The dream: There were a bunch of us living in hermitages. No vows had been taken--we were not a religious community. We were "between assignments"--trying to figure out what God wanted of us next, but we were going to sit at His feet and wait/watch.

I owned the property, and had built my own hermitage, waiting for God to show me what to do (my husband had been called home). Next thing I know, a bunch of people--like who we have here on PM--wanted to build "hutments" also--and spend most of their days in discerning prayer. I have no idea how we supported ourselves.

Possible? Stupid idea?

Feedback would be appreciated!!!

Blessings,
Gemma

I could see that happening. That's a pretty wonderful dream. Communing with Him alone until He lays bare His will.

Gemma It's not a stupid idea,but a lovely one !! What a wonderful time we would have spending all day in our "hutments"alone with Him in prayer. I suppose we could have Externs to go out to work to support the Community.

I recognized the "hutments" when I was looking through a book about Oak Ridge, Tennessee, houses. My mom and mother-in-law lived in a couple of these houses (there were about 20 different styles) themselves during World War II (they helped build the atomic bomb which ended the war). Hutments were basic squares with pyramid roof, no plumbing and the windows were mesh, covered by shutters which closed from the top (looked like a lean-to when open). There was a coal-burning stove in the middle. The black workers were housed in them.

The way I saw the colony looked like something straight out of the Los Angeles area--where they put houses anywhere they can build them on the sides of the hills and mountains.

I think each "hermit" kept a job in the world--at least part time. That's the impression I got.

Blessings,
Gemma

This sounds very much like the Eastern Catholic practice of Poustinia, you should check it out! There's some stuff about it on the website for the Madonna House: http://www.madonnahouse.org/tour/poustinia.html

So nice when dreams start to make sense! Thanks for the link--I've bookmarked it.

I think the Discernment Colony was taking Poustinia a step further, though. These folks were on extended stay. I guess they put their possessions in storage or whatever. I know I had some kind of electronic communications center in my hutment--since I was in charge of the place. I remember seeing a keyboard and what looked like a TV on a desk.

I had the dream a few times, so it'll be interesting to see how things pan out.

Thanks again.

Blessings,
Gemma

There's a book on Poustinia too, it's a really good read, I'd recommend it. The concept of poustinia actually comes from Russia and most who do it are there for months or years at at time traditionally. They rely on the charity of those who live near their "hutment" for food and needs of daily life. Of course, being something that started several hundred years ago, they didn't have a tv or keyboard.

We were in Oak Ridge over Christmas holiday, and I ordered 7 photos of hutments from the library. They should be put on CD so I can put them on photobucket.com, and post them here. I asked my mom about hutments, and she said the laborers who built Oak Ridge lived in them, and they lined the highways in and out of the "Clinton Engineering Works" as OR was known as back then. The laborers usually ate in cafeterias, and used the hutments for sleeping. There was a coal-fired stove in the middle, and several beds. There were no glass or screen windows in some of them--just open squares for windows. Boardwalks connected the individual hutments.

HTH.

Blessings,
Gemma

For those of you on photobucket, which URL is supposed to be used of the three listed?

Blessings,
Gemma

Sounds good. I like to think of myself being in a small hut high in an alpine hanging valley with a mountain stream nearby and a garden.

Here are hutments with the boardwalk.

Another photo will be posted subsequently.

Blessings,
Gemma



Hutments on the hills--much like the dream, but the hills were much steeper.

Blessings,
Gemma



Hutment interior.

Blessings,
Gemma