Perennial Wisdom Ep. 260: Monastic Wisdom for the Rhythms of Life | Perennial Wisdom
Jan 31, 2026
They unpack why fresh routines so often collapse into guilt and inconsistency. They recast a Rule of Life as a supportive trellis rather than an idealized schedule. They explore how modern busyness harms the inner life and why lowering inner pressure matters first. They recommend subtraction, simple daily anchors, and designing practices that are easy to return to.
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Rush Creates Inner Pressure
- Modern life’s constant rush creates inner pressure that masquerades as personal failure.
- J.W. Bertolotti argues this pressure makes good practices feel like violence rather than formation.
Start With Subtraction
- Subtract before you add by removing commitments that spike inner pressure.
- Ask which late-night habits or constant inputs quietly make life frantic and remove them.
Trellis Over Spreadsheet
- A durable rule is a simple trellis of anchors rather than a complex spreadsheet.
- Three anchors — morning, midday, evening — are usually enough to hold the week upright.
