There is another layer to the story of Holy Cross Day that I find particularly beautiful, which is the legend of Flavia Julia Helena, mother of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. According to Christian tradition, Helena journeyed to the Holy Land in the fourth century, late in her life, seeking the sacred places associated with Jesus. Over time, she has become known as the woman who went searching for the lost Cross. The legend tells that beneath the earth near Golgotha, three crosses were uncovered—the cross of Jesus and those of the two men crucified beside him. No one knew which belonged to Christ. Different versions of the story describe its identity being revealed through healing, the restoration of life, or through the inscription that had accompanied Jesus’ crucifixion. We cannot know how much of this story is historical. Our earliest substantial witness to Helena’s pilgrimage, Eusebius of Caesarea, never connects her with the discovery of the Cross. Helena’s association with its finding appears decades later and develops considerably as it is retold. And yet, even as a sacred story/legend/myth, Helena offers us a striking archetype. A woman went searching beneath the accumulated layers of empire for something holy that had been buried. She dug. She uncovered. She remembered. Perhaps that is an invitation for us as well. There are layers that have accumulated around the Cross across nearly two thousand years—atonement theories, doctrines, political power, conquest, shame, fear, violence, patriarchy and empire. Holy Cross Day becomes an invitation to dig beneath those layers. Rather than discard the Cross along with our religious ties, we might uncover its deeper meaning. If we allow ourselves to remain in the threads of truth within religious traditions, we might find what remains once we have removed everything that has been projected upon it. What if beneath the theology of punishment we rediscover radical love? Beneath domination, surrender.

As I work regularly with the Sevenfold Peace Path, I have found it very healing, reconciling with my families religious lineage of Christianity. Fortunately, growing up, I did not experience any form of fundamentalism. And yet, I always desired a place to belong. With my mystic lens, I always found it hard to be contained within a dogmatic system. At the same time, I longed for something that offered deeper roots, spiritual guidance, culture, and tradition than I was finding in spiritually fluid communities. I began to contemplate how I might restore some traditions that have been woven throughout my ancestral line. This line does not run straight. It weaves through the Judeo-Christian line as well into the earth-based practices of Germanic Druids or the Scottish Celts. I’m curious to know if any of you have found a similar call? One towards a reclamation of ancestral lineage? There’s a lot of work here to restore peace in this area. Blessings to all on the path. May it bring an abundance of LIFE. From this personal exploration, this writing was inspired for HOLY CROSS DAY, September 14th: For centuries we have been taught to look upon it as the instrument of our salvation. That humanity’s sin created a debt which could only be satisfied through blood, and that God offered the Son as the sacrifice necessary to reconcile creation to its Creator. But what if we looked again? What if the Cross does not reveal a God who required death, but a God whose Life could not finally be overcome by death? I find myself returning to a simple question, would the Source of Life require death in order to give Life? Would an all-loving, all-powerful God need the killing of the beloved Son before mercy could be extended to creation? Or might the Cross be telling us something very different? Perhaps God did not demand the Cross, perhaps we created it through empires, fear, violence, domination and religious certainty. The Cross was a Roman instrument of torture and execution long before Christians placed it upon our altars or wore them around their necks.

Replay and Workbook are posted in the classroom under WISDOM TEACHINGS.

We are so glad you have found your way here. MONASTICA is a modern contemplative sanctuary for all spiritual seekers and those who feel called to live The Way more deeply—rooted in the teachings of Yeshua, the wisdom of the Nazarene Essene tradition, the Judeo-Christian mystical and shamanic lineages through the devotional path of the Rose. This is a place for Silence • Simplicity • Sacred Rhythm • Embodied Devotion • Community. We are not here to give you another religious identity to adopt, we are here to cultivate a way of life. Before you begin exploring, please take a few moments to read this entire welcome post and our community agreements. 🌹 STEP ONE | ENTER THE SANCTUARY Take some time to explore MONASTICA. Visit the Calendar to discover our upcoming gatherings, Wisdom Teachings, Sanctuary Sundays, Women at the Well circles, Devotional Wellness offerings, guest facilitators, and other opportunities to gather. Then visit the Classroom, where you will find our growing library of contemplative practices, recorded teachings, devotional resources, Essene wisdom, spiritual nutrition, somatic practices, and formation materials. There is no need to consume everything. Begin where you feel drawn. MONASTICA is not another place to hurry through content. It is an invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and allow wisdom to become embodied through practice. 🌿 STEP TWO | INTRODUCE YOURSELF Please create a post in our community and tell us a little about yourself. You might share: • Where you are joining us from • What brought you to MONASTICA • What you are longing for in this season of your life • What you are currently exploring, questioning, healing, or uncovering in your relationship with God • Which contemplative or spiritual practices already nourish you There is no perfect way to introduce yourself. Simply arrive as you are. 🕊️ THIS IS OUR SANCTUARY MONASTICA is a monastery without walls. Although we gather online, what we are creating together is sacred space.

For those of you who carry a strong internal monastic archetype and have experience in daily devotional rhythms, spiritual discipline, the wisdom of the feminine path of Christ, or have traveled the Essene path, I invite you to share your sacred gifts and wisdom with this community. Each month or so, I would like to highlight a WISDOM KEEPER. Ideally, this would be a live zoom, but it could be pre-recorded with me. Please reach out if you feel aligned to share your sacred service. I'm taking virtual teas with women who are inspired to facilitate for this community. https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=24477263&calendarID=9122735