short stay in a thai temple

after the 7-day retreat, i was invited to stay in a thai temple for more meditation.

wat kiew lom is in a small village around 2 hours drive from chiang mai city. in this temple, there are 4 monks, 1 staff, 1 driver and 4 kids who help out in the temple....so it's quite quiet here. i feel so cut off from the world that i have forgotten to turn on my handphone. but when i finally switched it on and saw the sms from friends, i felt really really good. smoooooooooch. thank you for the messages.

life in the temple...

5am: wake up

5.30: meditation

6.30 exercise...which was a walk around the temple to visit the locals or follow the monks on their alms collection.

7am: breakfast

8.30: meditate and rest

11am: lunch

2pm: meditate

4pm: R&R... visit the nursery and village school next door, a dip in the hot spring nearby, distribute food to hilltribes

7pm: meditate

9pm: sleep

my luggage was in chiang mai city and i had only packed for the 1-week retreat. i had no reading materials, no ipod and no charger with me. so all i did was to meditate and observe myself and the surroundings. i only had 4 t-shirts, 3 trousers, 2 jackets, a pair of slippers, camera, phone and some toiletories. but that's all you need here...life is so simple here. i have not even really looked at myself over the past 10 days coz how i look doesn't matter here.

tho i have little possession, my life is charmed compared to the locals. i have warm bed and blankets and food on the table everyday. Even bare neccessities are lacking here. the only shop around here is a provision shop. i was lucky to find a village school here that has internet access.

what this place lack in wordly comforts, it makes up with abandunt fresh air, beautiful sun rise over the mountains, children's laughter and infinite courtesy and natural kindness from its people.

now that my camera battery is flat and my toiletories are running out, it's time i move on and continue with my journey.