Intended Readers
Is Christian contemplative life and hesychasm on your spiritual path? Are your best days filled with praying without ceasing and rejoicing as encouraged by Saint Paul? If so, I invite you to explore how StillnessAtHome.com can help you.
I hope every visitor finds something helpful, even if it confirms they don’t want anything to do with contemplative life — at least not now! But I do have a particular audience in mind.
First, this site is for those on the journey to dwell with God in contemplative life. It is written for Christians who know as a fact the Nicene-Constantinopolitan symbol of faith (the creed) is the truth and who desire to live closer to God in that truth. That means there won’t be many posts on theology, institutional church disputes, or religious politics. Read my first post: Contemplative Life for All Christians for a definition of contemplative life and how to begin. If you like the direction of that post, this website is for you! I will also write about stillness and hesychasm.
Second, posts will be related to contemplative life for those with a spouse, an active family (often with grandchildren), a job, and more Christian books than they have room for in the house. Could that group include people new to the faith who want to learn more about Christian doctrines? Sometimes. It is true that spiritual space created by avoiding the world is a good environment for new Christians. Getting out of the darkness of the world is a reason to rejoice, but even in struggles and trials, Christians proclaim the glory of God.
One reason this site may appeal to older Christians is they have seen more of the world, there’s little they have not done. They say, “I used to want freedom to live like the world. Now I want freedom from the world.”
Stillness at Home focuses on writings of early Christians and the long tradition of lay people living what today is wrongly considered a way of life only for monks, sisters, and nuns.
Every Christian should know that Jesus calls all to perfection. There are not two standards, one for priests and those in consecrated life (monks, sisters, nuns) and another lower standard for lay people. And contemplative life as a lay person is easier than you think!
Also read the post on Lectio Divina — Defined. If the Psalms and the Bible are a major part of your reading or you want them to be, this website is designed for you.
If you have a question you want me to post about please comment below or feel free to email me at stillnessathome@gmail.com
PICTURE: The world is big place and much of it is the same wherever you go. But there are perfect places even when you are right in the middle of it all.