Origin Story of
Red Clay Abbey

The Red Clay Abbey was born out of deep listening. Listening to God and listening to stories from the community. We believe God was listening too. We began to ask questions like: “How do you know when you are being truly cared for?” “What does it feel like to be loved and accepted just the way you are?” “What experiences, practices, or environments give you peace, rest, and refreshment?” "Do you have spaces where you feel free to be truly yourself?" People had very mixed reactions. They said they hadn’t felt those things in a long time. They had a really difficult time bringing to mind spaces they felt comfortable and free in.

 

There is an urgency around choosing a sustainable path. One that requires and encourages rest and wholeness. One that illuminates our belovedness. If we want peace in this lifetime, we must choose reconnection, sustainability, nurturance, and deep respect for ourselves, our earth, and one another. We must begin feeding to stop fighting. Feeding and nourishing our minds, bodies, and souls. As parents, we create schedules of rest for our children. Where are our scheduled times of rest? Our truth lies in the wisdom of the earth and the body. We are nature by design. We must choose a radical rewilding of our behaviors and systematic programming. We must find rest. We must excavate ourselves to find the hidden treasures of our hearts.

 

Our desire for this New Restoration (Monastery) is to help each of us plug into naturally occurring rhythms as a way to awaken and connect to our daily lives. To help each individual and the collective community find moments of rest, grounding, and down-regulation of our nervous systems. This grants us an opportunity to allow the light and love and rest that God freely offers a channel to flow through. Saint Teresa of Avila stated to her Carmelite Sisters that God could be found amongst the pots and pans. Our mission is to share ways in which people can tap into that kind of living.

 

We want to practice and share the rest and peace God offers. Sabbath Rest. Sabbath as Good News. This is The Red Clay Abbey.