T.T.

I found myself placing my hands together in prayer, sincerely thanking the cardboard.

During the temple stay, there were many moments when I found myself thinking, “This is tough,” or “How much longer will this go on?” Even during meal times—which I truly found delicious—I felt stressed because I was so focused on not making mistakes with the etiquette and trying to eat without making any noise. The food was genuinely amazing, but I couldn’t fully enjoy it at times because of the mental pressure.

Still, as I earnestly devoted myself to every part of the day—morning chanting, cleaning, temple duties, and even the time outside of formal activities—with the mindset that everything was part of the training, I slowly began to feel a deeper connection with my body and mind. Along with that, I noticed that the negative emotions I had toward life at the temple began to fade little by little.

In the latter half of the stay, I also began to feel a change in my heart. There were certain past events and people I had never been able to forgive, but the resentment I held started to dissolve. I realized that clinging to those feelings was meaningless.

At one point, I injured my knee and had to weed the grounds while crawling on all fours, using a piece of cardboard for support. When the task was done, I found myself placing my hands together in prayer, sincerely thanking the cardboard. That moment really surprised me.

There were also changes in my body. I had always had poor posture since childhood, but I found myself able to maintain proper posture during the stay. While it’s not completely corrected yet and I sometimes feel fatigue from staying upright, I now feel a strong resistance to returning to my slouched posture.

On the final day, we were told, “The real training begins after the temple stay ends.” That phrase really stayed with me. I realized just how much the environment and the people around me had been supporting me during this time. Of course, I can’t replicate temple life entirely in my daily routine, but I want to live with more awareness—keeping regular habits, cleaning, showing gratitude, and distancing myself as much as possible from unnecessary stimulation.

This temple stay was truly an incredible experience. What I learned here isn’t something you can understand just by reading a book. You have to take the time to experience it firsthand. I’m truly grateful for this opportunity. Thank you so much.