Christine Kelly lives in Rotorua and practices Christian meditation daily. She writes prayers and blessings and is especially influenced by the work of the poet John Donohue.  Christine values opportunities to join with others for shared spiritual adventure, growth in creativity and wider outreach to hearts nourished by the gentle embrace of words. This poem was first published in the July 2024 issue of Refresh.

As a Māori who grew up rurally,I consider the natural environment my greatest teacher. The changing tides determine when to search for kūtai and pipi, the moon cycle tells you when kaimoana is fat, and a sudden cold gust of wind can tell you how long you have to get home before it rains! Lately, I have learned some great lessons from trees.

This piece of writing is the culmination of personal reflections that were begun over the course of Matariki 2023 when I acutely felt the absence of my friend and fellow wayfinder Mike Riddell[3], who would often say to me, quoting New Zealand poet James K. Baxter, that ‘we Pākehā have to bow the head and learn from our elder brother [Māori]. Then the water may begin to flow in our dry watercourses.’

When Matariki appeared low on the horizon, I was taken aback by the emotion that welled up within me. It seemed so fragile, a silken cocoon, host to tiny seeds that signified new life. Finally, I understood why the appearance of this constellation is such a significant event in the spirituality of diverse cultures around the globe. And here it was again, celebrated as a new public holiday in Aotearoa.

 Keith Newman is a journalist, poet and author of five New Zealand history books including Ratana the Prophet (Reed 2009 reprint Oratia Books May 2024), Bible & Treaty and Beyond Betrayal (Penguin 2009, 2013). For the past 12-years he has hosted the Bible & Treaty Facebook group.. He lives in Haumoana, Hawke’s Bay with his wife Paula.

This ‘anthology of spiritually-minded poems’ has emerged from a writing group that had its inception in the first decade of the 2000s and still meets on a semi-regular basis. ‘Our spiritual roots are varied… But we share a common sense of a bigger reality. We write about lots of things, but underneath it somewhere is that strong, or faint, sense of mystery.’

Kathryn Fernando and Helen Gray are spiritual directors and pilgrims who are facilitating contemplative pilgrimage opportunities in Wellington. In this blogpost, Kathryn Overall-Cass has a conversation with them about the gifts and fruit of pilgrimage as a spiritual practice and their upcoming pilgrimage retreat from Wairarapa to Island Bay in October 2025.

Iain Gow is a spiritual director, a retired Anglican priest and an author of books that explore the nexus of faith and life - in all of its glorious messiness! He lives in Warkworth with his wife Linda and Nutella, a chocolate brown labradoodle. There he pursues his new vocation as a writer and continues in contemplative postures and practices. In this blogpost, Kathryn Overall-Cass has a conversation with Iain about his third book, and first novel ‘The Priest Who Limped’.

A reflection on my journey to sobriety. “In damming off vast swathes of my inner life through repressive self-preservation, I forced myself to live a tiny, hobbled life that only allowed for a tiny, hobbled God.”

Adrienne Thompson offers spiritual direction and supervision from Wellington. A lifelong contemplative, and a late and reluctant activist, she is learning to be Tangata Tiriti, learning to weave, and becoming immersed in Ignatian spirituality through Te Mahi Wairua.

A poem on humility featured in the Dec 2024 issue of Refresh. Jo Anastasiadis is a spiritual director in Wellington who loves God’s creation, and seeing others grow in their relationship with God. She has recently rediscovered the delight of play with her young grandchildren, and the joy of simple moments.

During 1990, Eamon Butler arrived in Calcutta, India, found his way to the Mother House of Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity, knocked on the door, and offered himself as a volunteer to serve the poor. In this article, Eamon shares about a life- changing encounter he experienced soon after his arrival.

The Benedictine Rule describes a 12-rung ladder of humility. The Monastic Heart, Joan Chittister, a Benedictine monastic, explains how these steps (or degrees) of humility can apply in our modern context.

A poem on humility featured in the Dec 2024 issue of Refresh. Sue Pickering is a spiritual director, author and retired Anglican priest. She lives in Kirikiriroa Hamilton with her husband and dog. Settling into retirement village life is in itself a lesson in humility!