The Joys and Challenges of a Solitary Life

[whiterockdove]

I have been discerning living as a hermit for several years, and I know there is a wealth of Saints quotes out there on the topic,
and accounts of their lives and contributions written by other Saints.

I like this quote even though it refers to Carmelites living in Community and not individual hermits. The idea of apartness from and praying for the world as a total service to God is the same.

" we belong to the race of those Holy Fathers of Mount Carmel, who in such deep solitude and renunciation of the world, sought the treasure,
The precious  pearl of which we speak."

St. Theresa of Avila
 

[Therese]

Dear Whiterockdove,

Have you ever read St. Benedict's Rule of Life?  I suggest that you read it.  Do you know if any hermit has ever written a Rule of Life?  If so, I would especially recommend that you read such a rule.  I'd like to read such a rule, if one exists.  I have recently reread Bro. Lawrence's The Practice of the Presence of God and would like to practice all that I read in this book, conversing with God all day, keeping detached from all that is not Him and loving Him deeply with all my heart fixed on Him, doing ALL for Him and nothing for myself, which includes my prayers and sacrifices for the salvation of souls.

God bless you!

Yours in Jesus and Mary,
Therese 

[whiterockdove]

It is on my list of things to read!  If its God's will, I still am interested in the Carmelites.
My spiritual director is a Carmelite. 

[whiterockdove]

"It is of great importance, when we begin to practice prayer, not to let ourselves be frightened by our own thoughts."

-St. Theresa of Avila

[Therese]

It is on my list of things to read!  If its God's will, I still am interested in the Carmelites.
My spiritual director is a Carmelite. 

I love the Carmelite spirituality and have read several of St. John of the Cross' and St. Theresa of Jesus' works.  Yesterday I read some of what St. John of the Cross says about union with God. 

[Therese]

"It is of great importance, when we begin to practice prayer, not to let ourselves be frightened by our own thoughts."

-St. Theresa of Avila

But what thoughts are scary when we begin to practice prayer?

[whiterockdove]

Oh this quote was so comforting to me,  I have a hard time keeping my mind on track and staying collected during prayer.
I can get very anxious  and discouraged. That can be frightening if it leads to a reluctance to persevere.



That's why I read a lot of Theresa of Avila's writings. They are very practical  suggestions.

[Shin]

AH now that's a very soothing thought from that quote!

A quote that makes prayer easier.. now that is priceless. I had not read this quote before!

I am looking up rules to see if I can find one for hermits, so far I am not finding any! There must not be too many translators interested in these!

[Therese]

Oh this quote was so comforting to me,  I have a hard time keeping my mind on track and staying collected during prayer.
I can get very anxious  and discouraged. That can be frightening if it leads to a reluctance to persevere.



That's why I read a lot of Theresa of Avila's writings. They are very practical  suggestions.

Yes, St. Teresa does make very practical suggestions.  The devil is accustomed to use excessive anxiety and discouragement to rob graces from us, once we lose our peace we can not hear the voice of God or receive the graces He wants to send us.  When you get such temptations  rebuke them and place all your trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.     

[whiterockdove]

You are so correct, Therese!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in thee.
Amen.

[Therese]

You are so correct, Therese!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in thee.
Amen.

I learned this from what I have read, Whiterockdove,  I owe so much to the Saints and to pious Catholic writers....I owe so much to our Lord, whose wisdom is found in them.

[whiterockdove]

" Every one of us, even he who is supposed to live as a private person, exercises the office of shepherd, if, keeping together a multitude of
good actions and pure thoughts, he strives to rule them with due moderation, to feed them with the food of the scriptures, and to preserve them against the snares of the devil."

- Venerable Bede

[Therese]

" Every one of us, even he who is supposed to live as a private person, exercises the office of shepherd, if, keeping together a multitude of
good actions and pure thoughts, he strives to rule them with due moderation, to feed them with the food of the scriptures, and to preserve them against the snares of the devil."

- Venerable Bede

A very good quote!

[whiterockdove]

Hi Therese! I see you're up and working also! Yes, we are so blessed to have all the  written material inspired by the Holy Spirit
And preserved over the centuries for us to learn from.  When I joined the church, and that was in 2012, part of the driving force was all the writings and prayers of the saints and Doctors of the church.  I knew I was Catholic in my heart long before I was baptized and confirmed because those writings spoke to me and made sense.  

I could sit and read and write all day and into the night, but alas, there is still my household to maintain and husband to care for.  I like the structure that is in the Benedictine spirituality, a time for everything and thus balance between all, hence my last quote  

Speaking of all that, I just discovered a bowl of strawberries in the refrigerator that my husband picked last evening. Looks like its time for me to get to work and clean them up for freezing!

God bless you, I hope you have a good day!

[Therese]

Hi Therese! I see you're up and working also! Yes, we are so blessed to have all the  written material inspired by the Holy Spirit
And preserved over the centuries for us to learn from.  When I joined the church, and that was in 2012, part of the driving force was all the writings and prayers of the saints and Doctors of the church.  I knew I was Catholic in my heart long before I was baptized and confirmed because those writings spoke to me and made sense.  

I could sit and read and write all day and into the night, but alas, there is still my household to maintain and husband to care for.  I like the structure that is in the Benedictine spirituality, a time for everything and thus balance between all, hence my last quote  

Speaking of all that, I just discovered a bowl of strawberries in the refrigerator that my husband picked last evening. Looks like its time for me to get to work and clean them up for freezing!

God bless you, I hope you have a good day!

Hi Whiterockdove!  I'm so glad that you have been doing good spiritual reading.  Yes, moderation/balance is necessary in life, as it preserves the other virtues ... and we both know that all things have their season (Ecclesiastes 3:1).  God bless you!

[whiterockdove]

Since the nature of friendship with God is such, that if anyone loves this world, he is an enemy of God, it follows that if anyone wants to be a friend of God and dwell in God's love, he must turn away from  the world and the things which are in the world."

-Didymus the Blind, 313-398  Christian exegete, head of chatechetical school in  Alexandria