The Order
THE MONASTIC ORDER
The monastery is an informal Order. There are no requirements to join… you don’t even have to tell us you’ve joined.
Our focus is on learning about and sharing a better way of living within ourselves and with each other and the world.
Other people have what they need;
I alone possess nothing.
I alone drift about,
like someone without a home.
I am like an idiot, my mind is so empty.
— Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
THE ROLE OF THE METAPHORICAL MONASTIC
“To be calm and relaxed, maintaining one point — on behalf of ourselves and all that we affect.”
A seeker in The Little Creek Monastery:
aspires to live and express the spirit of mushin,
is willing to stand up for the place inside themselves that is calm and still,
and endeavors to allow the eternal to effortlessly flow through them and into the world.
The monastery encourages kindness, inclusiveness, forgiveness, responsibility, compassion and concern.
THE MONASTICS
Our monastery doesn’t get a lot of visitors. We’re pretty much located along the remote back roads of the internet. There are no nearby super highways or cloverleafs. Most of the time we’re a pretty quiet group. Some of us are loners, either by choice or through various forms of social isolation.
RECOGNITION
You don’t really need any term of address in the monastery… just be you. The monastery, however, has optional terms of address — which can be fun or serious, depending on which direction your smile is facing. So, in a sense, ‘titles’ in the monastery are about what feels right to you, and mostly about saying, “This is something I enjoy.”
The Order
We are basically ordered in two parts: The Monastic Congregation and our Orders. Traditionally, members of a congregation were not required to take vows. Same here.
Self-Conferred Titles, for Members of The Monastic Congregation
Member — self-conferred. No title selected, no title needed.
Monk/Nun — self-conferred. Your personal home or residence, van or car, or maybe business… any of these places may be referred to as a cell or even a monastery, sangha or dojo.
Scribe — self-conferred. Diligently works to write or assist in increasing the monastery’s body of work. May also be focused on providing organizational services and support.
Brother/Sister — to go in front of your first name; self-conferred.
Friar — traditionally, similar to a monk but living in a normal (non-monastic) setting. Traditionally a person who practiced a somewhat less ascetic life than a monk or nun. Arguably analogous to the concept behind the movement called the New Monasticism. Self-conferred.
Hermit — self-acclaimed, self-defined. A person who is temporarily or permanently in a reclusive or withdrawn state. Today’s hermit may utilize their home, residence or camper and they may refer to that place as a hermitage. Typically a hermit practices some form of asceticism, even if it is no more than isolated walks in the woods or elsewhere. Someone who is devoted to an art, for example, making sacrifices on behalf of their art, might be considered to have hermit tendencies.
Anchoress/Anchorite — similar to a hermit, but in some ways more intense. Historically, the anchoress was enclosed into a small room for life. The room was generally connected to the main church via a narrow opening or slit cut in the wall. The door was sometimes sealed shut. People would come up to a small outside window, which allowed sunlight in, to get advice. The Anchoress is a person who observes some form of ascetic life.
With regard to asceticism, the monastery does not advise members. Your decision for personal discipline, strictness or rigor is yours. We do not encourage or discourage self-denial simply for the sake of the principle. In other words, for some it might be nothing more than avoiding plastic water bottles. It’s your choice.
Titles Requiring Vows
Komusō — Monk or Nun of Nothingness. This term clearly identifies the monk/nun as a member of The Order of Nothingness in our monastery. Considered a lifelong commitment. Required to take The Six Vows of the Order as a self-initiation.
The Order of Consciousness. Considered a lifelong commitment. Required to take The Nine Vows of the Order as a self-initiation.
For more information, use the TAG: vows.
Other Roles
Abbot — the head of the Order. Vows required.
Prior — the founder/leader of a monastery or second in rank under the Abbot. There can be various Priors/Prioresses, who may be in charge of certain aspects of the Order. Vows required.
Prioress — the founder/leader of a convent or second in rank under the Abbot or the founding Mother. Vows required.
Ascetics
Modeling simple, decent human behavior, the ascetic has undertaken one or more forms of self-sacrifice of denial. Perhaps it is a more rigorous or disciplined way of living. Since Little Creek Monastery adherents are living everyday lives, their forms of asceticism may not be obvious or apparent. For more information, use the TAG: asceticism.
SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS
The monastery’s social positions are strong and emphatic.
While there is a great deal of humor used here, including through our fictional characters (TAG: characters), the monastery has real-life members. Some are priests, others consider themselves to simply be devout, each in their own way. To a person, they shun attention and tend to be both anonymous and in some cases truly reclusive. And to a person, they are deeply concerned over the tendency of far too many people to surrender both their basic humanity and their fundamental consideration for their fellow human beings.
“Acquire inner peace and a thousand persons around you will find peace.” — St. Seraphim of Sarov, Russian Hermit
CLASS WARFARE
Most of our essays are serious in tone. The reason for all the seriousness is the clear direction the United States and much of the world is taking with respect to the deeply out-of-balance concentration of wealth and power, the movement toward hate and bigotry, and the undeniable glorification of harshness, greed and divisiveness. Additionally, ecological threats to humanity are mind-numbing and of life-threatening concern.
CIA Director Mike Pompeo has publicly promised that the agency would become “much more vicious” and aggressive. He said in one speech that the administration “is prepared to engage in activities that are different from what America has been doing these past few years.” — Source
We speak to these issues in our Homilies (TAG: essays, homilies) and provide our own modest efforts to implement what we suggest are solutions. Our solutions are typically drawn from martial arts approaches, developed over many centuries, and include universal principles.
Solutions will not occur through arguing and ratcheting up even more blame and louder division. It will only occur when vast numbers of people realize they are being raped, pillaged and marauded all for the sake of more greed, more wealth, more consumerism, and even more ruthless and destructive war machines. We hold out hope that a tipping point will occur when vast numbers of people will have their “Aha” moment of realizing that we are not each other’s enemies.
Saying “enough is enough” will have little chance of success without mass unity. For unity to be successful on an influential scale, the message must be simple, clear and undeniably true. Rallying cries need to be centered around simple, undeniable and essential truths.
(CATEGORY: CLASS WARFARE)
The Six Human Rights of Fairness
We believe Fairness is a basic human right.
A big part of the monastery’s solution-based recommendations draw on time-proven principles and practical ideals that have emerged from zen, taoism, religious teachings, philosophers, mystics, and Jiu Jitsu, including the insights of martial arts masters over many centuries. The monastery does not believe in yielding to what some might call the dark side, nor in the exalting of negativity, manipulation and greed. (TAG: fairness)
Our recommendations are based on what’s been repeatedly proven to work in life and death scenarios.