INSPIRED BY ANCIENT WISDOM: The Desert Mothers
Updated: 8 hours ago
At Honey Bones Co., Ancient Wisdom inspires not only WHAT we make, but WHY we create.
I first discovered the Desert Mothers during my own Desert season- a season when I was forced to go inward to survive the barren wilderness I found myself in. From this season, Honey Bones Co. came to life, born out of the abundance found in the Desert.
Journey with us in this blog post as we share why the Desert Mothers are one of our biggest sources of inspiration.
WHO were these Women?
In the 4th and 5th centuries, women living in Egypt, Palestine, and Syria left “normal society” for the Desert. Withdrawing from both prominent, wealthy families and rural, peasant demographics alike, these women became known as the Desert Mothers and were commonly referred to as “Ammas.”
WHY did they go to the Desert?
Retreating to lives of seclusion from society, these Ammas felt called to the simple solitude of the Desert. Along with many Desert Fathers, the Desert Mothers were disturbed by the cultural shifts they witnessed during the time Christianity became legalized in Rome in 313 AD from the Edict of Milan.
On the surface, it may have seemed like a win that they were no longer under persecution from the government. However, the decision was more politically motivated than spiritually, and it had lasting impacts on their faith community’s identity:
Shifts in their Faith Community
Once a persecuted, underground minority, the Christian church was now a wealthy + powerful institution aligned with the Roman state.
Intense theological debates between members began to fracture the unity + peace within their community.
The institutionalization of the church began to inhibit their pursuit of holiness.
In addition to changes in their faith community, these regions at large experienced widespread social instability due to epidemics + political corruption and experienced an increase in:
Crime
Restrictive laws
Heavy government taxation
Rights + freedoms as women impinged upon
So, into the wilderness they went. They traded their life within normal society for a different battleground.
The Desert was a retreat for their souls and freedom from cultural constraints, but it came at a cost.
The backdrop of their chosen Desert lifestyle was one in the wilderness, surrounded by wild animals, strong winds, and limited access water and basic necessities. In this barren battlefield, they found strength, purpose, and closeness to their Creator.
“The desert refined their inner strength and resolve and deepened their sense of utter dependence on God. It was a place of death—the place to die to the false self and false supports, bury old ways and attitudes…observing that closer proximity to the forces of nature quickened their spirit in prayer.”
WHAT did they do in the Desert?
"Desert spirituality is characterized by the pursuit of abundant simplicity."
Gained + Shared Wisdom
Retreating from the changing culture into a simpler lifestyle, they devoted their time to prayer, facing demons, being in service to their community, and offering words of Wisdom to visitors.
These “seekers” came to visit the Desert Mothers as pilgrims to receive these words of Wisdom- lived maxims and short stories, which taught humility, repentance, endurance in adversity, guarding the heart and mind through self-control, compassion, charity, and love.
The Desert Mothers as Makers
The Ammas were not idly passing time in what many saw as a wasteland- they were makers, filling their days with the manual labor of using their hands to work with nature’s gifts, creating functional household goods that they sold or donated to the poor. These included:
Baskets: Woven from local palm fronds, marsh reeds, and desert grasses
Ropes and Cords: Twisted and plaiting plant fibers and rushes together.
Mats: Flat woven floor or sleeping mats made from reeds.
Simple Cloth: Basic linen or woven garments
WHY did they Create?
"They cultivated simplicity in their lifestyle... They were attentive to how they washed clothing and utensils and how they spoke to one another. Mindlessness was the enemy of the inner journey."
Working with their hands served a twofold purpose:
Apatheia: freedom from unhealthy passions / inner peace / emotional sovereignty
Keeping their hands busy cultivated apatheia, or purity of heart, letting go of all the things that kept them away from the pursuit of God (cravings and addictions that diminish one’s sense of worth, attachments to self-imposed perfectionism, etc.).
Being present and mindful of the moment while working with their hands helped them align with their desire to live in union with their Creator.
Income with Intentionality + Integrity:
For the Desert Mothers, their manual labor and handcrafting was radical resistance, as well as a spiritual & social statement.
"[They] were committed to supporting themselves completely by the work of their own hands; the rejection of Roman social status included rejecting unearned wealth from the labor of slaves and servants."
Your Invitation: Dive Into the Desert
As we continue to journey through sharing stories of our inspiration and purpose for our products, please join us in reflecting how as modern stewards of Ancient Wisdom, we can protect both the purity of our hearts + the physical well-being of our bodies and our homes.
In a culture obsessed with speed and efficiency, there is a profound sacredness in the mundane tasks we often rush through and maybe even find ourselves despising.
When we choose to create- whether stirring a pot of soup, tending a garden, or folding laundry, we walk in the footsteps of these courageous, purposeful, and prayerful Desert Mothers. We reclaim our homes + bodies as temples, honoring our Creator that lives and works through us.
This Week’s Challenge:
Step away from the digital noise and find a rhythm for your hands.
Knead bread
Fold loads of clothes
Handcraft your own salve!
As you move, let your mind rest in the present moment. In the quiet work of your hands, you might just find sacred in the mundane and the same peace + abundance the Desert Mothers found.
May you be Healthy, Healed + Whole,
Katrina
Honey Bones Co. 🌼
Quotes from The Forgotten Desert Mothers: sayings, lives, and stories of early Christian Women by Laura Swan
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