Rakhi: Despite having ten hours sleep last night, I am still feeling pretty exhausted after our weekend temple stay.

Joel and I arrived on Ganghwa Island at Lotus Lantern Temple just after 2:30pm on Saturday. Within five minutes we were changed into Buddhist garb (consisting of a grey waistcoat and matching baggy trousers), sipping green tea with other participants and awaiting the temple orientation. Once all the guests had arrived, HyeMun (hey-moon), a temple stay co-coordinator and practicing nun, lead us up stone steps to the temple.

Inside, the small temple was spectacularly colourful with ornate carvings indenting every surface and rows of pink lotus lanterns lining the ceiling. On the altar there was a huge gold Buddha and several slightly smaller ones, either side of the altar there was a glass cabinet with hundreds on tiny, identical gold Buddha’s on its shelves. Directly in front of the middle of the altar there was a beautiful pink silk cushion and a low table for the abbot of the monastery. To the left of the abbot’s cushion were three grey cushions and on the right of the abbot two. These cushions were for the five monks training under the abbot; all of whom we were yet to meet. We each took a cushion and placed them in a row behind the monks.’ We sat down and HyeMun told us a little bit about herself and the dos and don’ts of temple behavior. Do bow to the Buddha when first entering the temple. Don’t mistreat the cushion, this is your prayer space hence be respectful. Be mindful of central areas, do not walk in the middle of stairs or paths, these are reserved for the highest temple officials. She also taught us how to correctly sit in the lotus position, keeping the back straight to allow a straight passage of air into the body. HyeMun had some trouble with Joel’s ‘butt’ and back when she checked all of our postures individually, consequently he was told to practice more!

Buddhists believe that prostrations to Buddha (bows) bring merit in their quest for enlightenment by purging them of negativity. As part of the temple program, the following morning, we would be doing 108 prostrations; therefore, HyeMun showed us the correct way to do them. When prostrating, you must touch five parts of the body with your cushion. Firstly, your knees, secondly your right palm followed by your left and finally, your forehead in between the hands. By following the instructions in reverse, you return to a standing position with your palms together. Apparently, prostrations vary from country to country and according to weather patterns. In extremely hot conditions, Buddhists can simply kneel and place palms together. In cold conditions, prostrations are more intense. In Tibet for example, they lie with their arms and legs completely outstretched before returning to a standing position.

After the orientation, we were free until dinner time at 6pm. Most hermitages are located in peaceful settings and Lotus Lantern is no different. Joel and I had a little walk around the garden and the pond and glanced out at the surrounding forests and fields. It was suitably serene - a far cry from Yeokgok. After dinner, at 7pm, the moktak (a wooden percussion instrument which is banged by monks to mark important times of the day) rang out to signal evening chanting. In the dark we ambled up the stone steps of the temple, took of our shoes at the door and entered. Now, the pink lotus lanterns and candles were illuminated and there was also incense burning. We took up our cushions and offered three prostrations after which the monks began chanting. We followed their lead and copied everything that they did, bowing and prostrating when appropriate.

After the evening chanting, we were taken to the grand meditation hall where we would have the chance to speak with a monk from Bangladesh and practice meditating. The monk gave us a simplified history of Buddhism and its beliefs, and tips for meditation- one of the most important aspects. Again, on cushions, we sat in the lotus position with our backs straight to allow unobstructed air flow. The monk shared with us that the longest he has meditated was two and half hours: he challenged us to meditate for just one minute. He turned of the lights and everything became silent as everyone focused on their breathing. I never realised how difficult it is to turn off one’s mind. I tried and tried to focus solely on counting but every second (or less) a new thought popped into my head. Time and time again I tried to banish my thoughts and connect mind and body, but it was hopeless. Furthermore, the lotus position was becoming incredibly uncomfortable, not just for me but for all the other novices who I noticed shuffling around. After half an hour, the lights came back on and meditation time was over. Although I hadn’t succeeded in clearing my mind and connecting it with my body in time and space, I still felt relaxed and calm. Enlightenment was a long way off for me though!

After meditation, we just had enough time to fit in another green tea before we were instructed that it was lights out time. I haven’t been in bed at 9pm on a Saturday night since I was a wee nipper.

At 3:40 in the morning, the moktak sounded for pre-dawn chanting. I got up from my floor mat, washed quickly, pulled on my grey uniform and along with the other participants, stumbled in the darkness to the illuminated temple. Again, the monks lead the chanting and we followed. After the first chant, it was time for the 108 prostrations chant which we were all dreading. In actual fact, the 108 prostrations were fine and actually invigorating. What was difficult though, was kneeling whilst the monks chanted a mantra 108 times (‘108’ for the 108 defilements of Buddhism) taking nearly twenty minutes. After over one hour of pre-dawn chanting, the two Russian monks lead us back to the meditation hall where we were to complete another half hour of meditation before breakfast. This time, I was more successful, perhaps because my brain was still asleep, and I managed ten seconds without any interrupted thought- nearly there!

Joel was especially good at the 'lying down' meditation!

Once we had completed the meditation, had breakfast and washed up, a Vietnamese and an Indian monk took us all on a post-breakfast walk through the forest and to the tomb of a famous Korean poet. When we returned to the temple we were taken back to the meditation room where the Russian monk taught the customs and traditions of Buddhist tea ceremonies; an art form of its own. Tea is to monks what wine is to an oenophile and this Russian monk was certainly enthusiastic and knowledgeable about his tea. The final part of the program was calligraphy writing where we copied mantras in Chinese script. By this time, 11am, nearly 8 hours after we had already been awake, my fatigue was becoming noticeable in my sloppy calligraphy and I was ready to call it a day.

The immersion in temple life was very educational and eye opening. Especially discovering what a monk’s daily schedule consists of and being able to follow it first hand. It was an unforgettable experience.