Wooha! Internet cafe! I'm being a bad boy.

Monday is "lazy day" at the monastery and I hitched a ride to town (Escondido) and found this internet cafe. I'm not sure it's within the spirit of my stay at the monastery, but I don't think there are explicit prohibitions either. I might be making regular trips to town on Mondays! It's a six mile walk, but I think there is a bus line that goes half the trip.

Anyway, I'm sure you're dying to hear about monastic life.

After staying for two weeks, I submitted a letter to the monastic community informing them of my desire for an extended stay, and my intentions and aspirations and what I might contribute to the community.

Someone told me it was a good letter and there should be no problem, although as a mental exercise I pondered what I would do if I got rejected. Where would I go? What would I do? You can probably guess what would cross my mind, though.

In the same vein, when I visited this same monastery last year, there was another long term resident on a possible monastic path. Eventually, he asked if he could be ordained and they, in the most nicest, wisest, compassionate way, turned him down, telling him he wasn't ready.

It's incredible the insight these monks have. He didn't feel rejected at all, and in the end, he feels they were right. So becoming a monk isn't a shoo in. After however many months I'm here, I may ask what they think and they might also tell me the monastic path isn't for me, and I implicitly trust their insight. What I would do then is another discussion and I don't have time now since this internet cafe closes in fifteen minutes.

It's been an incredible two weeks. The first two weekends I was here, there were retreats, and I made some great, if temporary, connections with people passing through. Great conversations. I have more to say about that, too, but alas, no time. Next time I come to town, I'll try to come earlier.