Happy Easter! It’s a holiday rife with far flung symbolisms, but it’s a certain recognition that Spring is upon us in the Northern Hemisphere! Today was particularly special for me because I was invited to speak about secular monasticism with the community at the Unitarian Universalist Church in the region.
It was a small bunch: inquisitive, and warm. I felt at ease giving open answers about the sometimes very personal aspects of monastic life. I am grateful for the opportunity they gave me to share.
The talk that I gave ended up being a little meandering, but I had initially set out to talk about how my monasticism has evolved since my first go-round at it in the 1990s. Although I didn’t end up with a nice clean comparison in my talk, I think that I communicated some interesting aspects of the entire process. It also provided me with an opportunity for introspection about how my monasticism has changed.
My first go at secular monasticism in the 1990s was truly a quest for spirituality- of some taste of the intangible. It was very backwards oriented. I shunned post 1600 music, literature, all media dated after that. No phone, no computer. I kept my diet simple and strict. No socialization. Very much an example of solitary Ludditism. I didn’t find sprituality. I did find some moments of unbelievable serenity. I tasted self acceptance without external approval and influence. I learned that there was a YES there to answer my questions somewhere, but I didn’t quite have a grasp on it.
And then due to financial and family forcings, I went out into the world for close to 30 years and did the modern life thing.
I am happy to recognize that my time on the planet as a thinking, breathing, feeling, sensing person is extraordinarily special and that it will not come again.
This time around, my approach is different. I have a clearly crystallized ethos to work with. I have given up the search for god and unknowables; I am happy to recognize that my time on the planet as a thinking, breathing, feeling, sensing person is extraordinarily special and that it will not come again.
- I am not afraid of the media, just selective.
- I am not backward moving; I do leverage the past to make a better future.
- Although I filter culture deliberately, nothing is taboo.
- I no longer seek something that is out of reach and beyond sensibility. What I seek is to understand and feel more fully all that is around me.
These reflections have made me feel very good about my solitary endeavors. I certainly don’t regret all those years I spent in school, raising my son, trying to find suitable companionship, even though throughout those times I still heard the call. I believe this time around I have it closer to right- for me.