Rooted in Compassion & Wisdom
Our Guiding Beliefs
Discover the values and spiritual vision that nurture our ministry’s heart and community. Welcome to a space where faith, reflection, and devotion unite.
As is the tradition with our Beguine ancestors, we, too, are scholarly women. We looked to the customs and beliefs of the year 800 — in the farms and castle-stores our ancestral mothers operated, and we looked to the beliefs of the ancestors of this land, at the same time. We looked at the top twelve beliefs of both tribes and where their beliefs overlapped (eight of them), we adopted those beliefs as our own.
We studied the answer to the question, “Of the ancestry of our bloodlines from Europe, of the ancestry of the people of this land (California), in or about the year 800, what were the common beliefs of the two sets of people?”
We didn’t have to study long to find the eight common beliefs that would become the cornerstone of the Sisters’ beliefs:
1. We organize our lives to be attuned with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters. (We make our medicines and organize our lives by the cycles of the moon.)
2. We recognize that our human intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment, and we seek to live in harmony with nature. (vow of ecology)
3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than what our eyes can see and a connectedness between the people and the planet. We believe that the hurt of one is the hurt of all; the honor of one is the honor of all.
4. We recognized both the outer worlds and inner, the Spiritual World and the physical world and see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magical exercises. Beguines neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
5. Beguines seek to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and without harm to others and in harmony with nature. This is also an essential ingredient of life among the ancestors of the Native people. (intentional lifestyle)
6. Beguines are concerned with the past, present, and the future – as are the Native’s. Both cultures revere the ancestors that have gone before them and both tread gently upon Mother Earth, in reverence for its current occupants and the generations to come.
Our Vows
The Commitment of the Sisters
At Life in the Abbey, our beliefs are lived every day—woven into our prayers, songs, and the loving community we nurture. Learn about the vows we take that guide our journey.
The Sisters Take These Vows
An acronym for the Sisters’ vows is the word ‘solace’. The sisters take six vows: Service * Obedience * Living Simply * Activism * Chastity * Ecology
Vow of Service
Being in service by making medicine and assisting the public in understanding the medicine; mitigating the fear resulting from generations of propaganda about the plant, Mother Earth, and the women of the planet.
Vow of Obedience
As our ancient mothers would have done, we establish our medicine-making operations holistically. We grow the plants (demand has made it such that we also purchase whole plant and concentrates), we make the medicine, and we distribute to those in need. The vow of obedience is related to the vow of allowing the moon cycles and the plants to dictate our work days.
The obedience vow includes the promise that no medicine work will be done by anyone who has contempt in their heart, anger burning in their soul. We have to honor the medicine like it is a strict task master and ensure we carry no contempt, no human darkness energies into our work. As Sisters, we use word medicine and white sage, chants, songs, meditations, prayers, and exercise to heal and burn away those negativities before any work begins. When we work the plants and the medicine, we aspire to infuse good energy, love, and self-healing. And last, but not least, the vow of obedience includes the work that fuels sustainable farming and progressive activism.
Vow of Living Simply
This is a matter of focus. Generally, if one owns a lot of stuff, there is a lot of time and focus required to maintain, protect, insure, keep track of – those things. To the extent it is possible, the Sisters unburden themselves from those things, from those tasks, to be freed to focus on the making of the medicine. The farm of the Sisters is simple. The lifestyle of the Sisters is a life lived in humble commitment to serving the medicine. Ideas of yachts and shiny jewels or cars have no place here.
Vow of Activism
In much the same way that the Welch had a custom, fifty years ago, of going to church on Sunday and then to their individual (male/female) activist meetings in order to bring upon social reform, we aspire the Sisterhood to be a place where spirituality and political awareness come together amidst a beehive of activities. The Sisters commit, through their vows, to spend some time every moon cycle devoted to progressive activism.
Vow of Chastity
The Catholic nun, the cloistered nun, the habit-wearing nun, is virtually extinct in this country. The purpose of this order is to revive a concept that the people of planet Earth like and need but make it relevant and sustainable for the new age. Celibacy is not a requirement of being chaste. One can be chaste, without being celibate.
The habit is worn daily during medicine making moon cycles and in between those times, in doing any trade with the outside world, as well as for activist work.
Vow of Ecology
We are committed to using the Earth in a respectful manner; we honor Mother Earth in our ceremonies and give thanks for her abundance. Leaves and by-product from harvests are always ground and returned to her. Her plants travel from hand to hand with respect and with love and with gratitude.
The people who work on her land are committed to renewability, to preservation. The purpose of the small farms, in addition to growing plants needed for natural medicines, is to find a more sustainable way of life, a return to ancient ways.
Moon Cycles
The Sisters and Brothers organize their lives by the cycles of the moon as a primary custom of the order, and one that unites all SotV farms and members. Processing of plants is done between the new moon and the full moon. Crops are begun, seeded, to the energies of the new moon and harvested under the energies of the full moon. Harvest time is the time of year that the women and men work together.
Inclusive Spiritual Wisdom
Drawing on over a decade of spiritual traditions, our teachings honor diversity and invite every seeker to explore and belong.
✓ Inclusive and open-minded
✓ Honors diverse backgrounds
✓ Guided by love and respect
Support & Generosity
We believe in the sacred practice of giving—nurturing our ministry and extending care to all through generous hearts.
✓ Make a meaningful impact
✓ Support vital spiritual work
✓ Join a circle of kindness
Our Foundational Beliefs
At Life in the Abbey, our ministry is grounded in the radiant power of compassion, reverence for all creation, and a commitment to spiritual growth. Rooted in an inclusive, women-led tradition, we honor wisdom both ancient and new—embracing readings, prayers, songs, and chants that nurture heart and soul.
We believe that spirituality flourishes in community. Our doors are open to all seekers, wherever you are on your journey. Together, we cultivate a space of belonging, where each person’s story and presence matter, and where support is offered freely and lovingly.
Guided by devotion to the divine in nature and in one another, we strive to live out our values: kindness, service, and mindful stewardship. Through our shared practices and resources, we hope to inspire deeper connection, healing, and joy for all who gather with us.
Become Part of Our Spiritual Community
Your journey matters to us. Whether you’re seeking spiritual inspiration, wishing to connect with others, or looking for ways to support our women-led ministry, you are warmly invited to take the next step with us.