Written by Ashley Amabel Enriquez Vidal
Imagine you are sitting down with your eyes closed, slowly breathing in and out, feeling your lungs expanding. With every breath you take, you get a hint of herb, gently calming you down. Your mind is clear, and although it is blank, you’re not bored; it is relaxing as you just let go of all these other thoughts and the stress of everything that feels like it is weighing you down. Your shoulders begin to drop, and every pain and ache you feel in your body quickly dissolves with every breath. You hear a faint “tok” of hollow wood getting struck by a small mallet.
Your eyes slowly open, and you feel fully relaxed, calm, and content. This is how students from Absolute Internship reported feeling after meditating on their first day of a temple stay.
After a delicious lunch, Adventure Korea took this group of students on a distinctive adventure to a Buddhist Temple in Gyeongju. Students were excited but a little nervous, as they did not know what fun and thrills awaited them over the next 24 hours. After checking in and receiving their orientation instructions, itinerary, and uniforms, the group settled into their room and quickly changed for their first activity.
The first thing the students experienced was some Sunmudo training, which is distinctive for its special blend of meditative martial arts and Buddhist philosophy. Students had the opportunity to sit and do what we typically think of as meditation, as well as to stretch and engage in activities that required more movement and coordination. All the teachers and monks were very friendly and kept reminding the group not to overexert themselves, which created a more comfortable, relaxed environment while keeping everyone engaged.
The most challenging aspect of the first day for the students was the 108 prostations. In the beginning, everyone was doing great, but slowly, people started to sit down and were impressed as they watched their peers and the Buddhist Monk finish all 108. This number is auspicious and highly important to Buddhists. To get to this number, they calculate all six senses and multiply them by the three types of feelings, whether they are attached ot detached, and finally by past, present, and future, which will give you the number 108.
After the day’s fun activities, it was time for dinner, which mostly featured vegetarian food, and students were pleasantly surprised by the delicious food in front of them. They got to meet and chat with other people participating in the temple stay. They had some time to rest and walk along the different paths on the property, and saw some amazing views from high up. Students were lucky that the day was sunny and warm, and that Buddha’s birthday had been 2 days prior, so the temple was beautifully decorated with lanterns that shone as the cool night set in.
Early in the morning, while it was raining, some of the students decided to attend the early-morning Buddhist service, where they were able to partake in a new type of meditation that helped them feel energized for the day ahead. They continued to participate in all the activities offered and took free time to reflect on their own. To end this unique experience, we had tea and answered reflective questions about ourselves, which strengthened the bond among the students and made this stay more special and memorable. During the temple stay, students noticed that some people stay for multiple days, weeks, or even months and get to participate in more of the amazing activities this establishment offers.
Although it was a different lifestyle, much different from theirs, students were able to cherish that moment, learn a little more about Buddhist culture, and see how it seeps into Korean culture! Although the establishment did not prohibit the use of devices, many of the students chose to do so on their own and reported feeling more at one with nature and able to take more away from this distinctive opportunity.
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