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ORIGINS MONASTICISM AND THE DESERT THIS LAND
O
Antony(251-356): re-creation in the image of God The Egyptian desert has seen an
outstanding reflourishing of this spirituality in the past few decades.
a place to confront basic issues; to see what our humanity is before God to re-focus; to be other-centred and not self-oriented to search for interior unity through radical self-honesty to strive for single-mindedness; an undivided heart; simplicity to seek unceasing prayer
Australia as symbol of life: lived on the fringe, the interior untapped; the need "to centre" reclaim the spirituality of the land and its original people themes of sacrifice and self-emptying the search for connectedness
integration of spirituality and psychology need for reflection, meditation call to authentic witness current lack of retreat resources in outback Such savage and scarlet as no green hills dare Springs in this waste ....." (A.D.Hope) cf. M. Kelly, "The Challenge of the Interior: Monasticism and the Desert in an Australian Context", Compass 35(2001)3 pp.32-38.
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