I believe that there are four disciplines that must be in the prayer life of a Christian hermit. They are silence, solitude, simplicity, and surrender
Silence
Silence is both interior and exterior. The exterior silence is to withdraw from sound. To sit in silence and contemplate on the Divine. Inner silence is about stilling the thoughts. About basking in the presence of God.
Solitude
Solitude is the defining discipline for the hermit. It also has an inner and outer aspect. Solitude is to withdraw from society and from people. This solitude is about being alone, without being lonely. Inner solitude is the flight of the alone to the Alone.
Simplicity
Simplicity is a key discipline for the daily life of a hermit. Clutter is an enemy. Simplicity today is called minimalism. It’s about getting rid of the non-essential, and keeping the essential. But it is the path to experience the blessedness of possessing nothing. The key is non-attachment.
Surrender
And the most essential discipline for a Christian hermit is surrender. It is the key to developing a deeper relationship with Christ. “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). The ultimate goal is absolute surrender of heart, soul, mind and body.
So these are the four foundational spiritual disciplines for the prayer life of a Christian hermit. I will talk about them more later. But they are my daily companions.
Hermits don’t like to talk about themselves, but I suppose you want to know a little about me.
I became a Christian in 1983, attended Bible school, and eventually earned a Doctorate in Ministry. I served as a Protestant minister for 27 years and also spent about a decade practicing Buddhism.
In 2005, I was baptized into the Catholic Church, but have since joined the Episcopal Church. I live in the desert southwest of the United States with my wife and cat.
