Meditation as Research

“Spirituality is what cannot be seen, but you can feel that it exist…[in seeking enlightenment] you will put in anything, every attempt, every effort” – excerpt from the interview account with Buddhist Nun Napaskorn, at Wat Worakit Taram, 28.08.2023. 

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For this project, Teh devoted 45 days of research and on-site study to allow for a deeper immersion into her study of Thai spirituality. Photographic study of cultural sites (including major religion, religious practices and non-religious but spiritual practices), its surrounding environment, interviews with practitioners and meditation on-site as research methods. These research methods not only interrogate these religious sites topographically but draw connections to how embodied knowledge may challenge or extend human cognition.

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As a practitioner of Vipassana meditation herself (although not the most disciplined one), Teh embarked on a series of meditation sessions each lasting an hour long at selected spiritual sites to understand such spiritual experiences. The videos below are original footages edited to 8x its original speed to provide a quick overview.