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17 Jun 2024
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Description
We are a meditation center that provides a place to practice Jhana and Vipassana meditation methods. The meditation master is a Korean monk. She was ordained as a monk in 1986 and went to Myanmar to practice Jhana and Vipassana for more than ten years. This is the only place in Korea strongly connected to the practice of Theravada Buddhism Meditation technique.
Self-discipline meditation is emphasized here. If you really like quiet and alone time. This will be a great place. If you are an advanced meditator, we don’t mind if you use a method you are familiar with. If you are a beginner, we have a booklet explaining how to practice meditation. And you can join everyday group meditation in the evening. You can ask questions about Buddhism and meditation during tea time with the monks here.
We welcome those who would like to practice meditation and volunteer in our meditation center, such as kitchen work, gardening, farming, construction work, and housekeeping. Because this is a meditation environment surrounded by a mountain view, our job is to maintain the meditation environment here, which is laborious and repetitive. We are occasionally relaxed and sometimes challenging, so you will meet other volunteers here as we share the work.
The meditation center runs based on donations. Therefore, it is accessible for yogis who want to stay long-term or short-term to meditate and volunteer. But one thing: the daily schedule is a bit early. We will wake up early for breakfast at 6 a.m. We usually start our daily work around 7 a.m.
We are located in GyeongNam, GeoChang Gun. Our meditation center is situated at 720m sea level and is surrounded by the mountain. The place is secluded and quiet. We owned apple, grape, and vegetable farms. The food here is organic, and 90% comes from our farm because we live in 禅農一致, which means farming and meditation.
Because this is a meditation center, we need to learn some behavioural constraints to help people meditate.
1. No loud talking
Loud conversations are prohibited in the meditation center. Public meal times(Breakfast,lunch )need to stay focused on eating and not talking, but we do not prohibit volunteers from talking at dinner but please no loud talking.
2. Clothing
Please be careful not to be too revealing, preferably comfortable shirt and trousers that can come up to your knees. You may bring a hat for shade and work shoes.
Waterproof work shoes and gloves are also available at the center, but you can bring shoes that you are comfortable in. Shoes and gloves are needed especially for farming work.
3. Please keep to the time
Much of the work here is team work, and keeping to time will keep others from waiting.
4. Please save electricity
Meditation center are non-profit organisations, run on donation based and electricity can be a huge expense. Please remember to switch off the lights.
5. Please talk on the phone in the area such as in front of the office or around the small Buddha Hall. If you do not use the phone in the dormitory or in public, it will help others to get peace and quiet quickly.
6. The Meditation Center strictly adheres to the principle of not using electronic devices. However, volunteers are permitted to use electronics in the dining room, which has a wireless connection.
This is a community life to look after each other's well-being and peace. So that everyone can live in harmony and be able to meditate. We hope that if you want to join us, you will think about whether these rules will be a problem for you.Types of help and learning opportunities
Art ProjectsHelp with Eco ProjectsGardeningDIY and building projectsFarmstay helpHelp around the houseGeneral MaintenanceUN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Our meditation center will give all the best to support people learning meditation. Meditation helps people calm their minds down and cultivate the concentration of the mind. You can work five days and take two days off or any other way you want. Of course, the activities on your days off will be your preference, although we encourage you to meditate.
In addition to the above conditions that may have attracted you to this place, we need to let you know that many of the people who come here to meditate have had their hearts broken and have been lost in life. They are no longer looking for external things; they want inner peace. They are looking for spiritual healing and reconciliation with their inner self.
It can get boring here if you are very much after external things. Because meditator spend most of their time meditating, there is no entertainment and no social interaction as frequent as in society. This is the character of the meditation center. Because it's a meditation center, it doesn't have long chanting rituals like a monastery, just short morning and evening chants, and then it's in meditation mode. The whole day is in meditation mode, and several meditator here have been meditating non-stop for years.Help
We are a large meditation center with an organic vegetable farm and apple orchard. We also grow flowers and do landscaping. Volunteers will help us grow apples and vegetables and do landscaping. In addition to farming, we pick flowers and wild vegetables in spring, summer, and autumn wherever possible and make them into food. We plough and garden throughout the year, except during winter. If the weather permits, we spend time outdoors. Otherwise, we clean indoors.
