I always find it a bit sad to let go of expansiveness of summer … but then the adventures of the fall begin to beckon – so I walk across that bridge into the new season! What new experiences is fall calling you to? What are you being asked to release as you cross the autumn threshold?
This fall brings the culmination of two years of video-making for me with Abbey of the Arts. We have a brand new visual Prayer Cycle that we are just about to release! It’s called Cultivating Seeds of Liberation and features songs, dances, and prayers of justice and joy.
It’s certainly a challenging time in our country with different world views colliding, while systems that once were created to tend to the margins are being dismantled. I find this new series of Morning and Evening Prayers especially effective in speaking to our heart’s longing for true freedom, and lifting up voices often marginalized to help us co-create a path forward. Each of the 14 Podcasts features 2 dances (that’s 28 in total!)
As it happens, I have created or commissioned 20 new dances for this series! I have invited in lots of new & beloved dancing friends, including: Karin Stevens Dance, Soyinka Rahim (BIBOLOVE.Us), Friends of Hope in Uganda, Vania Bynum (VCBynum Arts), Malia Helela (Still & Moving Center in Hawaii), Megan Sims, Jurian Hughes, Delaney Hart, Logan Wentland & Claudia Rodriguez (from Seattle) and Soleil Chappelle. Plus I have a few of my own dances sprinkled in … as evidenced by the photo from Ireland above. I am super excited to share all these gorgeous pieces with you!
This series (which is free by the way – woohoo!) offers you 7 Morning and Evening Prayers exploring the themes of Love, Vision, Hope, Justice, Peace, Joy, and Beauty … released one by one … and available (after that) whenever you like on the website.
Beginning on October 4th, a pair of these new video prayer services will be released each week. They will become available on this link: Cultivating Seeds of Liberation Prayer Podcasts. Or, if you’d like a reminder each week, you can sign up for our weekly newsletter at Abbey of the Arts, and each Sunday, you will received the new link right in your very own inbox. Plus, you can keep abreast of other Abbey news -yay!
In the meantime, I have a sneak preview for you …
This dance, entitled We Shall Be Known by MaMuse … is a gorgeous anthem about the Great Turning choreographed by my beloved friend Karin Stevens, and filmed outdoors here in Seattle at a park where nuclear submarine fins have been repurposed to emerge from the ground like whale fins. This dance prayer is exquisite, and I’m super excited to share it with you as a taste of the many beautiful prayers to come over the next couple of months!
Besides all this joyous fall news, please scroll down to see a few other upcoming opportunities, both online and in person for uplifting your dancing spirit!
~ In Seattle~
SpiritPlay Location: St. Joseph Parish Center
Cost: $25 per class. | $175 for series
Would be a joy to share the journey with you!
Another Seattle Offering:
Children’s Liturgy of the Word (with Betsey!)
October 18th, November 8th, December 6th
9:00 am Mass | St. Joseph Church
With Betsey Beckman & Kayce Hughlett
with music by Te Martin
Online with Abbey of the Arts!
Friday, October 30th
8-10 am Pacific | 11-1:00 pm Eastern
As the days grow shorter, we draw near to the threshold know by the Celts as Samhain. You may have heard that the “veil is thin” in this time. Are you curious what this means for you? Would you like to deepen your listening to the voices of the Ancestors in your own journey? Join us as we near All Hallow’s Eve, All Saints and All Souls day … for a playful and soul-filled journey through the expressive arts to explore how ancestors speak to us in our spiritual lives. We will engage gentle movement, song & storytelling, color & writing to open the doors of our intuitive awareness to the energetic allies that accompany us!
I’m delighted to be offering this retreat with my beloved friends – Kayce Hughlett, artist & writer par excellence, and Te Martin, wonderful song-keeper and ritual artist!
2027 May/June Pilgrimage to Celtic Lands of Scotland and Ireland!
Have you dreamed of traveling to the Celtic lands? Now is the time! I once again team up with my beloved friend, Fr. Michael Sparough, SJ, as well as great friends & guides, Rev. Howard Espie and Bob McCaffery-Lent to lead a pilgrimage to holy sites in the ancient Celtic traditions. Some of my favorite sites are on our itinerary, and some new ones too! Would love to share with you.
~ In Closing ~
What Belongs in the World
As always, I continue my dancing journey with the InterPlay community, which nourishes me with soulful and playful ways to reflect on life. I am grateful for my friend, Francine Walls, who inspires me with her wonderful poetry! As the seasons turn, may you continue to discover your unique place in this world, with awe at the gift of each sunrise. And may we all cultivate the seeds of peace.
With love,
Betsey
Betsey Beckman, MM
