Urban Abbess
So I think what I am, in part, in an Abbess. You know, the female version of an Abbott. Or is it abbotess? Someone at Mayhem, I think it was Terri, came up with the phrase “Urban Abbess” and I thought it was SO DAMN COOL. But I promised not to steal it for my blog name 
.
Anyway, I think I’m an Abbess because I want to build this neo-monastic order in my house. We already have a worshipping/missional/seeking community there, so I guess we are on our way. Here are the things we do that I think make us sort of neo-monastic already:
- We celebrate the seasons. (Very Celtic). We’ve build an altar and we celebrate the turning of the seasons by tricking it out with various and sundry backyard clippings. Right now my girls have bedecked it with lei of eucalyptus leaves and bouquets of rosehips and rosemary sprigs. We break out the candles and become hermits when the fall rolls around. We string the outdoor lights and dust off the porch swing the minute spring opens one eye. We cook seasonally. We dig paying attention to the rhythm of the year.
-We celebrate the Christian Year. Advent wreaths and meditations. Passover dinners around the table. Matzah hidden in the sofa cushions. Ashes smeared on our foreheads. Enormous celebrations on Easter Sunday. (Last year Iz covered did “Praise You” by FatBoy Slim — so fun!)
-We have space for people to belong on various levels. Guests at the party or at the table. Folks living with us in our home. The crew gathering each week. Folks who drop in as life allows. Guest. Tertiary. Novitiate. Oblate.
-We dig contemplative practices. We write poetry to ambient mixes. We float candles and hold people in prayer. We try our hand at lectio divina with harp accompaniment. We walk the labyrinth.
Here’s what we don’t have (other than the whole celibacy thing and the vow of poverty…):
-spiritual direction. Actually, I can do this, only it’s kind of a no-hold-barred method and not everyone likes it. I’m looking for models that fit me better. Maybe my friend Dwight can help…..
-a regular rhythm of worship. Okay if we were really monks and nuns we’d have hourly rhythms, or at least daily ones. Let’s just start with weekly. I think we are going to use Barbara Henderson’s Simple Spirituality as a guide. I want us to work through the Ignatian practice of reviewing our greatest area of consolation and desolation. I think this will reveal passions and callings to us. Then I’m going to add some Simple Spirituality type questions to the mix to help us connect with one another better. After that I think we might work with Phyllis Tickle’s very excellent Divine Hours, although maybe not….maybe this is more a thing for the folks who are living in the house with us?
-study. I’m thinking….reading over dinner and some sort of online scripture meditation w/visuals? Don’t know, still chewing on this one. (April, help!)
So that’s the skeleton of the neo-monastic order. There’s no vows really. (Hmmmm. I guess that’s okay.) I think the crew can flesh out the rest with me. I think we have enough to hang stuff on. I guess we’ll just have to see.
Talk to me.
hey r!
first …so great to meet you this last week at mayhem.
found a kindred spirit and one maybe more intense about the kingdom than i am…and that is saying something!
second…i am jealous, envious, excited about what your are doing and getting ready to go deeper in to.
it is heart and soul of living kingdom life in the insanity of the 21st century!
you are truly an abbess in the shoes of hild and brigid. i feel you probably know of these two celtic women…but if not, check them out…
one of my favorite things about celtic christianity is that women led monestaries and these included men and women and this wasn’t a weird thingld started many monastic communities thru out england and brigid thru out ireland!
soooo get ready seattle! r , i see you training folks to start monastic communities thru out the northwest!
you go girl! and i really mean WOMAN !
it is an honor to know you and i look forward to more time in the future! lilly
ps. have you seen the celtic daily prayer book from the northumbria community? it also might be a place to start with the daily stuff! lil
Thanks for the encouragement Lily. My one heartache about the kind of kingdom i’m engaged with right now is that is it so white and so affluent (well, mostly. i’ve got a few in my crew who are struggling financially — but they’ve got the right education and work background. It will work out eventually.) It is my heart’s convication that the kingdom should be truly diverse, but my world is so homogeneous. When i think about how small the baby steps are that i make towards changing this, it makes me more…umm…tolerant? understanding? of the babysteps the men are making towards including women in the kingdom. In my head i think shouldn’t justice ROLL? But in practice, i think it’s often baby steps. Anyway, thanks for saying i seem passionate about the kingdom. I hope i am. It often doesn’t seem enough.
Hey Rachelle! I can’t describe how excited I am that I stumbled across your blog. I was over at Beth Keck’s blog this morning, saw your name, and got all psyched. Why I didn’t see you on Eric’s blogroll before I’ll never know.
I have to tell you I’ve spent the morning thanking God for what you’re doing, asking for His blessing.
Your courage and passion for full Kingdom living is evident in your life, in what you’re attempting, in this blog. You rock!
Know that you’re on the right path, that you’re encouraging to the rest of us who are trying something a bit more well-trodden, and that you’re loved. Especially out here in the suburbs and beaver cleaver-land
this is so great. My wife and I are taking steps toward something like this that you describe. Thanks!
Urban Abbess…I love it. Came across this entry in one of Merton’s journals a couple weeks a ago and thought of you guys in Seattle…thanks again for hanging out w/ us in Tahoe!
“July 25, 1958
A small monastery.
1.Without a program
2.Without a special job to do. Monks to live, not to be monks as distinct from every other kind of being, but to be men-sons of God.
3.without a special future. No drive for postulants
4. Without a special reputation or renown for anything
5 A hidden monastery, not well known perhaps as a monastery. Perhaps not even wearing a special habit. Without observably distinctive buildings.
6.Certainly isolated, cloisterd, cut off.
7. With hermit types
8. Made up of a nucleus of mature monks
9.Taking an interest in art, music, lit., politics
10. Manuel labor, of course. Maybe some teaching. But care to keep the life from getting crowded with works and projects”
Just came across your blog today… and feel a kindred spirit… will continue to journey with you… thanks.