Encountering Katok Monastery: Sertar is no longer the only place in my heart.

📿【A Hidden Gem! This Cloudside Monastery in Western Sichuan Healed My Mental Exhaustion!】

I just returned from an impromptu trip to Western Sichuan
and stumbled upon the soul-stirring Katok Monastery deep in the mountains of Baiyu County.
Perched at an altitude of 4,800 meters above the clouds,
its golden roof and red walls peek through the snowy mountains and mist,
like stepping into an isolated Buddhist paradise.

✨【First Glimpse of Katok Monastery】
After navigating the winding mountain roads, the view suddenly opened up.
108 white stupas stood in a welcoming formation.
The sound of copper bells from the prayer wheel corridor pierced through the mist.
Butter lamps flickered warmly in the prayer hall.
Young monks in crimson robes hurried past with scriptures in hand.
The air was filled with the scent of incense mingled with barley.
In that moment, I finally understood what "the fragrance of faith" truly means.

🕯【Devotion by the Prayer Wheels】
I joined a Tibetan elder as she prostrated and circled the prayer wheels.
My fingers brushed over the scripture-engraved wheels.
She smiled and handed me a piece of tsampa,
speaking in broken Mandarin: "Turn clockwise, and blessings will follow you."
After three rounds,
the mountain wind swept away all my anxieties,
leaving only the fluttering sound of prayer flags in my ears.

📜【A Conversation with a Monk】
I met a young monk named Tenzin who spoke English.
He showed me the thousand-year-old Thangka paintings in the main hall that had never faded.
"Look at this mandala painting—its splendor is no more than a handful of colored sand,"
he said softly, pointing to a dissolving sand mandala.
His words struck me deeply.
What modern people desperately cling to
is, in this place, merely an illusion.

🌄【An Unexpected Ceremony】
At dusk, the sound of a long horn suddenly echoed.
Hundreds of monks, like a crimson cloud, flowed into the prayer hall.
The deep chanting reverberated, causing the butter lamp flames to flicker.
Even though I couldn’t understand the scriptures,
tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.
Perhaps this is the power that touches the soul directly.

💡Tips:
❶ Self-driving is recommended. Navigate to "Katok Monastery" via Ganbai Road. Watch out for falling rocks during the rainy season.
❷ Due to the high altitude, bring oxygen tanks. The monastery offers free Rhodiola tea.
❸ Photography is prohibited inside the main hall, but the white stupa cluster outside is incredibly photogenic! Wear solid-colored clothing for better photos.
❹ If you encounter a ceremony, don’t panic. Quietly observing is the best way to show respect.

On my way back, Tenzin gave me a six-syllable mantra bracelet:
"Om Mani Padme Hum."
He said it’s a GPS for lost souls.
I think I’ve found my own frequency.