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**Centurnion** · 02-18-2006, 02:34 AM

Chris wrote:

I'm looking for a monastery that would be ideal for me. I absolutely adore the ascetic lifestyle - an isolate alone in the study with heaps of books who then wanders outside to observe the natural world.

However, I do not feel comfortable with the praying and the religious side of the monastery. Is there anything there for me? Welcome Chris to monachos.net!

Regarding your post, I think what you are describing is more in lines with philosophy than monastasism. In Orthodoxy, there can be no separation between prayer and the aescetic life. In fact, ascetisism is merely a tool to enchance prayer and communion with God, not to just 'wander outside to observe the natural world'. In fact, the idea is to go beyond the natural world and into the spiritual. The Threefold Way of purification, illumination, and theosis has ascetisism at the begining and first stage. The goal, rather, is theosis which involves much prayer. Forgive me if I offend you, but I think you may have misunderstood the goal of a monastic.

Please, do not allow my words to discourage you, but rather encourage you to learn more about this most blessed calling. What I have found to help me understand this way of life (as best as I can) is from the study of the lives of saints, especially the modern day elders of Mount Athos. May God bless your journey.

02-18-2006, 02:34 AM	#3
Centurnion Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 414 Senior Member	Chris wrote: I'm looking for a monastery that would be ideal for me. I absolutely adore the ascetic lifestyle - an isolate alone in the study with heaps of books who then wanders outside to observe the natural world. However, I do not feel comfortable with the praying and the religious side of the monastery. Is there anything there for me? Welcome Chris to monachos.net! Regarding your post, I think what you are describing is more in lines with philosophy than monastasism. In Orthodoxy, there can be no separation between prayer and the aescetic life. In fact, ascetisism is merely a tool to enchance prayer and communion with God, not to just 'wander outside to observe the natural world'. In fact, the idea is to go beyond the natural world and into the spiritual. The Threefold Way of purification, illumination, and theosis has ascetisism at the begining and first stage. The goal, rather, is theosis which involves much prayer. Forgive me if I offend you, but I think you may have misunderstood the goal of a monastic. Please, do not allow my words to discourage you, but rather encourage you to learn more about this most blessed calling. What I have found to help me understand this way of life (as best as I can) is from the study of the lives of saints, especially the modern day elders of Mount Athos. May God bless your journey.
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