Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine May 2018 | Page 89

Travel | Seoul
We serve ourselves from large wooden bowls filled with
glistening kimchi, heaps of bright green zucchini and
tangles of sprouts tossed in Korean red pepper sauce.
room – a simple square on the second floor
of a gorgeous wooden building. Inside are two
roll-out mattresses, a closet full of fresh linen
and a modern bathroom with hot water. There’s
even a balcony overlooking the courtyard.
We might be stuck in the mountains, but
thankfully we’re not stuck in the Middle Ages.
I put on my grey temple clothes, and look
like my grandfather in a tracksuit. Temple
fashion hasn’t been upgraded in a while,
but it’s simple and comfortable. Besides,
after a quick inspection in the mirror,
the vest is already growing on me.
When the other guests arrive, we gather on
cushions in the main hall for our first activity:
bead craft. We introduce ourselves, chat and
create our own prayer necklaces. There are 108
wooden beads in each necklace, the same as the
number of bows we’ll be doing later that night.
I hear it’s quite a workout, and I pray for the
moment I can finish them.
5 Senses – Sound
MUSIC
Temples have a music all their
own. Monks tapping sticks to keep
themselves in the present. Hypnotic
chants drifting out of a meditation
session. A splashing creek flowing
under a stone bridge. But it’s
Buddhism’s instruments that
highlight the rhythm of temple life –
from the deep gong of the iron bell,
to the rumble of the giant dharma
drum. Every sound has a purpose,
all accenting the experience of
being immersed in another world.
Kuil Buddha memiliki musiknya
sendiri. Para biksu mengetuk tongkat
untuk membuat mereka fokus. Mantra
yang menghanyutkan mengalir keluar
dalam sesi meditasi. Gemercik air
sungai terdengar dari bawah
jembatan batu. Namun, yang paling
menonjolkan ritme kehidupan di kuil
adalah instrumen musik Buddha, dari
gong besi sampai gemuruh drum
dharma raksasa. Setiap suara memiliki
tujuan dan membuat kita merasa
tenggelam dalam dunia lain.
By evening, a tempting smell calls us to the
dining hall. We line up with our plates and
serve ourselves from large wooden bowls filled
with glistening kimchi, heaps of bright green
courgette and tangles of sprouts tossed in
Korean red pepper sauce. A pot of steaming
white rice ties it all together. The food is all
vegetarian, but Buddhist cooks have mastered
the art of using vegetables to make your
mouth water.
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After dinner comes the only part of this
temple-stay that worries me: 108 full-body
bows. “Has anyone ever not finished them?”
a nervous student asks. I’ve been wondering
the same thing all day. But Sunwoo just laughs
and says, “You do as many as you can.”
We assemble in the main temple by candlelight,
bowing as we agree to uphold certain virtues
and let go of attachment. At the end of 108 bows
we all turn to look at each other, our faces pink
from the workout, our smiles wide with relief.
We made it through together.
All the bowing and eating can really wear you
out. After an evening with new friends, exploring
the library, laughing by the creek and admiring
the night view over Seoul, it’s time to pack it in.
Sleep has always been a favourite hobby of mine,
and the roll-out mattress doesn’t disappoint.
Plus, there’s no silence like the mountains.
However, temples are famous for their early-
morning wake-up calls, and 5am comes too
soon. “Early morning is the best time to
practise,” says Sunwoo. “It’s when universal
energy springs up from the east.”
We spend the morning doing meditation in
the forest, asking for life advice from Sunwoo
and enjoying a delicious vegetarian breakfast.
Before I know it, my temple-stay is coming to
an end. While my tour of the quiet side is far
from over, I wish I could take a piece of this
place with me. And as I prepare to leave with
my new friends, I realise I am.
It’s strange to see that, dressed again in our
own clothing, we look the same as the day
before. But when we look at each other’s faces,
it’s clear that something has changed.