monastic
Austere and secluded
Monastic relates to monks, nuns, or the religious communities they form.
A monastic order follows rules of communal living, prayer, and often poverty and celibacy.
Monastic life typically involves withdrawal from ordinary society.
The word extends to any lifestyle marked by austere simplicity and disciplined routine: His apartment had a monastic sparseness.
Monastic house of worship
- conventReligious sisters' dwelling
- prioryLesser monastic house
- friaryMendicant monks' residence
- orderMethodical arrangement or request
brotherhood · sisterhood · novitiate · abbot · abbess · prior · prioress · novice
Covered monastic walkway
- hermitageSecluded religious dwelling
- retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
- seclusionVoluntary withdrawal from society
- isolationComplete separation from others
enclosure · solitude · withdrawal · reclusive · cloistered · anchorite · hermit · eremitic
Focused attention practice
- prayerAddress to deity
- reflectionReturned light or thought
- silenceTotal lack of sound
- introspectionObserving one's own mind
mindfulness · chanting · mantra · contemplative · mysticism · spiritual exercises · rosary · vigil
Liturgical dawn devotions
- vespersEvening devotional service
- complineDay's final liturgy
- laudsExpresses high admiration
- primeReadying for action
sext · none · liturgy · rule · observance · chapter · refectory · dormitory
Deliberate food avoidance
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
- austerityEnforced economic stringency
- mortificationIntense shame or embarrassment
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
renunciation · abstinence · frugality · spartan · plainness · simplicity · unadorned · bare
Abstaining from sexual activity
- vowSolemn personal commitment
- continenceControl over bodily functions
- purityUncontaminated quality
- self-restraintVoluntary impulse control
consecration · unmarried · virginity · celibate · renunciation · abstinence · modesty · sanctity
abbey
Monastic house of worship
order · brotherhood · sisterhood · novitiate · abbot · abbess · prior · prioress · novice · postulant
cloister
Covered monastic walkway
- hermitageSecluded religious dwelling
- retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
- seclusionVoluntary withdrawal from society
isolation · enclosure · solitude · withdrawal · reclusive · cloistered · anchorite · hermit · eremitic · enclosed
meditation
Focused attention practice
- prayerAddress to deity
- reflectionReturned light or thought
- silenceTotal lack of sound
introspection · mindfulness · chanting · mantra · contemplative · mysticism · spiritual exercises · rosary · vigil · adoration
matins
Liturgical dawn devotions
prime · sext · none · liturgy · rule · observance · chapter · refectory · dormitory · scriptorium
fasting
Deliberate food avoidance
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
- austerityEnforced economic stringency
- mortificationIntense shame or embarrassment
penance · renunciation · abstinence · frugality · spartan · plainness · simplicity · unadorned · bare · modest
chastity
Abstaining from sexual activity
- vowSolemn personal commitment
- continenceControl over bodily functions
- purityUncontaminated quality
self-restraint · consecration · unmarried · virginity · celibate · renunciation · abstinence · modesty · sanctity
Benedictine
Monk following ancient rule
- TrappistMonk of austere order
- FranciscanMendicant order member
- DominicanPreaching order member
Carmelite · Augustinian · Buddhist · Sangha · Shaolin · Zen · Theravada · lama · ashram · sadhu
- lifestylessimple living, city life, family life, minimalism, rural life
- BuddhismBuddha, dharma wheel, Four Noble Truths, nirvana, dharma
- asceticsascetic, ascetics, hermit, hermits, recluse
- monasticsnun, abbot, nuns, abbess, friars
- religious vocationspriesthood, holy orders, ordained ministry, novice, seminarian
- Buddhist monasticsnun, novice, abbot, abbess, lama
monastichedonistic
Devoted to sensual pursuits
indulgent · sybaritic · lavish · extravagant · excessive
- Buddhist monasteryResidential religious community, Eastern
- monastic lifeReligious community living
- medieval monastery
- monastic orderOrganized community of monks
- monastic vowPledge binding one to austerity
- monastic retreatSecluded religious sanctuary