By this time we were all hungry and went for lunch with the monks again. You can also get information or make a booking at the the Templestay Information Center across from Jogyesa Temple in Seoul. During your Templestay in Korea, its possible to join in with these bows. 2023 The Sunrise Dreamers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. December 27, 2022 by Joel One of my all time favourite experiences from living and travelling around Korea has to be a temple stay. There are various activities at a temple stay in Korea and each temple provides its own program. Read more. We arrived back at the temple around 11:30 am and had to pack up our things and return our clothes so they can prepare for future guests. As we stayed overnight on a Saturday in June, the Templestay programme was quite busy! Grounded in ancient Confucianism, yet one of the most digitally-connected countries in the world, Korea offers a dynamic cultural mix of long-standing tradition and modern . One of the best things to do in South Korea The Temple stay experience in Korea will show you Korean traditional culture and Korean Buddhism, whilst allowing you to learn more about yourself through meditation or relaxation. There are several great Buddhist temples in Seoul. Most temples are located in or near mountains, so outdoor or hiking boots are a must to enjoy your temple stay and its natural surroundings to the fullest. The Templestay website introduces many Korean temples stay programs for foreigners. KTX You can book your train tickets online here Korail Train Tickets. I knew being British would come in useful at some point in life! Once you have your ticket head to Seoul Station and get on your train to Singyeongju Station (around 2 hours) The KTX will cost around 45,000KWR for a one-way ticket. Actually, when I first booked the program I was so thrilled at the prospect of staying in a temple that I hadnt looked at the itinerary! Visiting Buddhist temples in Korea is generally free. It is common for these temples to have plaques on site depicting their participation. Spiritual drumming is carried out by Temple Monks during the mornings and evenings at Korean temples. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoLPC_OoIPLiW8JiX29JEjE5VTb2BohHBMyv7_7im5aXFA3A/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1. Fee (Special Offer):1 Overnight 30,000 won. But in temples, everyone lives as equal natural people, regardless of religion, race, or gender. If youre visiting Seoul, you can experience a temple stay in places such as Bongeunsa (Gangnam), Geumsunsa (Bukhansan National Park), and even Jogyesa (Insadong). As such, its easy to schedule a temple stay in Korea into your trip, even if you are only in Korea for a Seoul city break or only have a limited amount of time to dedicate to your Korea itinerary. We 100% recommend doing a Temple stay in Golgulsa Temple, so now you can decide if its something for you! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hello! There are several different options to for a temple stay experience in Korea that fits all kind of schedules. The cost for the "Temple Stay" might vary depending on the location and the number of days, but usually goes from 40,000 Korean won (USD $35) to 80,000 Korean won (USD $70). When entering the Buddhas Hall (the main temple), make sure to enter using the doors on the left and right. Kate Taylor Feb 25, 2020, 19:38 IST Advertisement I booked an overnight stay at a Buddhist temple in Seoul during a recent trip to South Korea. The programs cost 30,000 won for the overnight experience. Facebook:Stars and StripesPacific Hong Kong CNN . Monks and nuns live very simple lives in the temples. Its very important to only take the food youll eat, as its not kind to leave any wasted food. The idea is to feel your soul coming together inside of your body as you count the prayer beads in your hand. It is the variety of lots of little plates of food that makes Korean mealtimes so great. I opted to participate in a Korea Temple Stay at Beopjusa Temple. Come join us for a Korean Temple Stay at Beomeosa Buddhist Temple () located in a gorgeous mountain setting just outside of Busan, South Korea. More than 100 temples around Korea offer official Templestay programs, many of which are conducted in English and welcome foreign participants. This means visitors should refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol while doing their temple stay. Most temple stay accommodations are very well equipped with all the essentials you might need during your stay, but you should still bring some things for your temple stay. The Temple Stay program gives you the opportunity to have a one on one discussion with a Monk. Korean Buddhist Monks follow a vegan diet. Once youve reached Gyeongju, you can catch a bus (150 / 100 / 100-1 around 50 minutes) to the Andong bus stop and from there its a 15-minute walk to Golgulsa Temple. As most Korean temples are located in the mountains surrounded by peaceful greenery, participating in a temple stay is a wonderful way to escape the country's urban buzz while rejuvenating soul and body. 26. Reservation availability may vary from temple to temple. If youre not sure what you might need to pre-plan, check out my guide to what to know about Korea before you arrive. Although there is Wifi in the reception area of the temple. Thank you! Monasteries do not provide temple stay visitors with toiletries or towels. After that, I got changed into the required clothing a very simple outfit of loose trousers and top that you can wear over your normal clothes. A monk will instruct you on the proper posture to clear your mind. If you are looking for somewhere special outside of Seoul, check out one of the nine temples listed as UNESCO world heritage sites: Beopjusa, Bulguksa, Magoksa, and Haeinsa. Feel free to leave a donation if you enjoyed your time there and want to support the temple for future generations to enjoy. