Wu Wei Si: my time with the Shaolin monks
When it comes to spirituality, eastern philosophy, Buddhism and meditation I am probably the last person you typically would ask advice from: I live and work in the mecca of capitalism, the most chaotic, competitive and career-driven place on earth, a.k.a. New York City. For a living, I am a management consultant, which means I travel around the country advising corporate executives on strategic decisions aimed at improving their business. It’s not exactly a nine-to-five job, is often full of stress and requires you to be online 24/7. Definitely far cry from the Dalai Lama’s view of living a well-balanced and spiritual life.
Regardless, in May 2017 I decided to take a step out of my comfort zone and look for a remarkable break from my day by day life for a short period. I was looking for three things:
1) Disconnect from technology, emails and social media
2) Re-connect with nature and clear my mind through meditation and peaceful time
3) Re-connect with my body by doing consistent and intense physical activity
Scouring through a few travel blogs, I came across the perfect opportunity to accomplish these goals: the 1,200 year-old Shaolin monastery of Wu Wei Si, located at 6,000 feet up in the mountains outside Dali, China. The “Shi Fu” (the master) of this extraordinary temple opens the doors to foreign travelers who want to fully experience the life of Shaolin monks, which is based on discipline, prayers, meditation, martial arts and a healthy diet. At Wu Wei Si, you live and breathe the Chinese philosophy of “Wu Wei”, which means the art of “doing by not doing”, “acting without action”.
After reading about Wu Wei Si, I immediately booked my flights and started counting down the days to my departure.
In this short article I’d like to walk you through how I lived the experience and share as much information as possible, in case you consider doing it as well (which I’d highly recommend!). The monastery does not have a website or a phone number, so the only to find information is through stories of people who lived there.
Life in the temple
Life at Wu Wei Si is very simple and cyclical. The routine is predictable from sunrise to sunset. Despite the Western world’s negative view on a repetitive life, I personally loved the predictability of the daily routine: my body and mind were fully in synch with the daylight, knowing exactly when to sleep, eat and when to be physically active.
The average day at the temple would flow in this way:
5.30am — Wake up: No need for an alarm. You’ll unmistakingly be woken by the sound of a loud, but calming ancient bell gong and monks chanting methodically and peacefully. Despite not being able to understand the language, I loved listening to the chants, so would lie in bed listening until 6am and then wonder down to watch the monks for 30 minutes .
6.30am — Morning run and balance training: My favorite activity. Starting from the temple, we would go for a short run through the forest to a nearby river, where we’d stop to watch the sunrise. It was extremely refreshing to stare at the sunlight reflecting on the beautiful mountains behind our backs and a great moment to practice meditation. On the way back, you have the option to train for balance or strength. I chose to train for balance and straight posture, meaning you‘d pick up a rock from the river, put it on top of your head and walk back to temple without dropping it. It was not easy. It requires focus and willpower: I almost gave up on the first day, but it became more natural as the days passed. Once we got back to the temple, we would typically go to the training ground and begin stretching our legs and arms until breakfast.
8.00am — Breakfast: The first meal of the day typically consisted of fresh noodles and vegetables or stuffed buns. As we didn’t typically eat any sugary food, my favorite dish was the sweet buns, which were stuffed with a jam and crunched nuts. These were served once a week and were a delicacy!
9.00am — Morning training: After breakfast, we’d begin the first two-hour session of the day with a young and brilliant temple trainer at a breathtaking training ground — an ancient courtyard set on the edge of a cliff over-looking the valley. We were split into two groups, Kung Fu and Tai Chi. I chose Kung Fun, which begins with 30-minutes of stretching, followed by several stances and moves. After that, we would practice a Kung Fu form (a specific sequence of moves) designed by the Shi Fu himself. Each day, we would be taught new pieces of the sequence, which is completed in about a week. The visitors who stay for longer would begin practicing weapons as well.
12.00pm — Lunch: Lunch was the richest meal of the day. We would eat most during this meal, as it’s followed by a few hours of free time to relax and explore before the second training session in the afternoon. The meal consisted of mixed vegetables, soup and tofu and white rice.
12.30pm — Free Time: Very peaceful afternoon break, which you can spend doing your favorite activities or just resting in your room. Personally, I would either go in the middle of the forest to read, meditate and take a nap, or help the locals with specific tasks for the temple (e.g., picking vegetables for dinner, cleaning sections of the temple, etc.)
4.00pm — Afternoon Training: The second training session of the day is also two hours and follows a similar structure to the morning session.
6.00pm — Dinner: Like all other meals, dinner is eaten in silence and offers a peaceful end to an active day. The meal is followed by free time and the monks performing night prayers. I would typically hang out for an hour with other visitors, sharing stories about our different experiences and views on the “real world.”.
