How can I join the Shaolin Monks?
If you speak Chinese, you can study and train at any one of the martial arts centers that congregate in the valley below Shaolin Temple. This won’t require you to take monastic vows, but it’s very hard training. Alternatively, you can become a monastic at a temple in Korea or Japan that accepts westerners and trains students in English. Once established there, you can seek out martial arts teachers. You might ask yourself why you seek this path. If you’ve trained extensively in martial arts in your own country, this might be a good path for you. But if it’s a fresh enthusiasm, I suggest that you find a martial arts teacher near you and begin your training at home. This will help you determine if you truly have a calling for this path. Good luck! ========================= You have 5 years training — that’s wonderful. You might consider going to Mu Sang Sah temple in Korea (link below), which was established by western Zen monks (in the rich Korean Zen tradition) to train both lay and o
