As Paul and Karen Fredette point out, “There are as many ways of being a hermit as there are people doing it.”
Therefore I can’t really tell you how to be a hermit. I can only share my own spiritual path, hoping something will inspire you.
Withdrawing from the world was a process for me. I became more and more out of touch with social fads, trends, and interests. Sports held no interest for me, and politics was filled with lies and deceit.
But the more I withdrew from society to be alone with God, the clearer my vision became, and the more peaceful I felt. So go where the peace is, for that is where you will find the Prince of Peace.
I am now seven years into my solitary journey. There are a few things I have learned on my way.
The first is to create a Plan of Life. This is a basic outline of your daily life, prayer time, and practice of the spiritual disciplines. I have shared my own on this website, hopefully it will be helpful.
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.
