How to Become a Monk
Devote yourself to religion., Research different monastic orders., Commit to a life of celibacy., Practice communal living., Let go of your worldly possessions.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Devote yourself to religion.
Being a monk means living in spiritual, physical, and philosophical devotion to your faith.
Begin your journey to monkhood by making a deep commitment to your spiritual path today.
Begin studying daily, and engaging in prayer several time a day.
Strive to embody your faith in every aspect of your life., Although the basic routine of a monk may be much the same in any order, there are also important differences to consider.
Monks in contemplative orders spend most of their time inside the walls of the monastery praying, while those in active orders leave the monastery to serve others.
Some active orders assign monks to work far from a monastery.
In communal orders, the monks spend time with their fellow monks, working, praying and eating together.
In eremitic orders, monks are discouraged from interacting with each other and spend most of each day in their cells.
Monastic orders are typically started by important religious figures who devote themselves to maintaining the traditions and working on the causes established by the founder. , Regardless of the religion or order, nearly every monastic community practices celibacy.
Begin walking the path monkhood by taking a personal vow of celibacy.
This practice will allow you to gauge if this is a realistic and practical goal for you.
Having committed successfully to celibacy will also show the depth of your devotion when you approach a monastery to join., Another aspect of most monastic orders is living in close community with others.
This means sharing meals, sharing quarters, and in some cases sharing all worldly belonging with one another.
You can begin testing out this lifestyle by joining a communal living situation.
Look for community houses in your area with open rooms., Along with living in communion with others, monks across religious orders relinquish their ownership of material possessions.
In some cases, monks donate everything they own to the church.
You can get a taste of this life and move closer to monkhood but giving away some of what you own and living a simpler life. -
Step 2: Research different monastic orders.
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Step 3: Commit to a life of celibacy.
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Step 4: Practice communal living.
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Step 5: Let go of your worldly possessions.
Detailed Guide
Being a monk means living in spiritual, physical, and philosophical devotion to your faith.
Begin your journey to monkhood by making a deep commitment to your spiritual path today.
Begin studying daily, and engaging in prayer several time a day.
Strive to embody your faith in every aspect of your life., Although the basic routine of a monk may be much the same in any order, there are also important differences to consider.
Monks in contemplative orders spend most of their time inside the walls of the monastery praying, while those in active orders leave the monastery to serve others.
Some active orders assign monks to work far from a monastery.
In communal orders, the monks spend time with their fellow monks, working, praying and eating together.
In eremitic orders, monks are discouraged from interacting with each other and spend most of each day in their cells.
Monastic orders are typically started by important religious figures who devote themselves to maintaining the traditions and working on the causes established by the founder. , Regardless of the religion or order, nearly every monastic community practices celibacy.
Begin walking the path monkhood by taking a personal vow of celibacy.
This practice will allow you to gauge if this is a realistic and practical goal for you.
Having committed successfully to celibacy will also show the depth of your devotion when you approach a monastery to join., Another aspect of most monastic orders is living in close community with others.
This means sharing meals, sharing quarters, and in some cases sharing all worldly belonging with one another.
You can begin testing out this lifestyle by joining a communal living situation.
Look for community houses in your area with open rooms., Along with living in communion with others, monks across religious orders relinquish their ownership of material possessions.
In some cases, monks donate everything they own to the church.
You can get a taste of this life and move closer to monkhood but giving away some of what you own and living a simpler life.
About the Author
James Ferguson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical cooking knowledge.
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