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. For a small feeanywhere between 30,000-70,000 Korean Won (about 30-70 USD)visitors can stay overnight in one of the several participating temples across the country, and experience authentic . After dinner, you have a couple of hours of free time to do what youd like. A highlight of my adventures has been stumbling across an off the beaten track temple with a seeminglynondescript outer, to find that the inside is filled with countless elaborate precious metal statues of Buddha, the site encapsulated with the mesmerising scent of incense. It was one of our favourite things we did on our 2 week South Korea trip. It is typical for all of the temple residents and volunteers to work together to prepare the food and then clean the kitchen afterwards. Foreigners stay in the same place as Koreans. This was definitely the most interesting wake-up weve ever had! Yes!! As you might expect from a place of worship, there are certain things you cant and shouldnt do in a Buddhist temple in Korea. The lunch and dinner were similar, but a variety of Korean dishes. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Magok-sa (magoksa.or.kr) is a beautifully isolated mountain temple offering traditional temple stays that include dawn meditative walks along the riverside and an immersive experience in learning about monastic life. Are you thinking about doing a temple stay in Korea? The monks and staff at the temple stay were very accommodating in my temple stay experiences. Oh its so nice and refreshing to talk with you, I hadnt realised there were any female monks here. Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism 4F Templestay Center, 56, Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea . I feel sorry in a way as I asked a lot of difficult questions, but he answered them honestly and, sometimes, with shocking answers. Secondly, harness all your senses whilst you prepare and drink the tea in quiet contemplation. The Seon Center offers a variety of different Temple Stay programs that you can choose from. Eligibility:First come, first served 430 foreigners It is expected youll take only what you need and always finish everything off from your bowl, down to the last grain of rice, but its perfectly acceptable to go for multiple rounds to fill up. Yebool is the opening chant to start the day and offers the chance for self-reflection and purification for the day ahead. The below list of activities are the most common at a temple stay in Korea. Seon meditation focuses on clearing your mind of thoughts, allowing you to learn mindfulness and concentration. In fact, some upscale and Michelin-starred restaurants in Seoul have won acclaim for serving contemporary spins on temple food to the masses! These types of prayer beads are traditional prayer tools in Korean Buddhism. By Amy and Dan June 16, 2022 Are you thinking about spending the night at Golgulsa Templestay? To improve your experience, this website uses cookies. The Korean Buddhist Cultural Foundation will hold a 'Temple Stay Week for Foreigners' to introduce Korean traditional culture to foreigners staying in Korea from the 5th to the 30th of this month.During this period, a Temple Stay can be experienced at up to an 80% discount at 39 temple stays across the country, including Busan's Beomeosa and Hongbeopsa Temple.These programs include . My most recent temple stay experience was at Beopjusa Temple in the incredibly beautiful Sognisan National Park in central Korea. Here are the top free thing to do in Seoul. Beopjusa, located in the rural setting of Songnisan National Park in Chungcheongbuk-do was the perfect opportunity to do so. Its Buddhist temple food which consists of traditional Korean dishes with rice. Lonely Planet contributors do not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage. It also offers meditation classes, culture classes, and temple food lectures. There are many sacred religious objects and locations in the temple grounds, certainly avoid damaging or disrespecting them. We stayed on a Saturday night over to Sunday, so we enjoyed the beach trip on Sunday morning. The Korean Temple Stay website or at the Temple Stay Information Centre in Insadong, Seoul. SafetyWingis a flexible monthly-rolling travel insurance to cover you when you travel away from home. Its sensible to bring along extra layers, just in case. Subscribe to Lonely Planet newsletters and promotions. The temple stay program is designed to welcome foreigners and therefore there are guides who can speak English, as well as translate anything the monks might say. Bug spray can come in handy, especially during summer months. At a temple, eating is a part of Buddhist practice and the people feel gratitude considering it is a tool on the path to enlightenment. Please speak softly and be considerate of others around you. Temple Stay in Korea: Everything You Need to Know, What to bring for your Temple Stay in Korea, Comfortable Outdoor Shoes or Hiking Boots. Many temple stay programs in Korea offer prayer bead classes. Others show her slumped over a chair . 