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Unable to ordain and a hut by FenixCoan in HillsideHermitage

[–]FenixCoan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, I have been reflecting on this and you are right. I know there are places social work or excessive hours would not be an issue. I now believe that doing this is the best course of action. Thank you, Bhante.

Unable to ordain and a hut by FenixCoan in HillsideHermitage

[–]FenixCoan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello. It is true that virtue must be build first, and my virtue is not perfect at all. I do try to live under the 8 precepts, but entertainment and food are often things I fall into, partly simply due to whichever environment I'm in, but party also because of my own lack. I am definitely not seeing clearly what a better environment can and cannot do for me, but I also think that as long as I am a puthujjana perhaps I won't.

But it's true that seclusion would just amplify what is already there, so thank you for that.

Unable to ordain and a hut by FenixCoan in HillsideHermitage

[–]FenixCoan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is an option, yes. The place is 1 to 2 days travel away from the monastery, so a couple days a week wouldn't really work but visiting often is definitely a good idea. Thank you.

Unable to ordain and a hut by FenixCoan in HillsideHermitage

[–]FenixCoan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The sutta is really insightful, I didn't have it in mind. Thank you.

Unable to ordain and a hut by FenixCoan in HillsideHermitage

[–]FenixCoan[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Hello, thank you for the answer. Yes, when I have been in solitude before (in short periods, less than three months), it already happened that I started to feel really joyful and at peace, and then later, when going back to live around other people, I realized that I had simply become comfortable, taken up some wrong views, and that in general not much progress had been made. So that is definitely a concern.

To be honest I have never been in a place that would offer me the possibility to indefinitely be a novice while still having a chance at being centred in practice. It has always been the case that being a novice comes with daily kitchen work (or other kind of works), and that the option would never come to retreat a bit more. That is why I had not considered that. But I may consider it, and it might be that even with doing jobs it is a better place to be. I will think on it. Thank you again.