Back in the third century, the first Christian monks wrote rules covering all aspects of life within their monastery walls. Their goal was to keep God at their individual and collective center. The Rule of St. Benedict is probably the best known today, but there were hundreds, if not thousands, of others. Monastic communities still live by rules ancient or modern. Maybe you should, too... The point of a rule of life, for communities or individuals, is that life should be lived in balance, with God as the focal point. Perhaps that is what attracted me five years ago to the various rules of life. It is so easy for me to live a life that is out of balance, where work or some other aspect of my life takes over. And it is far too tempting for me to place myself at the center of my own universe. Living a rule of life helps me to keep striving for balance -- to be conscious of what I do and why -- and it reminds me to be open to God in all aspects of my daily life. (Though the Christian rule uses God as its focal point, the key concept is that our rule helps us remember that we are not the center of our own u …