The life of recluses may seem empty and gloomy: languid days spent locked up involuntarily push this idea. However, a believer sees it differently. He knows that such a feat is needed in order to be alone with God, to receive His grace. Therefore, many Christians respect the choice of recluses, supporting it wholeheartedly.
Who are recluses?
Let's start, perhaps, with the simplest. A recluse is a person who voluntarily renounces the company of other people. True, unlike hermits, they do not go to deserted lands or deserts. Instead, they close in a certain room, which is completely or partially protected from the influence of the outside world.
There is a temporary and a lifetime shutter. In the first case, the believer is locked up for a certain period, for example, for the duration of a fast or a church holiday. In the second, the monk undertakes to spend the rest of his life in complete isolation from the material world.reality.
Christian recluses
In Christianity, a recluse is a monk who seeks the salvation of his soul in solitude. To do this, he closes himself from everyone in his room, cell or cave. There, the believer will be tested by silence, which reveals the essence of being and helps to find the path to God.
During the entire period of seclusion, the monk does not leave his room. However, in case of emergency, he can leave from there, but after that he must return again. For example, the reason for this may be an emergency gathering of all the clergy or a natural disaster that threatens the monastery.
Orthodox traditions: Theophan the Recluse and Gregory of Sinai
Orthodox monks often practice seclusion. The main goal of this action is "hesychia" - sacred silence. That is, a recluse seeks to retire in complete silence. For greater effect, Orthodox monks take a vow of silence for a period of detachment. Thus, the Christian is left alone with his thoughts: he prays, talks with God and tries to realize his place in the world.
It should be noted that many monks do not just retire to their rooms, but move to live in special caves or cells. Sometimes the passage to them is walled up, leaving only a small window where their brothers can bring food and books. These walls are dismantled only if water and food remain untouched for more than four days. After all, this means that the monk has achieved his goal - he was reunited with the Father in heaven.
Among all Orthodoxrecluses, Theophan the Recluse and Gregory of Sinai gained the greatest fame. The first refused the high spiritual dignity and went to live in a cell, where he wrote many books and spiritual translations. And the second summarized all the rules and rituals associated with seclusion.
In particular, Gregory of Sinai wrote: “When you are in your cell, be patient: go through all the prayers in your head, for this is what the Apostle Paul bequeathed to us.”
Reclusion in the Catholic Church
Catholic monks also practice seclusion. In their culture, this ritual is called "inclusion". Its roots stretch back to the early Christians, who renounced all earthly blessings and locked themselves in their homes. There they led a very meager life, spending most of their time in prayer.
Later this practice was adopted by Catholic monks. And in the 9th century, the book Regula Solitariorum was published, which described all the rules and norms of reclusive life. Its influence was so strong that even today many Catholics adhere to the recommendations contained in it.
Other crops
However, a recluse is not necessarily a Christian monk. Other religions and cultures also boast people with extraordinary willpower. For example, Tibetan monks often lead a reclusive life when they are trying to achieve harmony with themselves. True, unlike Christian monks, Asian brothers never take perpetual vows. The longest practices last no more than two or three years, and the shortest canlimit to ten days.
Besides, a recluse is not only a believer. Sometimes people shut themselves off from the world for personal reasons not related to any religion. The reason for this may be disappointment in others or an attempt to realize the inner Self. In the first case, detachment will rather destroy the human psyche, since in case of problems one should not lock oneself in oneself. In the second, a short loneliness can help to see what a person did not notice before.
