John Moriarty's Spiritual Journey: From Academia to Monastic Vision

The Early Years: Family Influences

John Moriarty's spiritual journey began in his childhood, shaped by the contrasting personalities of his parents. His mother was described as a "mighty woman" within the confines of her home and family, but seemed diminished in public spaces. In contrast, his father was more introspective and contemplative.

Moriarty recalls a poignant memory of his father:

"He loved to listen to the cows chewing the cud and to hear them eating the hay. That kind of calmed him and brought him into a very deep place within himself."

This early exposure to quiet contemplation would later influence Moriarty's own spiritual practices.

Academic Career and Disillusionment

In the 1960s, Moriarty found himself working as a professor in Canada. However, he began to question the purpose and value of his work:

"I was beginning to be dissatisfied with teaching anyway because I was teaching people to be successful in some sense. I was teaching people to be successful in a world that I didn't believe in."

This growing disillusionment led Moriarty to make a radical decision. He chose to leave behind his academic career, his faith, and even his friends to seek a deeper understanding of himself and the world.

Retreat to Connemara

Moriarty's quest for self-discovery led him to the wilds of Connemara in Ireland. He explains his motivation:

"I always had this little thing from the day I woke up around 17 and a half - I always have this thing 'don't fence me in.' Don't fence me into an institution, don't fence me into society, don't fence me into a job."

In Connemara, Moriarty sought to strip away the layers of societal conditioning and find his true self:

"I wanted to come away and find my bush soul. Who am I in the bush? Who am I outside of human community? Who am I in the wilderness away from sight even of the smoke from the campfire?"

The Shattering Experience

Moriarty's time in isolation was not easy. He describes undergoing a profound and difficult experience:

"I underwent a shattering, a complete shattering under the mountain one day, and I came home and I was a ruin. I was ruined."

This challenging period led Moriarty to explore the writings of Christian mystics, finding new meaning in their words:

"It was the European mystics who were talking to me... John of the Cross and I started reading for the first time. This man is making sense to me. Teresa of Avila is making sense to me. Eckhart and Tauler and Suso, all the Rhineland mystics are making sense to me."

Love and Personal Growth

During his time in Connemara, Moriarty met a woman named Eileen. Their relationship became a catalyst for personal growth and a deeper understanding of love:

"I grew from being in love with her to loving her... For the first couple years, I was in love with you. Now I love you, and that means that I can get up somehow and be grumpy with you, not like you maybe, but I still love you. It's independent of my feelings now and the flux of feelings."

However, Moriarty's spiritual journey created tension in their relationship. He explains:

"My primary being towards is being toward divine ground. If I'm right in being toward divine ground, then I'm able to be towards mountains and stars and people in another way, in a richer way, in a less cranky way."

Ultimately, the relationship ended, but it played a crucial role in Moriarty's spiritual development.

The Vision of a Monastic Hedge School

Moriarty's experiences and studies led him to envision a modern interpretation of the traditional Irish hedge schools. He sees this as a way to reclaim the soul of Christianity in a world where many monasteries and convents are closing:

"That's who and what Jesus is as I see him. He is the one who rises out of ruination. He rose out of the ruination of Good Friday after all, and if he can rise up to the ruination of Good Friday, he can certainly rise out of this ruin."

Moriarty draws inspiration from historical figures like St. Francis, who began by rebuilding a ruined church. He sees hope in the persistence of life amidst ruins:

"There's the great tree of life, the great tree if you like of Christian life, grown right there in the middle of the ruin. And I look at it and I know that the future is with life, not with death."

The Importance of Vision

Moriarty emphasizes the critical role of vision in sustaining a culture and a people. He references the Irish word "aisling," meaning a dream or vision:

"Aisling is one of the great Irish words. It means a dream, a dream vision... It says in the Bible, 'People that have no vision, without a vision the people perish.' But poets grew up here, arrived here, were born here in Sliabh Luachra, Kerry, in aisling land, and they again dreamed a dream of Ireland."

He sees his own work as continuing this tradition of visionary thinking and cultural renewal.

