What do you think of this?

[Pilgrim]

I am seriously considering to go to Plum Village, a monastery in France, for 2 years. 

I know it's an extreme step, that's why I want to be sure. 

Ultimately, I don't really care about the "real world". I have tried to fit into normality for such a long time. But something is missing, it's quite unfulfilling most of the time. It's like a void that is following me everywhere and I know that only connecting to myself and being will heal this eventually. But in everyday life I cannot integrate this in the extend I need to. I am not someone who is losing in life (externally at least), but in the end I feel pretty unhappy. I am hoping to find this deep connection I am longing for. I just want to make sure I am not running away from life.  

What do you think?

[Aimblack]

I can relate. Does it feel like most shit people that people care about and things even you cared about are pretty empty as well? I'm considering the same thing actually.

[ajasatya]

@Pilgrim if you don't have to work to feed anyone (aka have children), then do it.

when it's about living the life of a monk, the fear of running away is actually a facet of attachment. it's the ego structure screaming "I AM NOT A LOSER. I DO NOT RESIGN".

Edited October 28, 2018 by ajasatya

[aurum]

1 hour ago, Pilgrim said:

I just want to make sure I am not running away from life.  

You'll probably never really know.

From my biased perspective, it seems like an unnecessarily extreme move. It's not like you move to a monestary and that void feeling goes away. No, it just comes with you to the monestary.

The only real benefit I see from doing something like that is you'll have more time to specifically devote to formal spiritual practices. That is a potential real gain. But I'd argue you could get more or less the same results without having to do that.

[kieranperez]

Read the monk memoir on the booklist in the consciousness and enlightenment section.

I think this is a good idea for you but also understand that this action needs to be fueled by a positive motivation. That doesn’t mean there won’t be fear but you “yearn for God” and are willing to surrender everything. @ajasatya said it best about the ego relenting at the end of his post. Don’t do this for escapism and also build momentum into this. Also, being a monk doesn’t necessarily mean go live in a monastery. It may mean that but you can be in Zen for example where you can actually leave the monastery eventually to do your own thing. Or you live in a cave and take the vows of say a Tantrik yogi/monk who may or may not have a guru and pursue hardcore full enlightenment until you have been permeated by God in your psyche, actions, and body and then return to the world and start say a healthy spiritual community like that I’d say Sat Yoga in Costa Rica run by Shunyamurti that has a wisdom school, an ashram, runs retreats, etc. which demands enlightened leadership (which does take money) or you may decide to not return to the material world and live in a hut like Zen Master and famous poet Ryōkan. Or you may have a tiny ashram somewhere.