Written with V. Rev. John A. McGuckin, Ph.D.
In ancient times, as early as the late second and early centuries of the Common Era in Egypt and Syria, more than a few people abandoned their civic responsibilities, relationships and personal crises in order to seek relief and commune solely with God. It was the beginning of a new and distinct social movement among the early Christians (a society which hitherto had been spreading in urban sites) and came to be known from this preference for solitariness (Greek: monachismos) as "monasticism." These early solitaries fled to the desert and took up residence in caves and near the oases of the Red Sea desert, putting their worldly comforts and egos aside, seeking a goal of spiritual enlightenment. Some of them lived in strict separation (hermits and cave-dwellers) others lived in loose associations -- the somewhat paradoxical idea of a community of solitaries. Such communes based around ascetic and celibate ideals had already been known in antiquity (such as the Therapeutae at Alexandria or even the Qumran community by the shores of the Dead Sea in the time of the Roman War in 70 C.E.). But this emergence of Monasticism among the Christians was something new and extraordinarily popular. News of the desert hermits even became popular best-seller material in imperial Constantinople, with titles such as Palladius' Lausiac History, or Theodoret's History of the Monks of Syria.
The early ascetics take their name from their training in ascesis, the Greek word for "athletic discipline," but now it came to be chiefly a term applied to early Christian spiritual renunciation and obedience. New Testament precedents surely sparked some of the inspiration for this movement. The idea of asceticism was first used by Paul (cf. 2 Tim. 4.7) to signify the need of Christians to train themselves by rigorous observances (sexual renunciation, fasting and deprivations) to observe the commandments with exceptional zeal. Many lead-ideas of the Christian ascetical movement can already be seen as prevalent in the New Testament literature, which developed apocalyptic themes by contrasting the radical life that ought to be lived in accordance with the Kingdom of God with the ease of a worldly existence.
The ascetical message also resonated well with Hellenistic ideas about the "sober life" of the wise man or woman (sophrosyne), and much of late first and second century Christian literature, such as the Didache, the Clementine Letters or the Shepherd of Hermas, began to stress the need for this wise lifestyle kind of sobriety as a fundamental character of general Christian discipleship. It is a powerful impetus in the second century writings of the African theologian Tertullian who already reports large numbers of male and female lay ascetics in the Carthaginian Church of his day. It is in the mid-third to fourth centuries, however, that the ascetical movement really became a powerful and distinctively organized movement in Christianity.
The same movement of spiritual training and obedience to a life of faith still exists today, so many centuries later, and its core themes crop up once more in the growing popularity of meditation and prayer. Many of the desert monasteries that first sprung up with the early ascetics are still around and functioning. There are many examples in Egypt, Syria, Greece and Eastern Europe -- some erected as early as the late third century (the first buildings at St. Katherine's Sinai date to this era) -- still active as centers of monastic spiritual training. Interest in, and the practice of, silence and prayer spread to the West long ago; there are many monks and nuns living the solitary life of Christian obedience and renunciation all over the world. The ascetical life is thriving. It would be a great mistake to think that because the Reformation world turned its back on it, it either went away or had nothing left to say. There are many contemporary hermits, monks and nuns, some of them highly educated and accomplished, leaving the civilized world behind to seek God in silence and prayer.
Does it take leaving the world behind to become spiritually enlightened? Does one need rigorous ascesis to encounter God? It may be argued that many of us already lead solitary lives in our own modern equivalent of caves and monasteries: the cells of modern apartment buildings found in impersonal high rise buildings and desert caverns of urban avenues. While there has been an exodus away from churches and "organized religions" in recent decades, record numbers of spiritual seekers are meditating and praying on their own, in new churches, on yoga retreats or in non-denominational meditation centers.
There is much value in simply taking time to be silent and still. There is tremendous power in setting oneself aside and letting the likeness of God inside you shine through. Settling down and quieting the frenetic stimuli of modern multitasking not only brings peace and calm, it may also be a revelatory experience (something the ancients expected and called "epiphanic").
From this revelation of God found in silence and prayer -- one may remember the "still small voice" that Elijah recognized as the authentic medium of divine experience after the brash "false avenues" of the whirlwind and the fire (1 Kings. 19.12) -- all real spiritual life and theology can be said to derive. At the heart of prayer is the celebration of the glory of the divine transcendent: the "hallowing of the Name." Central to it also is the deep human experience of petitioning and experiencing God from the basis of human need and limitation. In the fourth century, St. Basil the Great talked about the ascetic life as being nothing less than "the life of the Gospel." St. Paul encouraged Christians to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). Prayer and silence are the vocation of Christians and spiritual seekers. This spiritual way, this task, can be done anywhere, not just in caves or monasteries. Take a moment at the office or job just to be quiet, acknowledge God, and say a prayer of peace and understanding.
Ascesis is compassionate and empathic. We set ourselves aside in a peaceful attitude looking to God for guidance, understanding and acceptance. We do our best to love and recognize others, to see the likeness of God in them, learning to tolerate, even to accept, them in compassion. Prayer and silence are always inclusive; they never act divisively or exclusionary. Whether practiced alone or within a spiritual group, this simple inner movement unites us all. Whether a simple exercise of thankfulness ("glorification") or asking for specific help or instruction -- or even not as structured as this -- silent prayer and the spiritual practice of peaceful awareness offers each of us a veritable oasis in the daily sea of stress and stimulus. Anytime, anywhere, one can experience the heart and spirit's repose in companionship with God. You need not leave all behind for the rest of your life. For some spiritual rest in your life, let yourself be alone for a short while with God.
Dr. Norris and Father John briefly left their families and work behind to encounter God studying the words and actions of contemporary ascetics in the caves and monasteries of Egypt, Greece, Romania, Ukraine and Russia. Join them in their spiritual travels in the new film and book, "Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer." Visit their website for more information and to join the mailing list.
Follow Norris J. Chumley, Ph.D. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Jesusmysteries
Andrew Z. Cohen: The Evolution of Enlightenment
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People who believe that their earthly actions or inactions will earn them points toward an eternal vacation on Pleasure Island may become fixated on ritualism, which is the least spiritually taxing method of the Paradise delusion. Perhaps certain personality types are more prone to becoming ascetics. In my journey in Zen, I believe that the enlightened human has no special status among other humans and does not feel superior to them. It is simply living with a different kind of awareness. Not necessarily better, just different. The enlightenment comes from within and there are no promises about anything after death.
story of alexander the great and a famous recluse in India
a letter from St Mark in the possession of St Clementine of Alexandria implies that Jesus taught meditation to his disciples using " the word or sound '
i can just accept the word of Dr Bevan Morris for this.
once upon a time there was a Ashraam and ashrams still are http://www.vedicpandits.org/
for science to understand how a saint [ recluse monk yogi swami etc ] in solitude can effect beneficially the community outside and even 6.6. billion people [ actually one should say brains ] one needs to accept John Hagelin [ he makes testable hypothesis] and Dr Hannaford http://www.greatriverbooks.com/PlayingInTheUnifiedFieldPage.htm
and the book " human physiology: expression of Veda and vedic literature ": Tony Nader MD PHD neurophysiology
But somebody who is on the autism scale for instance, might be helped by being away from many of the things that exacerbate and over-stimulate him. And some people whose mental illness might tempt them to violence might certainly help society by not being in proximity.
I think everyone can benefit from this. Our lives are so busy, so much of it just passes us by.
How irresponsible.
Fasting allows for more time to pray and demonstrates that you are serious enough about your request to pay a personal price. God rewards fasting, deep desire and praying in faith. Fasting releases God’s supernatural power, but fasting is not earning an answer to prayer.
God cannot be blackmailed. Fasting simply prepares us for God’s answer.
God is love.
Unrelenting asceticism is not necessary for spiritual growth, as other spiritual thinkers have pointed out -- but as with athletes, certain practices of self-denial and even actual discomfort do, sometimes, have their virtues. Some people are more dedicated to that concept than others.
That's just an assumption, really based on the further assertion that the 'self' is really that separate from everything else to begin with, (And often the zero-sum notion that pleasure for one must 'cost' somewhere, somewhen, or somebody, else, either in pain, shame, deprivation, or whatnot.)
There's other possible views. In Wiccan religion it's attributed to the Goddess, the saying, 'All acts of love and pleasure are My rituals,' which is really something that accepts and extols the connection between these things, (and making sure there is one,) rather than calling things 'selfish' then adding, 'but not wholly-negative... when it's not actually selfish.'
Ascetic practices associated with Christianity are very often associated with 'mortification of the flesh,' self-denial as self-punishment, and such, though the very practice itself can be seen and experienced in other ways, as purification, a vision quest or other ecstatic practice, all manner of things.
For many, the important thing is to remove distractions: extreme asceticism often just making the body louder in a different way, and probably most monastic orders of various religions learn that it's really about balance and simplicity.
Discomfort can be pretty 'loud,' too, in that way, spending some time on that experience can be more valuable than always trying to avoid it, for sure. :)
It is far more important to answer the question "why can't we see, hear or touch god" than it is to seek
communion with any god.
What doesn't actually exist is time--yet you believe in that don't you.
Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
All believers are to remain in constant contact with God as you would with someone who is closer to you than your best friend and is with you 24/7.
Jesus, too, pointed out that when one practiced a form of asceticism -- such as fasting -- that it should be undertaken without public fanfare for the admiration of others. So we may not even know how many Christians practiced any asceticism, if they did it right.
As for the repetition of prayers -- true enough, Christians are called on not to simply repeat words over and over. So, is praying the Lord' Prayer aloud with fellow adherents wrong? For many, the repeated words of a prayer is one way for them to make contact and keep constant communication with God.
When it comes to how others choose to practice their religion, we should remember the parable of Jesus about the pious Pharisee who was smugly congratulating himself in temple for not being like the heathen soldier he saw there -- all the while the soldier is silently asking that his sins be forgiven by the same God.
Posit the existence of God. What does a perfect God need from ascetics? Nothing. Leaving again pride and selfishness.
I do not care why people believe what they believe. Mostly they are mistaken. No biggie, except when they act on their erroneous beliefs to the detriment of others.
As long as ascetics keep to themselves, no problem. But to be believed to somehow be "holier" is selfish. To get closer to a non-existent god is sad.