Finding my soul in Guinsa

A 50 minute bus journey later and we found ourselves in Guinsa, the home of the Guinsa Temple, the main temple of the Ch^ont'ae Order of Buddhism. Fifty years ago the temple was founded and today stands under the mantra of "By day plow, at night sit in meditation". Buddhists travel from all over Korea to visit this temple, a place for the common man to obtain complete selflessness, a place to visit set in a valley leading up the side of the mountain.

When we arrived we were delighted to find that even the bus station was built in a traditional manner, looking similar to the Angel houses I had seen when hiking mountains around Korea.
As we approached the large hill I was doubtful that I would enjoy making the trek up, however, one of the joys of Korea is that you can leave your things with anyone and they will be safe. We walked into a building and simply motioned to the large bags on our backs, pointed to a staircase, and with a nod, slid them under without ever giving it a second thought.

As we climbed and climbed, passing elderly woman who were walking ever so slowly, many hunched over from what I assume years in rice fields will do, showing no sign of struggle or dismay with their hike, only solitude and joy with being where they were. Unlike Suncheon or other places we have visited in Korea, there was a large elderly population. In other cities we visited there was no sign of anyone over the age of 50, there seems to be a population with the mean age of 30 in Korea. You don't see anyone with any visible disabilities or sicknesses and there is no sign of an elderly person with a cane or wheel chair. It is odd, where are they? With the absence of nursing homes, do they lock their elders in the basement?

We arrived at the top of the mountain to the sound of praying monks and sat quietly in the back of the room and watched as people came in, prayed, meditated and found emotion in their thoughts and prayers. Surrounded by bright colors, fresh fruits and flowers, large symbols of their religion, a breathtaking building with astonishing beauty.

I found myself with an overwhelming sense of emotion and awe, a feeling of almost disbelief in my surroundings. That this place exists, almost a sort of utopia, and I found myself eager to learn more about Buddhism. I have never had a strong sense of emotion when looking to God or a higher being but was enlightened to see the solitude and devotion the people here felt to theirs. The journey alone pray here is not an easy one, yet, they came, they climbed and they found what they were looking for.

We headed back down the mountain, reclaiming our over sized bags and back to the bus station. The major challenge at each place we stop off at seemed to be the restroom facilities and this was no exception. I have come to draw a picture of a man and woman stick figure to get across the fact that I am looking for a lieu. This time I was directed to cross the parking lot to the temple looking building in the corner. The smell of urine and instantiation greeted me as I walked in, and I immediately noticed that these were not only the basins in the floor that I have come to despise, they were bottomless basins that led down a large black hole, medieval like. In the midst of beauty there is always a stain.

Four hours and we will be out of our solitude and in one of the largest cities in the world, I hope our minds can take it.