Viable Adventures

The bells chimed merrily with a cryptic sort of spirituality. Mist rose from the grass and I could feel the dew on my feet, despite the fact that I was wearing shoes. I was clothed in my soft beige monastic wear, and the Buddhist monks began appearing in similar attire. They were walking with clarity and purpose.

In the western foothills of Moaksan, South Korea lies Geumsansa Temple.

Buddhism. I grew up a Christian with no true concept of other religions because there didn’t seem to be any need. Once I moved to Korea I investigated and studied Buddhism with a fury. Geumsansa was the culmination of everything I knew, and thought I knew about religion.

While the bells were ringing, the sun was still hours away from making its mark on the day. The darkness still reigned supreme, and it was just cold enough that I could see my breath, but warm enough that I appreciated seeing it flee from my mouth then fade into the night. It wasn’t night actually. It was during that beautiful period where time seems like it could teeter forward into morning, or simply stay put and relish in the silence. It was 3:30 am.

The bells beckoned me into a rectangular wooden building with as an elaborate a roof as I’d ever seen. It was dark, but not too dark that I couldn’t see the vibrant use of turquoise and pink adorning the exterior. I stepped inside and it was no warmer in temperature, but I could feel warmth spread within me. Gorgeous Buddhist relics sparkled with soft accents of gold.

The monks lead the procession with their eyes closed, and others followed in unison. The music we listened to was what we created with our own voices. We were advised to come with an open mind, and it was then I realized why. They meant to fill it.

I knelt. I prayed. I chanted. I believed.

Once the procession was over, I left as quietly and effortlessly as I entered. My mind was in a place of strong serenity, so I wandered the grounds in deep contemplation, as I saw the monks doing only hours before. I thought about everything I’d just experienced, and I physically walked, as my mind ran miles ahead.