Temple Stay

Wow! I just realized I have not posted in FOREVER! I often forget that posting on facebook does not mean my blog is automatically updated as well.  Well I will start by telling about an AWESOME experience that I was able to experience in South Korea.  I found a company called Adventure Korea that plans trips including travel and accommodations.  They had a trip to a temple stay that I just could not pass up.  Molly and I left on Saturday morning and we got on a bus that took us to a Buddhist temple in Gimji. This was the first time that we had left the giant city of Seoul.  We got there a little early so we had 2 hours to explore the temple grounds before we got assigned rooms.  It was beautiful.  I think that Spring is definitely the time to go here because there were so many Cherry Blossom trees still in bloom.  There was also every shade of green imaginable in the scenery.  After our many photo opps throughout the area we were able to to get into our room and get our monastic wear.  We got to our room and it was very little with just two mats on the floor that we would be sleeping on.  We then met with our monk that would be spending the weekend with us.  His name was Shin Hang and he was amazing!  He opened up by showing us a video about the temple and temple courtesy, which pretty much amounted to bow every chance you get at anything you see.  We then got to make lotus lanterns.  It was a very time consuming art project consisting of gluing multiple pieces of tissue paper to a lantern in numerous rows.  Although it was long, the final product was well worth the wait.  They all came out so pretty!  We then had dinner, which was in complete silence and absolutely disgusting.  After dinner we took part in a Buddhist ceremony.  It consisted of a lot of chanting and a lot of bowing.  After the ceremony we had a Q& A session with our monk.  We got to ask questions about Buddhism, life at a temple, life as a monk and his reasonings for joining monkhood.  Despite Buddhist monks’ silent lifestyle, he has facebook and twitter (and he told us to follow him!). It was early to bed because Molly and I woke up at 3:10AM to catch the optional morning ceremonial service, which consisted of more chanting and bowing. We got in 45 more minutes of sleep before breakfast. Before breakfast we had a a meditation period.  The lights were off and it was silent, which makes you kind of want to doze off but if you begin to slouch in posture the monk will come hit you with this stick, not to hurt but to just wake up your body a little be.  After some thoughtful meditation we got to experience a traditional monastic meal offering for breakfast. There is a set process of how to set out bowls, where to put the napkin, how to serve the food, and how to clean. Breakfast begins with giving thanks for the food. First, a little water is placed in the biggest bowl, and you pour it into each of the remaining bowls to clean them. Next, the food is served. Each bowl has a specific purpose; rice bowl, soup bowl, side dish bowl, and utensil bowl where the cleaning water is. You eat in silence. When you take a bite, you must bring the bowl up to cover your mouth. No food can be wasted, so you must eat all your food. When you are finished you use  water and a piece of radish to clean your bowls. Then you get served "burned rice water", which is the bottom layer of water that is leftover when you cook the rice.   This is your beverage to wash down the breakfast.  I know all this sounds appetizing and please keep in mind this was This was all done at 5:30 in the morning. Definitely the strangest breakfast I have ever had.  Usually after breakfast you take part in the communal work consisting of sweeping and other chores to keep up the temple but since it had rained all weekend we lucked out of excusing ourself from this work.  This meant 2 more hours of sleep for Molly and me, which were much needed.  After waking up for the 3rd time of the morning we went on a walking meditation through a forest.  We saw some breathtaking views throughout our journey.  In this forest there is one tree that is very unique and a tourist attraction for many couples in the area.  It is two pine trees that grew together by a branch in the middle.  The monk explained that one tree was weak and one was strong so they grew together to balance out.  Molly and me took our typical Korean love pose making a heart in front of the tree and the monk asked us if we were a couple.  It was quite humorous.  When we got back we got to make our own prayer beads.  We got 108 beads and a piece of string.  You go to different buildings throughout the temple and for each bead you put on you make a wish and do a bow.  Needless to say by the end I was running out of wishes and tired of bowing.  I am so glad that I got to experience this part of asian culture.  It is definitely one I will never forget!