Daily Life and Writing Practice

Moriarty's dedication to his spiritual and intellectual pursuits is reflected in his daily routine:

"I wake usually around five o'clock in the morning, and I'll fall to thinking. If I'm writing, if I'm doing a little bit of writing, I'll think about where I'm at in the piece I'm up to, and I'll work on that in my head for about three hours."

He then writes for most of the day, taking breaks for walks and social interaction. This disciplined approach allowed him to complete major works like "Nostos" through intense, focused effort.

Financial Survival and Community Support

Moriarty's unconventional lifestyle raises questions about financial survival. He explains his approach:

"I go around to give talks, and I don't charge for the talks. I say to people the two things that don't count are money and numbers of people. I'm happy to go for nothing or for my expenses or for some few extra pounds."

He lives frugally, relying on occasional payments for his work and the support of his community. Moriarty values his neighbors, like Maisie and Brosnan, for their genuine hospitality and the sense of belonging they provide:

"There's a whole range of your humanity to which they are hospitable, and that's a wonder."

Intellectual and Spiritual Nourishment

Moriarty's personal library reflects his unique intellectual journey. He explains the significance of his book collection:

"First and foremost, they're books that explain me to me. I mean, they give me a language. It's almost a mirror. I can look on these books, or these books will be a mirror to me, and I can say, 'Yeah, I recognize me to me.'"

These books provide Moriarty with a sense of connection to others who have explored similar spiritual and philosophical territories.

Critique of Modern Society

Moriarty's retreat from conventional society has given him a unique perspective on modern life. He is critical of what he sees as excessive materialism and financial exploitation:

"If I borrow two hundred thousand in the old days, I have to pay back twice and a half times that. Now, if someone comes up to me in the street with a knife and says, 'Your money,' I'm mugged. Fine, I give him my money. But that's the little fellow, the druggie or whoever he is. But then we have the pinstriped muggers, the people who chauffeur-driven cars in the financial houses, and they're mugging me to the tune of 150,000 often above what I borrowed."

He expresses surprise at what he perceives as people's acceptance of these conditions:

"It's the docility of people to be mugged to that extent and to cooperate with the mugging."

The Monastic Hedge School Vision

Moriarty's vision for a modern monastic hedge school is a response to what he sees as the spiritual and intellectual needs of our time. He describes its potential structure:

"A central oratory in the four directions. You have a lecture room, library over there. You have a dining room, kitchen. Then you have a reception area and I suppose a place where you'd have the power plant or whatever. And then in the four intermediate points, there are four cells each, so 16 cells. So it is centered on an oratory."

This design reflects Moriarty's belief in the importance of integrating prayer, study, and community life.

Personal Spiritual Practice

Despite his critiques of organized religion, Moriarty maintains a personal spiritual practice rooted in Christian tradition:

"Before I go to bed, I make the sign of the cross on myself. In the name of God, the Almighty Father, from whom and to whom I turned away, setting myself up as a self-sufficient individual. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son, who turned me toward me, redeemed me. And the name of the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies me."

This practice reflects Moriarty's ongoing engagement with Christian spirituality, even as he seeks to reinterpret and revitalize it for the modern world.

Conclusion: A Life Dedicated to Spiritual Seeking

John Moriarty's journey from academia to spiritual seeker is a testament to the power of following one's inner calling. His experiences in Connemara, his study of mystical traditions, and his vision for a modern monastic school all reflect a deep commitment to exploring the fundamental questions of human existence.

Moriarty's life and work challenge us to consider our own relationship with society, spirituality, and the natural world. His critique of modern materialism and his emphasis on contemplation and community offer an alternative vision for living in today's world.

As Moriarty continues to write, teach, and inspire others, his legacy as a spiritual thinker and visionary continues to grow. His unique blend of Irish cultural heritage, Christian mysticism, and personal insight provides a rich resource for those seeking a more meaningful and spiritually grounded way of life in the 21st century.

Whether or not one agrees with all of Moriarty's ideas, his dedication to spiritual seeking and his courage in forging an unconventional path serve as an inspiration to those who feel called to explore the deeper dimensions of human existence. In a world often dominated by material concerns and superficial values, Moriarty's life and work remind us of the enduring importance of spiritual inquiry and the pursuit of wisdom.

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