Fukui "Eiheiji" ~ Experience Zen meditation ~

I've been to Eiheiji Temple in Fukui Prefecture once before, but it was already evening so I didn't go inside. This time, I paid the entrance fee and went inside. Apparently it is projected when the bells are rung to celebrate the New Year's holiday.

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It's a large, spacious temple with many monks in training, and I passed them many times in the corridors. Most of them are young. There were about 4-5 people lined up at the entrance.

There was a sign for a zazen experience, and the time was just right, so I decided to try it. My partner had done it before at another temple, but this was my first time. It was 500 yen ( ´艸｀).

I'm interested in meditation and mindfulness, and I sometimes look at books and try things out, so I'm looking forward to zazen.

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There will be about 10 participants, and you will first be taught Buddhist words and etiquette. We move to the room for zazen, but I have to move quietly and the solemn atmosphere makes me a little nervous.

My father's family home is a temple, and my grandfather and my father's brother were monks, but I don't know anything about Buddhism. I've only just realized that I didn't know anything ( ´艸｀).

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It's hard enough just to sit in a straight line and keep my back straight ( ´艸｀). My body is so stiff ( ´艸｀).

The zazen time is 15 minutes, and before I know it, I'm filled with distractions like, "I wonder what everyone's doing," or wondering where the monks are when I hear their footsteps. It was a good experience and I think I'd like to do it for longer.

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I'm not religious, and in the past I thought religion was suspicious, but recently I've come to think that it has a lot of wisdom for living. I would like to learn a little about Buddhism.