the monk

While spending extensive time in southeast Asia, it’s very likely you’ll witness and possibly encounter a monk. It’s not a phenomenon because it’s a choice that many young and old males decide to embrace when the time is right in their life. The principles of Buddhism are known to be a way of life instead of being categorized as a religion. In fact, Buddhism is accepting of other religions because of the overlay of principles that coincide with many teachings embedded in Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and other known religions. Besides meditation and practicing a modest life, Buddhist monks are seen in a respectable favor by people in society. The images are primarily monks in transition as I wandered around many temples in northern and central Thailand, and Myanmar.

There are many photographs and series that capture intimate moments with monks. In fact in less than a quarter of the restaurants I visited in Thailand and Cambodia had a version of a monk series hanging on their walls. Along with being inspired by artists and photographers who conveyed a feeling through their monk portraiture I was also genuinely fascinated with the life. I met many elders who had been monks all their life, I also conversed with many new and young monks. In this glimpse of my experience abroad it presents monks in a fatter of fact way, yet it is a moment to draw your curiosity.