Korean Job Discussion Forums

[here_for-_now]

My first Dave's cafe post!..
was wondering if any of you have tried temple stays..
I'm interested in spending a couple of days in a temple...just to experience something different..
any temples anyone can recommend? how about ones in Gyongju?..english translation offered?..
I found quite a few on the internet...one offered free 1 or 2 day stays to english speaking foreigners...they said they'll have professional photographers on site to take pictures for promotional purposes but I don't know how I feel about shooting a commercial when I'm there to relax!..
so let me know if you have one to recommend!
thx

[LATAN]

If you're a Christian you should stay away. They compel you to get up at 3am and to bow and scrape to their false images, which is forbidden in the Bible. Be true to your conscience if you're a Christian and don't go. There are many other wats to relax besides worshipping false gods.

[Swiss James]

a typical useful Dave's ESL reply to your first post I see!

I went to Songgwansa near Suncheon and did kind of a Temple Stay. Basically we just showed up, asked the monks if we could sleep (by miming sleep) and they showed us to our rooms- one for me, one for my female friend.
Evening meal was provided (pretty good veggie canteen stuff, but only take what you can eat- down to the last grain), then went to bed with another 3 guys in my room- one of whom snored and had his minging feet right next to my face.

Woke up at 3am (the time when a man's mind is clearest), prayed and bowed with the monks and a few visitors, then nothing to do until 6am when breakfast was served. The monks went and did their thing, most of the other visitors went back to bed, me and my mate tried every drink in the vending machines.

After breakfast we chatted to one monk who spoke a bit of english, he invited us to his quarters but we couldn't find them- had a look around the mountain, watched a monk practise his drumming, then got a bus back to town.

No charge, no cameras, but no english.

There's a bit more about it here- no need to mention the photo of me in a vest OK?

[macosie]

I arranged a temple stay at HwaEumSa (near Girisan, Jeollanamdo) through the Templestay website.
Since it was organized we did have to pay. I think it was 50 000won. It was a good experience. IT wasn't quite as organized as I had expected, but it was good. Some Temples supply clothing to use, HwaUmsa wasn't set up for that yet. SInce we did arrange ahead of time, they sent a translator from Seoul to help us. She was a great help, even if one of the more senior monks could speak ok English.
The monks didn't force us to do anything we didn't want to, or anything against our personal beliefs. We were free to watch, or participate; it was our choice. There was no attempt to convert us, they just to showed us how to meditate, what some of the practices of Korean Buddhists are, and how the monks live. We got to see the temple at it's emptiest and most peaceful. Waking up at 3:30 am was hard, but we did go to be at 10pm. The difference between listening to the monks chant and pray that early in the morning, and seeing a temple crawling with people at 11am, is amazing. It was very peaceful and spiritual. We shared meals with the monks, and sleep in a dorm (not with the monks). We also helped clean up the last day, and went for a hike up to a hermitage for tea.
For people with open minds, it was a chance to see part of our host country's culture. There were a few devote Christians with us, and they could appreciate the experience for what is was, a nonjudgemental look at another culture and belief system.
Take a look at the website. Templestay.com (I think)
It was a great experience. If you do the "free uninterpretted way" like the one fellow, you might want to make a small donation to the temple to say thanks.

[here_for-_now]

Thank you to swissjames and macosie for your helpful answers...
nice website swissjames (and cool vest!)..
macosie, I checked out the templestay website...seems pretty good..
Since I'm planning on going alone,I think I might prefer something organised..so going through the site seems like a good idea
one last thing, I am a female and as I mentioned, planning to go alone...and although I don't think this should be a problem, doesn't hurt to ask if it's cool to go on my own?

[macosie]

THere are female monks, so I don't think you'll have a problem. They had a boys' room and a girls' rooms. They should be cool about it.
Have fun