One of the highlights of the Body & Brain Korea Meditation Tour is a visit to Jeju Island. With a more moderate climate than the rest of South Korea and a local culture that harkens back to an earlier era in history, Jeju Island has long been a favorite holiday destination for Koreans as well as travelers from China and Japan. Located roughly between these three countries, Jeju is recognized as an island of peace, both geographically and culturally. While the rest of the Korean peninsula has undergone dramatic transformations in recent generations, Jeju seems more connected to a traditional Hong-ik (widely beneficial- common good) culture and to the natural environment.

Jeju Island is famous for its ‘3 nothings’ - no gates (no locks on doors), no homelessness, and no thieves. This spirit is what motivated Body & Brain founder Ilchi Lee to establish a center on Jeju from very early on in his career, while there were still relatively few centers even on the Korean mainland. The 3 nothings represent Jeju’s communal spirit- a relic of the ancient Korean SunDo culture, preserved by the Island’s remoteness relatively remote location and proximity to nature.

Visitors to Jeju Island, including those who participated in the Body & Brain Korea Meditation Tour, have the chance to visit numerous natural wonders as well as UNESCO-designated world heritage sites. This past October, participants in the Korean Meditation Tour got a little more excitement than they bargained for when typhoon Kong-rey moved in while the group was visiting Jeju Island. Typhoons are common in the western Pacific Ocean between June and November, and weather events are one of the challenges that travelers face. But if you must be stuck somewhere, Jeju Island is a pretty good spot.

For a great rundown of 10 things to see and do on Jeju Island, check out this article from CNN.