We are a monastic community located on 15 acres in beautiful northern New Mexico high desert country, in the foothills of the Jemez Mountain Range. More specifically our monastery is situated in a remote canyon several miles from the old village of Cañones. The Monastery of the Holy Archangel Michael was originally founded in 1993 as a Skete and dependency of the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension in Resaca, Georgia. In time the Skete went directly under the Omophorion of His Eminence Archbishop Dmitri and retained the name, St. Michael's Skete. On October 7th we were officially elevated to the rank of Monastery by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah.
Prayer is the essence of our life. In touching our ‘deep
heart’, we know that what the Gospel and the Fathers teach is true by
experience. With this existential knowledge we seek a silence and solitude that
breaks down the duality of inner and outer. God’s love pours into our every
extremity, and seeing this love as the source of unity, we understand the
statement of the great fourth century monastic author Evagrius: “The monk is
one who is separated from all and united to all.”
heart’, we know that what the Gospel and the Fathers teach is true by
experience. With this existential knowledge we seek a silence and solitude that
breaks down the duality of inner and outer. God’s love pours into our every
extremity, and seeing this love as the source of unity, we understand the
statement of the great fourth century monastic author Evagrius: “The monk is
one who is separated from all and united to all.”
The is separation from the world of the ego. In being ‘alone
with God’, we realize that ‘monachos’ is not a solitary union with God, but a
solidarity with the entire world. This vision leads someone like St. Silouan to
weep for the entire world, knowing that God is not outside his brother, and his
brother is not outside himself.
with God’, we realize that ‘monachos’ is not a solitary union with God, but a
solidarity with the entire world. This vision leads someone like St. Silouan to
weep for the entire world, knowing that God is not outside his brother, and his
brother is not outside himself.
Solitude allows us to ‘take off our shoes’, as God commanded
Moses to do. In imitation of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, who left the world
of vanity to experience their own Exodus, we leave behind harmful distractions
to have true life in Christ. In the desert we see God as “I AM” and come to the
River Jordan, which supplanted the River Styx, and live beyond death. Yet we
don’t lose sight that a desert must be crossed.
Moses to do. In imitation of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, who left the world
of vanity to experience their own Exodus, we leave behind harmful distractions
to have true life in Christ. In the desert we see God as “I AM” and come to the
River Jordan, which supplanted the River Styx, and live beyond death. Yet we
don’t lose sight that a desert must be crossed.
Since it takes a great deal of spiritual maturity to abide
in constant stillness, we have manual work as another form of prayer. In being
present to our obediences (tasks), we participate in the sanctification of
time. Whether making candles, gardening, singing in church or paying bills, we
strive to keep hesychia (inner calm) alive in our hearts. Fellowship with our
brother is joyful, knowing we are all striving toward the same goal of the
kingdom of the heart. There we begin to share eternity together.
in constant stillness, we have manual work as another form of prayer. In being
present to our obediences (tasks), we participate in the sanctification of
time. Whether making candles, gardening, singing in church or paying bills, we
strive to keep hesychia (inner calm) alive in our hearts. Fellowship with our
brother is joyful, knowing we are all striving toward the same goal of the
kingdom of the heart. There we begin to share eternity together.
The Gospel ideal of simplicity is what we embrace. Humble
food, warm clothing and shelter are all the worldly things we need. What we are
seeking cannot be stated in words. Therefore, a prudent and healthy silence is
maintained in the monastery. Although we still do have to leave the monastery
on occasion, we are reminded of St. Antony’s saying, “a monk outside his
monastery is a fish out of water.”
food, warm clothing and shelter are all the worldly things we need. What we are
seeking cannot be stated in words. Therefore, a prudent and healthy silence is
maintained in the monastery. Although we still do have to leave the monastery
on occasion, we are reminded of St. Antony’s saying, “a monk outside his
monastery is a fish out of water.”
Although monks tend to live on the fringe of the
institutional church, we are under the protection of the OCA bishop of the South, striving to be in the tradition of St.
Herman of Alaska.
institutional church, we are under the protection of the OCA bishop of the South, striving to be in the tradition of St.
Herman of Alaska.
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