The Artist's Rule:Nurturing Your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom, by Christine Valters Paintner, author of Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire, invites readers to discover and develop their creative gifts in a spirit of prayer and reflection. This twelve-week course draws on the insights and practices of Benedictine spirituality to explore the interplay between contemplation and creativity. Sumarised in the phrase ''pray and work,'' Artists of all stripes and stations in life - poets or painters, potters or photographers - will discover how traditions of Benedictine, Celtic, and desert spirituality can offer new sources of inspiration for their work. Ideally formatted for faith sharing groups and parish retreats, this guide offers suggestions for grounding both the creative and the spiritual life through three basic practices:walking, lectio divina, and journaling. In sync with Paintner's vibrant internet presence, 'The Artist's Rule' is supplemented with online resources, including guided meditation podcasts, video lessons, and discussions.