Chisato Nasu

I want to continue moving forward—reflecting daily, and making even the smallest progress, one step at a time.

I believe the head priest often says, “Be someone who others can speak honestly to.”

As I’ve grown older, I’ve found that people rarely point out my shortcomings anymore. At the same time, I’ve had fewer moments to pause and truly look inward during my daily life. Especially over the past few years, I began to sense that my bad habits were accumulating like sediment, slowly affecting my relationships with others.

It was exactly three months ago when I first learned about Fukugonji Temple. At that time, I was facing these issues head-on. Never did I imagine that just three months later, I would find myself there, participating in a temple stay. While I initially thought it was a series of coincidences that brought me here, deep down, I think I had been searching for an opportunity to recognize and begin to change my unhealthy patterns.

During the stay—though far from the disciplined lives of the monks—it was a harsh environment compared to my usual routine. There were many moments when my mind understood what I needed to do, but my body couldn’t keep up. I didn’t know how to respond to the sense of discomfort I felt. There were times when, due to the strict rules, I couldn’t correct a mistake even when I noticed it, and simply had to move on. I found myself wondering whether I could really change anything in just six days.

But then, the monks kindly told me,

“It’s okay not to be able to do it. Because you can’t do it now, you will grow.”

“Even if you can’t do it, if you keep at it every day, you’ll be able to. What matters is not giving up.”

Thanks to their words, although I made countless mistakes and was unable to do many things, I began to appreciate even the slightest signs of change or progress—perhaps just one millimeter at a time.

The unexpected kindness and thoughtful words of fellow participants also meant so much to me. They pointed out things I hadn’t noticed, laughed with me as I confessed my daily mishaps back at our lodging, and were always there with warmth and support. Meeting them, and receiving guidance from the monks, have become new treasures in my life.

After returning home, I found some familiar gravel in the pants I wore during the stay—it reminded me of the days I spent running around the temple grounds, already feeling nostalgic.

At the end of the stay, one of the monks said, “The real training begins tomorrow.”

Naturally, that doesn’t mean I’ll suddenly become a different person or that my bad habits will disappear overnight. In the real world, it’s rare to meet people who are interested in Buddhism or striving to practice it like the temple stay participants.

Still, I carry with me the words of the head priest: “What you’ve experienced here will come alive once you return home.”

With that in mind, I want to continue moving forward—reflecting daily, and making even the smallest progress, one step at a time.

Thank you sincerely for offering me this opportunity.