Temple Leadership
Today, Mountain Spirit Center is cared for and guided by Hyon Jung Sunim, the temple’s Abbott, and Jung Beom Sunim, who provides oversight from Sudeoksa in South Korea. Together, their stewardship helps preserve the temple and its traditions while fostering a meaningful bridge between Korean Buddhist culture and the surrounding American community.
The warm sunlight streams through Taegosa Mountain Spirit Zen Center, and I feel deeply blessed to meet you here. This precious encounter fills my heart with joy, peace, and gratitude.
With every passing moment, countless emotions arise within us. While positive emotions can uplift and inspire us, negative emotions such as anger, hatred, fear, sadness, guilt, and shame are often much more difficult to control or release. As these emotions linger in the mind, they cloud our judgment, disturb our inner peace, and become a source of suffering. Through mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom, we can learn to observe these emotions without becoming attached to them. By understanding their causes and allowing them to pass naturally, we create space for greater peace and clarity to emerge within our hearts.
I invite you to step away from the demands and busyness of everyday life and take time to reconnect with yourself. At this unique mountain temple, built in the traditional Korean style and surrounded by the beauty and tranquility of nature, you can restore emotional balance, nurture your well-being, and gain a fresh perspective on life.
We strive to be your spiritual home—a place of peace, reflection, healing, and renewal. Taegosa, together with its sister temple, Dalma-sa, shares the mission of spreading the Buddha's teachings while offering the unique qualities and serene atmosphere that make Taegosa so special.
At Taegosa, nature and spirituality become one. Nestled among the mountains, the temple exists in harmony with its surroundings, creating a sanctuary where the mind can rest, the heart can heal, and the spirit can flourish.
We welcome you with open arms and open hearts, offering a place of serenity, healing, and connection for all who seek refuge from the noise and distractions of the modern world.
May you find peace in the mountains, clarity in the silence, and wisdom on the path.
Come as you are. Leave renewed in body, mind, and spirit.
-Â Jung Beom Sunim
Jung Beom Sunim
Take Refuge in the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
Taegosa was founded in 1994 by Mu Ryang Sunim, and I have had the honor of serving as the 6th Abbot of Taegosa since 2013.
Taegosa is a place of unique calmness and peace throughout all four seasons.
In spring, winter and spring seem to coexist as cold and warm days alternate. The blossoming wildflowers quietly announce the arrival of a new season.
During summer, although the dry heat continues, the cool energy of the earth and the solid construction of the temple buildings provide natural comfort. The cool mornings and evenings make even the hottest days manageable.
The arrival of autumn is marked by the changing colors of the leaves, while the approach of winter is signaled by wild animals busily preparing for the colder months ahead.
In winter, we heat the temple using firewood-fed boilers, creating a warm and welcoming refuge amid the snowy landscape.
We warmly invite you to visit Taegosa, a place where you can rest, relax, and reconnect with yourself. Our doors are always open to everyone.
Enter a new world of peace and tranquility.
When life becomes tiring, stop by for a cup of tea. Let us join our hands together in friendship, mindfulness, and compassion.
We look forward to welcoming you.
-Â Abbot Hyung Jun Sunim