A Trappist is a classic monk. He wears a medieval white robe with black cowl. The greater part of his day is spent in solitude, study, and prayer. He lives in a small, spare room with only a handful of possessions.
Meals are simple vegetarian, eaten without conversation.
He rises at 3 A.M., and prays with the community seven times a day. His work is primarily physical labor at the monastery. The financial rewards of that labor never exceed the costs of maintaining the monastery and the community of monks that live and worship there. On the surface, it is a life seemingly at odds with the rest of society. The monk knows that his lifestyle is a severe counter-culture.