Asceticism

In our globalized and secular age, a concept such as asceticism appears quaint, outdated or even bizarre. Most people living in technologically developed nations look at asceticism as outdated, archaic, irrational and even unhealthy; it would not be difficult to pathologize the practice in our modern times. This is not particularly surprising considering the decline of organized religion, the rise of global capitalism and a more liberal view of sexuality. Even among modern philosophers embodiment

Asceticism, while difficult for many modern westerners to understand, has remained among the most important religious traditions in many belief systems for thousands of years. Generally, those who ascribe to the ascetic path choose a life which is typified by the absence of worldly comforts, pleasures, and desires. Thus, for the most part ascetics choose to forgo the temptations of the physical world in favor of the cultivation of the spiritual side of their person in an attempt to achieve a more

This paper will summarize the major differences between Ascetic (early Eastern) and Western monasticism. In addition will explain why living Christian live in the isolated community that routinizing a whole life ordered to God through prayer, study and work is more efficient than living the Christian life alone. The paper will also point out why, the founder of Western monasticism, Benedict encouraged the rules for organizing the common life and why he argued that society as well as the property

many aspects of asceticism such as the scriptural examples, spiritual motivations, reasons for choosing this lifestyle and the overall implications upon church history. Asceticism, along with monasticism, are two spiritual disciplines encouraging and focusing on the elimination and/or de-emphasizing of worldly pleasure(s) in order to further focus an individual upon achieving a higher, more spiritual life. Many faith backgrounds across many religions have adapted both asceticism and monasticism

relates to the way in which zuhd was presented in many of these English translations of Islamic texts, often as asceticism instead of renunciation. Scholars have tended to use the terms asceticism and renunciation interchangeably with one another; however, this simply obfuscates the analytic filter one is attempting to use, for the two terms are indeed different. Specifically, the term asceticism originates from the Greek word askesis, which refers to the type of training that the Greeks underwent for

There have been many accounts of Hindu demons practicing asceticism to gain powers to use for destructive reasons. Celibacy too! In Puranic literature, demons practice to receive a boon to make them more powerful. Hrada, in control of the demons, through strenuous ascetic practice became very powerful and conquered for one hundred celestial years. The gods were only able to defeat them by practicing as well (Olson, Indian Asceticism, pg 97). Major evidence of demons practicing celibacy is the

The Development of Female Ascetics in the Early Church INTRODUCTION Christian ascetics in the fourth and fifth centuries were pioneers in working out what must be done by people who find the ordinary human concerns of household and city an intolerable distraction from their commitment to God. They experimented with styles and structures; tried out and competed with each other’s techniques for strengthening the soul against harmful desires and demonic attack; and shared and analyzed their experience

Christians that devoutly abstained form worldly pleasures were known as ascetic christians. These christians recognized a distinct difference between the body and the soul. Early ascetic christians privileged the soul over the body because the body was a symbol of mortality and sin, while the soul was a symbol of spirituality and salvation. Therefore, ascetic christians imposed suffering on their bodies and renounced pleasure in order to draw closer to the divine nature of God by strengthening the

While his notion of asceticism may be a bit extreme, Schopenhauer offers an interesting perspective that is rarely heard. At the very least, Schopenhauer's notion of the denial of the will-to-live has important historical merit and provides an interesting perspective that modern

A Submissive Movement: Fear or Devotion? The flagellant movement consisted of groups of people who would partake in extreme measures to atone for their sins. It was known as the “Brotherhood of the Flagellants or Brethren of the Cross” (Ziegler. It was a movement that emerged greatly in the 13th and 14th centuries. These extreme measures included whipping, fasting and wearing hair shirts. These groups would move from town to town publically chanting, praying and beating themselves. The members were