Overview of Temple Stay at Daesoon Jinrihoe

Are you considering a temple stay in Korea? Daesoon Jinrihoe would love to host you, and we would do our utmost to ensure that you have the best possible experience at our temple.

You can experience a novel form of Meditative Chanting (Gido) here, which is empowered by divine energy. Beyond that, we additionally offer a variety of spiritual activities including Temple Acclimation (Chambae), Devotional Offerings (Chiseong), and our Pilgrimage to historical sites. There is also ample opportunity to experience traditional Korean culture such as wearing Hanbok, playing Samulnori, and making pottery. We hope you have a profoundly meaningful experience here as you make unforgettable memories while attending our cultivation practices and learning about Korean culture.

We are able to set up temple stay opportunities at nearly any time of the year in accordance with your schedule. Please feel free to contact us anytime by clicking "Contact Us".

The Korean temple stay programs that are most well-known around the world tend to be Buddhist temple stays, but Daesoon Jinrihoe offers a somewhat different program. Often times, those who wish to participate in temple stays do so to gain experience meditating. In a way, we offer this too, however, our style of meditation (or prayer) is performed while chanting powerful and deeply profound incantations. In this regard, it is quite different than the generally silent styles of seated Zen or Vipassana offered elsewhere in Korea.

For those who come to our headquarters for a temple stay, we ask that you participate in Chambae (Temple Acclimation- a guided tour of our temple complex), attendance at one presentation on Haewon Sangsaeng (The Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Beneficence) & a Q&A session, and practice one of our short incantations as a form of meditation or prayer with a temple guide.

In the privacy of your room at our guesthouse, of course you can practice meditation in our style (incantations) or in other styles as you see fit, but when on temple grounds, our clergy will only guide you through our incantations. That caveat aside, we are fairly flexible with our offerings, so please let us know about your individual interests. For instance, individuals who have completed their temple stay and are additionally interested in taking a pilgrimage to our Order's holy sites (or visiting those sites as academic or professional field work), are welcome to do so. These sites include the birthplace of our Lord, Kang Jeungsan, and the locations wherein the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth were performed.

Beyond that, a variety of spiritual activities including Temple Acclimation (Chambae), Devotional Offerings (Chiseong), and our Pilgrimage to historical sites. There is also ample opportunity to experience traditional Korean culture such as wearing Hanbok, playing Samulnori, and Pottery Making. For those who wish to experience volunteering activities that benefit the disabled, seniors, or the underprivileged, they can do so by participating in our Charity Aid Programs run by either DIVA (www.idiva.or.kr) or Daejin Social Welfare Foundation (www.dsswf.com).

Assuming all goes well, temple stay participants will likely be offered the opportunity to participate in Ipdo (Initiation Ritual Ceremony). Those who go through this initiation will learn about how Ipdo empowers Dao Cohorts in their spiritual cultivation, and also how this ritual marks their entry into the Fellowship of Daesoon Truth. Naturally, this is a pressure-free situation, and Ipdo may be accepted or declined in accordance with your own wishes.

Although we are unable to assist guests with airfare or other travel fees, fortunately, we can offer free accommodations at our guest house and meals at our cafeteria (transport, accommodations, and meals can also be arranged for those on pilgrimage/field work).

We are able to set up temple stay opportunities at nearly any time of the year in accordance with your schedule. Please feel free to contact us anytime by clicking "Contact Us".

▪ Introduction to Daesoon Jinrihoe:
1) A Detailed Overview of Daesoon Jinrihoe (Presentation)
2) Temple Acclimation
3) Experiences of Spiritual Practices
4) Living a Life of Haewon Sangsaeng
5) Taking it with You (Advice on Incorporating Chanting and Haewon Sangsaeng into Your Daily Life)

▪ Pilgrimage Section (optional):
1) The Meaning of Pilgrimages in Daesoon Jinrihoe
2) The Birthplace of Kang Jeungsan
3) Geumsan-sa Temple
4) Donggok Clinic
5) The Seomjin-gang River Dam
6) Mugeuk Temple Complex Site
7) The Memorial Hall of the Donghak Peasant Rebellion
8) Inspiration Going Forward (Reflections on Daesoon History and Its Significance in Our Lives)

▪ Korean Cultural Experience Section (optional):
1) Wearing Hanbok (Traditional Korean Clothing)
2) Playing Samulnori(Traditional Korean Percussion Quartet)
3) Seeing a Nanta Performance (an instrumental Korean percussion performance)
4) Making Korean Food
5) Experiencing Korean Pottery Making
6) Experiencing Traditional Korean Agriculture

▪ Charity Aid and Social Welfare Experience Section (optional):
1) Volunteering Activities for the Disabled and Seniors
2) Volunteering Activities for the Underprivileged

▪ Sightseeing Section (optional) :
1) Buddhism Temples: Bulguksa Temple, Haeinsa Temple
2) Museums : National Museum of Korea, Hoeamsaji Museum Jeongok Prehistory Museum