Half-and-Half, Monk AND Householder
Better to Choose One, Already
Hidden Renunciates Cheat Themselves
Fact is, living this way is far less wonderful than half-and-half monks assume. Living a half-and-half lifestyle is not a great way to honor God.
In this article you’ll find out what this half-and-half means, why it sabotages spiritual evolution, and what can work far better.
If you love God a whole lot, be sure to read this entire article.
First of All, Why Discuss this Controversial Topic?
A certain conversation began in comments at the recent article (at my main blog) about the new Silence Array of Chakra Databanks. Then several of you wanted more-more-more on this topic. My opinion, as an Enlightenment Teacher, is that living half-and-half as a monk or nun is ALWAYS a mistake.
Half-and-Half Monks, Half-and-Half Nuns, What Are They?
Hidden Reunciates Are a Lot Like a La Carte Catholics
Quietly sneaking around, modestly hiding this aspect of their lives from others. (Except for fellow half-and-halfers.) For example, today’s Italy includes a substantial population of a La Carte Catholics.
- How many Catholics live in Italy? Home of saintly renunciate Pope Francis! You bet, 96% of the population is Catholic.
- Are Catholics supposed to use birth control? No method of birth control permitted, nothing more dependable than the rhythm method. Nope.
- Yet which nation has the lowest birth rate in Europe? Italy, uh-huh.
- Therefore, a whole lotta Italian Catholics are defying their pope. While sneaking around.
- Yet this is a very minor kind of sneaking around. Those childless Catholics, having plenty of sex without producing children, are acting like householders. Smartones, IMO.
Seriously, most Italians must be a La Carte Catholics. Typically, how about last year? In 2022, “Italy had the lowest crude birth rate in Europe, at 6.9 live births per 1,000 population.”
Look, I’m no Catholic. Nor do I fear that religion — or lack of religion — will cause anybody to go to Hell for all eternity. Nor do I believe in the Infallability of the Pope.
Far as I’m concerned, it would be totally fine to disobey papal policy here. Sure, use birth control. For many reasons, that’s a smart a thing to do. In this context, I’m simply making a point.
When it comes to matters of religion and spirituality, from time to time, most of us make our own rules.
Hidden renunciates are doing just that, only to an extreme. Since the rules they break involve two incompatible choices for life. If you’re wise choose just one: Either renunciate life or householder life.
Sad to say, half-and-halfers are back-and-forthing to their detriment. Unlike Catholics who bend the rules about using condoms. Then have better lives.
Contrary to their sweet aspirations, hidden reununciates give themselves lives that are worse.
Why exactly is it a problem to snack a little? Mostly live as renunciate, for instance, but grab a little householder-type sex?
Because Living as a Renunciate Is a Complete Meal. That’s Why.
Please, Spiritual Seekers, don’t treat renunciation like a spiritual Happy Meal. Or some other kind of fast food lifestyle. Like maybe your virtuous eating until 5 p.m. will cancel out all the beer and pie you eat later.
What does it mean to live as a monk or nun, a renunciate?
Renunciate life, by definition, means all this:
- God, don’t give me money. (Since that would distract me from You.)
- I don’t want friends. (Since that would distract me from You.)
- Absolutely no sexual affection, nor volitional sexual release. (Sorry, no exceptions.)
- Obedience to the head of my religious order keeps me safe. (Otherwise, it’s too easy for renunciates to go off the deep end.)
- Whichever spiritual practices are included in my religious order, that’s it. (Zero experimentation is allowed: Add nothing, subtract nothing.)
All of this defines a renunciate. Not some of this.
By Contrast, Householder Life Is a Different Meal, an All You Can Eat Buffet
Choose householder life if any of the following apply to you:
- I love God, and I also want to have enough money to be comfortable.
- I enjoy shopping. Plus, dressing cute, getting a good haircut.
- Love life, please. Friends, please.
- As a householder, I have the right to choose my beliefs, my blogs, my everything.
