Templystay at Jongbopsa

Jongbopsa Temple in Sydney, Australia (Acting Abbot: 

Ven. Seolwoo) hosted a two-day templestay program at 

Jongbopsa and the Blue Mountains Retreat Center located 

in the Blue Mountains. Warmly welcomed by Ven. Seolwoo, 

participants learned temple etiquettes, tried the formal 

communal monastic meal, jointly created mandalas, and lit 

candles to make a wish on the first day. On the second day, 

they woke up at the crack of dawn to attend the Dharma 

service and bowed 108 times. After breakfast, each participant 

was assigned to work because traditionally, everyone at 

the temple contributed to its upkeep. They concluded 

their morning schedule with walking meditation and a tea 

ceremony. Then, they hiked up to the Blue Mountain Retreat 

Center. They met with Ven. Gihu and had a tasty lunch there. 

"It was nice to have two days of being with myself, calmly 

practicing how to see and feel my mind/said a participant. It 

was rewarding to finally open the temple's gate, which had 

to close because ofCOVID-19, to welcome the young people 

back to the community.