which is a life of solitude. The first hermit, in the fourth century, was Saint Paul of Thebes, who lived in the wilderness without seeking another human for 80 years.
He lived completely alone in prayer and worship.

2. The Cenobitic Order

Was established by Saint Pachomios, and was a form of communal monastic life.
It was the first systematised monastic way of life, where monks lived together in monasteries with rules, codes, communal prayer, and communal meals.
Unlike the hermits, they were not in complete isolation, but would often also serve the surrounding community.
The monasteries of the great Saint Shenoute were very much the same.

3. Communal System

however, was a combination, whereby the monks would live in individual cells, sufficiently apart so as to be isolated, but they met on Saturday and Sunday to partake of the Eucharist, have the communal agape meal, and meet with their spiritual father who was responsible for them.
This was the type of monasticism established by Saint Anthony, and was continued by Saint Macarius in Scetis (Wadi-El-Natroun).

We are told that monasteries and convents were from one end of Egypt to the other, from Alexandria to Luxor; that one could hear the praises and chanting along the whole length of Egypt, and that the bell towers were heard in progression as they tolled from Alexandria to Luxor.

In the fourth century, a time of severe persecution in Egypt, there were said to have been thousands of monasteries and monastic settlements throughout the country, and some analysts explained this increase as a form of escape from such persecution. History tells us however, of three major raids on the wilderness in the early centuries, in which thousands of monks were martyred and countless monasteries were plundered and destroyed, and thus monasticism was by no means an escape, but an insistence on being with God, even in the face of danger.

In time, people became interested in seeing this new way of life, and westerners like Saint John Cassian, Saint Benedict, Saint Jerome, and others, went to Egypt to experience this lifestyle.
It was through these men that Egyptian monasticism, the desert life, was taken to the west and initiated there.
It is amazing to see that such a way of life, which has spread to the whole world, was started by such few men.

There are three main foundations to monasticism, namely: poverty, obedience and celibacy.
Through these, one disciplines and controls the very basic needs that we all have in our secular world, our material needs, our own ego, and our sensual desires.
The control of sensual desires does not just mean the sexual, but rather, the control of all other senses, that is why amongst monks, one finds strict fasting, and a strict code of inner poverty and a discarding of all that is not essential.
It is not a way of punishing oneself, but a method of pushing oneself as far as possible, spiritually.
It is a way of pushing ourselves towards God and away from material needs.

The world is not a bad place, after all, it was created by God for man to live on, temporarily, before he goes to the heavenly kingdom.
When we speak of 'the world' we are often referring to the negative elements which only have us interested in the material and sensual.

Monasticism has been likened to the life which exists in a stream.
If the world is a stream, it is much easier to go with the current, but monasticism however, is to not allow oneself to be carried by the current, but rather, to stand and go in the opposite direction.
It is not meant to be easy and is only possible through God's grace.

God created man with a pure nature, which we have corrupted through our own acts, but the principles of monasticism are a way of challenging this corrupted nature.
God created us in His own image and likeness, but when we expose ourselves to this world and what pertains to it, we experience a problem, because there arises a conflict between the spiritual and the material, the heavenly and the earthly; the spirit wants to be released, but the body constrains it and holds it down. Monasticism is a way of releasing the spirit.
It is often asked whether monastic principles are applicable to people who live in society, who, unlike monks, do not live in the controlled conditions of the monastery and the desert. We must be aware that Satan exists everywhere, and as he struggles with those who live in society, he struggles with those who live in the wilderness. In consolation however, we must note that although Satan is everywhere, God has pre-existed him everywhere, and His grace abounds everywhere, and it is only through God's grace that those in the wilderness can carry out what they aim to do.
The grace which exists in the wilderness is the same grace which exists with us wherever we may go.
A very wise abbot once said to me that it is not merely important that the monk be living in the wilderness, but that the wilderness also be living within the monk. The solitude, dedication and stillness of the wilderness must be in our hearts. Although the environment is of assistance, it is not the principal concern. It is the serenity within the heart which allows us to benefit. If we have the turmoil of the world in our hearts, we will not benefit from the most serene atmosphere.

Desert stillness is an inspiration, but we cannot all live in the desert, and therefore, serenity must come from within.
The difference between monks and those living in the world is not simply the surrounding environment and atmosphere, but more importantly, priorities. In the monasteries, time is for God, but in our own lives is our time for God? Do we set aside time for Him? We are constantly advised to assign time for the home, for the family, for our leisure, and for many other matters, but what about our relationship with our Heavenly Father?

Do we actually seek desert stillness and solitude?
We are given a very simple instruction in the Bible, "seek and you will find," therefore, and quite simply, we cannot find without seeking. We must seek the peace which we desire, and to do so, we must give time to God; this time must be still, peaceful and totally dedicated to Him. Do not be pulled into the stream.
Do not be dragged by the current which becomes even stronger. Do not let it take you where you do not want to be, where you have no control. The only way to do this is to take a stand, to stop, and to concentrate on what we want, to prioritise, and then to act.

An important practice in monasticism is strict fasting.
Why is it acceptable for us to be constantly spiritually hungry, when physically we cannot bear it? Initially, the feeling of hunger makes us feel our own weakness.
It is also a way of controlling our most basic need. Fasting is a discipline, and this is an element we lack in our present day lives. In the twentieth century, everything is available to us, so why do we need discipline?
We need it because our spirit is not happy; although you provide for your physical needs you leave your spirit hungry, in deprivation.

Another fundamental practice in the search for spiritual stillness is that of prayer.
Through prayer, we communicate with God, and it is therefore essential because we cannot have a relationship with someone with whom we do not communicate.
Prayer should be constant. We must live a life of prayer, we must always communicate with God, who is always there, waiting for us, as the father waited for his prodigal son.
He is willing to bestow everything on those who will take a step.
The spirit which has lived in squalor for so long, in deprivation, in need, will then eventually find what it has been seeking, to be clean, properly dressed and ceremoniously met; all we need to do is take a step towards our Father, with Whom we must initially have a relationship based on communication through prayer.