How to Be a Monk

Monks sacrifice their worldly lives to focus on an inward and spiritual life. Different groups of monks within different religions have different modes of worship and practice to aid them in their quest for spiritual perfection. Some may take vows of silence, some vows of chastity, others take vows of poverty. The first steps to becoming a monk, outlined below, can be the hardest, but the life rewarding if this is your calling.

Instructions

1. Find an order. Your choice of monastery or order is perhaps the most significant choice you will make on your path to monasticism. Learn about the groups you think you will be interested in joining, and find the one that best suits your capabilities and personality.

2. Support yourself. In some traditions all of an initiate's physical needs are taken care of, but in others they must prove their devotion for a period of time before receiving sponsorship. Some monasteries allow new initiates to work in the day-to-day running of the monastery in order to off-set the cost of their upkeep. Keep this in mind when choosing an order.

3. Be a part of the community. Even traditions that encourage solitude are communities. As a monk or initiate, it is important that you live as part of this community. Contact and guidance with more experienced people on your path will make your monastic experience far more rich and rewarding.

4. Live like a monk. Once you think you have found the order that is right for you, it is wise, and often required, that you try out the monastic life for a period of time before taking the sacred vows. This can be a period of days, months or even years. The longer you try it out, the more certain you will be of your decision in the long run

5. Become ordained. Once you have proven your devotion to your teacher and monastic community, they may ask you to take the vows. These vows are usually held as sacred and you will be expected to live by these vows for the rest of your life.

Tips & Warnings

• The rigors of monasticism can be overwhelming so it is important, especially at first, to be near more experienced monks and spiritual teachers.

• Remember: you have your whole life to be a monk, so there is no need to rush into anything.

• It could be very difficult to work some jobs and live the spiritual path that you seek.

Resources

• Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition website
• A website for born-again, protestant monks
• A website about spiritual ideas