After staying two weeks as a paying, registered guest, monastic aspirants need to submit a letter to the monastic community to stay longer. I was told my letter was quite good:

Dear Deer Park Sangha,

I have been visiting Deer Park Monastery since October 29, 2004, and I am now writing to request permission for an extended stay at Deer Park Monastery for the purpose of further investigating a possible monastic aspiration.

I have been interested in the monastic path for many years, and having tried many options in secular life, my mind has always returned to the idea of pursuing the monastic path. During the course of secular life, I have maintained a consistent, solitary home practice, supplemented by reading and personal study and reflection, which has encouraged me to view many things in the secular world, if not most (if not all!), in a spiritual light.

Prior to visiting Deer Park, my practice has involved sitting, either alone or with a Sangha where available, and has influenced my life through maintaining harmonious interpersonal/family relationships, and maintaining meditative/critical mindfulness while pursuing hobbies and activities such as cycling, photography, astronomy, watching movies, and playing music.

To that extent, I have been able to manifest the spiritual theory in engaged practice, but my time at Deer Park has encouraged me to look more deeply at my practice at its very foundation; in the very simple and practical application of life, living, and existing. Perhaps this might be the “next level” beyond theory that I need, and to decide whether the monastic path is the right path for me. Already, I have taken the opportunity to receive the Five Mindfulness Trainings, and I immediately looked into them further through Thich Nhat Hanh’s book on them (available through the Deer Park Monastery Tea Room). Reading on them further has, indeed, greatly expanded my understanding and appreciation for them.

I have already engaged many of the monastics at Deer Park and they are aware of my aspirations/investigation and my level of participation with the community. I am, of course, prepared and willing to continue contributing and participating to the full extent of my ability, including work meditation, grounds preparation for retreats, Tea Room maintenance (guests being the primary users of the Tea Room, I think it proper, as a guest, for me to contribute to its maintenance), and sharing my music background. Other work skills include office related work and law and writing related work.

Over the course of the time that I am allowed to stay, I would be searching in my heart whether the monastic path is where my life has been leading, while learning as much as I can about what it takes and what it means to be a monastic on both a spiritual and practical level. Just being here and being involved has been my greatest education, and any feedback, observations, criticisms, encouragements, etc., would be appreciated. Access to the monastic library would be nice, but so would internet access to maintain a “monastic aspirant weblog” (online journal) – but I understand if those are against policy.

I am committed to live harmoniously and responsibly with the community as long as I am here.

Sincerely,
Koji Li

Like any application, it is prettied up.