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Jeff Johnson, a musician known for his Celtic-influenced music, shares his journey in music and how he was drawn to the Celtic Christian expression. He talks about his collaborations with other artists, including Phil Keaggy, and their album 'Spinning on a Cosmic Dime'. Jeff also reflects on the importance of wonder and the need to define oneself beyond creative achievements.

Jeff Johnson’s music spans forty years of over fifty solo and collaborative releases featuring Progressive/Rock, Jazz/New Age, Contemporary Celtic and Contemplative Worship stylizations. He has collaborated with such diverse artists as Irish flutist, Brian Dunning, Jazz bassist, David Friesen, Classical vocalist, Janet Marie Chvatal and guitar virtuoso, Phil Keaggy. Most of his recordings – all self-produced and recorded – have been released on his own Ark Records/ArkMusic label which he began in 1977. He regularly leads a contemplative worship service featuring readings from the Psalms, music and silent prayer called the Selah Service at churches and retreats. He lives on Camano Island in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Susie.

Jeff's website is: https://www.arkmusic.com

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Christine Valters Paintner shares her journey through life, which she describes as reminiscent of the Celtic saints. She discusses her experiences living in different places, including Ireland, and the challenges and joys of following a pilgrimage-like path. Christine also talks about her love for Benedictine and Celtic spirituality, the importance of nature in her spiritual practice, and the significance of circles and circling prayers. She describes herself as a monk in the world and discusses the Abbey of the Arts, her online monastery. Christine also shares about her book, 'A Midwinter God,' which explores encountering the divine in seasons of darkness.

Christine Valters Paintner is a Benedictine oblate and the online Abbess at Abbey of the Arts, a virtual monastery integrating contemplative practice and creative expression. She is a poet and the author of more than 20 books on the spiritual life. Her newest book is A Midwinter God: Encountering the Divine in Seasons of Darkness. Christine lives on the wild edges of Ireland with her husband John and dog Sourney, where they lead online programs for a global community.

• Following a pilgrimage-like path can lead to a life reminiscent of the Celtic saints
• Nature is an important aspect of spiritual practice, and the Celtic tradition sees it as the original sacred text
• Circles and circling prayers are powerful symbols of wholeness and can be used in prayer and meditation
• Living with chronic illness can be a teacher and lead to a deeper understanding of oneself and the divine
• The Abbey of the Arts offers resources and community for those seeking a contemplative and creative path

You can find more about Christine Valters Paintner and her work at AbbeyoftheArts.com Transformative Living through Contemplative and Expressive Arts

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This is the second episode in our Celtic Spirituality series which we are repodcasting for the next few weeks.

John Philip Newell discusses his interest in Celtic spirituality and the sacredness of Earth. He shares his background growing up in a conservative evangelical tradition and how his experiences in nature led him to explore Celtic wisdom. Newell talks about the significance of the island of Iona in the Celtic tradition and its role as a thin place where heaven and earth meet. He also emphasizes the importance of recognizing the sacredness of all things and the divine essence within every human being. Newell discusses the power of poetry and prayers in Celtic spirituality and the need to embrace wisdom from various religious traditions.

Takeaways

• Celtic spirituality emphasizes the sacredness of Earth and the divine essence within all beings.
• The island of Iona is a thin place where heaven and earth meet, and it has been a sacred site in the Celtic tradition for centuries.
• Celtic prayers and poetry express a deep connection to nature and the cycles of life.
• Recognizing the sacredness of all things challenges how we relate to Earth and every human being.
• Embracing religious diversity allows us to access wisdom from different traditions and deepen our spiritual understanding.

John Philip Newell is a Celtic teacher and author of spirituality who calls the modern world to reawaken to the sacredness of Earth and every human being.

Canadian by birth, and a citizen also of Scotland, he resides with his family in Edinburgh and works on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2016 he began the Earth & Soul initiative and teaches regularly in the United States and Canada as well as leading international pilgrimage weeks on Iona in the Western Isles of Scotland.

His PhD is from the University of Edinburgh and he has authored over fifteen books, including his award-winning publication, Sacred Earth Sacred Soul. His new book, also with HarperOne, is The Great Search (August 2024), in which he looks at the great spiritual yearnings of humanity today in the context of the decline of religion as we have known it.

Newell speaks of himself as ‘a wandering teacher’ following the ancient path of many lone teachers before him in the Celtic tradition, seeking the wellbeing of the world. He has been described as having ‘the heart of a Celtic bard and the mind of a Celtic scholar’, combining in his teachings the poetic and the intellectual, the head as well as the heart, and spiritual awareness as well as political and ecological concern.

More about John Philip Newell can be found on his website https://www.earthandsoul.org

Find out more about Christine Sine on
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