Recluse
Recluse
Recluse (pronounced: /rɪˈkluːs/), from the Latin recludere meaning "to shut up" or "to seclude", is a term used to describe a person who lives in voluntary seclusion from the public and society. The word is derived from the Medieval Latin reclūsus, past participle of reclūdere, which means "to shut up" or "to seclude".
A recluse often chooses to live in isolation for various reasons such as religious or philosophical convictions, dissatisfaction with contemporary society, personal temperament, or to avoid personal conflict. The phenomenon is common in both Eastern and Western religious traditions, such as the hermits of Christianity or the Sufi mystics of Islam.
Related Terms
- Hermit: A person who lives in seclusion from society, usually for religious reasons. Hermits are a part of many cultures and religions around the world.
- Solitude: The state or situation of being alone. Solitude can be sought for personal reflection, peace, and spiritual renewal.
- Asceticism: A lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their practices or continue to be part of their society, but typically adopt a frugal lifestyle, characterised by the renunciation of material possessions and physical pleasures, and time spent fasting while concentrating on the practice of religion or reflection upon spiritual matters.
- Monasticism: A religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic life plays an important role in many Christian churches, especially in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions as well as in other faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
- Eremitism: The practice of living in seclusion for religious or spiritual purposes, typically in a solitary locale such as a desert, forest, or mountain. Eremitism is also referred to as the eremitic life, or the hermit's life.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Recluse
- Wikipedia's article - Recluse
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