Adzel to Chee Lan:
"'Remember, for three years I have heard no newscast, read no secular literature besides planetological journals.'" (p. 40)
Is this newslessness a monastic requirement or an extra self-imposed austerity? I would certainly not stay in any place that banned newscasts. Everyone on Earth needs to know about global events that might affect them. We need to contemplate such events, not to switch off from them.
OK. I am about to turn to other reading for the rest of this evening. (Notice that the attached cover image describes Mirkheim as Liga Polesotecnica IV. Spanish.)
2 comments:
I'm not sure about Buddhist monasteries, but many Christian ones do severely limit interaction with outside information, as well as people.
The purpose is to promote focus on the contemplation of the divine. It's not supposed to be fun, and overcoming feelings of tedium and isolation are part of the process.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
You explained more clearly why Paul's comments did not seem correct to me. I would also stress that St. Benedict, in his RULE, stressed as well the need for monks to do work. Work that can take many forms: farming, teaching, scholarship. Work done in God's service is also a kind of contemplation.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment