Daily Nourishment for July 30, 2024: The Beautiful Work of Our Hands with Guidance and Good Art Curated by Lauren Winner
Daily Nourishment Read Time: 50 seconds
Pause/Prompt/Practice Time: 15 minutes
The Glen traditionally ends with an anointing of hands. For this anointing, you just need two things -
oil, which is understood in the Christian tradition as a bearer of healing and blessing,
and hands.
Pause.
While allowing your breath to slow, gaze at this photograph of Georgia O’Keefe’s hands. Perhaps dance your hands as you gaze.
Here is some of the work those hands made:
Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue
Purple Leaves
Bell Cross Ranchos Churc, New Mexico, 1930
What are some of the things your hands have made? Give thanks for your hands.
Prompt.
Read this poem by May Sarton:
True gardeners cannot bear a glove
Between the sure touch and the tender root,
Must let their hands grow knotted as they move
With a rough sensitivity about
Under the earth, between the rock and shoot,
Never to bruise or wound the hidden fruit.
And so I watched my mother's hands grow scarred,
She who could heal the wounded plant or friend
With the same vulnerable yet rigorous love;
I minded once to see her beauty gnarled,
But now her truth is given me to live,
As I learn for myself we must be hard
To move among the tender with an open hand,
And to stay sensitive up to the end
Pay with some toughness for a gentle world
Practice.
Begin writing a poem about your hands at three different moments in your life - say, when you were 14, when you were 25, and last week. For each age, show your hands in action. Write this poem by hand.
When you are finished, thank your hands. Wonder what good and beautiful thing you might do with them next.
Want More?
—Haiku by Bashō:
Wrapping rice cake
with one hand she tucks
hair behind ear
—Hands in Käthe Kollwitz
—The work of my hands and the skin of my teeth
—from Mary Collier, “Woman’s Labour”
So many Things for our Attendance call,
Had we ten Hands, we could employ them all.
Our Children put to Bed, with greatest Care
We all Things for your coming Home prepare :
You sup, and go to Bed without delay,
And rest yourselves till the ensuing Day ;
While we, alas ! but little Sleep can have,
Because our froward Children cry and rave ;
Yet, without fail, soon as Day-light doth spring,
We in the Field again our Work begin
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Today’s Pause, Prompt, and Practice were provided by Lauren Winner. Lauren served as the chaplain for this year’s Glen Workshop (and led the anointing of hands ceremony on Friday). During the month of July, Spiritual Direction for Writers® Daily Nourishment will feature Glen Workshop facilitators and other Glen-ish people, places, and things. Enjoy!
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Upcoming Workshops & Gatherings
—The July Co-Writing Schedule is live The August Co-Writing Schedule is coming soon.
—Save the Date: Spiritual Direction for Writers® + Enneagram for Creativity Gathering will take place on Saturday, September 28th. Recordings will be available if you can’t join us live. Speakers will be announced soon!
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