What is the Orthodox Commonplace Book System?

Our Orthodox Commonplace Book (OCB) System provides everything your older children (middle school and up) need to begin a lifelong habit of copying Orthodox teachings and recording personal spiritual insights in a specialized notebook called a commonplace book.

With the OCB System, you won’t just collect quotes, you’ll actively engage with them. Over time, with our OCB System, you will not only help develop a working memory of what inspires you about your Orthodox Christian faith but also create a beautiful reference and treasury of spiritual insights that speak directly to your heart.

Orthodox Commonplace Book System components
Pentecost OCB layout idea

com·mon·place book (noun)

/ˈkämənˌplās ˌbo͝ok/ plural noun: commonplace books

A book in which noteworthy quotations, passages, poems, comments, reflections, speeches etc., are written. It can also include the individual's own thoughts, reflections, and insights, such as annotations, commentary, and connections.

How our OCB System works

  • We’ve taken the guesswork out of getting started to make sure you have everything you need with the OCB System Starter Bundle. This bundle includes your Deluxe Orthodox Commonplace Book, a Great Feast Study Journal, digital guides, and 6 essential sticker sheets—everything you need to begin your OCB journey.

  • Already have your OCB System Starter Bundle or some components in hand? You can expand your OCB System at your own pace.

    To set up another Feast, simply purchase a Great Feast OCB Bundle, which includes the Study Journal, feast-specific sticker pack, and digital guide—everything you need to continue your OCB-ing with a new Feast.

    In addition, we offer a variety of decorative sticker sheets so you can further personalize and decorate your OCB in whatever way inspires you.

    Every component of the OCB System is available a la carte in our shop if you chose to build your own.

  • Not sure where to begin? Worried about blank page paralysis? We’ve got you covered.

    When you purchase the starter bundle, you will be provided digital access to our OCB Guide Book and the Great Feast Guide you selected. They have everything you need to get started including quick start steps to setup your OCB, sample layouts to copy or use as inspiration and ideas on how to develop a consistent habit.

A collection of religious and planning materials including a Bible with a blue cover featuring a gold tassel, study journals, guidebooks, decorative paper, stickers, digital downloads, and prayer cards, all arranged around the Bible.
Screenshot of a step in a system customization process, featuring various decorative sticker sheets with botanical and religious designs, a digital download label, and instructions for expanding an OCR (Object Content Barcode) system with sticker pac
Display of a guide book with instructions on following guides, including a cover page titled "Guide Book" and interior pages with layouts, Bible study content, and floral illustrations.
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Possible layout idea with the OCB System

“Do  you have a notebook for taking down quotes from Holy Fathers in your reading? Do you always have a book of Holy Fathers that you are reading, and can turn to in a moment of gloom? Start now - this is essential.”

~Fr. Seraphim Rose to Fr. Alexei Young

Letters from Fr. Seraphim, pg. 143

“We should hunt out the helpful pieces of teaching and the spirited and noble-minded sayings which are capable of immediate practical application–not far far-fetched or archaic expressions or extravagant metaphors and figures of speech–and learn them so well that words become works.”

~Seneca

Why we created the OCB System

Besides the fact the Fr. Seraphim Rose inspired us….

  • Do you feel disheartened when you can’t recall a powerful sermon, profound passage, or a simple lesson from your Orthodox Christian studies when you need it most? We do too. That is why we love having an OCB as a personal crafted reference tool to help you remember what wakes you up spiritually.

  • An OCB is “not another workbook”. just like our Study Journals are “not another textbook.” Your OCB is something deeply personal that you create based on what speaks your mind and heart when learning about your Orthodox Christian faith. Keeping an OCB should be something you want to do and enjoy consistently doing.

  • Whether you start as a middle schooler or high schooler, keeping an OCB is a habit with many benefits. It cultivates a growth mindset of lifelong Orthodox Christian learning to help you learn the practice of being attentive towards your faith.

  • Crafting personal OCBs as a family is an activity that puts our Orthodox Christian faith in practice. The OCB can help bridge discussions with older children as they transition from childhood to adulthood.

  • We need more screen-free quality activities to help the domination of screens in our lives. We need more opportunities to slow down. Many of us read, but OCBs help us take what we read and go a step further. Creating an OCB can be as simple as lighting a candle, grabbing a beloved book and copying your favorite quotes.

Still have questions? Visit our FAQ on the OCB System.

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A painting depicts a young boy kneeling in a field, praying with clasped hands, while an older woman with a halo around her head, dressed in dark robes, shows her hand toward him holding a small metallic object. The background features a rural landscape with a dirt path, trees, a church with spires, and a distant village.