MUDDY MYSTICISM : the sacred tethers of body, earth, and everyday

Muddy Mysticism is a spiritual memoir, a lyrical articulation of an emergent feminist mysticism and a heartfelt response to the lack of mystical literature by women who have chosen a life of family, love, work and the world. Like many women she found the faith of her childhood no longer fitted... yet still there is a longing for the sacred. Through poetry, reflection and experience she moves into the possibility of direct experience with the divine...beyond a belief system. Exploring the possibility of daily life in the modern world not as something to be transcended or escaped...but as a mystical path in its own right. Muddy Mysticism offers consolation to those who feel the truth and bewilderment that the late German Jesuit priest, Karl Rahner, touched upon when he said that the only way a person would survive with an intact faith in this century is by being a mystic. Natalie Bryant-Rizzieri is an award-winning poet. This is her first non-fiction title. WITH A FOREWORD BY ALISA STARKEWEATHER, FOUNDER OF THE RED TENT TEMPLE MOVEMENT. Each Red Tent is a unique reflection of the community of women who create it. But these varied spaces share something in common. The longing for connection and belonging. The sharing of how we are feeling and who we are in our lives. The nourishment of ourselves and each other. The slowing down, the rest, the replenishment. The simple act of sharing time and space with a group of women. The opportunity to let go of the other responsibilities in our lives When women come together, magic happens. We know this to be true from our own experience. And we have also seen that something else happens too when these communities grow: they can become a beacon to others. Red Tents weaves together the voices and experiences of many women to create a shared story about the role Red Tents can play in our lives. We document our shared hope, vision and dream - Red Tents as liberatory community spaces for women around the world. Full of inspiration and practical learning, along with questions and practices to support and stimulate discussion about some of the challenges Red Tents face. Red Tents is written by the founders of the Red Tent Directory, including interviews with over seventy women from diverse backgrounds who run Red Tents, this book provides the practical support women need to establish and sustain a Red Tent in their own community. Common challenges and how to overcome them Building Red Tent spaces that are liberatory and challenge oppression Leading together and making your tent sustainable This book provides you with inspiring, grounded, tried and tested advice for creating a safer and more inclusive space. Muddy Mysticism is a spiritual memoir, a lyrical articulation of an emergent feminist mysticism and a heartfelt response to the lack of mystical literature by women who have chosen a life of family, love, work and the world. Like many women Natalie Bryant Rizzieri found the faith of her childhood no longer fitted... yet still there is a longing for the sacred. Through poetry, reflection and experience she moves into the possibility of direct experience with the divine...beyond a belief system. Exploring the possibility of daily life in the modern world not as something to be transcended or escaped...but as a mystical path in its own right. Muddy Mysticism offers consolation to those who feel the truth and bewilderment that the late German Jesuit priest, Karl Rahner, touched upon when he said that the only way a person would survive with an intact faith in this century is by being a mystic. Natalie Bryant-Rizzieri is an award-winning poet. This is her first non-fiction title.