Blog Posts
Beauty is a difficult word to describe, particularly for women who have been sold versions of beauty for centuries but retain a deep intuitive knowledge that something much deeper is at work. During our Healing Beauty Day Retreat last week, Dr. Pia Chaudhari invited us into the nuance of beauty and its meaning in our lives as Orthodox women.
Beauty, she reminds us, is something we all recognize even if we find it difficult to put into words. It is something intrinsically delightful and full of unity. And it is a generative and life-creating experience.
A class of eager-eyed Bible college students confidently entered the nave of the Greek Orthodox cathedral. I lagged behind the group, looking at the religious paintings in the narthex, eyeing a pile of candles beside what looked like a small elevated sandbox. Some stubby, unlit candles stuck up out of the sand.
We were greeted by a man in a long black robe, sporting wire-rimmed glasses and a trim beard. He welcomed us to take a seat. The rows of pews and stained glass windows were not unusual in a Christian church. But where I would have expected an altar was an ornamental wall with a number of doors and an image of Christ on one side and Mary with the Christ child on the other.
As those of you know who follow us regularly, we run a series called Woman of the Week—and it stretches back five years, almost to the time of our founding. Someone nominates a woman that they admire, and I interview her about three things: how she got from where she started to where she is now, then some area of her expertise, and lastly about her morning routine. That lets our community hear about some amazing paths to being effective in the church, and it also gives us a chance to take a deep dive into an area we might not know about. The question about the morning routine is also key. The answer shows us that this person is deeply human—plus we may pick up some tips about how to improve our own mornings.
We want to hear about an encounter you had with an icon - anywhere, anytime. What was memorable about this encounter? What do you still carry with you from that encounter today?
The piece should be between 500 and 1500 words long. Send to axiawomen@gmail.com with the subject line "My Icon Story." We'll be picking at least six for our blog over the coming months. Deadline is October 15.
We can't wait to read what you write!
(Orthodox women only, please.)
