Dec 2006

HIYA!

I'll do another meditation "retreat". This will be at the temple where I go regularly. I'll start on the 24th or so. This will be in combination with a fast.

My friend Sunmi told me some of the details and it sounds impressive indeed. I don't know about water intake, but the only other thing we'll take is bamboo salt. I'd never heard of bamboo salt before coming to Korea but think I had it once. The first day I went to the temple, a lady brought me and another guy some boiled potatoes with some super fine salt. Sunmi told me a couple of days ago that that was bamboo salt. It's salty, like other salts. I don't know how this differs.

She said wake up time is 3:30. Sitting and walking meditation. I don't know how much of either and at what times. The killer is that this retreat includes three hours of walking in the nearby mountain! On a fast?!?! And in winter! Wow.

But I am no guinea pig in this. They've been doing it for years now, in both winter and in summer. I didn't arrive in the country in time for the summer retreat and don't know if I'll be able to do it next summer with the group. My work schedule may not allow it.

I will do this fast alone. That's because I will work early next year when everyone else will do the fasting retreat. I won't be alone all day every day though. I'll be at the temple and others will be around. Sunmi will interpret a meeting with the head monk every day.

I won't be at home during this retreat and won't check emails. I'll send something afterwards.

I will start work again on Jan 2. There will be lots of new students and we'll start using at least one different textbook, which I should familiarize myself with beforehand. Plus I should make lots of materials for school during the first week or two of January. It'll be a rough month. It'd be nice to take care of things during the week vacation. But, it's vacation and I don't want to work during vacation. I'll write more about work in another entry in a few minutes.

Troy.

HIYA!

I decided to go out and challenge the cold. Without my big jacket that doesn't keep me warm anyway. To my shock and amazement, well, I was somewhat shocked and amazed!, I was not so cold at all. Despite the wind. I walked to the market in part to look for a warm jacket at a low low cost. Didn't find anything. I've seen some on the sidewalk, at a small stall set up selling cheap cheap clothing. $5. I have decided to try one on. Didn't find anything today quite that cheap. $30. I've decided that if I spend any more than the $5 or maybe $10, then I'm going to get a good jacket. From Patagonia. Because I like their environmental policies. I can get some models here in Korea. I don't know what the temperature was this morning but it couldn't have been much more than 10 degrees celcius, or in the mid-40s, I guess. Maybe upper 40s. Cold, anyway. Then, after the temple this evening, I got in the car of the lady who takes us all home, and saw the termometer in her car said 6 degrees! I was dressed the same way that I was in the morning and wasn't overly cold. I walked to the temple, so that helps warm me up, for sure. But still, I was really surprised. This time I was shocked. But I would like to have a warm jacket because it's really nice to feel toasty warm. And as often as not, I am not walking. I'm pretty cold at school. Buildings are often colder than the outside cold. Or maybe it just feels colder. Whatever, I would like to have something warmer at times. We have heaters at school but in the little office where the teachers sit, there usually isn't a heater. We don't spend much time there, usually. So one isn't necessary.

Ah,
Troy.