Lessons with Gum Gang: Prayer

One of the major aspects of my time with Gum Gang was looking at the importance of prayer to his and his clients’ lifestyle. Even many different people followed different faiths, from Buddhism to ancestor worship to Christianity, everyone who visited Gum Gang’s home took the time to pray. During this time Gum Gang taught me the many values of prayer to how we think, how we interact with each other and how we choose what is important to us.

Below is another excerpt from the e-book I am currently working on, detailing Gum Gang’s methods and advice for prayer. Prayer is different for each person, but this can form a solid base for anyone who feels that, in the hustle and bustle of modern life, they may have forgotten how to pray.

Lessons with Gum Gang: 1+1

Gum Gang, a Mudang whom I often work with.

“Does 1+1=2, or does it equal a bigger 1?”

During my time in Korea, I have spent much of my time living with shaman. One of the shaman I am closest with goes by the nickname of “Gum Gang.” Gum Gang lives a life dedicated to healing and helping others as a Mudang, though in many ways he breaks the classic mould of what a Mudang is. Gum gang mixes the traditions of ritual and possession with the importance of diet management and herbal remedies, ancient costumes and settings with acupuncture and massage work. More than anything, Gum Gang seeks to be an active mentor, friend, adviser and healer to his clients beyond the classic performer/fortune teller archetype. This is the first in a series of blog posts in which I will share lessons I have learned living with Gum Gang, some physical, some spiritual and some just good for practical everyday life.