Not just ours, but many other eras in human history were beset by cruelty in politics, both international and domestic. Some people in that context — like myself today — chose to live a relatively secluded life, surrounded by their books and thoughts, practicing a rota of prayers and meditation of some kind, and trying to be mindful of each moment while cleaning, cooking, walking, and so on.
Monastic life after all, in its essence, is not abstruse or difficult, neither is it reserved to those who make solemn vows in front of a religious assembly. It’s about simplification of one’s lifestyle, keeping the external chattering and noise at a minimum, and paying attention. Lots of things can then be added upon this basic “rule of life” — such as living in community or alone. But one who takes seriously these three points I consider to be a real monk, regardless of their religion and beliefs and other spiritual practices.
The breaking down of the hyper-moralism typical of the modern era — roughly the last 500 years — together with the development of secularization and religious pluralism, have made possible for some Westerners like myself to choose to be monks without necessarily renouncing sexual activity or putting at the center of one’s identity a set of unchangeable beliefs.
In my case, being a priest and a theologian seems to change the situation quite a bit. But that is true especially from an outsider’s perspective. From the inside, it is clear to me that my monastic identity — in the sense described above: simplification, silence, and attention — is antecedent to my attempts at understanding God, religion, and community. And this finally led me into a conscious Christian identity, and then into choosing to study theology in a very serious way, and then into accepting the call to ordained ministry.
There are many things that could be said about my lifestyle, which is not anymore unique or special, to the point that people have coined the expression New Monasticism. The question remains, just like in old times, whether retreating from the hustle of society means also to renounce having an impact on its political choices. My answer, of course, is that some people like myself are able to exercise a larger influence on society precisely because they live at some distance from it. To be completely honest, for some of us there is an issue of neurological divergence, so that having more silence, or more space, or more nature around, is a need rather than simply a choice. But when their needs are properly answered, people may flourish.
In our time, the internet has become an invaluable tool for the new monks. It can, of course, also become an addiction, but its best uses are remarkably positive. It does enable us to reach relatively large audiences. It makes possible also to conduct with ease a revised form of one-on-one conversation, traditionally known as Spiritual Direction, and today better called Spiritual Counseling.
I created a decalogue for my “brand” of Spiritual Counseling which, of course, says nothing new, but simply tries to clarify what I mean by it. Here it is:
Each person holds a unique light.
The deeper meaning of life must be sought with perseverance and diligence.
Wounds and difficulties are gateways to our truth.
Authentic happiness arises from embracing the full spectrum of human experience.
Daily life is the sacred ground of spiritual growth.
Deep listening paves the way for transformation.
Spiritual traditions and religions are maps, but the journey is always personal.
Spiritual counseling is a human encounter, not a doctrine.
Being true to one’s soul is the true spiritual path.
To live spiritually is to live fully, with love and courage.
“New Monastics Rory McEntee, Netanel Miles-Yepez, and Adam Bucko with Father Thomas Keating at St. Benedict’s monastery, Snowmass, Colorado, 2014.” Wikipedia.
NOTE: You may contact Gianluigi to request a free 30-minutes explorative session of Spiritual Counseling by writing directly to gianluigi@misticaevolutiva.it
Banner image: “New Monastics Rory McEntee, Netanel Miles-Yepez, and Adam Bucko with Father Thomas Keating at St. Benedict’s monastery, Snowmass, Colorado, 2014.” Wikipedia.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you have experience with New Monasticism? What touches you as meaningful in this? How much of a monk do you think you are?
Related Readings by Matthew Fox
The Beloved Will Guide You: St. John of the Cross and the Triple Dark Night of Our Times
The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times
Hildegard of Bingen, A Saint for Our Times: Unleashing Her Power in the 21st Century
Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic–and Beyond
A Way to God: Thomas Merton’s Creation Spirituality Journey
Meister Eckhart: A Mystic Warrior for Our Time
Meditations with Meister Eckhart: A Centering Book
Christian Mystics: 365 Readings & Meditations
The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine
A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice
3 thoughts on “New Monasticism and Spiritual Counseling”
I’ve saved your ‘decalogue’ as a spiritual roadmap. Thank you for your spiritual counseling. I am grappling with what it means to me to be a Christian, and what I believe about Jesus Christ. Your meditations are helpful.
The New Monasticism for me is having Faith and being open to the Living/Loving/Creative Eternal Presence of the Flow of Divine Love~Light~Life within and among Us in All of Our Beautiful Sacred Mother Earth/Her living creatures/Graceful abundance, and with-in All physical/nonphysical spiritual beings/dimensions of Our Sacred evolving Co-Creation Oneness Cosmos….
Thank you Gianluigi for this wonderful reflection. We, here at Contemplative Outreach in NM practice Centering Prayer and as an interfaith community strive to live a contemplative life. Neurological divergence speaks loudly to me especially as I evolve in this senior life. I will also savor your “decalogue” and share it with others.