In addition, volunteers help us with cleaning and organizing the dormitories and kitchen, such as washing dishes, scrubbing floors, cleaning the kitchen, chopping vegetables, and how to preserve them traditionally. We were also responsible for cleaning around the center. The least popular job in the kitchen is washing dishes, so we will have volunteers take turns washing dishes. If room permits, we would like more volunteers to share the workload. Apart from ploughing and gardening, there is a lot of work in the kitchen. This is because nearly 40 meditators stay here every day.
April, May and June are spring months. Spring focuses on farming, gardening, and tree planting. Spring is also the season for picking mountain fruits and vegetables. Farming and gardening are still our main outdoor activities in July and August as part of the agricultural harvest season, so you can eat many crops we grow in March and April.
July and August are summer. Summer has a charm that spring, autumn, and winter don't have. Most people don't like hot and humid weather, so I'll be honest and say that August is the hottest season of the year. But summer is still a very important season for farming. Of course, we're glad you still want to come in July and August. If you don't mind summer's sweltering heat and humidity, you are welcome to join us and listen to the wonderful cicadas.
September, October, and November are the main harvest seasons or autumn. Autumn is also the season for planting vegetables that can survive the winter. Autumn is a colorful season when the hills are filled with different levels of various colors. Autumn is also the main season for making many pickled and fermented Korean foods. You will experience how Koreans pickle and ferment different vegetables in many ways.
Because this is a fairly large meditation site with many meditators every day, the combination of meditation and volunteering makes it a great place to meditate. We need people who are interested in meditation and willing to serve. For your information, the volunteer work will be laborious and repetitive.
Healthy, natural food, fresh mountain air, and, of course, above all, meditation are the main purpose of our existence. The meditation center is open all day. We hope everyone here will learn at least the basic meditation methods.
****However, Volunteers are expected to stay at the meditation center for at least two weeks to gain experience in meditation and service. We encourage volunteers who wish to join us to stay at the center for at least two weeks.
****Before entering Korea, please be sure to check whether you need to apply for obtain a Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA)Languages spoken
Korean: Fluent
Malay: Fluent
Chinese (Mandarin): Fluent
English: Intermediate
Spanish: Beginner
French: BeginnerAccommodation
According to the Meditation Center rules, every volunteer has each own single rooms ( with attached bathroom or shared bathroom depend on the condition) . However, if there are special circumstances, such as a sudden influx of applicants during an Intensive Meditation Camp, the volunteers will have to move room from one to another room. Depending on your plans, we will let you know if one of your planned days coincides with the Intensive Meditation Camp.
The Meditation Center is different from a traditional monastery. The Meditation Center values all-day meditation, and maintaining the motivation to meditate all day is something we take into consideration.
The food here has vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. If you are a vegetarian, you can skip it as it is a buffet.What else ...
Our center helps people learn meditation and stay in the nature of Korea. We don't charge like other places that offer a temple stay program.
We welcome the people who love to learn meditation. We charge nothing, but we welcome the volunteer to join us in the center's daily work and help us manage this place together.A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
5 hours a day, 5 days a week, two days off
Feedback (9)
I spent two weeks at the meditation center. The landscapes are beautiful, the food is good and the people so kind and generous. I left crying.
It's better to go with a little bit of knowledge but also being ready to commit because this experience can definitely affect your views and behaviours towards… read more
The work can be physical but in a great atmosphere, the rooms are clean and cozy and the meals are delicious.
I felt lucky to wake up everyday to such great landscape and view on the mountains. A lot of gratitude goes to the monks and every… read more
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I spent two weeks at the meditation center. The landscapes are beautiful, the food is good and the people so kind and generous. I left crying.
It's better to go with a little bit of knowledge but also being ready to commit because this experience can definitely affect your views and behaviours towards… read more
The work can be physical but in a great atmosphere, the rooms are clean and cozy and the meals are delicious.
I felt lucky to wake up everyday to such great landscape and view on the mountains. A lot of gratitude goes to the monks and every… read more
There's always something to do… read more
I really liked the community life with the monks who were… read more
Community. Healing. Challenging (in a good way). These are the words that can sum up my time during my stay. In regards to details...
Community- This meditation campus is very community focused and centered. The monks were all so friendly and helpful. Even when there were a few language barriers here… read more