According to an announcement made several months ago, the Compassionate Service Society (CSS) will organize an 8-day pilgrimage to Meteora, Greece, for its members. A total of 80 participants registered for the trip, coming from regions such as Southern and Northern California, Virginia & Maryland, Houston, Dallas, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands.
To prepare for the pilgrimage to several renowned sites in Greece, primarily the Meteora Monasteries, Master Hằng Trường dedicated significant time to research and gather knowledge about Greece, drawing parallels with the Bodhisattva path from the Avatamsaka Sutra. He compiled a valuable reference guide to provide insights and guidance for the participants of this pilgrimage.
On the first day, our group visited the Acropolis of Athens (Acro means “high,” and Polis means “city.” Acropolis refers to the “high city”), where the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to Athena, the goddess of wisdom and the city’s patron deity, is located.
That evening, we attended a concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. This theater was built out of stone in AD 161 and restored in 1950. It is located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens and has a seating capacity of 4,680 people.
The next day, we took the bus to Meteora and visited the monasteries located atop the high mountains. These monasteries are still inhabited by Eastern Orthodox Christian monks.
The Meteora rock formations in Greece are an architectural wonder, almost like something out of a legend. The word “Meteora” means “suspended in the air,” or “hanging in space.” Around the 9th century, many hermit monks, who followed the Catholic faith, climbed the Meteora mountains to practice asceticism in the many caves found there. Over the next 300 years, by the 12th century, more people reached this place. They built hermitages in the mountains and established a community of ascetics belonging to the European Monastic Orders. By the 14th century, more than ten monasteries had been built, with hundreds of monks living there.
Among the monasteries built high on the mountains, the Meteora’s Monasteries are the most famous because the monks who went there for retreat (practicing as hermits) did not have contact with the outside world. When the monks reached the monastery, they would pull up the rope ladder, making it impossible for others to climb up. At that time, if anyone wanted to go up, they had to sit in a large woven basket, which the monks would spin and pull up, as there was no other way to ascend.
If someone arrived after the basket had been pulled up, they could only wander around at the foot of the mountain. This method allowed them to resist the Turkish invasion and protect Hellenic culture, or Greek culture at that time, as the monasteries preserved all documents and art, especially the frescoes painted on the walls, preventing the Turks and Muslims from coming up and destroying them. In the Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas, there are many paintings that have preserved the ancient culture.
In the past, the Meteora had 24 monasteries, but now only 6 are still inhabited: 4 for male monks and 2 for nuns. Each monastery houses fewer than 10 people. According to the history of these monasteries, a unique aspect is that the inhabitants live together in great harmony, sharing the same spiritual practices and having similar values.
Every morning, everyone engages in chanting and meditation in silence, without speaking. Each evening, they also spend time sitting quietly together. During the day, they perform many tasks to maintain the monastery, and these shared hard works has created a peaceful communal life. The monks have very few disputes because they are united in their goal of preserving culture and dedicating their lives to God.
In the past, there were no roads or stairs leading up, so the method of transportation was by lowering a basket. Today, they still have a basket that is electrically operated, no longer manually pulled, but it is used only for transporting goods or food. Visitors to the Meteora Monasteries must walk up and down. Tourists can only visit limited areas in the monasteries and do not interact with the monks or allow to observe their activities.
The mountainous path has some difficult sections, so the group, under Master’s guidance, was divided into pairs of companions, with younger or stronger members helping those who were weaker or older. Hands were extended to help fellow practitioners climb the steep mountain slopes. We wore matching T-shirts, making us easily recognizable and quite distinctive among the other tourists, and ensuring that no one got lost.
During this pilgrimage, we had the opportunity to learn and expand our knowledge, to admire the majestic and artistic beauty of both natural and man-made landscapes, to enjoy a concert with wonderful sounds and voices, to engage in full-body movement like hiking and exercising in fresh air, and to practice meditation in truly quiet and peaceful locations that deepened our concentration and calmed our minds. This helped us open our hearts and change our perspectives, most importantly allowing us to use our spiritual practices to benefit the beings in that area. Mind, body, and spirit were truly at peace.
Meditation
Listen to Dharma Talks
This pilgrimage, or rather this spiritual journey, provided participants with not only knowledge about civilization, culture and art but also an understanding of historical structures built thousands of years ago, viewed first-hand, evoking emotions of awe and reverence. Spiritually, our beloved Master also guided and imparted Dharma lessons relevant to the pilgrimage, helping to elevate each person’s perspective when encountering these valuable cultural works. The time spent together, the meditation sessions, listening to the Dharma talks, and the close interactions with fellow members from various regions were truly precious.
Some people shared their reflections: They felt an extraordinary stillness, and serenity while meditating in nature at Meteora. Their minds focused effortlessly, and images for contemplation came naturally, without any effort.
Another participant offered their thoughts: We would like to express our deep gratitude to Master for organizing such a magnificent trip, constantly teaching and sharing invaluable knowledge and energy to facilitate our learning. We thank the organizing team for taking care of everything so wholeheartedly. Thank you to all the dear Dharma friends, whose helping hands and encouragement allowed us to complete the trip safely and appreciate all the marvels of the universe, the creativity, and the artistic craftsmanship of humankind. Through this, we were able to reflect on the history, from ancient times, of construction and destruction, prosperity and decline, through the generations of humanity. We ask ourselves: What will each of us do to preserve, maintain, and especially develop the essence and wisdom of the ancients, of the sages, philosophers, masters, and our beloved Master?
And from another participant: This trip broadened our knowledge of an ancient world civilization, gave us some taste of “being closer to the sky” and inspired us to look back at how we cultivate and what we do to advance in our spiritual cultivation. We cannot be complacent. This is indeed once-in-a-life-time experience.
Thank you everyone for looking out for each other and helping each other to be safe and sound, and to accomplish our purpose of learning and cultivating while enjoying some sightseeing.
The joyful days eventually came to an end, and everyone left Greece with its many ancient cultural relics, saying goodbye as each person returned to their own place, back to their everyday duties and responsibilities. Yet, the memories and lasting impressions of this pilgrimage remain in our hearts. On behalf of all the participants, we humbly express our deepest gratitude to our Master, to the organizing team for their dedicated efforts in taking care of everything, and to the fellow participants for the care and harmony during the time we spent together.
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