Hermits around the web – Hermitary – Page 14 – news, sites, and pages of interest about hermits and solitude

August 5, 2023August 5, 2023

“Willard: The Hermit of Gully Lake” (film)

Based on the book The Hermit of Gully Lake: The Life and Times of Willard Kitchener MacDonal, by Joan Baxter, is the 2007 film titled Willard: The Hermit of Gully Lake, produced by APL Films, directed by Amy Goldberg, and narrated by Randy Bachman.

Description (from the film): “In the 1940’s American-born Willard MacDonald jumped his troop train heading to WWII. Fearing authorities he lived as a hermit deep in the northern wilderness of Nova Scotia, Canada for more than 60 years inspiring folklore for generations.” Trailer on Vimeo.

URL: https://vimeo.com/168836376

August 2, 2023August 14, 2023

Recent psychology articles

Here is a random list of recent articles on the psychology of solitude. Pychology Today aticles are usually direct and intendedto be practical. Of interest among other articles are points of view highlighting caveats of pursuing solitude without good grounding in self. At the same time, one continues to encounter misconceptions about solitude by standard sources, edging solitude towards loneliness and mental challenge.

From Psychology Today:

“How to Be Alone with Yourself”
URL: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-philosophers-diaries/202107/how-to-be-alone-with-yourself

“Our Major Misconceptions About Loneliness”
URL: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/curious/202306/correcting-misconceptions-about-loneliness

“How to Enjoy Solitude Without Feeling Lonely”
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-clarity/202307/how-to-enjoy-solitude-without-feeling-lonely“

Articles from other sources:

“The visitor” (Aeon Essays)
URL: https://aeon.co/essays/the-allure-and-danger-of-the-solitary-life“

“Recluses perceive the world in a different light “(List 23)
URL: https://list23.com/1530821-recluses-perceive-the-world-in-a-different-light-scientists-examined-the-brains-of-lonely-individual/

‘Solitude is good for your mood and mind, research indicates” (WCCO – CBS News Minnesota)
URL: https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/solitude-is-good-for-your-mood-and-mind-research-indicates/

“What solitude does to you in the wilderness and in prison (WNPR Connecticut Public Radio)
URL: https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2023-05-19/what-solitude-does-to-you-in-the-wilderness-and-in-prison

(WCCNews 0 CBS News-Minnesota)

July 30, 2023August 26, 2023

Fr. Carlos, Spanish hermit

The Spanish news site La Coz de Galicia, offers an article titled “El padre Carlos, el hombre al que Dios trajo de Getafe a Pontevedra para ser ermitaño a los 44 años”, which translates as “Father Carlos, the man called by God from Getafe to Pontevedra in order to become a hermit at age 44.” Getafe is a city near Madrid where Fr. Carlos was born and grew up. Pontevedra is within Galicia, the city where, after ordination as a priest and permission to live as a hermit, is the hermit’s home.

Pontevedra is on the Santiago de Compostela route. Fr. Carlos lives in a room of the rectory in Alba, greeting pilgrims, conversing and counseling visitors, but spending most of the day in silence. To the visiting journalist, explaining his daily routine and 18 hours of daily silence he exclaims: “How can I be so lucky!” Includes short video.

URL: https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/pontevedra/pontevedra/2023/06/25/padre-carlos-hombre-dios-trajo-getafe-pontevedra-ermitano/0003_202306P25C7992.htm

July 22, 2023August 26, 2023

Fr. Pablo, Spanish hermit

News site ABC de Sevilla (Spain) features a report about the hermit Pablo Gordillo titled “Pablo Gordillo, ermitaño: “El hombre ha sido creado para la vida eterna,:” translated as “Pable Gordillo , hermit: We have been created for eternal life.” The article profiles the hermit’s work and presents a brief interview.

Gordillo holds a law degree but soon after practicing he found himself more interested in the spiritual life. He serves in the Camaldolese Hermits of Monte Corona in Andalusia, Spain, which is preparing the foundation of a second contemplative community in Andalusia. The original foundation is in the province of Burgos, where the Camaldolese hermitagei is composed of twelve small houses, one per hermit.

The rest of the article is a more personal interview of the hermit, asking him about his perception of the contemplative life, of good and evil, of society and the world.

URL: https://sevilla.abc.es/andalucia/cordoba/pablo-gordillo-ermitano-hombre-creado-vida-eterna-20230618084146-nts.html

July 10, 2023August 5, 2023

Ornamental hermits

Smithsonian Magazine recaps the histoy of the ornamental hermit in 18th-century Britain in an article titled “Ornamental Hermits Were 18th-Century England’s Must-Have Garden Accessory.” Includes the comments of Gordon Campbell and other historians.

URL: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/ornamental-hermits-were-18th-century-englands-must-have-garden-accessory-180982469/

“How to Be Alone with Yourself”URL: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-philosophers-diaries/202107/how-to-be-alone-with-yourself

Articles from other sources:“The visitor” (Aeon Essays)URL: https://aeon.co/essays/the-allure-and-danger-of-the-solitary-life“

“Recluses perceive the world in a different light “(List 23)URL: https://list23.com/1530821-recluses-perceive-the-world-in-a-different-light-scientists-examined-the-brains-of-lonely-individual/

‘Solitude is good for your mood and mind, research indicates” (WCCO – CBS News Minnesota)URL: https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/solitude-is-good-for-your-mood-and-mind-research-indicates/

“What solitude does to you in the wilderness and in prison (WNPR Connecticut Public Radio)URL: https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2023-05-19/what-solitude-does-to-you-in-the-wilderness-and-in-prison

“How to Be Alone with Yourself”
URL: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-philosophers-diaries/202107/how-to-be-alone-with-yourself

Articles from other sources:

“The visitor” (Aeon Essays)
URL: https://aeon.co/essays/the-allure-and-danger-of-the-solitary-life“

“Recluses perceive the world in a different light “(List 23)
URL: https://list23.com/1530821-recluses-perceive-the-world-in-a-different-light-scientists-examined-the-brains-of-lonely-individual/

‘Solitude is good for your mood and mind, research indicates” (WCCO – CBS News Minnesota)
URL: https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/solitude-is-good-for-your-mood-and-mind-research-indicates/

“What solitude does to you in the wilderness and in prison (WNPR Connecticut Public Radio)
URL: https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2023-05-19/what-solitude-does-to-you-in-the-wilderness-and-in-prison