Advice for Someone Seeking Monastic Life
Advice for Someone Seeking Monastic Life
Question
I want to join a monastery in order to live the monastic life. What do you advise me?
Answer
First: Your father of confession must agree that you should become a monk, since he is among the people who know your spirituality, personality, and what you suffer from in spiritual struggles better than anyone else.
Second: Be careful in choosing the monastery that you will join, so that you can live there a quiet life, with sound monasticism, under the guidance of a wise and kind-hearted father of confession who can guide your life. And with brothers among the monks who will help you in your spiritual life and be examples for you.
Third: You need to visit the monasteries during days of retreat, so that you can see the life there for yourself. Do not rely on what you hear from people.
Fourth: During your visits, be frank with the head of the monastery that you wish to join and tell him that you want to become a monk. If he agrees to that, you will have secured the monastery’s side. This is so that you do not leave the world for monasticism, and then the monastery rejects you, leaving you in a difficult situation, having gained neither heaven nor earth.
Fifth: During the periods of retreat that you spend in the monastery, test your ability to continue living such a life, and the extent of your ability to bear being away from the world and from everything in it, including friends and activities.
Sixth: I advise you to take a leave from your work (one year without pay) before joining the monastery. So that if you do not like the situation in monasticism and it does not suit you, or if the monastery rejects you, you will have kept for yourself a way back.
Seventh: Train yourself from now on in the life of prayer, in some solitude, and in a life of meekness and humility. This will help you as preparation for life in the monastery…
For better translation support, please contact the center.
