MONASTIC LIFE
"There are many who live in the mountains and behave as if they were in the town; they are wasting their time. It is possible to be a solitary in one's mind while living in a crowd; and it is possible for those who are solitaries to live in the crowd of their own thoughts."
~ Amma Syncletica of Alexandria
WHAT IS A RULE OF LIFE
The C.S. Lewis Institute states, “A rule of life is an intentional pattern of spiritual disciplines that provide structure and direction for growth in holiness. A rule establishes a rhythm for life which is helpful for being formed by the Spirit, a rhythm that reflects a love for God and respect for how He has made us. The disciplines which we build into our rhythm of life help us to shed the ‘old self’ and allow our ‘new self’ in Christ to be formed. Spiritual disciplines are means of grace by which God can nourish us. Ultimately, a Rule should help you to love God more, so if it becomes a legalistic way of earning points with God or impressing others, it should be scrapped. If the traditional, ancient term ‘rule’ concerns you because it sounds legalistic, think of ‘rule’ as a ‘rhythm of life’ or as a ‘Curriculum in Christlikeness’ (Dallas Willard), or as a ‘Game Plan for Morphing’ (John Ortberg).”