completion, the sense of accomplishment, which I also crave in writing. This helps me see that I really am working against deep, lifelong patterns and quiets the voice that tries to say, “What is the problem? Why can’t you just let me go and get on with it.” My new response is, “We are getting on with it.” - Debora’s student who wishes to remain anonymous … [Read more...]