While hardly leading a monastic existence, I carefully avoided haute cuisine.

The apartment is the base for what seems a rather monastic existence.

In keeping with the Trappist belief in manual labor as an integral part of monastic existence, each monk fulfills a five- or six-hour daily work assignment.

"Kind of a monastic existence," he said, "like an Oscar Madison with dogs."

It's an almost monastic existence.

Full commitment would mean a full-time monastic existence.

Do you not think sometimes you've missed a chunk of your life living this monastic existence?

It had taken all his strength and determination to discipline himself to this unnatural monastic existence.

I led a completely monastic existence for that month, and at the end of four weeks it was done.

They were very much alike--two gifted people giving up everything for a monastic existence that focused solely on work, study, and advancement.