Mount Athos, the “Autonomous Monastic State” of Greece (2016) • Hacker News Board

Re: Mount Athos, the “Autonomous Monastic State” of Greece (2016)

#11

Post by swayvil » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 3:09 PM UTC

math_denial wrote: post #7

I often yearn for the "unearthly quiet" and structure of a monastic life. I am not religious but I just feel as if I don't belong in society: I don't care about work, jobs, careers, riches, fame. I would like a life of study, contemplation and silence.

I relate.

I used to live in a communal religious house. Ananda Marga Yoga Society.

Vegetarian kitchen. Meditation room. Some rules. Chill people.

It was nice.

USA culture seems committed to keeping you busy, anxious and offbalance.

Re: Mount Athos, the “Autonomous Monastic State” of Greece (2016)

#12

Post by boringg » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 3:09 PM UTC

math_denial wrote: post #7

I often yearn for the "unearthly quiet" and structure of a monastic life. I am not religious but I just feel as if I don't belong in society: I don't care about work, jobs, careers, riches, fame. I would like a life of study, contemplation and silence.

What's stopping you from attaining that?

Re: Mount Athos, the “Autonomous Monastic State” of Greece (2016)

#13

Post by PanosJee » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 3:09 PM UTC

Medieval times are still here

Re: Mount Athos, the “Autonomous Monastic State” of Greece (2016)

#14

Post by JimWestergren » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 3:09 PM UTC

Wonder if they will get some kind of bonus points in heaven for the streak of daily prayers for more than a thousand years uninterrupted. Don't lose the streak! ;)

Re: Mount Athos, the “Autonomous Monastic State” of Greece (2016)

#15

Post by flatiron » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 3:11 PM UTC

rwmj wrote: post #3

eatonphil wrote: post #2

The time zone issues sound fun: > A visit to Mount Athos also involves literal time travel. The monasteries there still go by Byzantine time, in which the day begins at sunset, not midnight, so the time zone changes literally every day. Visitors may have to set their watches back by as much as seven hours as they cross the border. And don't forget to change the date as well. Mount Athos never adopted the new-fangled…

And no entry in the timezone database :-( https://github.com/eggert/tz/search?q=athos But then if they have no computers, maybe that doesn't matter.

no women and no computers. do they have a sign up list?

Re: Mount Athos, the “Autonomous Monastic State” of Greece (2016)

#16

Post by registeredcorn » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 3:11 PM UTC

math_denial wrote: post #7

I often yearn for the "unearthly quiet" and structure of a monastic life. I am not religious but I just feel as if I don't belong in society: I don't care about work, jobs, careers, riches, fame. I would like a life of study, contemplation and silence.

I hope this doesn't come off sounding the wrong way, but there is a difference between being religious (doctrine) and belief (faith) in something. I hope you consider what that might mean.

I've been warned by moderators on here for being "too preachy" before, so I will leave it at that, but if you wish to talk more about it in a different venue, let me know. Cheers.

Re: Mount Athos, the “Autonomous Monastic State” of Greece (2016)

#17

Post by ydnaclementine » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 3:12 PM UTC

math_denial wrote: post #7

I often yearn for the "unearthly quiet" and structure of a monastic life. I am not religious but I just feel as if I don't belong in society: I don't care about work, jobs, careers, riches, fame. I would like a life of study, contemplation and silence.

In the book "Wanting", the author has a bit explaining silent retreats, which are basically vacations where no one is allowed to talk and everyone reads. I thought they were an interesting idea to kind of test out monkhood. Similarly, I have always wanted to try John Carmack's idea of taking a computer away to a hotel for a week and working on a project and ordering room service

Re: Mount Athos, the “Autonomous Monastic State” of Greece (2016)

#18

Post by coldacid » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 3:13 PM UTC

math_denial wrote: post #7

I often yearn for the "unearthly quiet" and structure of a monastic life. I am not religious but I just feel as if I don't belong in society: I don't care about work, jobs, careers, riches, fame. I would like a life of study, contemplation and silence.

When I read Neal Stephenson's "Anathem", the thing that called out to me the most in that novel was the "mathic" life of the main protagonist and his contemporaries. A life of contemplation, study, and garden husbandry is very appealing.

Re: Mount Athos, the “Autonomous Monastic State” of Greece (2016)

#19

Post by themihai » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 3:13 PM UTC

math_denial wrote: post #7

I often yearn for the "unearthly quiet" and structure of a monastic life. I am not religious but I just feel as if I don't belong in society: I don't care about work, jobs, careers, riches, fame. I would like a life of study, contemplation and silence.

As far as I know monastic life is not really work-free or worry-free. It's still a society with a lot of baggage. You are even expected to work for free and don't question the authority of the "upper-class".

The only chance to be "free" would be to live in a very remote area, alone. That's a tough life but at least you don't have any answer to anyone.

Re: Mount Athos, the “Autonomous Monastic State” of Greece (2016)

#20

Post by everydaybro » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 3:15 PM UTC

why. just why live in the same place for ever not knowing anything over the walls