May 10, 2025. First Day of Farming Volunteer Work at Dubuk Retreat Center – Weeding, Harvesting Onions, and Grass Trimming
Hello everyone. Starting today, we’ve decided to focus on a two-day collective volunteer effort to thoroughly maintain the farm at Dubuk Retreat Center.
The thick morning fog quietly retreated as the sun rose, and warm sunlight gently settled upon the clear open sky.
After seeing the urgent request for volunteers, about 100 members from the Busan-Ulsan and Daegu-Gyeongbuk chapters gathered early in the morning in front of the farm shed located in the center of the Dubuk Retreat Center farm. Especially, Dharma teachers with extensive farming experience also joined, providing a significant boost to the collective work.
Everyone stood together and, with three bows of respect, asked Sunim for opening remarks. Sunim explained the reason for the urgent volunteer request and outlined the tasks that needed to be done today.
“Since we’re currently in the 100-day prayer period, I had planned to remain indoors, but I came at the invitation of Dharma Teacher Myodang, who is in charge of the farming. (laughs)
These days, many different farming methods are being introduced. In the first half of this year, the farming team decided to try their own version of natural farming, allowing weeds and crops to grow together. However, this farm is a demonstration farm. If you want to try a new farming method, you should experiment elsewhere for about three years, and if the results are good, make a decision after discussion and then announce it to everyone. But the farming team changed the farming method without any community meeting. People expressed concerns to me about the new method, but I was unable to give it my attention because of the 100-day prayer period. When I came down last week and saw it myself, I determined that in this state, it couldn’t be called a demonstration farm. Moreover, the elderly village women kept asking why we were farming this way.
Why Weeds Are Flourishing in the Farm
When applying a new farming method to a demonstration farm, we need to make decisions through meetings and discuss who will take responsibility and where to experiment. Jungto Society’s principle is to experiment for about two years, evaluate the results, and then inform the community about the chosen farming method and its implementation. The 100-day prayer we are currently conducting is also a kind of pilot project. We started it first at the Seoul Jungto Social and Cultural Center to check its effectiveness, and if necessary, we may need to build a new center or rent a building in Daegu or Daejeon. We should experiment with its utility first and then make decisions through meetings and evaluations.
However, this time, the farming team proceeded with a new farming method without following these procedures. First, they didn’t follow the democratic process, and second, they applied the new farming method without sufficient experimentation. So we’re planning to gather everyone to discuss how to farm again. I’m not saying the farming is wrong, but the procedure was incorrect. So please don’t look at this field and think, “Sunim’s farming is featured so often in ‘A Day in the Life of Sunim’ articles, yet all we see here are weeds.” The farming method is different, but we are still farming well.
In one greenhouse, we planted potatoes and peas, but we left them to grow alongside the weeds. Now the weeds are more abundant than the crops. So about 30 people will go in and pull out all the weeds. Today, you can’t go home until all the weeds are pulled out. (laughter)
It would be easy if we could just pull out any weeds, but now we need to carefully remove only the weeds while leaving the potatoes and peas. Some people might even pull out the potatoes and peas instead of the weeds. (laughter)
In the second greenhouse, there are also many weeds growing at the bottom, and we only have a month left until harvest. The reason we left the weeds at the bottom is because we adopted natural farming methods, which suggest that having weeds at the bottom is beneficial for crop growth. So today, we only need to pull out all the weeds around the edges. Since tractors can’t reach the edges, people need to pull out all the weeds by hand.
Also, the entrance is too messy. Temples and demonstration farms should always be well-organized and tidy. Therefore, we will also tidy up the farm shed and its surroundings. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Today, rather than just working, please think of it as a day trip after Buddha’s Birthday. We’ve prepared bibimbap for lunch. We’ll finish all the work in the morning and then have lunch.”
“Yes.”
After reciting the Words to Remember three times together, everyone began the communal farm work.
In the first greenhouse, potatoes and peas were growing. However, not only were the potatoes and peas growing, but weeds were also flourishing abundantly.
