Counsel of Akka

My steps are heavy, oh sister My burdened heart has fallen into my shoes,If only I could close my eyes and sleep away from this world… Oh, brother! Why do you weep?Why has Maya rattled you so? Do you not see that she rages in vain?Be not saddened by this great illusion. Sister, I beg

A monastery in rural France

I am currently in France to visit family and today we were in one of the most beautiful parts of the country: Auvergne. We were there to visit my dear grandfather’s grave and on the way back, we stopped by a well-known monastery in the region: the Notre-Dame-de-l’Hermitage nunnery and sanctuary. Here are some photos:

The selfless sacrifice of Maximilian Kolbe

I’ve been reading a lot about Catholic saints and monasticism lately. Not planning on converting to Catholicism, don’t worry. The reason is actually that part of the novel I’m writing takes place in a Benedictine monastery and I want to be accurate as I can about the topic. Catholic monasteries are often named after a

Excerpt from chapter one – Finding the self

This is an excerpt from a novella that will be published in the near future. More information about this chapter’s topic and its inspiration will come at the end of this post. “The story goes such: There once was a young woman who sought a husband. She had a list of requirements for her future

A time for peace and a time to hiss

The second-last chapter of my novella is finally finished. It took way longer than I’d planned but writer’s block strikes when it strikes. I’m just happy I got it done at last. Much of what that particular chapter is about is a difficult and perhaps controversial subject: When, if ever, is it right to use