Tuesday 16 April 2013

Dream: lunch at a Korean monastery

I have forgotten the beginning of this dream, which involves Grace, Sim and a baby. Well those are the trigger words I'd written down but I can't remember what actually happened so I'll skip over that part.

The first part I remember is walking down a set of very steep wooden steps. The steps were so far apart and at such an acute angle that I had to hold on tightly to the railing. Despite being very careful I kept slipping and almost fell quite a few times. Looking down made me really vertiginous, it looked as if the steps were plunging into a great big hole.

I was aware of quite a few people around me, but I didn't pay much attention to them as I was so focused on getting down these steps. Suddenly the steps stopped and there was a small platform to the side. I was relieved to get off the steps and have a rest.

The people around me were pushing me forward though, and I walked to the other side of the platform, where I saw the beginning of a trail. I followed the trail which sloped gently up the side of a hill, and folding back upon itself, I could see the horror wooden steps which I had just climbed down. At one point I could see that the steps turned into stone steps cut into the side of the hill, and I wondered whether I should have kept going.

Suddenly I was distracted by an amazing vista which presented itself out of seemingly nowhere. There was a crystal blue lagoon with incredibly clear water filled with all sorts of tropical fish. I was a fair way above the lagoon but could still see all the schools of fish swimming around the lagoon. I knew immediately in my heart that I had to go down to this lagoon and see it up close.

But I couldn't because everyone around me was still pushing me forward. A little further up, I caught a glimpse of the horizon in the distance. It looked to be across the sea, and the skyline looked like that of Auckland's, with Auckland tower the recognisable feature.

Soon I came to a wooden monastery, and I knew I was in South Korea. As I entered the temple, I came across a woman in traditional Korean dress who was walking around the grounds sounding two chimes on an old brass bell.

I went into one of the large halls, where the walls and the floors seemed to be made of solid dark teak, giving a sombre atmosphere. There were lots of tables laden with food, so much food that I wondered how many people were coming to this meal. I walked to the other end of the hall where there was a queue for the next hall across.

"This is the toilet hall." Namiko appears out of nowhere. I am glad to see her and we discuss plans to go back to our house so we can change our bags to something more comfortable. I realise that I am carrying on one shoulder a white drawstring swimming bag, which has straps so long that the bag is almost dangling at my knees.

I wander around wondering if I should eat first or join the toilet queue first. I decide to go to the toilet hall but when I get there, everyone seems to have gone. When I turn around, there are now hundreds of people in the eating hall, cramming their mouths full of food. The toilet hall is covered in thousands of muddy footprints, and I suddenly realise that there are no shoes on my feet.

Feeling somewhat disgusted at having to go into the toilet without shoes, I start to pick my way amongst the little gross puddles everywhere. All the time my eyes stray back to the eating hall where everyone seems to be having such a great time, laughing and chatting. I feel bitter that I'm stuck inside the toilet hall.

Then the lady with the brass bell comes around and sounds three chimes. The lunch hour is over and I wake up.

No comments:

Post a Comment