There are all sorts of religious organizations throughout the world, some formal, some not, in which for devotees of such organizations, there may purposely be created sanctuaries for such devotees, such as a monastery, abbey, convent, or structures similar to this. Those that live within a monastery, for example, must follow the discipline and rules of that domain, in which, the structure and purpose of what can or cannot be done, prayer times, devotion, duty, and so forth, are typically defined in a way that are consistent, purposeful, and strict within that given discipline. The main purpose for any of these devotees is to find solace in the word of God, through quiet devotion, as well as through the purposeful acts and accomplishments of a given day.
While the greatest purpose for anyone's life is to find our way back to God, it isn't quite good enough, to simply close the door on outside influences and outside disturbances, and simply walk away from the world at large. Granted, it is no easy task to perform a monk or a nun's duties faithfully, and full credit should be given for those that are devotees of the highest order, but there is also an obligation that every person has to society, which is to engage that society, and to make that society better by bringing your knowledge, knowhow, and grace to your interactions with others.
This means, that while it isn't necessarily wrong, that some monasteries essentially are closed systems, in which once you are in, you never leave, nor do you deal with the outside, except in special circumstances and conditions, it essentially means that such a system is far from ideal, and lacks the gift of giving to the world at large. What is a far better approach, is to look upon your sanctuary, your prayer, your discipline, as the means to become daily invigorated with the love of God, and to thereby take that love and rather than hiding it under a bowl, place it high up on a stand, so that our fellow brothers and sisters can see the revelation from such a brilliant light.
This signifies that within our own domain that we should indeed take the time to contemplate, to meditate, to step away from the din and confusion of our everyday world, so as to reset our minds and thereby to renew our spirit, so that we will be stronger and more self-assured, for the world brings us many troubles that easily can wear a given person down, and thereby change someone from caring to someone that just sees life as something inexplicable that must ultimately simply be endured.
There can be no higher respect than to respect those that truly have their house in order, of which, from such clarity of mind and spirit, they help us to see the world and society for what it really is, a proving ground, so that those of calm temperament and serene presence, do not panic at the travails of a given day, but show us best how to competently deal with them, along with letting us know the inestimable value of listening to that still small voice within, that each of us, must, if we are true, recognize as the soundest touchstone of our lives.