A hermit ἐρημίτης (from the Greek ἔρημος erēmos, signifying "desert", "uninhabited", hence "desert-dweller") is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion and/or isolation from society. Solitude (also seclusion, isolation) means lack of contact with other people. ... Isolation can refer to: Isolation as a psychological phenomenon (see also Solitude). ...

Originally the term was applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament (i.e. the 40 years wandering in the desert that was meant to bring about a change of heart).

Often – both in religious and secular literature – the term is used loosely for anyone living a solitary life-style – including the misanthropist – and in religious contexts is sometimes assumed to be interchangeable with anchorite/anchoress (from the Greek ἀναχωρέω anachōreō, signifying "to withdraw", "to depart into the country outside the circumvallated city"), recluse and solitary. However, it is important to retain a clear distinction. Misanthropy is a general dislike of the human race. ... A recluse is someone in isolation who hides away from attention of the public, a person who lives in seclusion from intercourse with the world; from the Latin recludere, to shut up or sequester. ...

Christian hermits in the past have most often lived in caves, forests, or deserts, but some of them preferred an isolated cell in a monastery or even a city. From what is known of their contribution to Christian heritage, male hermits were more common than female. As regards the anchorites, one that has left a lasting impression on Christian spirituality is the English anchoress Julian of Norwich. Alternate meanings: Cave (disambiguation) This article is about natural caves; for artificial caves used as dwellings, such as those in north China, see yaodong. ... A dense growth of softwoods (a forest) in the Sierra Nevada Range of Northern California A forest is an area with a high density of trees (or, historically, a wooded area set aside for hunting). ... A dune in the Egyptian desert In geography, a desert is a landscape form or region that receives little precipitation - less than 250 mm (10 in) per year. ... The Tikse monastery in Ladakh, India A monastery is the habitation of monks, derived from the Greek word for a hermits cell. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the British Isles Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st UK... Julian of Norwich (c. ...

Hermits in religion

Hermitage "Our Lady the Garden Enclosed" in Warfhuizen, the Netherlands.

From a religious point of view, the solitary life is a form of asceticism, wherein the hermit renounces wordly concerns and pleasures in order to come closer to the deity or deities they worship or revere. This practice appears in Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sufism. In ascetic hermitism, the hermit seeks solitude for meditation, contemplation, and prayer without the distractions of contact with human society, sex, or the need to maintain socially acceptable standards of cleanliness or dress. The ascetic discipline can also include a simplified diet and/or manual labor as a means of support; for example, the early Christian Desert Fathers often wove baskets to exchange for bread. made it myself This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... made it myself This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Warfhuizen (Gronings: Waarfhoezen) is a village in Groningen, a province in the extreme North of the Netherlands. ... Fishers of men; Oil on panel by Adriaen van de Venne (1614) ReligionThe practice of worshiping an imaginary figure or figures often referred to as a god or deity in order to deal with issues that seem beyond their control. ... Asceticism denotes a life which is characterized by refraining from worldly pleasures (austerity). ... A deity or a god, is a postulated preternatural being, usually, but not always, of significant power, worshipped, thought holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, or respected by human beings. ... Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life, teachings, and actions of Jesus as recounted in the New Testament. ... Hinduism (Sanskrit/Hindi: ; also known as Brahminism, Sanātana Dharma - , and Vaidika Dharma - ) is a worldwide religious tradition that is based on the ancient Aryan scriptures of Vedas. ... A replica of an ancient statue of Gautama Buddha, found from Sarnath, near Varanasi Buddhism is a religion and philosophy from ancient India & is based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, who lived in Northern India and Nepal between 563 and 483 BCE. Buddhism spread throughout the... Sufism (Arabic تصوف tasÌ£awwuf) is a mystic tradition of Islam based on the pursuit of spiritual truth as it is gradually revealed to the heart and mind of the Sufi (one who practices Sufism). ... Meditation is the practice of focusing attention, often formalized into a specific routine. ... Contemplation comes from the latin root for temple, and means to enter an open or consecrated place. ... Maria Magdalene in prayer. ... Sex, in the scope of this article and category, refers to the male and female duality of biology and reproduction. ... Cleanliness is the absence of dirt, including dust, stains and bad smells. ... The term dress may refer to either clothing or attire in general a specific type of garment, discussed in the article on skirt and dress This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Discipline is any training intended to produce a specific character or pattern of behaviour, especially training that produces moral or mental development in a particular direction. ... In nutrition, the diet is the sum of the food consumed by an organism. ... Manual labor is a term used for hard physical work done with the hands, especially in an unskilled manual job such as fruit and vegetable picking, et cetera. ... The Desert Fathers were Christian Hermits who lived in the Sahara desert of Egypt, beginning in about the third century. ...

Ironically, religious hermits are often sought out for spiritual advice and counsel and may eventually acquire so many disciples that they have no solitude at all. Examples include Anthony the Great, who attracted such a large body of followers in the Egyptian desert that he is considered by both Catholics and the Orthodox to be the "Founder of Monasticism", and Gautama Buddha, who, having abandoned his family for a solitary quest for spiritual enlightenment, ended up as the founder of Buddhism. A Disciple (from the Latin discipulus, a pupil) is one who receives instruction from another; a scholar; a learner; especially, a follower who has learned to believe in the truth of the doctrine of his teacher, and implies that the pupil is under the discipline of, and understands, his teacher... Saint Anthony the Great, Father of all Monks Saint Anthony the Great (251 - 356), Christian saint, also known as Saint Anthony of Egypt, Saint Anthony of the Desert, Saint Anthony the Anchorite, and The Father of All Monks was a leader among the Desert Fathers, who were Christian monks in... ... Monasticism (from Greek: monachos—a solitary person) is the religious practice of renouncing all worldly pursuits in order to fully devote ones life to spiritual work. ... Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ...

