The first personal contact with monks and Buddhism was for us on the island of Koh Phangan in Thailand. I must confess that I had very little idea of this religion before
I only knew it was a very peaceful religion. I really liked that. At that time I grew up myself in two countries, which seemed to me like two different worlds, and I witnessed two entirely different religions.
My parents had separated early, my mother is German, my father Algerian. My father never really liked it in Germany, so he wanted to go back to Algeria early. Back then, when I was a baby, my father took me to Algeria after being separated from my mother as a baby.
I grew up there most of the time. When I was 8 years old, I came back to my mother in Germany. When I finally flew back to my father to Algeria at the age of 11 and lived there for several years, I was finally confused. I honestly did not really know what religion I was listening to now, even though I had no bad experience with Muslime myself.
My grandmother was a Muslim and the dearest person on earth. She pulled me up. I have just become more critical of religions and have begun deeply to question these. After a few years as a teenager, I flew back to my mother. From then on I had no longer dealt with religions.
So it was also that I made the first meeting with a monk, almost a big mistake. We were in a temple on Koh Phangan and had met that monk who had asked us about our daughter.
I almost pressed my little one into his arm. He has left and told us that he is not allowed to touch female babies or even women, since otherwise he has to undergo a complicated cleaning.
He could touch a male baby. So it came to me that I had for the first time in my life with a different religion. Now I have also understood why the monks in Thailand have their own seat in the bus so that they do not inadvertently touch a woman among others. Also, they are not allowed to be with a woman alone, there must always be another man (no monk).
And these are not the only rules. Life as a monk seems to me to be exhausting, but I still respect the monks and find the religion still very peaceful and interesting. On our journey, my interest in religions has again been aroused. If you want to get to know a country, you should also look at their religion.
I get along with many people, no matter what religion. I am happy and grateful that we can make this trip, because we have the chance to witness different religions without being trapped in any one.
Tip for your trip:
- Keep monks apart
-Come yourself into temples with long clothes
- Always keep a chair between you and the monk (he will do it by himself)
If you give a gift in the temple, you as a woman must give it to him indirectly. The gift must be handed over to him by your partner or another male person.
The reason: The monk is to be kept from all earthly lusts and temptations. If you as a woman accidentally touch him, he has to undergo a complicated cleaning.
best regards
Salima & Timo