He was confident, charismatic, and by far the happiest person in the room. Yet this man owned few possessions apart from his iPhone, which he confessed to keep so he can live in the modern world.
Wat Suan Dok in Chiang Mai, Thailand, is home to Buddhist monks, and this was where Lauren and I met Phra KK, a monk who set up Monk Chat, a free program tourists could use to talk to monks. Tourists learned about Buddhism, while monks learned to speak English. As some background, the Buddha is not a god, but an enlightened one. Prince Siddhartha, who lived during the first millennium BCE, became known by the title of ‘Buddha’ centuries after his death. So if the Buddha is not a god, then what did Phra KK believe? “I don’t know” is what he said. “How do I know before I investigate and find the truth?”
Meditation is a practice which is growing in the western world, and I felt lucky my first introduction to it was from a Thai monk. Phra KK, guided us through our first meditation, and if I’m honest, I thought after sitting uncomfortably on the floor for 10 minutes, this isn’t for me. However, 25 minutes had actually passed, and I felt a strange level of calm I hadn’t experienced before. It felt replenishing. Buddhism is deeply engrained in Thai life, so it was important for Lauren and me to understand and learn about this rich culture. As we explored the country, we discussed how safe we felt and how friendly people were in this foreign country. Thailand felt happy and Phra KK was one of those people who left you with a worthy lasting impression.
(Originally Published June 2022)
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Chiang Mai, Thailand - 2018
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What a fabulous ambassador! Thanks for sharing these adventures. Carol Z