What Doalnara Is..

Doalnara... the Way to a Better Living

a landmark of DRSP at Carnation Community

Doalnara is a worldwide “organic” community, joined together with a single purpose of growing organic produce and fostering an organic heart. It is a global campaign of restoring the mentality, heart, body and environment. 

Doalnara is a Korean word. Doal, means stone, and Nara as Country. In other words, Doalnara is a Stone Country, a community where people whose hearts are firm and strong gathered as one family.

Its headquarter is in South Korea, and there are 10 other branches located in Chongsong, Sangju, Bongwha, Pyongchang, Jangheung, Jungju, Sanchung, Wonju, and Jinchun, etc. They have also extended Doalnara farm in America, Kyrgyztan, Russia, China, Japan, Kenya and Philippines.  In the Philippines, Doalnara Organic Farm is located at the foot of Mt. Lumot, and Mt. Balatukan, at Sitio San Roque, Barangay Aposkahoy, Claveria, Misamis Oriental.  This place has an altitude of about 1,300 km above sea level.

At present, there are more or less 200 families living in the countryside, and their main livelihood is 100% organic farming. These 200 families are living afar from the city life, and they start their daily routine at 3:00 in the morning. As they believe in teacher Suk Sun’s words quoted from the enlightenment of Confucius, “Plans for one’s lifetime are made in one’s youth. Plans for the year are made in the spring. Plans for the day are made at dawn. The dawn does not come twice, one’s youth does not return, and if you do not plow the fields in spring, there is no hope in autumn.” That is why, before the day breaks, whether young or old, they are already up and kicking, having individual meditation (3:30 – 4:30 a.m.), and by 4:30 – 5:30, all of them are gathered at the temple for congregational worship. Work starts at 7:30 and ends at 11:30 in the morning. And these people are disseminated at different departments respectively (education, agriculture, construction, motor pool, business, welfare, health, publishing, audio, and administration department). 

a man plowing the fields with a hand tractor

         

women harvesting korean lettuce inside the green house

        In the afternoon, the time is allocated for the people’s individual work. Since the place is prone to rainfall, most of the time, they spend their work inside their houses. And at eventide, from 6:30 -7:00, the family closes the day with prayer and gratitude. By 8:30, it’s evident in the place that lights are off, and the stillness of the night implies the presence of blessings, peace and protection from the Almighty God.

photo taken inside the temple during worship hours