Twenty-four members scattered throughout the greenhouse and began pulling weeds. Sunim also joined them in pulling weeds. With a hoe in one hand, Sunim jokingly said:
“Leave the weeds and pull out all the potatoes and peas.” (laughter)
Each time a handful of weeds was pulled, a cloud of fine dust rose from the roots. Everyone was particularly careful when pulling weeds around the potatoes. Their hands moved delicately to remove only the weeds without breaking the potato stems.
The weeds growing between the pea vines were handled even more carefully. Fearing that applying too much force might uproot the vines, their hands moved slowly and gently, like trimming a baby’s hair.
Once the group became somewhat accustomed to weeding, Sunim pulled weeds that had grown around the greenhouse door.
In the third greenhouse, members were processing previously harvested onions and packing them into container boxes. Their hands moved quickly and precisely, and the boxes were soon filled with onions.
In the fourth greenhouse, peppers had been planted. The members pulled out the weeds that had grown abundantly around the edges and evenly spread straw in their place.
Next to the greenhouse, members with good handcraft skills built a small greenhouse for drying peppers.
Meanwhile, in the upper field, string trimmers were continuously buzzing. The freshly cut grass blades sparkled in the air as they were carried by the wind, while beads of sweat formed on the foreheads of the male practitioners.
At 10 o’clock, everyone paused their work for a short break. Gathering in the shade, they took out snacks they had brought from home and shared them with each other. A gentle breeze passed through the smiling faces as they congratulated each other on their hard work.
“Now, let’s resume our work. We’ll continue until 11:30.”
Sunim revised the announcement.
“We’re not working until 11:30; we’re working until the job is done. If the work isn’t finished, you can’t go home.” (laughter)
Returning to their positions, everyone continued their tasks with focus until the end. Those who had finished weeding the potato and pea fields in the first greenhouse also pulled weeds growing around the greenhouse.
Some members gathered mugwort and prepared it for making mugwort rice cakes.
In the third greenhouse, all the harvested onions were moved to a truck. The plastic covers were removed, and the weeds around the edges were thoroughly pulled out.
Then, to prepare for planting peppers, they plowed the field and created even furrows.
In the fourth greenhouse, the non-woven fabric work was in its final stage. The fabric was carefully laid over each furrow to prevent weeds from growing again.
Even before 11:30, all the planned work was neatly completed.
Everyone cleaned the hoes, shovels, string trimmers, and other farm tools one by one before neatly organizing them in their proper places.
Then, they gathered in groups around the greenhouse for mindful sharing. With hands still smelling of soil, they listened to each other’s stories, naturally transitioning from their shared labor to heartfelt conversations.
Though their bodies were tired, their hearts felt lighter. At 11:30, they finished their work and headed to the Dubuk Jungto Retreat Center for lunch together.
When everyone gathered under the pine tree shade, they held a modest ceremony to express their gratitude ahead of Teachers’ Day.
First, Lee Ji-eun, the executive committee chairperson of the Dubuk Retreat Center, presented Sunim with a bouquet of flowers. Everyone expressed their gratitude with a big round of applause.
“Thank you, Sunim.”
Then, everyone sang “The Grace of the Teacher” together.
“The grace of the teacher is like the sky ♬ The more we look up, the higher it seems ♬ Teaching us to be truthful and righteous ♬ The teacher is the parent of our hearts”
After expressing their gratitude to Sunim, everyone performed three full bows and requested closing remarks. Sunim spoke about the need for us to pursue a life closer to the soil in this era of climate crisis.
“Since I’ve been busy with the 100-Day Dharma Talk, I haven’t been able to come down to Dubuk Retreat Center often, so I didn’t even notice whether spring was coming or going this year. But today, I feel like I’m having a spring celebration with all of you. I’ve always been lacking exercise, but today I got some good exercise after a long time. They say that lower body exercise is good for my heart condition, but today I ended up only pulling weeds, which meant I kept my lower body still while only moving my arms for upper body exercise.” (Laughter)
Why We Need to Reconnect with the Soil
While Jungto Society’s transition to online activities has many conveniences, it also has some drawbacks. In online interactions, conversations can end abruptly when someone simply turns off their switch, and the other person disappears. After spending the last five years in these kinds of relationships, I feel our spiritual commitment has gradually weakened and our practical activities have become less frequent. In the past, Jungto members were quick to act whenever something needed to be done, but now, after spending so much time sitting at desks in meetings, we seem to move as slowly as slugs. Therefore, I think we should continue to utilize the benefits of online activities while also incorporating offline activities to fill in what’s lacking. Practice requires meeting in person, conversing, and feeling each other’s warmth to be truly inspired. Especially since Jungto Society emphasizes social engagement, I believe we need to meet and encourage each other to be true Jungto practitioners. So going forward, we should gradually strengthen our offline activities. I hope you all will adopt a mindset of being more nimble. Please consider today’s activity as an event conducted with that intention.
