The Long Weekend - Part II

It's Sunday. The six of us have just finished a healthy breakfast of croissants, hot choco or coffee, and grabbed some additional food to take to the temple. Now it's time to get to the bus station.

Rollercoaster Ride

We figure out which bus to hop on and wait at the stop. A rather frantic bus pulls up and we attempt to get on not knowing how much the ride will cost. The driver is yelling at us to get on the bus quickly (we think). I'm the last one in line and he is attempting to shut the door. We have made him late! We figure out how much the ride will cost and pay. Then the ride of doom begins. We leave the city and begin winding through a somewhat picturesque hilly area. The bus driver is driving like a maniac and is taking hairpin turns at full speed. Our bodies are thrown from side to side in our seats. I am doubled over with laughter as I consider that he may end up tipping the bus if he continues at this rate. I am laughing too loudly and the americans are shushed by the driver who continues to smile. I do wonder what he was thinking.

About 40 minutes into our rollercoaster ride, the driver yells out Golgulsa!!!!! We must hurry and get off the bus. He points in the direction we should walk and says "2 kilometers!"

We cross the road (after the bus passes of course) and are slightly concerned about the direction we need to go. We could be potentially walking down the road to nowhere. Hmm...

But of course our trusty bus driver did not lead us astray and soon we approach the entrance to the temple grounds.

Temple Stay - Day 1

We check in and are given a brief overview of the schedule, expectations, and how to properly bow. There's a lot of bowing, so it's good to know how ahead of time. The males and females stay on separate floors and neither is allowed in the opposite sex's room. We'll be sleeping on the floor. Comfy. However the floor is heated (like most floors in Korea - their heating system is called ondul - I LOVE IT!!!!).

Our first activity is to make lotus flower paper lanterns for a night time ceremony honoring the first full moon of the year (they celebrate the lunar new year). Hooray for arts and crafts! Everyone's lantern looks completely different in terms of colors used and pattern and all are stunningly beautiful.

Around 3p.m. we take a brief break to watch a sunmudo demonstration. Sunmudo is a form of martial arts that we will learn on Monday. As we begin to climb up to the demonstration, we realize there are too many people and won't be able to see. So, we decide to climb up higher on the left side to get more of an aerial view...he he he. Let me emphasize, the climb up the hill to the demonstration area is a steep one. Very steep - this hill will be mentioned again. On the right side of the hill, if you look to the right, the stone statue of buddha from the sixth century is quite a climb farther up. You definitely do not want to lose your footing.

Next up, dinner time. You can only enter through the middle door if you are a mere human (not a monk or junior monk). You must eat everything on your plate - no matter how hot or bad the food is. I take small portions and lots of rice. The food isn't too bad but I am a little glad about the bagel that I had earlier.

Dinner ends so we grab our lanterns (with a wish for yourself attached) and load up onto a bus that takes us to the sea. We get to the beach and there are hundreds upon hundreds of lanterns lit on the sand. A huge fire burns brightly providing additional light for the ceremony and will be used to burn our lotus lanterns later. The moon is gorgeous, the lanterns provide quite an overwhelming ambience, and for a brief moment I am transported back in time to Sitges, Spain where 4 of us eating croissants and drinking coffee looked at each other and exclaimed what fortunate lives we have. I am very fortunate to be in Korea. To be in this moment and sharing it with new friends is amazing.

After the ceremony and burning our lanterns in the huge fire, we head back to the temple grounds and call it a night - it's only 9p.m. or so, but we are exhausted and have to be up at 4a.m.

Temple Stay - Day 2

The gong is ringing. Oh it's so early. I'm moving at the pace of a snail and have to climb that damn hill to get to the morning chanting service. Kelly and I brush our teeth and realize we have to haul butt to get to the temple. We break into a run. I am huffing and puffing up the treacherous hill. It's too early to run!!! We make it with only a couple of minutes to spare. Then the service begins. Stand up, sit down, bow, stand up, sit down, bow...things are getting splotchy. Is the room spinning? Am I having a religious experience? I hate cold sweating. Oooohhhh, I'm not feeling too good. Stand up, sit down, bow..stand up - the walls are closing in. I attempt to look back at Jen and Brittany and mouth "help." My knees buckle and I fall into the wall. Sweet. I'm going to faint. I try to collect myself and look back to our orientation lady. She points to the door and miraculously I stand up and run out the door. I really hope I don't have to do 3,000 bows because I had to leave. That's the punishment for monks who miss the service. Not a minute later Kelly comes flying out of the temple too. We're certainly a hot mess. Stupid hill!

We grab some water and at a certain point I tell myself to go back in. The service is over. Noooo!!!! But there's 15 minutes of meditation - sitting down. Hooray! After meditation, we climb up a little higher to start a meditative walk. I'm feeling better. Then it starts to rain. No walk. We go back to sleep for an hour, have breakfast, and nap some more.

Now it's time for sunmudo training. Our teacher is french and every time he says breath I think he's saying breast. I cannot laugh in this class! I maintain composure and attempt to complete the gumby-like stretches. My personal favorite involves sitting with your legs hip-distance apart. Using momentum twist your upper torso and dive to the floor so your torso is lying front side down while your legs and hips stay where they are (knees toward ceiling). French teacher comes and presses on my shoulders - ouch! Man I miss pilates! We learn one kick and one block and class is over. I may need a chiropractor but my alien card hasn't come in yet.

The next activity is to do 108 bows. 108 times kneeling, bowing (forehead to floor), and then standing up. Start again. Each of the 108 bows means something and we're given a list in English so we know what the Korean tape is saying. I bow to give thanks for my family. I bow to know that the universe flows through me. I bow to know that love is everywhere. And the list goes on...I lose track of which number we're on. I read faster. Maybe I read too far ahead. Concentrate on my favorite one...then it ends and I have one more to go. Blast!!! I thought I would get tired and my legs would give out, but I think that because you're focusing on the words and what they mean, the physical aspect doesn't seem so demanding. You will, however, certainly feel it the next day...and the next. And maybe, if you're lucky, you'll still be sore the next day.

Our final activity is to have tea with our french teacher and to ask him questions. A few questions are asked but it's primarily quiet. The stay comes to a close after lunch and it's time to head back to Seoul.

It's been a fabulous trip (minus the fainting part) but I can't wait to get back to work on the feng shui in my apartment and to learn more about the city in which I live.