Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?
Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?
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?
Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?
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
Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?
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.
Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?
Why not ordain and become a forest monk? Lots of those.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?
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.
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?
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.
- JamesTheGiant
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Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?
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.
Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?
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
Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?
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
Re: Thoughts on becoming a forest hermit?
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.
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. Being a monk and have others care for one's food has advantages.
Cleared. αδόξαστος.