The Simple Life - Monastic Steps for Everyday Life. An Audio Interview with Abbott Christopher Jamieson.

Paul writes – I’ve mentioned previously on this blog the BBC TV series The Monastary and Christopher Jamison’s excellent book Finding Sanctuary: Monastic Steps for Everyday Life. Whilst I’d hoped to get see a DVD copy of the BBC series (recorded on a home DVD), this sadly never eventuated. I did however get to read Jamison’s book when it was first published. It’s excellent! Jamison talks about the spiritual life by means of the analogy of a house and different rooms etc within the house.  

Well today, I got to hear Jamison as he was interviewed on Radio New Zealand. Here’s the promo for the interview:

“Abbot Christopher Jamison is a Benedictine Monk at Worth Abbey in West Sussex. He and 22 other monks follow the teachings of St Benedict - written 1500 years ago, which emphasise the importance of silence and contemplation.

All was silent and contemplative until the BBC approached the monastary about taking part in a reality series.  The resulting show, The Monastary, was a huge hit. It followed five very different men as they lived a monastic life for 40 days and 40 nights. Millions tuned in to watch, and Abbot Christopher Jamison, followed up the series with a book called Finding Sanctuary which was a top seller…”

You can hear the interview here (27:47 mins), and/or you can download the Mp3 by going here (and scrolling down until you find it). One day we might get the TV series on NZ TV… Audio is available for 7 days after broadcast (which was 8^th July 2008).

Some of you will be interested in the Australian variation of this format / concept – The Abbey (DVD area 4) which can be purchased through the ABC shop. Go here.

Comments

[jane stranz]

Thanks for this. I've seen the original series and the repeat - they were good programmes, genuine somehow, though I did feel a little too much had been edited out so as to concentrate on tensions between those in the group.
I didn't know the book existed and will certainly search that out - thanks for pointing to it.
Jane