This Wisdom Hermitage website is an introduction to Father Silouan’s four wisdom books published between 2011 and 2015 and is home to his Wisdom Journal that began its life in September 2015 attached to the monastery website :www.orthodoxmonastery.co.uk.
Since Father Silouan’s move from the monastery on the Stiperstones in Shropshire to the Wisdom Hermitage in St Davids, Wales, the Wisdom Journal on the monastery website has moved to its new home on this wisdom hermitage website, which is www.wisdomhermitage.org.uk.
If you wish to get in touch with Father Silouan, he can be contacted by email <silouan571@gmail.com> or by telephone in the UK 01437 721718 and from outside the UK, 0044 1437 721718.
The Wisdom Journal, like the four wisdom books, explores spiritual wisdom’s union with the Holy Name, the uncreated, luminous ‘I AM,’ unveiled by Christ to Saint Sophrony the Hesychast at the heart of the living tradition of Eastern Orthodox Christian Hesychasm. It is concerned, like the Lord’s Prayer and the Magnificat, with wisdom’s discernment of the glory of the Name and the transmission of Name and wisdom through prophecy and prayer. It expresses, like the writings of Saint Silouan the Athonite, Saint Sophrony’s elder on the Holy Mountain, the ineffable wisdom and glory of unselfish love, praying for all as for oneself. It condemns to hell the mind-set of vainglorious pride, the pride that condemns to hell those for whom Christ died, opening hells to heavens of deifying love.
No account of wisdom in a global world can afford to ignore the Orthodox Christian witness to integral wisdom nor exclude the luminous vision or healing power of desert Hesychasm. When the desire for wisdom is manifesting globally in a wide variety of contexts: inter-spiritual encounter, information integration, gender regeneration, and cutting edge cultural development, traditional wisdom is suddenly perceived in a new light and after centuries of exile, welcomed home. Neglected practices such as Name hallowing renew perception so old symbols speak again, so hearts awaken and blind eyes see.
A Journal can handle universal themes in a personal way and address personal issues in a universal way, but this does not mean that Christian wisdom is usurped by her formulations. Love of wisdom makes no claim to define or possess wisdom and offers no final rational solutions. It humbly offers wisdom a dwelling place in the heart, and sustains the openness that welcomes home her mysteries of glory. Wisdom returns when awakened hearts embrace her together with the wonder that discerns inklings of glory in the mystery of God’s Kingdom, hidden in the Holy of Holies.