Monastic Musings From Thailand is a delightful account of daily life at a modern-day Thai Buddhist monastery. The author spent several months in a small forest monastery outside Chiang Rai in 2017, first as a layperson and then as a fully ordained monk. There, he discovered traditions that have changed little since the time of the Buddha and which are deeply engrained in modern Thai culture. Over the months, he wrote down countless conversations with the abbot, as well as the minute details of life at the monastery. The result is an easy-to-read venture into psychology, religion and culture East and West, mixed in with short day-to-day observations about life in Thailand and at the monastery. An entertaining, insightful read for anyone interested in Thailand, in life at a Buddhist monastery.
Philippe Leduc was born in Canada in 1972. His interest in Buddhism started when he was in high school, and over the years he has explored several spiritual traditions, including Advaita Vedanta, yoga and various Buddhist lineages, as well as the universal teachings of Eckhart Tolle and Byron Katie. He works mostly as a freelance translator. Today, in 2023, his interest in understanding the mind and ending suffering is as alive than ever.