The Inner Lives of Monks...

I recently watched this awesome documentary about the life of ageing monks in a monastery just outside of Leicester in the U.K.

I'm not a Christian and don't believe in God but this documentary was inspiring because of the sheer depth of meditation these monks go into in their day to day lives.

While I don't believe in theistic religions I do think it's possible to reside in a transcendent or let's say 'very different' state of mind through leading an ascetic, disciplined life of mainly meditation, without all of the usual distractions of modern day life.

And if focusing on a conception of God via your own particular belief system can get you to that state, fair enough. (NB I think just focussing on a candle, or your breath, and many other things can get you there too.

My whole life is a prayer to God...

The documentary starts with an ancient monk who is literally about to die who says he used to pray, but he doesn't anymore as he 'lives his whole life in the attitude of prayer' constantly.

While I'm not into praying, I sort of get this from a Zen perspective, it's just total mindfulness, probably very similar to what Zen monks achieve, and this guy is totally resigned to his own death, unphased.

We actually see two people die and get buried in the course of the documentary, which is very rare to see on T.V. It's refreshing to have a documentary focussing on death for once.

New life through Beer

Another nice aspect of the show is the monks setting up a massive new Trapist brewery as a new source of income, I mean this is industrial scale brewing.

Lots of reference to brewing beer being similar to being a monk - the simplest ingredients brought together in the right environment become refined!

I mean as I've said I'm not religious, but I like this!

It's worth a watch...

If only because it's just something entirely different, very unusual, and also well chill, if you're comfortable with ageing and death, both of which come to us all, after all!

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