Templar Order OCMTH

Mother Earth has not been treated well by humanity and we face the effects in the form of over population, climate change, mass species extinction, habitat degradation, and resource depletion. The Knights Templar are taking responsibility in the ecological crisis so that the springs can flow again and the wasteland can flourish once more.

Environmental activism is a way of warriorship and at the same time the highest form of spirituality. We aim to tread lightly on the planet and help to preserve wilderness and biodiversity. Considering the climate crisis, members also get involved in political activism and fulfill their duty wherever possible. Our Celtic Christian background is the foundation for individual and joint action as an Order. We regard non-violent direct action as possible means for activism. Supporting tree planting programs is highly encouraged by the Order.

Since the founding of the Templar Order in the year 1128, its members mainly live on a plant based diet, which is not only good for the body but also for the climate and of course for the animals, which we regard as fellow sentient beings on planet Earth. According to the Primitive Rule it is made clear: "For it is understood that the custom of eating flesh corrupts the body ... and wine corrupts the wise."

Knights Templars of the past and the present have not only acted as warriors but have also followed a contemplative and mystical path as taught by Saint Bernard de Clairvaux. Accompanying the pilgrims also includes the inner paths of meditation and prayer, where the real Knights Templar should be able to lead the way. The White Pilgrimage is nothing less than the Quest for the Holy Grail. By practicing meditation and prayer you will face the shadow and gain self-knowledge, which ultimately leads to the knowledge of others and of God. Searching for the Grail might also lead to the Green and the Red Martyrdom. But don't be afraid, the Rule of New Monasticism carefully leads you on the spiritual path which has been followed by Celtic Monastics for a long time.

New Monasticism

The following rule is a recommendation and guide for men and women who want to live their lives according to a binding rule. The rule can and should be implemented according to their own circumstances and inclinations.

1. Eucharist. Join the Eucharist as frequently as possible, but at least once a week.

2. Breviary. Pray and read the holy scriptures including nature every day.

3. Meditation. Define for yourself daily periods of meditation and rest and dwell in the divine presence .

4. Mindfulness. Train yourself in awareness , gratitude and compassion, find the Divine in all creation and in all things.

5. Study. Faith and reason are not mutually exclusive. The religious needs of science and the man of lifelong learning .

6. Service. Required thee a regular service to the Church or the world .

7. Spiritual friendship (Anam Cara). Find the company of a spiritual friend; cultivate hospitality to strangers, condemn nobody, forgive, make peace.

Explanatory Notes

The Eucharist and the Breviary connect us to the Christian annual cycle. In addition, there are the 8 festivals of the Celtic annual circle, most of which have been included in the Christian annual cycle, but which can also be celebrated separately. The daily breviary includes prayer and reading according to a certain order, e.g. the Liturgy of the hours. We regard Nature and the heritage from the pre-christian mythology as holy scriptures which should be honoured and remembered.

Meditation can be the Lectio Divina, i.e. meditation of holy scriptures, and the silent prayer of the desert fathers, e.g. the Jesus prayer or the prayer of the heart, which leads into contemplation. A walk or hike in nature can also lead into a meditative state, in English this is also called Nature Lectio Divina.

In the mindfulness practice, which includes both a meditation practice and the mindfulness in everyday life, we practice conscious sensory perception and the perception of God's immanence in all things. A practical exercise for this is breathing meditation, e.g. Zen or Vipassana. Mindfulness also includes the practice of compassion with other living beings, which can be developed in the prayer of intercession and in the Loving Kindness Meditation (Metta Bhavana).

The Ancient Celtic Church offers training programs and seminars, e.g. training as a cleric and seminars in prayer, meditation and Celtic spirituality. We also encourage our members to participate in external seminars and trainings, be they spiritual, scientific, cultural or other.

The vocation to ministry in the Church, profession, family or social services and the military gives meaning to our lives. Without a task, our formation would be wasted and our lives meaningless and depressing. The Church thrives on the voluntary commitment of its members, understanding the Church as a community, not an institution. In the Church, we shape the ideal life as we imagine it in the following of Christ. We call this path contemplation in action.

The Anam Cara, that is, soul mate, played an important role in the Celtic Church as well as in the desert fathers as starlets. Anam Cara is often interpreted as a confessor, but the more modern designation of spiritual counsellor is more appropriate. Today we prefer the term spiritual friend. Finding an Anam Cara is a blessing and it is equally important that we ourselves develop spiritually to become an Anam Cara for others. Hospitality was very important in the Celtic Church; one saw Jesus himself as a stranger whom one entertained.

More spiritual advise can be found in the Order´s Primitive Rule from 1128. One important recommendation is to mainly live on a plant based diet and drink alcohol only in moderation as flesh corrupts the body and wine corrupts the wise.

Contact:

Email: mail@ordo-templariorum.org