Nearer to keeping it slightly apart from the monastic life (8)
I believe the answer is:
cloister
'monastic life' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
I can't explain the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cloister that I've seen before include "Covered pillared arcade" , "sacred enclosure?" , "Monastery's arcaded walk" , "Covered walkway around courtyard" , "Covered walk round quadrangle" .)