Hi Friends! Welcome to Episode 17 of the Reaching Hurting Women Podcast: A Contemplative Path of Recovery. Here we are learning new ways of coping with our daily struggles. My name is Tamara and I will be your host. Today we are talking about: Creative Practices. 
With the Christmas season upon us, creativity is in the air. Whether you are simply dressing up your home and a tree or going all out making gifts for family and friends.
Although I don’t do much crafting these days, there were many years when the Christmas season rolled around all the craft supplies came out. When my children were young we made homemade decorations, baked and even made many gifts.
The wonderfully thing about the Contemplative Creative Practices is they are in season no matter what time of the year it is.
Here’s a list of practices you might want to consider:

* Gardening
* Calligraphy
* Painting/Drawing/ Coloring
* Cooking
* Photography
* Bible Journaling
* Singing/Chanting

For many years gardening has been something I’ve enjoyed when I’ve had a yard to work in. It was always good therapy during stressful times. But in a contemplative mindset we can be closer to God using our hands with the caring of his creations.
Many years ago I used a Calligraphy pen when signing Christmas cards. This type of calligraphy while beautifully artistic isn’t the calligraphy I’m talking about here is done with a large brush stroking black paint on a blank canvas. I am fascinated with this contemplative practice and am anxious to learn it.
Painting, drawing and coloring have been close to my heart for a long time. Although I haven’t always made time for these art mediums in my schedule, when I do I’m happier for it. These days rather than painting, I’m drawing and coloring in my prayer journal during my devotional time. I’ve found this a wonderfully contemplative practice that gets me centered on the things/people I’m praying for while calming my own spirit.
For most of my adult life when I was cooking I would always have on the television for background noise. Thankfully, today I am TV free! I’ve recently learned I can enjoy my time in the kitchen without the need to be distracted.
One Contemplative Creative Practice that I really want to learn how to do better is photography. Sure I have my Smartphone camera that takes nice pictures. But I want to have a real camera and take some beautiful nature photos: birds, flowers, plants and animals. There is so much of God’s creation that we can appreciate in a finer way through the magnified lens of a camera.
A few years ago scrapbooking was the most popular crafting kick. Today Bible journaling is all the rage! I haven’t had a chance to get in on this craze but when I can get a space set up with supplies and get my journaling Bible, I’ll be diving in! This is another one of those crafting ideas that you can take seriously or lightly. Either way, it’s a great way to spend time in God’s Word and enjoy some creative time together with the Lord.
My favorite contemplative creative practice right now is chanting the Psalms. I’m a very early riser, waking long before daylight, somewhere between 3-4am. Still in my PJ’s, I tiptoe across the hall to my office, light my prayer altar candle and turn on my chanting songs. In these dark wee hours of the morning there is something very special about chanting the Psalms by candlelight. This is a recent practice, only about 4 months, but it’s one that I plan to continue for many years.
Remember, our goal in Contemplative Spirituality is to keep God at the center of our practice. So that during our activities whatever we are doing: painting, singing, cooking, or gardening, we are in prayer or meditation. Being intentional in this way will do wonders for our personal spiritual growth and for our relationship with God.