Good Morning Everyone!! Healthy reminder to be careful out there. Chef Ricky might’ve slipped on some black ice on his way in this morning and cut his hand open. But that doesn’t stop him from cooking up some delicious Thought Breakfast.

Today, for our main course, we’re going to take a look at the Desert Fathers… basically cave-dwelling Christian ascetics. To burn that off, we’re going to do a little stillness practice. To finish it off with our Book Nook, we’re going to take a passage from the Sayings of the Desert Fathers. If yesterday got deep, just wait. Thought Breakfast is served!

The Desert Fathers were early Christian monks who retreated into the deserts of Egypt, Syria, and Palestine. They lived lives of radical simplicity and prayer. They are known for their wisdom and discipline, and their short but punchy sayings have shaped much of the Christian contemplative tradition that survives today.

They staunchly believed that reflection wasn’t a mere intellectual hobby, but rather a purification ritual where you actively redirect your attention.

A bit extreme in their methods, they believed that simplicity is the gateway to clarity. This is why they withdrew to the desert; not to escape the world, but to strip away everything that scattered their attention.

The modern idea of “focus” would be too small an idea for these guys. Rather, they sought a mind that sees clearly because its attention is undivided. This is the premise under which they would conduct reflection. Rather than thinking harder, you notice what pulls your attention in every which way and then remove the noise from your awareness until your awareness is undivided.

It would be a reach to prescribe the lifestyle of the Desert Fathers onto each and every person. Therefore the Catholic tradition created its own version of this: the Examen. The Examen is a daily practice of reflecting on the day with clarity as well as that chief Catholic virtue of humility. You essentially ask yourself where you were awake, and where you were asleep.

Across the world, the Hesychasts (Eastern Orthodox stillness practitioners) discovered the same idea, but through a different lens. They believe that quietness and stillness is the solvent of confusion, much like the Buddhists. If you sit long enough in stillness, the unnecessary occupants of our awareness fall away on their own.

So here in the Catholic tradition, reflection isn’t about gathering insight. It’s about cleaning the mirror of the mind in order to see yourself more clearly.

Try this:

Notice:

Reflection isn’t always for finding answers. Sometimes, it’s just about polishing the lens.

The Desert Fathers were known for their short, punchy lines that carry a lot of digestible insight. So today’s Book Nook is really more of a Sentence Nook.

“A man who keeps silence is given wisdom.” - The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

We’re not romanticizing silence. Silence is uncomfortable. Silence exposes the noise within us that we spend all day trying to drown out with more noise. The unfinished thoughts, anxieties, and the things we haven’t yet faced all come to the surface when buoyed by silence.

This single sentence, however, suggests something beyond the importance of silence. Wisdom isn’t built or added; it’s revealed. Quiet stillness doesn’t make us smarter. It helps us recognize the white noise that clouds our innate wisdom.

When you stop speaking, both outwardly and inwardly, you make room for a new kind of perception. A perception of the truth that was already present within you.

So reflection isn’t about hunting for insight. It’s more about creating the conditions where insight can approach you on its own.

Munch on that for today. What’s clouding your insight? Maybe sit still and try to focus on your breath. Whatever thoughts sneak into your attention are the white noise. Have a great, mindful day and come back tomorrow for another steaming hot plate of Thought Breakfast!

Thank you for reading along with us today! If you enjoy this content, and want to start your days grounded in thought and mindfulness, I suggest you have a seat at our table! Smash that button below to check out more editions and subscribe!

Remember to stay mindful, smell the flowers, and take it easy.

Chef Ricky - Thought Breakfast

P.S.

This is a developing project, we want your feedback! You might notice some style changes and content updates as we progress. Take the journey with us!