Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

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dpcalder
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Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

Post by dpcalder »

I seriously considered becoming a monk but I think a forest hermit would be a better path. any thoughts on how to accomplish this in modern America?
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SDC
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

Post by SDC »

dpcalder wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:49 pm I seriously considered becoming a monk but I think a forest hermit would be a better path. any thoughts on how to accomplish this in modern America?
Managing food, water and shelter will require a lot of time, energy and mental capacity. You may not have as much time to practice.
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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Sam Vara
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

Post by Sam Vara »

I agree with SDC. I met a Christian hermit in the Welsh hills, and her position would have been impossible if she had not had an effective support network. There are different climates and different cultures, of course, but in most countries I would imagine this would be a very tough path to follow.
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

Post by Ceisiwr »

Why not ordain and become a forest monk? Lots of those.
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coconut
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

Post by coconut »

I think being a forest hermit requires hunting and fishing. All the famous people who have lived in the wilderness have had to hunt. Therefore it is mutually exclusive with Buddhism. You could become an ordained forest monk, like others have said, and beg for alms though.
dharmacorps
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

Post by dharmacorps »

It sounds like a waste of a lot of time and energy enforcing your isolation. Better to be an anagarika and live in a monastery, or a upasika serving a monastery.
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

Post by JamesTheGiant »

dpcalder wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:49 pm I seriously considered becoming a monk but I think a forest hermit would be a better path. any thoughts on how to accomplish this in modern America?
The best way to do it (if you don't want to be an ordained monk) is to have some land of your own, or wilderness/wasteland you can live on very very cheap/free, and have a job for a several months of the year so you can eat and pay for medical bills and things.

In the past I worked 6 months in a Summer job, and spent 6 months at monasteries and meditation centres. It was good.
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Pondera
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

Post by Pondera »

Washington State Hermit in the arboreal rainforests of north western America

Like the three marks of conditioned existence, this world in itself is filthy, hostile, and crowded
circuit
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

Post by circuit »

dpcalder wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:49 pm I seriously considered becoming a monk but I think a forest hermit would be a better path. any thoughts on how to accomplish this in modern America?
if you mean you want to be a monk, maybe you will be interested:

https://forestsangha.org/community/mona ... ries/u-s-a

https://forestsangha.org/community/mona ... abhayagiri

https://forestsangha.org/community/mona ... -monastery
chownah
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

Post by chownah »

dpcalder wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:49 pm I seriously considered becoming a monk but I think a forest hermit would be a better path. any thoughts on how to accomplish this in modern America?
Can you explain what your ideas are about what it is to be a forest hermit?
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?

Post by SteRo »

dpcalder wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:49 pm I seriously considered becoming a monk but I think a forest hermit would be a better path. any thoughts on how to accomplish this in modern America?
I think if you want to do that and this would possible from a regulatory perspective then you are lucky. On the other hand I would prefer urban hermitage. ;)
SDC wrote: Sun Jan 24, 2021 11:03 pm Managing food, water and shelter will require a lot of time, energy and mental capacity. You may not have as much time to practice.
Good point. But honestly I think "forest hermit" is just one of these escape fantasies not well-thought out.
"managing food" is a nice euphemism. :lol: Being a monk and have others care for one's food has advantages. ;)
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