New Job

Sometimes when we learn new words we don't merely improve our vocabulary but actually expand our knowledge. An example of this were my discoveries last year of the differences between: (1) a mystic and a shaman and (2) an anchorite/anchoress (male/female), hermit and monk.

A mystic travels inward for spiritual awakening, seeking unity with nature or the divine. A shaman, by contrast, looks outward and acts as spiritual leader for a community. 

While both explore non-ordinary realms and ultimate truths, they possess different focuses and use different methods. Mystics rely on quiet contemplation, prayer and solitary meditation. Shamans enter altered states of consciousness through psychedelics, drumming or chants. Mystics are solitary; shamen are social leaders mediating between physical and spirit worlds.

So what are anchorites/anchoresses, hermits and monks? Well, the difference lies in where they live. An anchorite/anchoress spends all his/her time in a tiny walled cell attached to a church. They never leave the cell (called an anchorhold). Hermits live alone in the wilderness and retain freedom to move around. Monks live in groups with other monks.

You may wonder why I was inquiring about these things. I was considering new job opportunities and living arrangements.  😇