Temple Stays and Alternative Vacations…

By John Dunbar 14 October 2008 05:54:00

Temple Stays and Alternative Vacations...

It's a long way from the beaches of Pattaya or the bustle of Bangkok, but it's well worth it.  If peace and quiet, a lot of saffron and total relaxation is what you are looking, for then head for a mountain temple (Wat) on your next visit to Thailand.

As my upcoming trip to Anantara, Bali was recently postponed for a few days I decided to take the opportunity to visit a temple I used to go to near Rayong, in the South Eastern part of Thailand.

It had been a few years since I was back to the temple but it felt a little like coming home.  Thailand is currently in the fall school break so there were 8 young novice monks there studying with the Abbot.  The Abbot is a very kind and learned man with a Masters in marketing.  I always feel so relaxed in his presence and love his gentle and kind nature.

The temple is in a beautiful forest overlooking a vast array of rubber plantations.  Rubber generates the majority of the economy in this area.  From starting rubber cuttings all the way to the furniture factories making bedrooms sets from rubber wood; it really is a huge industry.  Rubber is an amazing tree really, and what we humans have learned to do with it is incredible.  The resource is completely sustainable, and all by products are used in so many ways.  From the surgical gloves that your doctor uses to the tires on your car, rubber seems to be everywhere.  Hanging out in a rubber plantation really allows you to appreciate how much work goes into just the collecting and initial processing of the sticky white substance.

What is wonderful about temples in Thailand is that virtually almost every temple in is open for you to visit.  You really just have to show up on the door step and ask permission from the Abbot to stay and the door will be open to you.  It is however appreciated that you contact them in advance and certainly the courteous thing to do.

You will be given a small and simple room to sleep in.  Most of the temple is open to you, but when the monks are in chants or meditation these sessions are sometimes closed to the general public.  For the most part you are left to pursue your practice in whatever way you see fit.

Guests to the temple are not expected to help out but it is always a nice gesture to ask the Abbot if you can do something to assist.  This is a form of karma yoga, which is practiced in Indian style ashrams.  Basically selfless giving.  My karma yoga was teaching the novices some conversational English.  We set up a makeshift classroom opposite the little lotus pond and for an hour each day had fun with some basic "My name is..."stuff.  It is a nice way for me to get to know each novice and learn a little about their lives.

When you leave it is customary to offer a small donation to the temple.  This money can be used by the temple for basic expenses like electricity.  You can also bring some gifts of fruit or vegetables when you arrive.  Anything is appreciated, especially in the more remote temples that get few visitors and thus fewer donations.

When I went to say good bye to the Abbot his saffron robes had a new color on them, black, oily grease.  He was bent over the engine compartment of the temple pick-up and was attempting to remove the head of the engine.  He explained that doing the work himself would save the temple a lot of Baht, but clearly he had a love for this, as one who also enjoys getting oily under the hood, you do it for more than just the savings.  All of the novices were crowded around the scene as the Abbot was explaining the function of each part to them.  

I plan to return sooner than later to the mountain wat and get deeper into my meditation practice.  I encourage readers to visit a wat when they are in Thailand, even if for only a day visit.  You will be a welcome visitor and get to see a side of Thailand that few foreign visitors get to appreciate.

 

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