THE INTERIOR SEARCH:            

ORIGINS                           MONASTICISM AND THE DESERT           THIS LAND

THE DESERT                                                                                       CHALLENGE   

O

• The individual search for God..…
  Antony(251-356): re-creation in the image of God
• in a community context…..
  Pachomius(290-346): kingdom the continuation of present relationships and thus the importance of service
• an Eastern wisdom passed to the West by…..
  John Cassian(350-434): ultimate aim is the kingdom of God, immediate goal enabling us to reach it is purity of heart which is charity
• drawing on…..
  Evagrius Ponticus(345-399): "If you want to know God, learn to know yourself first"; hence the need to identify one's besetting fault or shadow  side to achieve behavioural change.

The Egyptian desert has seen an outstanding reflourishing of this spirituality in the past few decades.

• absence of all our normal support systems; total reliance on God
  
• 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
  

• two-thirds desert
  
• 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
•  
• sense of mystery, captivation

• ancient wisdom for modern times
  
• integration of spirituality and psychology
  
• need for reflection, meditation
  
• call to authentic witness
  
• current lack of retreat resources in outback

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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