In this account, James Cowan explores the life of St Anthony of Egypt, the first Christian mystic, who chose the path of a hermit in the desert. It goes beyond the purely historical or cultural descriptions, to ask the key question: why did Anthony think that by departing the world completely he would get closer to the truth he was seeking? On a trip to Egypt to find out more, Cowan discovered a hermit living on Mount Colzim, Anthony's mountain, and found himself on far more than an academic journey. With Lazarus as his guide, he was able to combine an inner journey with his outer travel and began to understand the true motivation of this radical mystic figure.