How to Live Like a Monk

Medieval Wisdom for Modern Life

By: Daniele Cybulskie

Narrated by: Daniele Cybulskie

How medieval monastic practices - with their emphasis on a healthy soul, mind, and body - can inspire us to live fuller lives today

We know that they prayed, sang, and wore long robes, but what was it really like to be a monk? Though monastic living may seem unimaginable to us moderns, it has relevance for today. This book illuminates the day-to-day of medieval European monasticism, showing how you can apply the principles of monastic living, like finding balance and peace, to your life.

With wit and insight, medievalist and podcaster Daniele Cybulskie dives into the history of monasticism in each chapter and then reveals applications for today, such as the benefits of healthy eating, streamlining routines, gardening, and helping others. She shares how monks authentically embraced their spiritual calling, and were also down to earth: They wrote complaints about being cold in the manuscripts they copied, made beer and wine, and even kept bees.

How to Live Like a Monk is for anyone interested in the Middle Ages and those seeking inspiration for how to live a full life, even when we’re leading cloistered lives in our homes.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Abbeville Press (P)2022 Abbeville Press

An interesting style and content mashup: it works

The author-narrator's voice (in both the writing-viewpoint sense and performing sense) has a very current ring to it. But she shows fine insight into the content. Her choice of imagery, words and images is very good. She brings the insights and life "tips and tricks" of these earlier folks, and their world-view, right to our doorstep. She uses very simple down-to-earth examples, with current things and earlier things easily related to, and compared.

I have plenty of respect for this, as I author a lot of content to teach law, and I perform it. It is like a singer-songwriter, it is a craft, very well done here. It has an odd feel, because I am used to a high-seriousness (and usually VERY long and wordy) academic-style text about monks, or a plain-folks style in a how-to book. This book leans away from the academic side, toward the plain-spoken how-to side. This took some thought and translation. If you have an even slightly monkish sensibility (as I do), all this has great value.

Ended up really liking this

It took me a bit to get into the book, though I think that that's partly on me. I started it when I was distracted by life.
The author does an overview of monastic practices and applies them to our modern life. I am Eastern Orthodox, and I thought the viewpoint was more Roman Catholic in feel, though we share monks like Saint Benedict in common since he was pre-split. I think there were a few interpretations that might have been different, but it was on small things. The general information applies to everyone, Christian or not, and the narrator is warm and engaging. I will listen to this one again.

A good natured reminder

A great book to read anytime. A few gentle reminders about how to live in these days. A few of the suggestions were very timely for me.