- Without freedom to choose what I like, I would feel as if living in a prison.
Don’t play mashup with this precious lifetime, Blog-Buddies. Mashup, as in a CD that copies some songs from Mr. Householder and other songs from Ms. Renunciate.
Householder or renunciate is an essential orientation in life. To play at living BOTH is to sabotage your own personal growth.
Also, in Case Any of You are Wondering…
Why Am I Qualified to Write this Article?
For one thing, living as a hidden renunciate was the story of my life from 1965 until 1983.
Find out most of this personal tale from my second memoir. Note: I won’t publish that until my first memoir, “Bigger than All the Night Sky,” receives at least 100 5-STAR reviews on Goodreads. Or receives at least 100 5-STAR reviews Amazon.com. Or, preferably, both.
Basically, hard-won experience has given me the standing to help others likewise graduate from half-and-half. In fact, as the founder of Energy Spirituality™ — and, by now, an Enlightenment Teacher — I have helped many other hidden renunciates to commit to householder life. Quite a few of them are now living in Enlightenment, actually.
Prior to that, I spent many years working for Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, teaching TM. Even setting some modest precedents for the teaching of Transcendental Meditation in America.
What Maharishi Said (Often) about Hidden Renunciates
As I recall, he said:
If you’re crossing the river, aiming to get to the shore of Spiritual Enlightenment, stay in your boat.
Do not attempt to go back and forth between two boats while you’re crossing that river.
Maharishi’s analogy aside…
Hidden Renunciates Are Contradicting Themselves
Either be a householder. Or be a reunciate.
Making your cute, heartfelt, personal combo results in what?
Plainly put, not worth much as a householder. Not worth much as a renunciate either.
Ironic that somebody who cares so much would achieve so little. Yet this is far more common than outsiders might guess.
Hidden Renunciates Cheat Themselves of Support of Nature
Unintentionally, of course. Nonetheless, mixed karma results from living as a half-and-half. For example:
- Sometimes creating karma like this: Bring me success, financial comfort, independence in how I live.
- Other times creating karma like this: Bring me poverty.
Ask about that mixed karma at our Karma Blogpost. Or COMMENT here, below, if you prefer.
IMO, and it’s just my opinion, no serious seeker of Enlightenment or sainthood has any business living… As half-and-half.
What, you don’t think God is smart enough to notice what you’re doing?
Hidden Renunciates Cheat Themselves Extra Because They Lack Discernment
Otherwise they’d know they don’t fool anyone. Here’s what I mean. (And no insult intended. Remember, I’ve been there. With love in my heart. And having no clue how badly, at the time, I was messing up my life.)
Householder Versus Living Half-and-Half?
Folks may think their renunciate preference is a little secret, a sacred secret, but hello!
- Auric modeling typically shows a mess of contradictions.
- Your fellow householders can’t count on you fully. (And probably, when push comes to shove, they don’t trust you much.)
- It’s far too convenient to use love of God as an excuse not to grow.
- Quite likely you spend far too much time in your own private world. (If you do have family and close friends, that can bring them heartache.)
- Unknowingly, you can easily go off on a spiritual side trip, as described at length in “Seeking Enlightenment in the Age of Awakening.”
How many people are secretly living like monks or nuns? Good luck finding stats about that on Google! I’d estimate, 2% of the population.
Now that We’re All Living in the Age of Awakening, What’s the Biggest Reason
Why Hidden Renunciates Cheat Themselves Unnecessarily?
Seeking Enlightenment no longer needs to be a full-time job.
That’s why. Learn more about that from this link about “Homesick for Heaven.”
In Conclusion
Absolutely, Blog-Buddies, draw your own conclusion. If it can help:
Definitely ask below if empaths can safely live half-and-half.
And ask below if faith is all that matters. So who cares whether you follow just one set of rules? Whether Householder Rules. Or Renunciate Rules.
Also, feel free to comment at my personal blog. I’ll share what you have to say and then respond respectfully.