3am. If you browse the Templestay website, youll notice there are many Templestays to experience in Korea.Golgulsa Temple is known for Sunmudo training which is why its unique and popular! It's totally worth it! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. A prostrationis a gesture used inBuddhistpractice to show reverence to theTriple Gem: the Buddha, his teachings, and the spiritual community. This includes temples in major cities such as Seoul and Busan. We would have definitely spent more days at the Templestay if we had more time in the country. Participants at a temple stay experience get to do this whilst also threading 108 beads to make a prayer bead bracelet. Furthermore, you can enjoy cultural activities, including lotus lantern walks and prayer bead making. To be expected, there is a Temple etiquette to be followed during your stay and you will be shown a short video upon arrival detailing this. Here are some other great articles that you might want to read about travelling in Korea. For my own personal experience, skip to the part about my temple stay experience in Korea. 18,538 From US$ 60.00 US$ 25.00 Are you looking for a Templestay in Korea with Transportation and Cultural Commentator? There was no pressure or expectation to come to any sort of conclusions or share any specific views. I really enjoyed your description! Heres the link for Golgulsa Templestay Reservations. A temple stay in Korea is a great way to immerse yourself in Korean Buddhist culture. Foreigners might not understand what is being said, but you can still join in and go through the bowing motions, learning about the importance of the ceremony and seeing the dedication and spirituality in the monks. Participants: Foreigners residing in Korea Submitted data: alien registration card(ex:university identity card or University certificate), etc. I was in a group with about 20 Korean people and 3 foreigners, the organizers did tell me that sometimes it would be about 20 foreigns and 3 Korean people, it really depends on the . Here are a few more travel essentials for your Golgulsa Templestay: Gyeongju The closest city to Golgulsa Temple in Gyeongju! The Korean Buddhist Cultural Foundation will hold a 'Temple Stay Program for Foreigners' to introduce Korean traditional culture to foreigners staying in Korea through October 30 at 13 different locations around the country. Unfortunately it was pretty rubbish, mainly because it was badly organised: we spent a great deal of time just sitting around, but in such a large group it's difficult for that sitting around to be an opportunity to sit around deliberately. There are four special instruments that are used for this process. Shoes are always removed before entering any interior space in the temple, and youll be expected to clean up your room before you depart. Alternatively, you can visit the Temple Stay Information Centre in Insadong, Seoul. Usually running during the weekends, this temple stay allows you to stay overnight at the temple and join in activities not open to regular visitors. There are many Buddhist temples over the country that allow guests to stay overnight and join in with meditation or other activities. You can experience so much more and be part of various ceremonies that arent normally available to people outside of the temple. There are dozens of working Buddhist temples around South Korea today, many of which are part ofTemplestay (templestay.com), an official program that allows visitors to participate in monastic Buddhist life for short stays. But there are a few activities that almost every temple stay takes in: One of the true joys of a temple stay is the chance to clear your mind and spend time simply being. Smoking, sex (even for married couples), drinking and loud behaviour are off-limits in most Korean temples. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Golgulsa Temple is located near Gyeongju city and is easily reached by public transport from anywhere in South Korea. The first activity on your schedule is to watch the Sunmudo Performance. Its totally worth it! If you feel uncomfortable joining in any part, or you dont think you can wake up before the sun rises, then you can choose to miss that activity. Theres a wide variety of choice, ranging from really remote temples to quick getaways near Seoul designed for weekend rejuvenation. This is the perfect chance to disconnect with technology and reconnect with nature and gain some inner peace. In order to show their appreciation, they will bow 108 times. On the same website, you can find Golgulsa Temple under the list of Templestays and simply hit the reserve button to find out more. After breakfast, you have a couple of hours of free time again. Melissa Douglas is a British Travel Writer and Blogger based in Athens, Greece. Happy browsing!. You can book a temple stay before you arrive in Korea. A