Despite your lack of experience, you all worked hard and sweated a lot. Did you pull out a lot of grain too? I noticed some people were pulling out grain instead of weeds. In the past, people grew up watching their parents farm, so they knew how to do farm work well. But nowadays, there are so few opportunities to experience farming that some people genuinely wonder if rice grows on trees. This seems to be a general social phenomenon that can’t be helped.
However, in this era of climate crisis, we need to pursue a life closer to the soil again. Soon there will be food shortages, and securing safe food will become increasingly important. Whether it’s 10 or 20 years from now, we need to develop the physical resilience and skills to survive on our own for at least 10 days if we’re left in the mountains. Thank you all for your hard work.”
The farming work party concluded with a big round of applause.
Then everyone gathered for a commemorative photo.
“Jungto Society, go!”
Afterward, everyone shared lunch together. Usually, all volunteers bring their own lunch boxes, but today was special because Sunim joined the farming work party, so bibimbap was prepared.
After enjoying bibimbap while sitting in circles with fellow practitioners and sharing warm conversations, everyone returned home.
Immediately after lunch, Sunim changed back into work clothes and went up to the hillside field with the Dharma teachers. Since the mugwort collected in the morning was insufficient, they gathered more and also surveyed the work to be done during tomorrow’s work party.
Examining carefully from the lower to the upper terraces, they discussed how best to organize tomorrow’s work party with the community.
Then they spread out across the field and began cutting mugwort with sickles.
Though no one had deliberately planted or cultivated it, mugwort grew abundantly throughout the field. Sunim said with a smile:
“Maybe it would be better to just leave this field as a mugwort field.”
With rain forecasted for 2 PM, they quickly harvested the mugwort. Soon, bags began to fill up one after another. In just 30 minutes, they filled four bags and came down the mountain path.
On the way down, they also checked the dolmen field. Since it was already well-maintained, they decided to exclude it from tomorrow’s work party.
Sitting in the shade in front of the storage shed, they began trimming the mugwort. The scent of mugwort tickled their noses as it spread through the spring breeze. Since there was so much mugwort, the Haengjas(Buddhist practitioners) from Dubuk Retreat Center also joined in to help. As the rice cakes were intended for social elders, they carefully selected only the tender leaves, removing the tough stems. They also meticulously removed any withered leaves.
An hour quickly passed as they chatted while trimming the mugwort in its fragrant aroma. After washing the trimmed mugwort thoroughly and weighing it, they found it amounted to 20 kilograms.
After cleaning the tools they had used, they completed all the work by 4 PM.
As the sun set, Sunim attended to office work indoors in the evening before concluding the day’s activities.
Since there was no Dharma talk today, we’ll conclude with a conversation between a questioner and Sunim from the Friday Dharma Q&A session the day before yesterday.
Will Switching from an Unstable Job to Farming Help Reduce My Anxiety?
“You mentioned you have psychological anxiety. Are you taking medication and seeing a doctor?”
“Yes, I’m taking medication and exercising as well.”
“Then stay at your current job for at least three years no matter what. Whether they pay you or not, whether they criticize you or not, just keep going. When you have psychological anxiety, you tend to find excuses to quit and wander. Right now, practice is more important than the job itself. Consistently doing one thing is most important. Make it your practice to stay at this job for three years. No matter how difficult it gets, don’t think about anything else—just commit to staying for three years. Even if the company faces financial difficulties after two years and you stop receiving a salary, you should still go to work every day. You decided to stay for three years, so you should go to work even without pay. For you, going to work is a practice regardless of whether you get paid or not. If you maintain the perspective that ‘I will continue my practice even if the world turns upside down,’ staying at one company for a long time isn’t that difficult.
