Living a Meditative Life for Mental Health and BodyFollowing COEX and Gaepo, the third 'Gangnam Healing Center' is set to open in June in Sinsa
Providing meditation programs to local residents including meditation hall, academy hall, and librarySeoul Gangnam, evolving as a meditation hub…opening the ‘3rd Gangnam Healing Center’ in Sinsa-dong
Operating the only healing center in the local government… partnering with the Korea Meditation Association to build a mental health hub
Gangnam District in Seoul is accelerating the expansion of infrastructure for community mental health promotion. Following COEX and Gaepo-dong, they are opening the third 'Gangnam Healing Center' in Sinsa-dong, expanding the platform for inner peace and healing.
On the 13th, District Mayor Cho Sung-myung and Monk Gaksang of the Korea Meditation Association attended the agreement ceremony for the operation of the Sinsa-dong center. According to the agreement, the Sinsa-dong Healing Center, scheduled to open next month, will be operated by the Korea Meditation Association.
Equipped with the largest meditation specialized facility in the country
The Sinsa-dong Gangnam Healing Center, with a total floor area of 3,881㎡ (approximately 1,175 pyeong), is the largest meditation center operated by a local government in the country. Major facilities include a large meditation hall that can accommodate over 200 people, an academy hall, an open library stocked with meditation-related books, and a children's library.
In particular, this center is the third healing center operated by the Gangnam District, showing its leading role in expanding mental health infrastructure, following the COEX Center in 2020 and the Gaepo Center in 2021.
Korea Meditation Association, combining 30 years of meditation expertise
The Korea Meditation Association, which will operate the center, is the largest meditation organization in the country, established in 1994, and has been at the forefront of developing Korean-style meditation programs encompassing various meditation traditions. The association has Dr. Lee Si-hyung as the honorary chairman and Monk Gaksang as the president, with participation from various experts in the fields of religion, medicine, and psychology.
Monk Gaksang stated at the agreement ceremony, "Sinsa-dong has good accessibility and excellent facilities, so we expect participation from the younger generation," and added, "We will utilize the know-how from the youth meditation healing camp operated at Bongamsa World Meditation Village in Hapcheon, Gyeongsangnam-do to provide a deep meditation experience even in the city."
The Korea Meditation Association has developed the 'K-Meditation' program, proven effective in stress relief and concentration improvement over the past decade, and has distributed it to companies, schools, and hospitals. This program modernly reinterprets traditional meditation methods to suit the emotions of Koreans and will be a key focus at the Sinsa-dong center.
Operating customized programs for all generations
The Sinsa-dong Gangnam Healing Center plans to offer a variety of programs that encompass all generations, from children to the elderly. Major programs include ▲5-minute meditation in daily life ▲mindfulness meditation for children with attention deficit ▲stress relief program for office workers ▲meditation for improving cognitive function in the elderly.
Additionally, meditation programs through body movements such as yoga and tai chi, humanities specialized courses, and community participation programs combining cultural arts such as meditation concerts will also be operated. In particular, there will be a focus on strengthening digital detox meditation for the MZ generation and evening programs for office workers.
Mayor Cho Sung-myung stated, "I hope that through the meditation lifestyle based on the Gangnam Healing Center, the health of the mind and body will expand further in the community," and added, "We will do our best to create an environment where everyone can easily access meditation to solve modern stress and mental health issues."
Experts say, “Local government-led meditation centers are a new model for public mental health”
The psychiatric community positively evaluates the expansion of healing centers in Gangnam District. Professor Kim Jin-soo (pseudonym) from the Department of Psychiatry at Seoul National University Hospital stated, "In the situation where mental health issues are becoming serious after COVID-19, meditation centers led by local governments are a good model for preventive mental health management," and explained, "Especially for those who have resistance to medication or counseling, meditation can provide an alternative for mental health services with a low barrier."
Meanwhile, Gangnam District announced plans to establish a 'Gangnam Healing Belt' connecting the three healing centers and to create small meditation rooms in each district by 2026. The goal is to create an environment where meditation can be experienced within a 10-minute walk. The Sinsa-dong Gangnam Healing Center is scheduled to hold an opening ceremony in mid-June and begin full-scale operations. Applications for program participation can be made on the Gangnam District Office website and at each healing center, with most basic programs being offered for free.
Oh Ji-hyun, Editor of Healing News