“Inner Peace Changes The World” Korean Meditation Leaders Association 10th Anniversary Special Event Highlights
In the midst of busy daily life and stress, the importance of taking a moment to reflect on oneself is growing. As meditation becomes an essential routine for modern people, the Korean Meditation Leaders Association (Chairman Jeokgyeong Sunim), established in 2015, is presenting a variety of events to celebrate its 10th anniversary.
New Chairman Inauguration and Leap Forward
Founded in 2015, the Korean Meditation Leaders Association has been led by former Geumgang Seonwon Director Hyegeo Sunim for nearly 10 years. Recently, Jeokgyeong Sunim, the head monk of Bonginsa Temple in Namyangju, has been inaugurated as the second chairman, leading the future of the association.
Jeokgyeong Sunim is a practitioner with a unique background that seeks harmony between the depth of Buddhist practice and practical meditation. He was ordained in 1989 under the guidance of Master Hyunho at Songgwangsa Temple and studied at the Songgwangsa Monastic University and Dongguk University’s Department of Seon Studies, and has experience practicing Vipassana meditation at the Mahasi Meditation Center in Myanmar. Currently, he teaches meditation based on observing phenomena as they are through ‘Gapi Meditation’ at Bonginsa Temple.
“I believe in the power of meditation to eliminate suffering and bring happiness. I hope that by finding inner peace, regardless of the space, stage, and method of practice, Buddhism can contribute to the world.” Jeokgyeong Sunim stated this during his first press conference after taking office.
Zen (禪) and Meditation, Different Methods, Same Goal
While there may seem to be a gap between traditional Zen practice and modern meditation, Jeokgyeong Sunim focuses on the commonalities of the two practices.
“If realizing my true nature with a koan is ‘Zen’, then taking a moment to pause and deeply explore oneself amidst the busyness is also ‘meditation’. If individuals achieve inner growth without being bound by methods, that will lead to social contributions.”
Jeokgyeong Sunim emphasizes the necessity of meditation in modern society, stating, “Whatever method is used, practice leads to harmony. When one finds inner peace, rather than distinguishing right from wrong, a heart that considers others first arises, and this expands into a desire for the world to improve.”
He added, “Various practices such as the traditional Ganhwa Seon and modern Zen meditation are being disseminated, but ultimately, focusing on phenomena leads to self-reflection,” and “As one reaches the essence through observation and deepens their practice, the world achieves harmony.”
Various Meditation Methods in One Place, ‘2025 Meditation Academy’
The Korean Meditation Leaders Association will open the ‘2025 Meditation Academy’ under the theme ‘The Path of Wisdom and Peace’. This academy, conducted online from April 16 to June 28, is designed to train meditation leaders and promote correct meditation methods.
The program encompasses various meditation methods including Heart Smile Meditation (Professor Kim Byeong-jeon), Breath Insight Meditation (Iljung Sunim), Three Aspects of Self (Myeongbeop Sunim), Avatar Meditation (Wolho Sunim), Principles and Applications of Seon Meditation (Muae Sunim), and Compassion Meditation (Maga Sunim). The first lecture will be given by the new chairman Jeokgyeong Sunim on the topic of ‘Gapi Meditation’. Additionally, special lectures by Hye-min Sunim, the head of Godam Seonwon, and Jeong-hye Sunim, honorary president of the International Propagation Society, are also scheduled, raising expectations.
‘The Wisdom of Meditation that Heals Conflicts Between Myself and the World’ Forum Held
A special forum commemorating the 10th anniversary will also be held on May 18 at 1 PM at the Traditional Cultural Arts Performance Hall of the Korean Buddhist History and Culture Memorial Hall in Jogyesa, Seoul. This forum, themed ‘The Wisdom of Meditation that Heals Conflicts Between Myself and the World’, will feature eight meditation experts.
Participants will include Jiun Sunim, head of the Borim Village Compassion Seon Meditation Center, Muae Sunim, head of the Seon Meditation Center, Ilas Sunim from the International Meditation Center Dhammapida, Maga Sunim from Compassion Meditation, Iljung Sunim from the Munjasu Meditation Center, Kim Jae-sung, representative of the Compassion Insight Meditation Center, Yoo Jeong-hwa, head of Dongguk Meditation Center, Kim Yeol-gwon, head of Mahawi-pasana Meditation Center, and Lee Hyun-joo from Borim Village Compassion Seon Meditation Center, who will introduce various meditation methods such as Cha Meditation, Walking Meditation, J Compassion Meditation, Mindfulness, Loving-kindness Meditation, Singing Bowl Meditation, and Vipassana Meditation.
In particular, Kim Jae-sung, representative of the Compassion Insight Meditation Center, will present the results of a meditation program conducted over 10 weeks with nine individuals with developmental disabilities on the theme ‘Loving-kindness Meditation to Help Individuals with Developmental Disabilities’. The positive feedback from participants, who expressed that “meditation is fun and not difficult” and looked forward to the meditation days, demonstrates the healing potential of meditation.
Kim Yeol-gwon, representative of the Mahawi-pasana Meditation Center, will introduce the process through which individuals from various professions such as housewives, corporate executives, self-employed individuals, and traditional medicine practitioners become aware of anxiety, anger, and desire through Vipassana practice and gain compassion.
“The Deeper the Practice, The Closer We Get to Happiness”
Jeokgyeong Sunim emphasized, “The deeper the practice, the closer we get to happiness, escaping from suffering. This is precisely why ‘meditation’ is needed in this era, in whatever form.”
Active as a member of the Seon Meditation Committee of the Jogye Order, Jeokgyeong Sunim stated, “As the order is leading the popularization of meditation by developing Seon meditation programs, I also want to contribute to helping modern people find inner peace through the meditation association,” and added, “When the hearts of the people become peaceful, a desire to contribute to the world along with inner growth will arise.”
The events of the Korean Meditation Leaders Association are expected to be a meaningful opportunity to introduce various meditation methods to modern people seeking inner peace amidst their busy lives and to seek social healing and harmony. The participation fee for the forum is 50,000 won, and for more details, inquiries can be made through the association's website (www.kamto.net) or by phone (02-953-5307).
Oh Ji-hyun, Editor of Healing News