e·the·re·al

/əˈTHirēəl/

adjective

1. extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.

Who would've thought a weekend of living like a monk would've felt so perfect? Not going to lie, I had my doubts at first. I almost didn't go. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I thought monks just sat in silence and prayed all day. It is possible that the standard of living was made a bit more accommodating for us, but it was so different from the hectic pace of South Korean life.

To give you an idea of fast everything is, I have a family chicken restaurant near my home. I walked one day right by it, and it was there, and the next day it was a convenience store with fridges already installed. And this happens every. Single. Day.  The temple stay was the break I needed from the frantic pace.

The temple is on Palgongsan, and it is called Donghwasa Temple. According to the monk, Donghwasa has the largest sect, with the most monks, in South Korea. Women and men were separated, and we were taken to an orientation of what the planned activities would be as well as how to be respectful during our time there. Our itinerary consisted of meditation, prayers, learning the traditional tea ceremony, making rice cake, trust meditation and 108 bows.

The temperature during the day got hot, but in between activities, we were given lots of rest time. You could decide whether or not to spend the time however you wished.

I spent the majority of the time napping and walking around the temple in silence. Even though my mind is always racing with anxiety, the silence allowed me to think. I wasn't surrounded by distractions such as Netflix or my phone, and it's true! More things bring more stress to your life. This weekend made me more confident that minimalism is right for me. There are moments when my mind has relapsed, and all I can think about is the new clothes I need to buy. But, luckily, I haven't acted on those impulses yet.

Our meals were eaten with silence, and it made me realize how much energy I waste on small talk. This thought probably makes me sound like the meanest person ever, but I no longer wish to spend my time and energy towards such unnecessary things. I want to practice minimalism with my relationships and time as well. We will see how that goes.

I decided to name this post ethereal because the definition is how I feel about minimalism. I know many people live with this lifestyle yet, it seems way too perfect and it is the lightest way to live. No attachments to materialistic objects and being surround and doing only the things you love. How perfect does that sound? In a world where we are constantly bombarded with messages that more equals happiness, it seems impossible. However, seeing monks who give away all their possessions at the age of 19 gives me hope.