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11720560 No.11720560 [Reply] [Original]

Is asceticism even possible anymore? I feel like I can't remain holy unless I cloister myself away.

>> No.11720583

>>11720560
So cloister yourself away. They still exist you know. You can even do them only a couple weeks a year like my parents.
For that matter so do holes in the ground out inna woods.

>> No.11720597

>>11720560
Become an anchorite desu

>> No.11720598

>>11720583
>You can even do them only a couple weeks a year like my parents.
where do they go?

>> No.11720615

>>11720598
Probably some bougie mountain monastery in the Swiss Alps

>> No.11720634

Stop being so lazy and averse to responsibility.

>> No.11720668

>>11720598
>>11720615
St. John's in Collegeville, MN. Usually after Christmas. (Which is way too cold a cold time for me to live in a shack in Minnesota. But hey, no mosquitoes.)
But I think you can just search for "monastery stays" in your area.

>> No.11720854

>>11720560
just get a spiritual father and become more devoted to prayer. and go to church whenever you can.

>> No.11720994

>>11720560
This externalization of blame is very unchristian. Here's "How to Avoid God," advice from C.S. Lewis. Do the opposite:
>Avoid silence, avoid solitude, avoid any train of thought that leads off the beaten track. Concentrate on money, sex, status, health and (above all) on your own grievances. Keep the radio on. Live in a crowd. Use plenty of sedation. If you must read books, select them very carefully. But you'd be safer to stick to the papers. You'll find the advertisements helpful; especially those with a sexy or a snobbish appeal.

>> No.11721001

>>11720560
You ever consider that early and medieval monks felt the same way? Maybe that's why they cloistered themselves away?

>> No.11721064

>running away from the world and hiding
>not being an alpha monk who lives in the world doing God's work, combating sin and serving the unsaved
>the virgin cloister and the chad mendicant

>> No.11721070

>>11720994
If Lewis could see the state of the Anglican Church today he'd step into his wardrobe and lock it shut.

>> No.11721109

>>11720634
I'm not trying to avoid responsibility. I want to be responsible, but I don't know how to muster the discipline and organisation to remain virtuous amidst the world. I want to fully regiment myself so that I can minimise venial sins, because venial sins lead to mortal sins. But I don't know how to do that at this stage.
>>11720994
I'm not externalising the blame. I'm blaming the inadequacy of my own discipline.
>>11721064
I don't want to cloister myself away, that's why I made this thread. God wants us in the world, not hiding away in the mountains.

>> No.11721149

>>11721109
I was just kidding. God does indeed want some people hidden away and others in the world. Different Christians have different callings. Hermits are Biblical. You need to find your calling.

I can't really offer advice in remaining virtuous in the world, because I struggle with that myself.

>> No.11721185
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11721185

>>11721064

>> No.11721215

>>11720560
What are some good books on asceticism?