Christian Monasticism?

[Rainbow Mage]

Just wondering what being a monk in Christianity entails? What code do monks follow? What special diet is observed? Etc.

 

[SageTree]

It might sound too simple, but wikipedia-ing both (Eastern &) Christian Monasticism and you'll get some good reads for forming questions of a more specific nature.

Lord willing I'll be spending a month at a Greek Orthodox monastery in August,
and maybe I'll have some more direct answers about what goes on there.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I'm considering a Buddhist monastic life myself at the moment, but yes do come back and tell me about it.

 

[SageTree]

So just a general, not pending, curiosity then?

I'll hopefully have something to report back. Just waiting to hear back on how long I can stay.
I'm trying to find a second placement if this one doesn't make it a full months time.

Peace.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I asked out of curiosity about the Christian monastic tradition

 

[Dunemeister]

The Eastern Orthodox spiritual tradition uses a method known as hesychasm (way of silence) that bears some similarities to Buddhism. Check out St. John of the Ladder for a representative sample of the kind of life this involves.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Thank you I will

 

[SageTree]

Also seriously search wikipedia, there is a long list of kinds of monastics and affiliates.
The list alone will be something to wrap your head around.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Yes I'll search wiki too

 

[Shiranui117]

If you'd like, you can check out the Philokalia, which is essentially an anthology of Orthodox monastic texts compiled over the centuries. Sayings of the Desert Fathers and St. John Climacus's Ladder of Divine Ascent are also excellent.

To give a brief overview of the Orthodox monastic tradition, many monks live together in either a large communal monastery (such as the Valaam Monastery, or St. Catherine's at Mt. Sinai, as well as several monasteries on Mt. Athos), in smaller groups known assketes, and some even live on their own in isolation as hermits. Regardless of the living arrangements, all monastics leave "the world", as we call it, and enter into the monastic life to devote their entire lives to deepening their relationship with Christ. They take literally the command to sell all they have, give the money to the poor, take up their cross, and follow Him. They do this not because they think the world is evil--even if it is a great source of temptation, and it's easy to be like the seed that gets choked out by the thorns of worldly cares. Rather, they do it because they love Christ, and by their prayers and ascetic way of life, they hope to pray for the entire world, doing whatever they can to sanctify themselves and everyone around them to God.

A great example of the life of a monk is St. Antony the Great--one of the first great monks, and one of the biggest players the Church (and Christianity as a whole) has ever known in the realm of monasticism. He essentially founded monasticism in Egypt, or at least did a LOT of work to spread it. You can read his life here. (CTRL+F to "Athanasius: LIFE OF ANTONY" to skip right to where the account of his life starts off.)

As Dunemeister already pointed out, we Orthodox have a spiritual practice known as hesychasm. It's also said that, in Orthodoxy, everyone has a little bit of monasticism in them, regardless of whether we're married, single, celibate, young, old, clergy or laity.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Ty for the information and links

 

[ZooGirl02]

You could always go to a monastery near you and ask them. I tell you this because different religious orders have different rules and therefore live different lifestyles. However, I think almost all of them obey the rules of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

 

[BVG Janaka das]

I'm considering a Buddhist monastic life myself at the moment, but yes do come back and tell me about it.

Dear Rainbow Mage, are You monk now?

 

[BVG Janaka das]

I asked out of curiosity about the Christian monastic tradition

Thank You for having curiosity about Monastic life