Has anyone here lived as a Buddhist monk?

[runningbird]

There is often a surge of desire within me to spend a few months at a monastery. I just feel it would be an incredibly healing experience.

However I am too afraid to actually make the commitment. Mostly I fear what my parents and relatives would think, or say, or do to stop me. Like "what about your career" and so on. I really just don't think I have the courage.

When it comes down to it, however, I am too lax about meditating. I didn't meditate for months and now I only do it every couple days. I once meditated everyday for about a month in college, but then the schedule and sense of obligation got too crazy and I just didn't "have time".

I know it is possible to make time, but the sense of urgency and all of the distractions in our society always defeat my better judgment.

I am doing a 30 day trial of meditating at least 20 minutes in the morn' and 20 at night, I guess just to confirm to myself how important this practice is to myself, that I nevertheless tend to neglect.

Any thoughts?

[tintin]

oh
this approach is new to me.
i always thought that if meditation is the way for you,you wont be able to help yourself.like a moth to a flame.never crossed my mind that you 'have' to.its like answering a call.



eh..dunno

[magi13]

it is something you will have to decide for yourself.

i'll put myself in your shoes, i'd probably think it over first and see the benefits and try to compare both sides

ex.

1. monastery positives -
negatives-

2. my current life positives-
negatives-

3. can they be mixed ? positives-
negatives

then I'll count which of them has more positive effects and i'll consider it.

Think about it.

[runningbird]

Originally Posted by tintin

oh
this approach is new to me.
i always thought that if meditation is the way for you,you wont be able to help yourself.like a moth to a flame.never crossed my mind that you 'have' to.its like answering a call.



eh..dunno

Meditation is sublime, it just gets pushed aside by my "ego games".

[tintin]

ohk then.
i know whcha saying.i know the feeling.so when my ego plays these games of shud and shudnt--th environment /universe reminds me -either id read sumpin or be talkin to someone wastin time n theyd say sumpin which wud jus give me a buzz.or simply just suffocate .n off id go..back on track.
i have also seen that sometimes when i cling to a particular way of being and it is now outmoded for me..as in i have actually grown outa it..i will no longer be able to do it.no matter how much i want to reexperience it.theres a very good reason im not able to get back on THAT particular horse.
ive to move on.time to experience and know new stuff.

or i need to deepen my knowing for a goal.yknow?like i missed a step or sumpin.so i go back complete that step and its amazing how i just start making progress where id left off.
it doesn even seem like the same goal.

dunno if that makes any sense.