Finding an outlet for emotions is difficult in a country like South Korea, a hyper-competitive society that teaches little about how to deal with emotions.
According to Benn, if stress is left unresolved and not properly released, it can increase collective trauma. This is evidenced by recent violent crimes that have worried the nation. Mr. Jin Woo, head of the Jogye sect of Korean Buddhism.
Jin-woo, who is responsible for running South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect whose spiritual leader is the Supreme Patriarch, says he has plans to make the appropriate interventions needed.
emotional control
“What I have in mind is to make sure that people can come together quickly in times of need. I would like to see this program take off this year,” Jin-woo said in an interview with The Korea Herald. he said in a recent interview.
Since the start of his four-year term in September 2022, Theon Meditation Program has been instrumental in helping people achieve peace of mind when they are caught up in intrusive thoughts that they feel they have little control over. has fostered public debate about the role that can play.
“Stop all chains of thought,” Jin-woo said of how to begin the Jogye style meditation method called “Song.” “Not complete closure. Shake off evil and tortuous thoughts. Allow your mind to pause.”
Jin-woo points out that the Zen religion represented by the Jogye sect has long focused on meditation. Zenkyo is commonly known as Japanese Zen Buddhism, and both emphasize meditation.
Jinu added that more efforts are needed to promote meditation, especially among young people, citing a population that is focused on the next generation of Buddhist leaders and followers. Jinu said one of the major hurdles to overcome is the perception that Buddhism is too old a religion to connect with today’s world and deal with today’s issues.
“Sometimes it seems like we’re too buried in our traditions. We’re going to change that,” Jinwoo said.
look youthful
The makeover began on September 28, 2022, the first day of Jinwoo’s office. In meetings with university students and young Buddhists as young as 20 years old, the new leaders promised them all the support they could to spread Buddhist teachings.
“We plan to meet regularly,” Jin-woo said at a rally attended by high-ranking officials who support him. Regardless of the outcome, the conference at least succeeded in publicly solidifying the Jogye sect’s commitment to broader support for younger generations.
The annual International Buddhist Expo held in Seoul last month confirmed Jinwoo’s determination to follow through on his vision. The four-day event attracted the largest number of participants in the past decade. Jogye officials were encouraged by the young participants’ contribution to setting the record.
Jin-woo attended the expo and did his best to sit side by side with the younger participants at the round table. “We all need to be in control and feel comfortable meditating,” Jin-woo told the approximately 500 participants, reminding them of the importance of meditation and memorizing it as a 10-minute daily routine. He said it was something that should be kept.
“The important thing is to calm down,” Jin-woo added. “And if you do it every day, it will grow on you. You will become wiser. You will gain insight.”
The expo followed the theme of “Fun Buddhism” with a DJ dressed in monk robes kicking off the event by shouting Buddhist scriptures over the beat of electronic dance music. That alone was the most powerful demonstration of how far Jinu’s team is willing to go to convey the appeal of Buddhism to new audiences.
forming a coalition
For Jin-woo, Song meditation is more than just a cry. Chairman Jogyesong is trying to incorporate this into the fabric of Korean society. And there are Buddhists everywhere in sports and in the military, where Buddhist monks, along with their Christian allies, regularly teach conscripts about Buddhism, Jinu said.
Jin-woo said he is considering the idea of starting a fellowship group where star athletes lead conversations about Buddhism. According to the monk, interaction at the grassroots level is a way to “get the ball rolling.”
Nationwide events are also planned.
The Jogye sect will host a large gathering to promote Immortal meditation in late October. Officials in Jogye plan to better inform the public on “Peace of Mind, the Path to Happiness.”
The October gathering will coincide with Jinu’s visit to the United States, where he will meet with other Buddhist leaders to discuss promoting Zen meditation. Jinu’s lectures and seminars at local universities will highlight his understanding of this practice.
The US tour will also include a stop in New York City’s Central Park, where Jinwoo will exhibit how meditation actually works. Officials are finalizing the agenda and schedule.
rethinking education
Jinwoo acknowledges that his efforts to instill a culture of meditation could receive a boost with a focus on education.
“I have already expressed my concerns to the authorities and the system needs to be reformed,” Jinu said, pointing out that there is insufficient investment in character development. “Competition after competition nurtures us from kindergarten onwards.”
“Think about how stressful all of that is,” Jinwoo added. “We have great talent, but what we know best is how to win at all costs.”
However, according to Jin-woo, he lost his ability to deal with suffering on his own. “You have to learn to do that. Meditation is the way to do it.”
find inner peace
Jin-woo does not recognize himself as a pioneer in raising the consciousness of immortal meditation. Because this practice “has been practiced and perfected for the past 1,500 years.”
“I’m not proposing anything new. I’m just trying to modernize the approach to meditation,” Jinwoo emphasizes, explaining why we need meditation in the first place. He previously said that he needed to gain people’s sympathy.
According to Jin-woo, it is everyone’s mission to cultivate the ability to independently discover and enjoy inner peace. The Jogye sect president reiterated those words again at his annual press conference on Thursday, ahead of Buddha’s birthday on May 15.
“The world is plagued by war, and our society is far from achieving peace of mind,” Jin-woo said, citing concerns such as comforting marginalized people.
“No matter how cutting-edge the next invention is due to scientific progress, we still have to contend with suffering,” Jin-woo added.
Jin-woo called finding inner peace a panacea for conflict resolution. “The intellectuals you and I know are already aware of this. They are meditating.”
