Ippo Kodo

I truly believe that by putting them into sincere practice, I can continue to grow and move forward into a better version of myself.

I had three major realizations during this temple stay.

The first was becoming aware of how much pride and ego still exist within me—and being able to start the effort to correct them. I’ve been studying Buddhism and gradually working to let go of such attachments, but by stepping away from my daily routine and entering temple life, I was confronted with many situations where my usual self was no longer sufficient. At first, whenever I was given feedback, I felt as though I was being personally denied. Looking back, I believe this stemmed from my long years of professional experience. With the knowledge and skills I’ve accumulated, I’m more often the one giving feedback, and I’ve rarely been in situations where others point out my faults directly and constructively.

However, over the course of the six-day, five-night stay, as I received feedback regularly, I gradually became able to sincerely acknowledge my shortcomings and correct them with a humble heart. It became a precious opportunity to reset and reconnect with a beginner’s mindset.

The second realization was about my physical and mental well-being. I play sports and train two to three times a week, but I couldn’t cope with the kind of fatigue that gradually builds up during temple life. My condition began to deteriorate as my sleep rhythm was disrupted by the new living environment. There were moments when I felt physically drained, and each time, I could clearly sense my concentration slipping and my mind leaning toward negativity. As long as we are human, fatigue is unavoidable—but this experience made me recognize that unless I make a conscious effort to prevent that fatigue from accumulating in daily life, it will inevitably take a toll on my mental state. Moving forward, I intend to explore and implement strategies to better manage this.

The third realization came from reflecting on how, as a working professional, I’ve been trained to process tasks quickly and accurately. This mindset has been highly valued in my work and has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to those around me. However, this temple stay made me realize that I had unconsciously extended this efficiency-driven mindset even to areas of life where it wasn’t necessary. I came to see that constantly prioritizing efficiency in everything can create strain and imbalance. From now on, I want to try a new approach: staying sharp and responsive when needed, while also consciously adopting slower, calmer movements—bringing more presence and mindfulness into my everyday actions.

These are the key insights I gained through this temple stay. I truly believe that by putting them into sincere practice, I can continue to grow and move forward into a better version of myself.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the head monk, to all the apprentice monks who guided me, to everyone involved in organizing the temple stay, and to my fellow participants who shared this demanding six-day journey. Thank you so much.