Spirit • Values • Learning • Stewardship • Voice
Montclair Abbey is for people who believe both that there is something creative larger than themselves as individuals, as well as, that they are unique creators. We hope Montclair Abbey nourishes and supports deeper self-knowledge and compassionate understanding of the world and its population of beings, as well as, intensive, focused, and skillful engagement in activities that make the world a better place.
Here, we focus on a path of development that leads through individual and community understanding and growth that follows a sequence of five steps:
Current services, offered through our life education service Essex Center for Life Education, include Life's Work Consultation in individual private sessions and group workshops, with a special focus on assisting people to develop, pursue, and evaluate their life's work and mission.
Prayer and reflection support is currently offered by online access to individual videos and playlists of videos accessible through this website, or directly at our current channel on YouTube: youtube.com/2live1slifewell
We want Montclair Abbey to be a catalyst for the well-grounded and powerful engagement of each individual's leadership ability in their area of expertise, interest, or vocation. The Abbey helps participants
find or create meaning in their activities and choices. We are a community for those who are seeking supportive people and resources to take their lives to a new level.
Montclair Abbey reflects upon, incorporates, and builds from a variety of traditions — religious, philosophical, scientific, cultural — but
is not focused on being a center for any of those fields. In the beginning,
it will be evident that some traditions (western Christianity; psychology)
may dominate, but in the long run the entire history and experience of what
it means to be a healthy, authentic human will be brought to bear on living — work, play, spiritual life, rest, humor, movement, love — in this age.
Abbeys are spiritual centers that have some type of work or industry that they perform.
Our primary secular service to the community at large is life education, offered through the Essex Center: A Learning Community.
Our members channel the divine aspects of creation, which are everywhere as we learn to see this phenomenon. More importantly, our members, like many people,
create the divine through their own spirit and actions.
It is true that no providence exists that leaves us as passive, lucky, or unworthy recipients of arbitrary bestowals from a paternalistic, unitary God. Providence does exist that constantly provides gifts to us from the Universe, from the world of spirit beings among whom we live, and from our human ancestors at work with us as we proceed through life. These gifts are frequent, immense, and extraordinary.
As important and common as external providence is, this abbey focuses more on its members and participants as the creators of providence in this life, for ourselves, others, and nature.
Providence is real, too. And that's the first reason we have to be thankful, to have the "attitude of gratitude." The second reason is because it is our job to "be the providence." It is not something "we have to do." It is something "we get to do." And we celebrate and give heartfelt thanks for the opportunity!
Using first names levels the playing field, reflecting a value that everyone is equal. Adults and children have different types and levels of authority and responsibility, as there are differences even among adults in the worlds of work and leadership. However, as persons, and as members or participants, we are all the same rank, value, and significance.
James is the founder and Lead Community Advisor
of Montclair Abbey. He has a bachelors degree from Fordham University, and masters degrees in counseling (University of Virginia) and school psychological services (New York University).
He has worked with children, teens, and adults in a variety of settings (school, corporate, government, private practice, and church), providing consultations, learning and self-management support, and service coordination, focused on helping people to bring out their best.
His thoughtful and thorough style is effective in understanding complex, subtle, and non-traditional needs and aspirations. Recognizing each individual's unique profile of strengths and challenges as they move through the stages of their lives, he helps people recognize, affirm, and move toward their full potential.
James is now happy to be a catalyst to assist people, through this and related agencies and services, who are searching for a supportive environment that they can use to focus, enhance, and activate their own energies for making a contribution that has meaning and is effective, something they can be proud of.
If these introductory ideas have any resonance for you, we invite you to survey this website for more information and to access some of the initial projects, such as articles or YouTube videos and playlists.
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