MONK LIFE PROJECT
The 30-Day Monk Life Experience
A Complete Foundation in Monk Life & Meditation. The 30-Day Monk Life Experience is the entry point into monastic training.
This temporary ordination program provides a solid foundation in:
• Buddhist wisdom (Dhamma)
• Meditation practice using the Sati & Sabai (Middle Way) approach
• Monastic discipline and daily life
Training takes place at the International Forest Monastery Chiang Mai (iMONASTERY)—a forest sanctuary designed by the monastic community as a refuge for international men seeking peace, clarity, and inner stability.
WHAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE
• Temporary monk ordination
• Four structured sessions daily (theory, Buddhist wisdom, guided meditation, and Q&A)
• Sitting and walking meditation
• Ethical training and mindful living
• Silence, simplicity, and forest monastery life
No prior Buddhist knowledge or meditation experience is required.
PROGRAM FEE & FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Registration Fee (Donation)
THB 30,000 for the full 30-day experience
(approximately USD 950, depending on exchange rate)
If your application is approved after interview and you confirm your place within 10 days,
the registration fee is:
THB 25,000 (non-refundable)
This early confirmation allows the monastery to prepare ordination logistics and allocate resources responsibly.
WHAT THE REGISTRATION FEE COVERS
The registration fee contributes toward:
• Ordination costs
• Accommodation within the monastery
• Daily meals
• Robes and monastic clothing
• Basic necessities and living items
• Local travel related to the program
• Daily teachings, meditation guidance, and mentoring
IMPORTANT TRANSPARENCY NOTE
The registration fee does not fully cover the actual cost of hosting each participant for 30 days.
The remaining costs are supported through donations and assistance from the
General Arthit – Phornsan Kamlang-ek Foundation (GAPKF), which exists to support international monastic education, ordination, and the preservation of authentic Buddhist practice.
Your participation is therefore made possible through both your contribution and the generosity of benefactors committed to this work.
TRAVEL & PERSONAL EXPENSES
The Monk Life Project does not provide financial aid for:
• International travel or flights
• Personal expenses outside the program
• Visa application or extension fees
Before applying, participants must be in a stable financial position to cover all personal travel and visa-related costs independently.
WHO THIS PROGRAM IS FOR
This experience is ideal for those who are:
• Seeking a deep reset from modern life
• Exploring monkhood for the first time
• Building a serious meditation foundation
• Standing at a meaningful life transition
The 30-day experience is complete in itself—
and also serves as the gateway to deeper monastic training.
A FINAL NOTE
The Monk Life Project is not about escaping life.
It is about learning how to live with clarity, balance, and wisdom.
The invitation is sincere.
The responsibility is shared.
The path unfolds naturally.
MONK LIFE DAY BY DAY
Living the Practice Beyond 30 Days
For Those Who Wish to Stay and Deepen
Some participants feel called to remain after completing the 30-day program.
Monk Life Day by Day allows you to continue living and training as a monk within the monastery —
month by month, without long-term obligation.
Program Structure
• Available after completion of the 30-Day Monk Life Experience
• Monthly continuation within iMONASTERY
• Same daily rhythm of monastic life and meditation
• Ongoing guidance from mentor monks
Program Fee
12,000 THB per month
Available for the first 3 months of extension
This option is ideal for those who:
• Need more time to stabilize meditation practice
• Wish to integrate monk life more deeply
• Are discerning whether long-term training is right for them
There is no pressure to continue.
The decision to stay arises naturally from inner clarity.
This period allows participants to deepen their practice and discern their readiness for longer-term monastic life.
VISA RESPONSIBILITY (FIRST 12 MONTHS)
If a participant is accepted to continue for up to the first 12 months, they are required to take full responsibility for all personal visa-related expenses.
• Visa costs typically range from THB 2,000–8,000, depending on visa type and duration
• These costs are not covered during the first year
After this period, participants who meet the required criteria may apply for the Monk Life Scholarship Program, which may assist with living costs depending on discipline, commitment, and suitability for monastic life.
All continuation and scholarship support is granted at the discretion of the monastic community.
MONK 4 LIFE
Training the Trainer — 3-Year Program
Study, Practice, and Serve
In today’s fast-paced, digitally driven world, mental health challenges and inner instability are increasingly common. The need for individuals who can embody mindfulness and guide others responsibly has never been greater.
MONK 4 LIFE is a 3-year Training the Trainer program designed for those who feel a deeper calling:
• To live the way of life of monks
• To engage in long-term Dhamma study and meditation practice
• To serve society through wisdom, clarity, and compassion
Program Focus
Over three years, participants:
• Live continuously within the monastic environment
• Study Dhamma according to the Buddha’s teachings
• Deepen meditation through Sati & Sabai (Middle Way) Meditation, based on the teachings of Luang Pu Sodh of Wat Paknam
• Cultivate ethical discipline, mental stability, and insight
• Train not only to understand, but to embody and transmit wisdom
This program emphasizes direct experience, consistency, and responsibility—not theory alone.
Academic Qualification & Certification
Upon successful completion of the 3-year program, participants receive:
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) Degree
awarded by Dhammachai Open University (DOU)
• Meditation Teacher Certification
Graduates are qualified to:
• Teach meditation with grounded, lived experience
• Apply Dhamma principles in daily and professional life
• Support mental well-being and inner sustainability in society
• Serve as teachers, facilitators, or guides with integrity
This path is not about status or titles.
It is about responsibility, humility, and service.
Choosing Your Path
There is no hierarchy—only readiness.
• 30 Days — Establish clarity and foundation (30,000 THB)
• Day by Day — Deepen stability and discernment (12,000 THB/month, up to 3 months)
• Monk 4 Life (3 Years) — Commit to study, practice, and service (Degree-awarding program)
Each path is complete in itself.
Each step reveals the next.
The Monk Life Project is not about leaving the world behind.
It is about learning how to live within it—with clarity, balance, and wisdom.
The training begins exactly where you are.