One interesting variation of the eremitic life is the Carthusian order of Roman Catholic monks and nuns. Carthusians live in what are essentially "communities of hermits", each monastic having their own cell (with sleeping chamber, study, and workshop) where they spend most of their time alone, except when they meet in church for worship, and on other occasions. A Carthusian Monastery in Jerez, Spain The Carthusians are a Christian religious order founded by St Bruno in 1084. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... A Roman Catholic monk A monk is a person who practices monasticism, adopting a strict religious and ascetic lifestyle, usually in community with others following the same path. ... Nun in cloister, 1930; photograph by Doris Ulmann In general, a nun is a female ascetic who chooses to voluntarily leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent. ... This article needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... A church building (or simply church) is a building used in Christian worship. ... Worship usually refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion, typically directed to a supernatural being such as a god or goddess. ...

Other religious hermits include Simeon Stylites, Herman of Alaska, Thomas Merton, Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov, and Charles de Foucauld. ůSt. ... Saint Herman of Alaska is the first saint to be canonized by the Orthodox Church in America. ... Thomas Merton Thomas Merton (January 31, 1915 – December 10, 1968) was an American Trappist monk and author, born in Prades in the Pyrénées-Orientales département of France. ... Venerable Sergii Radonezhsky (Сергий Радонежский) (born Varfolomei – Варфоломей, corresponds to Bartholomew), also translated as Sergey Radonezhsky and Sergius of Radonezh (1322 – 1392), was the greatest spiritual leader and monastic reformer of medieval Russia. ... Saint Seraphim of Sarov (July 19th, 1759 - January 2nd, 1833) born Prokhor Moshnin, is one of the most renowned Russian monks and mystics in the the Eastern Orthodox Church. ... Blessed Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916). ...

Non-religious hermits

It is also possible for people to forsake human society for reasons other than religion. For example, in a notorious case, Theodore Kaczynski, known as the "Unabomber", lived in a remote cabin in Montana which gave him both refuge from what he viewed as a society corrupted by technology and privacy to build mailbombs. Theodore Kaczynski Theodore John Kaczynski, Ph. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 4th 381,156 km² 410 km 1,015 km 1 44°26 N to 49° N 104°2 W to 116°2 W Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 44th 902,195 2. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A mailbomb (or mail bomb), also called parcel bomb or letter bomb, is an explosive device sent via the postal service, and designed to explode when opened, injuring or killing the recipient, usually someone the sender has a personal grudge against, or more indiscriminately as part of a terrorist campaign. ...

Hermits in philosophy

Friedrich Nietzsche, in his influential work Thus Spoke Zarathustra, created the character of the hermit Zarathustra (named after the Zoroastrian prophet Zarathushtra), who emerges from seclusion to extol his philosophy to the rest of humanity. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (IPA:) (October 15, 1844 – August 25, 1900) was a German philosopher, whose critiques of contemporary culture, religion, and philosophy centered around a basic question regarding the foundation of values and morality. ... The cover for the first part of the first edition. ... Zarathustra is a fictional character in Nietzsches book Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra). ... Faravahar (or Ferohar), the depiction of the human soul before birth and after death. ... A prophet is a person who is believed to communicate with God, or with a deity. ... Zoroaster, in a popular Parsi Zoroastrian depiction. ...

Diogenes the Cynic, an ancient Greek philosopher, led an ascetic life in a barrel. According to legend, when Alexander the Great came to him one day and offered to grant him a wish, Diogenes asked Alexander to step out of his sunlight. Diogenes, the Cynic, Greek philosopher, was born at Sinope about 412 BC, and died in 323 at Corinth, according to Diogenes Laërtius, on the day on which Alexander the Great died at Babylon. ... Ancient Greece is the term used to describe the Greek-speaking world in ancient times. ... A philosopher is a person who thinks deeply regarding people, society, the world, and/or the universe. ... A legend (Latin, legenda, things to be read) is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude. ... Alexander the Great fighting Persian king Darius (not in frame) (Pompeii mosaic, from a 3rd century BC original Greek painting, now lost). ...

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1913 Webster's Dictionary. The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... 1888 advertisement for Websters Dictionary Websters Dictionary is a common title given to English language dictionaries in the United States, deriving its name from American lexicographer Noah Webster. ...

See also

• Monasticism
• Solitude
• Silence
• Recluse
• Isolation
• Poustinia

Monasticism (from Greek: monachos—a solitary person) is the religious practice of renouncing all worldly pursuits in order to fully devote ones life to spiritual work. ... Solitude (also seclusion, isolation) means lack of contact with other people. ... Silence is a relative or total lack of sound. ... A recluse is someone in isolation who hides away from attention of the public, a person who lives in seclusion from intercourse with the world; from the Latin recludere, to shut up or sequester. ... Isolation can refer to: Isolation as a psychological phenomenon (see also Solitude). ... A poustinia cabin. ...

External links

• Hermitary: the hermit, hermits, recluses, eremiticism, solitude