Years ago, as a young Atheist, I had a call to monasticism. Sounds peculiar, and indeed, it did at the time, as well! However strange, it was clear and compelling.
I cleared my social and professional calendars, picked up used copies of St. Benedicts rule and the Tao Te Ching, turned off my radio (my source for the news in the 1990s), disconnected my phone, and off I went.
It lasted for about 18 months. And there are many stories to tell from that formative effort, and many lessons that stuck to my ribs. That call never left my ears. I raised a son, had a few failed relationships. Swapped one career for another and again, an often felt the intense pull to solitude. Earned my masters and doctorate. The call persistently echoed in my mind.
When I designed and built my home here at Mons Domus, I designed it as a secular monastery. There were patterns of life, behaviors, that I recalled from my monastic experiment that I wanted to revive, refine, and live anew. Will the experiences that I had since then change how the monastic life resonates with me? I don’t know.
The sour election process in the US coupled with the Pandemic has sent me into isolation. I have the good fortune to be able to run my business from home, so I rarely have to leave, and that call is no longer a call. It’s an emphatic demand.
The house is mostly complete. I passed the final inspection a month ago. I have window trim and floor molding left to do. Oh, and the bathroom tile that I am procrastinating over. So here I am. There is nothing between me and secular monasticism, except acknowledgement.
So.
Welcome to my monastery.
~Dr. Blake Ketchum, Secular Hermit
You can read more about adapting monastic elements to your life here: SecularMonasticism.org.