| What does a hermit do all day? The routine varies from one to another.Here we follow a rather traditional monastic horarium.The day begins between midnight and 2AM..A hermits first silent words upon rising are,"O Lord,Open my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise.That sets the tone for his day.A hermit's life is just that.Everything he/she does is motivated by praise of the Father/Mother God/ess. Bear in mind that we are not just a hermitage for christians.Some may use a different prayer.Then follows an hour or two of prayer/meditation alone in the cell.This is still deep night and silence is observed very strictly.Christian hermits have always used The Psalms for this period.Indeed,the custom of rising for prayer at midnight is rooted in Judaism and still practiced by Orthodox Jews.When one considers all the monastics of every tradition around the world giving these night hours to prayer in their own manners,it is obvious that from somewhere in the world at every moment,this worship is being offered .At these hours of night,focus is greatest.Something happens during these hours which makes them like no other of the day..Those who have experienced this know it.Of course not everybody can do this but it is at least worth a try for those who can,at least on occasion.After this intense period,prayer still goes on until daybreak.Some do quiet work while continuing,some read or write.Ordinarily,no one returns to sleep at this time.To do so makes a later rising extremely difficult.That is not the point.The intent here is not to punish the body but to do the most important work of the hermit at the optimum time.This time has been proven by centuries of practice to be during these hours.As light begins to dawn,Morning Psalms are then prayed.Priests offer their oblations according to their traditions and the more active part of the day begins although still an atmosphere of quiet is expected to be maintained throughout the day.Mornings are best to do more exertive work while the body is still fresh.Each hermit eats what and when they need.Mealtimes are not scheduled. Around noon,a period of more prayer is in order and a rest of an hour or so.Remember,the hermit has already put in a twelve-hour-day.Around 2PM,another time for work is observed.The long hermit's day is winding down.Afternoons are used for webwork,creative writing,classes if they are being offered at the time,and study-projects.Here in the rainforest,once becomes attuned,the whole place feels like it is beginning to unwind around 4PM.The birds begin returning to the bush.The air cools and moistens noticeably.Often showers begin or fog rolls in.Night is falling.Then it is time to return in earnest to the primary work of the hermit once again.Around 5PM is Vesperstime.Again in the silence of the cell the hermit prays and meditates .The final few moments of daylight are observed with the traditional christian monastic office of Compline.Our version retains the usual Psalms but is broader in the other prayers than most christian foundations because of our deliberate broadness and openess to other traditions.The close of Compline is always an honoring of the Mother/Feminine aspect of God,whether with the Salve Regina or Achathist Hymn to Miriam the Theotokos for christians or some other manner of honor according to each hermit's way.That which is ultimately important is the God as Feminine as well as Masculine Principle be observed and honored.Without this one is out of spiritual balance.Certainly this would irritate the rockhard souls of the diehard "traditionalists" among many belief-systems but we have no regard for that here |
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