Linguistic Monasticism
How important is the distinction between female and male monastics historically? Linguistically? In terms of a contemporary movement of secular monastics? Historically, no profession is as defined by splitting men from women as monasticism. In fact, it’s written into the DNA—the monastic rules and vows—of most orders that for the process to succeed, monks (or bhikkhus) […]
The Chronicle Review » The Objective Study of Subjectivism
The Objective Study of Subjectivism – The Chronicle Review – The Chronicle of Higher Education. Brian Knutson, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Stanford University: Thanks to accelerating technological advances, however, the gap between the objective and the subjective is closing fast. Scientists are beginning to objectively study subjectivity. By “subjectivity,” I refer here […]
New Scientist interviews Slavoj Žižek
Philosopher Slavoj Žižek was interviewed in New Scientist. He calls for a deeper collaboration between philosophy and science: Should philosophers be helping scientists? Yes. For the last few decades, at least in the humanities, big ontological questions – What is reality? What is the nature of the universe? – were considered too naive. It was […]
Experimental Metaphysics? « Larval Subjects .
I’m imagining a Universal Otherhood for Experimental Metaphysics… Everything becomes a matter of signs, propositions, representations, texts, and contents. However, what role do practices play in philosophy? This role, if it is indeed crucial, would tend to disappear in philosophical texts, leaving only subterranean traces of nonhuman encounters– perhaps what Deleuze would call “becoming-x’s” –that deeply […]
Links for August 29th 2010
Monos, “a non profit organization that is concerned with the current engagement between monastic culture, spirituality and contemporary society,” “an attempt to offer a facility for the on-going dialogue between monastic spirituality, society, culture and church, and to begin to ask serious questions concerning the relationship between Secular Monasticism, Church and society, both historically and […]
BBC’s “the Monastery”
In 2005 & 2006, a series aired on the BBC called “The Monastery.” Worth Abbey in Sussex is home to 22 Benedictine monks. Last year they agreed to take part in a unique experiment. The BBC asked them to open the doors of their cloistered world to 5 outsiders. The aim is to discover whether […]
@theFWD Blogathon – Commentary added to Shaun Chamberlin’s “If you want to go far…”
I’ve added some commentary to my reposting of Shaun Chamberlin’s @theFWD entry (“If you want to go far…”). Take a look. By the way, the Future We Deserve just reached its funding goal on kickstarter! Shaun Chamberlin‘s submission for the Future We Deserve explores the experience of the individual in community, and predicts the demise of “passive […]
Huffington Post » Sister Joan Chittister, OSB: The Artist and Monk Are One
Here’s something that almost completely captures what we’re doing at the Art Monastery: If, indeed, truth is beauty and beauty truth, then the monastic and the artist are one. Monasticism, in fact, cultivates the artistic spirit. Basic to monasticism are the very qualities art demands of the artist: silence, contemplation, discernment of spirits, community and […]
Monastery: Žiča
I’m in central Serbia this week, visiting in-laws. Tomorrow I’ll visit the bright red monastery at Žiča. A note on architecture: Zica is built according to the Raska school in the Romanesuque style. The monastery was originally painted red in the tradition of the Mount Athos monasteries. There are few frescoes dating back to the […]
iMonk on “What Have I Learned from Living in Community?”
I’m struck at how similar this blogger’s experience in intentional community is to my own (regardless of questions of faith). His top 5 lessons: “It’s amazing how important it becomes to simply speak to another person; to give them the grace and dignity of a friendly greeting.” “Kindness.” “Staying with people who are not easy […]
