A Little List of Links on

Solitude, Simplicity, and Self-Discipline

Most Web directories (including those I've compiled in the past) aim at comprehensiveness. This list aims to be as short as possible. If you've paid attention to the title of this site, you understand why.

Latest updates, as of May 2008.

Sections below:

* Fellowships
* Online Books
* Blogs
* Contact Information

FELLOWSHIPS

Fellowship of Solitaries. An organization of Christian hermits. Perhaps the most notable feature of this group is the previous organizers' belief that solitaries can be married and can live with their spouses. The Website offers information on printed resources, including a newsletter. See also Vitae Patrum, below.

Hermitary. A large collection of writings, links, and forums for hermits and others interested in this topic. (And yes, Hermitary understands the irony of starting forums for hermits.) The Website is maintained by Meng-hu, whose primary interest lies in Eastern eremitism. However, the names of some of the forums give a sense of how wide-ranging the site is: Spiritual Traditions ("religious and spiritual traditions East and West"), Philosophical Traditions ("philosophy ancient and modern"), New Age and Other Traditions ("New Age, native, mystical, metaphysical"), Secular Traditions ("secular, wilderness, survival").

Raven's Bread. A quarterly newsletter for hermits. Originally Roman Catholic, the newsletter is now aimed at anyone interested in the eremitical life, but it remains Christian in tone. Probably the most interesting section is where hermits offer their varied thoughts on each issue's selected topic. Portions of the newsletter are online, and a yearly subscription is quite inexpensive.

ONLINE BOOKS

Colliander, Tito. Way of the Ascetics. The author seeks to distill the essence of Eastern Orthodox advice on how to enter into a supremely self-disciplined life. The twenty-six chapters – twenty-five of which are online – are quite short and can be consulted as daily readings. What is nice about this book is that, while it has a timeless tone, it offers up-to-date recommendations and questions, such as, "Am I crucifying my flesh at a cocktail party?"

Vitae Patrum. The title is Latin for Life of the Fathers. This classic collection of biographies and anecdotes tells the tale of the Desert Fathers and Mothers who lived as hermits in the early Christian era. The Latin work was compiled in 1628, but its sources go back to the third and fourth centuries. This nearly complete online English translation was compiled by the late organizer of the Fellowship of Solitaries, Benedict Baker.

BLOGS

The Conditions of a Solitary Bird: Beginning a life of silence and solitude as a religious hermit. "I am beginning a vocation to a life of solitude and silence as an Anglican solitary, a type of religious hermit." RSS feed.

Notes from Stillsong Hermitage. Blog of Laurel M. O'Neal, a Catholic hermit. "I am a diocesan hermit and systematic theologian. Formerly Franciscan, I moved towards Benedictinism and desert spirituality eventually finding a home in Camaldolese Benedictinism. . . . I am most interested in the idea of chronic illness as vocation, and especially as a possible instance of eremitic vocation." See also the videos of her profession of perpetual vows. Atom feed | RSS feed.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Comments and questions may be e-mailed to Dusk Peterson.

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