one-night, two dayTemplestay program costs 70,000 KRW per night. A temple stay is an excellent program set up by the Culture Corps of Korean Buddhism with the aim to promote Korean Buddhism to the world. Whether you have one week in Korea, or a lot longer, then theres something for you. Even the act of eating will teach you a thing or two about humility and tranquility. You will learn lots about Korean Buddhism, but previous knowledge or devotion to Buddhism isnt required at all. Take note that meals are served during certain hours and wont be available outside of those hours. (30krw for a pre-schooler). This guide covers everything you need to know before your temple stay to make the most of your experience. More rigorous temples may require participants to make 1,080 prostrations a day, while more casual temples may require fewer bows. Monastic life always seems somewhat secretive. As most Korean temples are located in the mountains surrounded by peaceful greenery, participating in a temple stay is a wonderful way to escape the countrys urban buzz while rejuvenating soul and body. Fortunately, we were allowed a short nap after this before the next main activity, which was one of the toughest! Ive joined a temple stay several times now and for me the best part is the chance to learn more about Buddhist philosophy. In general, prices for temple stays can cost around 50,000 KRW (44 USD) for two days and one night. There are a few things to consider before booking your Temple stay, but well share more details below! Three of the best for tourists and those interested in seeing more about Korean Buddhism include Jogyesa Temple in Insadong, Bongeunsa Temple in Gangnam, and Geumsunsa Temple in Bukhansan National Park, Seoul. Shoes come off at the door, and, sock-footed, you choose a pillow, clasping your hands together and kneeling, then bowing your forehead to the floor, standing again and bowing again. Sharing a formal monastic meal is very common during a temple stay. More delicious vegan food and my body was feeling really good by this point with all the food, sleep, and no technological distractions. You can easily register for your temple stay online or visit the Templestay Information Center in Seoul. Templestay is a unique cultural program which lets you experience the life of Buddhist practitioners at traditional temples which preserve the 1700 year old history of Korean Buddhism.. It was really interesting to learn about the rich history of this temple and how Korean Buddhism has evolved in Korea. 2021.10. Heres our in-depth travel guide to help you plan your trip, Read More The Best El Nido Itinerary: 3 Days in El NidoContinue, Searching for vegan restaurants in Koh Samui? Book here Relaxation Templestay. I spent the evening before my departure envisaging the peaceful time I would have at the temple. These are to help with Sunmudo training. Closed, flat shoes should be worn with socks (inside and outside), You should remain in silence throughout the temple site, During meal times, you should only speak when necessary, No meat, no snacks, no alcohol, or smoking on the Temple grounds, You should perform a half bow when greeting others within the grounds, and when entering/exiting a Dharma hall, You should always walk in a Chasu stance within the Temple grounds in short, place your right hand atop your left and keep by your stomach. Contact Me This is an impressive amount considering the countrys relatively compact size. Youll have the chance to eat with Korean Buddhist monks during a balwoogongyang (monastic meal) and join in the yebool (morning chanting). (We already eat plant-based so it was perfect for us!). All rights reserved. We practised balancing, running, climbing a rope, jumping through tyres and much more! Seon is all about turning your attention inwards and illuminating your true self. In South Korea, you are never far from delicious street food to satisfy your cravings. Flipboard:Stars and Stripes Community Sites, Looking to travel while stationed abroad? He was not saying that after he saw me at 3 am with hair like Medusa! One photo shows the young woman sprawled facedown on the ground in a graduation gown, her tasseled cap discarded to the side. As mentioned above, the four Dharma instruments have an important significance in Buddhism. I went to sleep straight away because there was an early start planned for the next day. One of the most common activities on the temple stay in Korea is the 108 prostrations. When I heard about Koreas Templestay program I was instantly intrigued.Buddhist temples are dotted everywhere across Asia. Ive always gone for the weekend experience as theres something special about staying overnight in the temple and getting up in the early hours to join in the morning worshipping and chanting ceremonies. It was tough, yes, but also worth it. Typical Programs At A Temple Stay In Korea, How To Go To Nami Island From Seoul: Transport Guide 2022, Festivals In Korea 2023: The 40 Best Korean Festivals, How Is Life Living In Korea As An Expat? The Korean Buddhist Cultural Foundation will hold a Temple Stay Program for Foreigners to introduce Korean traditional culture to foreigners staying in Korea through October 30 at 13 different locations around the country.
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