Ami dabusu

Its been six days already at a Taiwanese Buddhist Monastery.

After the first morning, of waking up before sunrise, before the hens crackled, I thought I never survive a week.
But here I am alive (of course) and well (surprisingly).

So far in five days Ive...
waken up at 5 am for five consecutive days...a personal record

For me the mornings are the biggest challenge and the success of it the highlight
But this is what goes on here otherwise

• Chant: we chant Buddhist Scriptures (infront of a not so old looking Buddhist Goddess) every morning and night

• Meditate: very relaxing, though I am not sure if I am doing it correctly

Work: part of the routine. I rake the leaves, not too difficult

• Eat: everything is vegetables and tofu which I expected They have little taste and not so appetizing at first, but hunger wins in the end, and the plain meals makes the occassional treat, the more merrier. We had huge birthday cake, with the accompanying song, without it being anyone's birthday. Strange.

And I ve come to appreciate tea and coffee all over again, ah what a treat!

• Study: they give us a regular schedule to follow. From morning to Afternoon, classes like Chinese conversation and Basic Buddhism. We also have a Phys Ed course (taijiquan!). Also classes in Zen Buddhism.

I am surprisingly finding the austere and rigid lifestyle welcoming. I havent appreciated sleep and the time to read books this much in a while.