New Monsatic Life

MONASTIC: of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a secluded, dedicated, or austere manner of living.

NEW MONASTICISM: a seeking after a more thought-out, prayerful, contemplative, and peaceful life.

AUSTERE: rigorously self-disciplined and severely moral; ascetic; abstinent

I CORINTHIANS 7: 7. Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me - a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others.

~:~

My original birthday post was just a preview and a foundation for what I really wanted to share about turning '50'.., a milestone in so many ways, especially considering that my blood brother only lived to the age of 42. For a little while now, I've been living a pretty austere life. I know looking at my humble but well decorated abode might not appear that austere to some but in comparison to the mini-mansions of my siblings and the volume of land that I grew up on, trust me, this is austere! More importantly, I'm not using the word with regard to it's traditional externally referenced definition. My usage more accurately is one that reflects what's going on inside of me. It's not just a term that descibes 'how' I'm living but more importantly 'why' I'm living and especially why, I believe, I have the quality of life that I do.

Everyone has been most complimentary of the fact that I look much younger than my 50 years. While this is certainly nice to hear, I'm more excited about feeling as good as I do for the age that I am. The range of motion needed for my new job makes me grateful, daily, for being of sound body and mind than just possessing mere physical grace. For those that have known me longest, my present health and state of mind wasn't always as it is, now. There was a period of time when I shunned exercise, hated sunlight, loved pasteries and sweets to a fault and rarely slept longer than four hours. Even today, I'm not a health nut, 'tho I'm painfully aware of my diet and I average about six hours of sleep because my body just automatically wakes up around that same time, regardless of the day of the week. What I did change was my over-indulgence of things that once were so important to me that I placed them before my good health and good senses.

In December, I will celebrate 12 years of soberity from drugs and alcohol and I'm certain that this is the foundation of everything good that I have in my life today. I've also been celibate for a number of years, now (four or five, depending on the varying defintions) and of late, I'm considering making this a permanent lifestyle choice. Determining to live a Monastic Life at this level without being forced to, is a pratical decision that I'm feeling will not only assure me of a much longer and healthier life, but also one void of the usual drama and emotional highs and lows that accompany the opposite lifestyle. Spiritually, I feel most focused when this element of distraction is simply no longer a part of the equation as the basis for any relationship or interest thereof.

If there are any others out there that have already chosen this manner of being, I sure would enjoy having a dialogue with you about your journey to and through that decision. In the end, just know that I'm not denying myself anything I haven't already experienced.., just the need for 'more' of the same when I already know the end results. Specifically, I prayed for wisdom and knowledge all the days of rest of my life on the eve of my 50th celebration. This is the beginning of that answered prayer.

Be careful what you pray for !!

PEACE,

`EDEN in Albuquerque