An introduction to religious and spiritual experience

Religious Orders
The decision to enter a religious order is often the result of a religious 
experience. In many religious traditions, individuals have felt called to 
leave their families and renounce marriage, possessions and the world. 
The founders of such orders were often remarkable figures, who had a 
specific vision for their community. Although most Christian monks and 

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nuns take vows for life, many Buddhist boys and sometimes girls spend a 
period of time as monks and then re-emerge into the world, usually much 
the wiser for the period of renunciation and reflection. The Dalai Lama, 
although leader of his nation, describes himself as a simple Buddhist 
monk, for that is how he lives. Monks and nuns of different traditions 
share a vision and a way of life of simplicity and withdrawal from every-
day life, even when they are not sequestered, which instantly makes them 
brother and sister despite different religious traditions.
St Benedict (480–543)
What is known of Benedict comes mainly from St Gregory’s account in 
his 
Dialogues.
Benedict, who was the founder of Western monasticism 
was born in Nursia, in what is now Italy, one of twins. His sister Scholas-
tica played a prominent part in his life although he left home at an early 
age to renounce the life of a nobleman in Rome. He took with him his 
nurse, as a servant and it was said that his first miracle was to mend an 
earthenware wheat-sifter for her. The ensuing attention led him to flee to 
Subiaco, where he lived as a hermit for some years. His first attempt at 
leading a community was unsuccessful – the monks attempted to murder 
him. Yet later, due to the following he had acquired, he established a 
dozen monasteries, each with 12 monks and a superior. He formulated 
his Rule, based on prayer and work within a community, a moderate but 
spiritually-based way of life which survives to this day in the Benedictine 
communities. Although he did not begin the monastic tradition, Benedict’s 
‘Twelve Steps to Humility’ offered a practical synthesis of preceding prac-
tice which proved a success.
Scholastica lived nearby in a religious community linked to her broth-
er’s establishment, so women were part of the movement from its incep-
tion. It is said that a few days before she died, Benedict visited her and 
was prevented from leaving by a storm, which erupted suddenly as she 
prayed. After her death, Benedict saw what he described as her spirit 
rising up to heaven and he too then had profound visions of God.