9.00pm — Bed time: As the sun goes to sleep, so did we. No electricity, no light, very little sound and the most restful sleep.
The routine is repeated. Day in, day out.
A few practical suggestions
How and when to get to the temple — First off, you need to get to Dali (you can fly to DLU from many Chinese cities, I got there via a 4-hour flight from Shanghai). It’s worth spending a night in Dali since it’s a very lively and traditional Chinese town, where you can enjoy many local bars and restaurants. I would recommend spending one night in a hostel (the most popular are the Dragonfly, Jade Emu International Hostel and the Five Elements). From Dali, you should ask to the hostel staff to arrange a car to take you to Wu Wei Si (be aware that you won’t find many English speakers / readers outside the hostels, so it’s a good idea to print the name of the places in Chinese). I strongly recommend to get to the temple on Friday, so you will be aligned with the start of the training week on Saturday.
Getting started — Once you arrive at the temple, you should receive a warm welcome from one the monks and few questions on why you want to go through the experience. You will be provided with a list of strict rules to observe during your stay and asked if you want to practice Kung Fu or Tai Chi training. I chose Kung Fu, but this is a very personal choice. Kung Fu is much more physical than Tai Chi, which is slower and focused more on the mind (but it doesn’t mean it’s easier). In both cases the training is intense but doable. You should manage well if you are in decent physical shape and you don’t need previous martial arts experience. After accepting the rules and signing up, you will be asked for a donation of 500 Yuan per week (about 70 USD) and will be assigned a room. Rooms are typically shared and are extremely basic: dusty, no light, with nothing more than two “beds” (i.e., two pieces of wood with a tiny mattress on top).
Eating at Wu Wei Si — At the temple you will only eat strictly vegan food. I am not vegan nor a big fan of greens, but I have to say that the food is absolutely delicious! It is cooked by the women in the temple and consists of a very diverse mix of vegetables, tofu and soup, accompanied by rice or noodles. At meal time, you‘ll hear a clear ringing bell so you can’t miss it. There are strict rules during meals, but you’ll pick them up quickly. Nobody can start eating before the Shi Fu arrives and gives a blessing. You eat in silence and once food is in your bowl, you need to eat it all; your bowl needs to be completely empty. If you accidentally drop food on the table or on the floor, you will have to pick it up and eat it (the concept is that you always have to be present and aware of what you are doing).
Other practical things to know — let’s start from the most challenging rule: you can shower only once a week, typically on Monday (…and consider you will do intense training twice a day…). Also, the temple does not have electricity, but there is a single place where you can charge your electronic devices (which was great for my camera and Kindle). Early in the morning and in the evening, you can re-fill your supply of boiled water, which you can drink or use to wash yourself. In terms of period of the year to go, I went in mid May and it was pretty warm and sunny. However, the area is definitely rainy and gets cold in fall/winter.
What to pack
· Comfortable sports clothes (sweat pants, t-shirts, sweaters… shorts and sleeveless shirts or vests are not allowed)
· Light rain jacket (obviously you would train rain or shine)
· Flip flops (my feet would overheat after all the activities, so it’s nice to give them a break)
· Sneakers
· Socks, at least a pair per day
· Light scarf or similar (helpful cushion to have it on your head when you carry heavy rocks)
· Sleeping bag (I didn’t have one and was okay, but it would be good for colder periods)
· Towel
· Toilet paper
· Laundry soap (could be good if you want to hand-wash your clothes)
· Napkins and hand sanitizer
· Books (up to you, but reading and hiking was my favorite way to spend my free time)
· Torch or headlamp
My takeaways
Wu Wei Si was a truly amazing and immersive experience which I would strongly recommend. Although it may seem rough on the surface, be sure that anyone would adjust to the lifestyle and end up going with the flow. For me, it was very helpful to find a peaceful balance, reconnect with my body and enjoy every single moment of the day. You meet incredibly interesting people from all around the world, each with different stories and experiences — from young Israelis traveling after their military service, to Wall Street traders who need a break to reconnect with their souls. Some people stay for a week or two (like myself), others stay six months to a year.
The mind space and level of focus you gain at Wu Wei Si allows for truly deep thinking and self-reflection. The most impressive lessons learned from my time at the temple include:
· Whatever you do, be present — live in the moment, minimize interruptions and be focused
· There is one life and the clock is ticking — don’t postpone decisions that can make you happy now
· Slow down time and “smell the roses”– happiness can be found every day in small things, embrace it!
· We have much more than we realize — if you focus on what you don’t have and how to get it, you end up living the future, but life is now
I hope you’ll get to share the same experience. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact me at ivandavanzo@gmail.com