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As I first told you, I just adventurously followed him not knowing if he was a man or ghost. After following him he told me to sit between the spaces of the mountain's summit rocks. The night was very dark and all I could hear was the noisy, crying sounds and beast sounds. I was so frightened and shivering that I regretted that I had followed this man. I only thought about escaping. When dawn came he told me to eat and, come to think of it, I was hungry.
But I couldn't help being disappointed when I was told to eat raw food. Later on I found out that the raw food was made from powdered pine needles, grass roots, arrowroot, barley, beans, and rice. On this occasion he may have given me powders made of pine needles or grass roots. I took a mouthful and then sipped some water but it would not go down my throat at that time. I told him I could not eat this food. The Dao master said to me "This is the only kind of food to eat from now on. So first you do the training eating these kinds of food. If you can't eat then just drink water. They will taste delicious after you starve for a few days. I was in despair and could do nothing so I starved for two days. Finally I started eating the raw food because of hunger and it wasn't bad for surviving.
At times during my first month with the master I couldn't take mountain life anymore and attempted to escape. I made 3 escape attempts on the 15th, 21st, and 30th days. Each attempt failed. When the Dao master wasn't there I ran as far down the mountain as I could guess. Suddenly he appeared ahead of me and blocked my way. Smiling, he said "Don't even think of it. There is no going back. Let’s go up."
I even tried finding other types of food which I could make myself and so I started feeding myself. I spent a full year training to eat raw food. When I was able to eat raw food, the Tao master took me to the So-baek and Tae-baek mountain ranges. Later on I knew that I had walked all over the high, steep peaks of Sok-li and Kangwondo's Tae-baek mountain range. I would live a primitive practice life in the mountains for a few days and then move to another mountain for a few months. We lived between the spaces of rocks or in caves, fighting with wind, rain, and snow.
Later on I realized that I had hiked all over the high steep peaks of the Sok-li and Kangwondo's Tae-baek mountain ranges. I lived a primitive practice life in the mountains. We moved often. We would live in a place for a few days or months and then move. We lived in spaces between rocks or in caves and I constantly fought with wind, rain, and snow.
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It's a fair question. Our clothes were not even like clothes. We used animal pelts for underpants. The fact that I had the power to protect myself from wind, rain, and cold seems miraculous to me too. It must have been because my mental power led me.
I also had the question about what and how I should practice. Life was very simple during my first year and I asked the Dao master a few times about what and how to practice. But his answer was always the same.
"Have you gained confidence in eating raw food? Then sit here rightly, close your eyes and sit quietly. Don't think. You have to empty your mind completely to make something else come in. If distracting thoughts come up every moment then you’re a long way from it. You should not have thoughts of your parents, the world, white rice, a warm sheet, money, or have anything else in your mind. The first step in learning is removing all thoughts from your mind. Every Dao(way) begins from disinterestedness and an empty mind. And thoughts, judgments, stubbornness and all similar things should be eliminated. Then the law of heaven will come into you. The law is being that way. Don't say anything and just close your eyes and sit quietly. I will teach you everything when it is time."
I had to do as I was told. The basic training of my body and mind was completed after one year of ascetic life. Later I realized that the basic training continues for the rest of one's life. But at that time my mind was very disturbed and complicated. I thought to myself "What on earth is this man teaching me with this tough basic training?" I have lived and practiced for 15 years in the mountains. From time to time I questioned myself about why it was so challenging. Was it the Sundo that was so hard or had I not devoted myself entirely?
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