Forming a vision: The Deep Roots Community

A spiritual catalyst for crisis times

 

How can we kindle a sense of inspiration in our lives when so much around us is a bewildering mash of self-centred materialism? I’ve been seeking a response to this question, and want to share the vision that has evolved. It’s at an early, formative stage, and this is an invitation to others to join and co-create it into reality.

The vision below has evolved over a couple of years of pondering, praying and conversation by a small group of us who see ourselves as carriers, midwives and guardians for what may be taken forward with others. For now, our working name for this project is the Deep Roots Community.

Vision Summary

A core community of 6-8 people, living and growing food at a rural location in mid-Wales, with a shared, inclusive approach to integrate spirit with land and everyday life. The core community would be joined by small residential groups staying for a weekend to a week, and by a few apprentices staying for a few weeks to a few months. The underlying aim would be for the place, the community, and connection with the land to enable people to find their meaning, purpose, and soul resilience. Celtic Christianity has deep, old roots in mid-Wales, and this community would draw on these roots to nourish heart and soul amid the confusion of our times.

It could feel like this

Details

This vision has evolved from over a year of pondering and praying by a small group of us who are in a quasi-trustee role:

  • We believe we are holding an indicative vision as a way to gather a second group, of people who want to commit to bringing it to actuality, shaping it with us, as none of us are in a position to live in this community.
  • The location we envisage is a rural location, probably in Powys, which is the least populated part of Britain after the Scottish Highlands. Imagine a house with a calm, welcoming atmosphere, and a few acres of land: enough for vegetable growing, and a wild area for meditation and solo retreats.
  • So far, we picture a core community of 6-8 people, plus maybe 2-4 apprentices or interns who would stay for 2-6 months, and accommodation for 10-14 visitors on retreats and trainings for a weekend to a week.
  • The Deep Roots Community would have a Christian essence, with a focus on the core principles Christianity shares with other spiritual traditions, and a connection to Welsh Celtic Christianity, see more below.
  • Whilst many of those involved may be incomers to Wales, we want to contribute and connect to our locality, and to honour the spiritual tradition of this land, in which Celtic Christianity plays a major role. This includes:
    • celebrating all of creation as an embodiment of the divine: deep connections with Nature
    • emphasis on personal experience of God, more than a priestly hierarchy
    • prayer woven into the activities of daily life
    • the Welsh language, spoken and sung, is inspiring: we want to find ways that non-Welsh speakers can experience and partake in this
  • Whilst growing from old roots, what’s offered must support people facing into a time of polycrisis. We will draw on teachings from the Work that Reconnects, grief tending, Buddhist activism (Thich Nhat Hanh), and spiritual ecology, alongside such Christian teachers as Cynthia Bourgeault, and Neil Douglas Klotz. .
  • There would be a simple daily rhythm of prayer: perhaps a half hour of prayer and silent meditation each morning, and a half hour in early evening to include prayer, song, and brief personal sharing.
  • All visitors would be asked to share in the daily work of the community: this offers an experience of spirit in action, and a way to make informal connections. The shared work would include food growing, cooking and other household tasks.
  • There would also be opportunities for craft work and conservation, designed to nourish wellbeing, drawing on the approaches of Fathom Trust, a local charity and potential partner.
  • At least initially, the Community would try out a wide range of programme formats, lengths, and client groups. Priority clients include:
    • Young people who have a high level of despair about the climate crisis and future outlook.
    • Professionals of many kinds who feel burned out by the support they give, including doctors, clergy, social workers, community organisers.
    • Individuals and organisations seeking creative responses to the issues of these times, who need an inspiring and nourishing space for reflection.
  • The ‘trustee’ group have good experience of starting and running values-based non-profit projects, and access to enough funds to rent premises and cover startup costs. What’s needed now is a core group willing to create the seed community, and a suitable property.

Some context

For many years I’ve found nourishment and insights in various spiritual communities: a common thread was their roots in a location where they were deeply embodied in Nature, growing food and creating beautiful gardens.

One of the most inspiring is a modern reinvention of the monastery as a welcoming spiritual community with a Christian core and an interfaith flavour, in Italy. The Ricostruttori di Pace (Reconstructors of Peace) were founded in 1978 by a Jesuit priest, Father Cappelletto, who wanted to offer a spiritual path for young people, very different from mainstream Catholicism. He drew on Eastern spirituality through meditation, as well as devotional movement.

A Ricostruttori monastery

I have visited one of their 30 monasteries several times, and find it very inspiring. The Ricostruttori take on derelict rural buildings with land, restore them beautifully, grow much of their food, and practise crafts like stained glass and fine woodwork.

My impression of the Ricostruttori is that they are living as Jesus lived: in poverty, simplicity, and close to the land. A typical monastery will have two or three ‘monks’, who have taken vows of poverty and chastity, and include men and women, plus a lay community of 20-30 people, mostly young, who may live there for weeks, months or years.

It’s worth recalling what a crucial role monasteries played in medieval Europe, and realising how some aspects of our current situation echo those chaotic times. Amid times of frequent civil strife, sickness and uncertainty, the monasteries were places of support, trust, stability. They would mediate in disputes, provide food and health care, and just as importantly, nourished the soul. Whilst there was some corruption in monasteries too, this shouldn’t blind us to the ways they mostly served.

In our current crisis times, I believe there’s a widespread thirst for spiritual meaning and purpose, but most people don’t know where to turn. Although there is a new monasticism movement, I believe that monasteries feel too remote, otherworldly, and formal for most people. Instead, a small group of us are exploring a vision to create a Deep Roots Community which would be an accessible spiritual community to support people in their exploration, staying for a week to six months.

Whatever next?

This is an unfolding adventure. If you’d like to be actively involved, or if you can contribute resources or contacts, please get in touch: Alan Heeks, 07494 203014, .