You’re having trouble finding a job because you’re being picky about conditions. Even now, there are many jobs available in rural areas. There are orchards and cattle farms. Most places can’t find workers, so they hire foreign laborers.
For now, continue working diligently at your current job as a practice. If a job opportunity in a rural area comes up later, you can move then. Starting as an independent farmer right away would be difficult due to lack of experience. It’s better to work under someone else first, even with lower pay, to learn and determine if farming suits you. Whatever you do, don’t start big with your own capital from the beginning. Spend at least three years gaining experience as an employee. If you have sufficient capital, you could try a business venture for practice, but if not, it’s safer to acquire adequate know-how first. The most important thing for you right now is to commit to your current job for at least three years.”
“I’ll continue at my company as a practice, as you suggested. Thank you.”
“For someone with psychological anxiety, simply be aware of this fact as you live. For example, if you have epilepsy, you acknowledge it and live accordingly. Having two legs is good, but having one is better than having none. Yet we constantly suffer by fixating on what we lack. If a cancer patient is told ‘you only have one year to live,’ they become trapped by those words and spend the entire year in anxiety. While others might live in suffering and anger, someone with only a year left should live more meaningfully. Living longer isn’t necessarily better, and having less time doesn’t automatically mean unhappiness. In fact, limited time can teach you to value what remains. It’s not the fact of having only one year to live that causes suffering, but being trapped by that thought. In reality, someone might die in a traffic accident before the cancer patient. Yet that person lives happily until the end.
In the mountains, squirrels live well. Comparing myself to a squirrel, my conditions are better. Yet the squirrel lives without suffering. So when we suffer, it means we’re worse off than squirrels. It’s not that our conditions are poor, but that we’re trapped in our thoughts. Your standards are too high. The Buddha’s teaching isn’t ‘live happily,’ but at least to not live in suffering.’ When you think about it, there’s no reason to suffer. Suffering arises because we’re attached to something. If you work hard but think ‘it’s okay if I don’t succeed,’ there’s no reason to suffer. Not wearing nice clothes doesn’t affect your survival, and skipping a meal causes no harm. In today’s world, skipping a meal is actually good for dieting.
You suffer because you are attached to the idea that things must go your way. If you want something, work for it, but keep in mind there’s no guarantee of success. And even if things do go your way, that doesn’t necessarily lead to good results. I’m not saying be lazy. Do your best, but maintain the perspective that it’s okay if things don’t work out. If you really want to achieve something, you can research and try again. Sometimes failure brings better results, so there’s no need to be sad or suffer when things don’t work out. With time, you might realize that not getting what you wanted was actually for the best.
You’re always trapped in your thoughts. Someone who never had much money is happy with just 100,000 won. But someone who had 1 billion won and lost 900 million might commit suicide despite still having 100 million, thinking they have failed. This is a misfortune in life. We bring unhappiness upon ourselves.
If you have anxiety, live with awareness of it. When you feel slightly anxious, acknowledge it by thinking ‘I’m anxious,’ and if it gets worse, take a tranquilizer. It’s not a big deal. There’s no need to suffer when conditions change. Just adapt to the given conditions. Accepting your given conditions positively is practice. After positively accepting your conditions, you can try to change what can be changed. Change may or may not happen, but positive acceptance is entirely within your control. You just need to accept it.
Changing the world isn’t easy. In today’s era of mass production and consumption, how many people will follow if we call for reduced consumption to prevent climate crisis? Still, if there’s even a 1% chance, a practitioner must act. That’s practice.
You want results without doing anything. But practitioners are different. They make their best effort and still don’t expect results. It’s okay if things don’t work out. You might say, ‘Why even bother when you know it won’t work anyway? But still, trying is better than not trying at all. 1% is a much higher probability than 0.1%. I hope you can live positively with this perspective.”
“Thank you. I understand.”
Tomorrow is the second day of farming volunteer work at Dubuk Retreat Center. In the morning, Sunim will join about 60 volunteers to climb up to the mountain field for weeding, harvesting bellflower roots, transplanting fruit trees, and trimming with string trimmers. In the afternoon, they will harvest vegetables from the garden and plant seeds for a wild ginseng pilot cultivation. After completing the volunteer work, Sunim plans to return to Seoul in the evening.
