Our Reverends
Our reverends are available for counseling, spiritual guidance, or tea ceremony. You may make an appointment by phone or email. The recommended donation is $20-$50 per session. No one will be turned away due to financial limitations.
Rev. WonGong (affectionately known as Rev. Wow!) is a lifetime dedicated dharma teacher. She started her training in 1988 and was ordained a Kyomunim (dharma teacher) in 1994 after seven years of intensive training in Korea. She subsequently served in the Gangnam Temple in Seoul and the Rockville Temple in Maryland. She attained a Masters of Social Work from the University of Maryland and worked as a therapist for Child Protective Services in North Carolina.
A pioneering Won Buddhist priest, she has established temples in Chapel Hill and Raleigh, North Carolina. She is a guest lecturer at schools, colleges and meditation centers, teaching Buddhist philosophy and meditation to people of all ages and backgrounds.
Rev. WonGong leads workshops, retreats, youth dharma camps, and cultural enrichment programs. She integrates creative forms of meditation with body movement, vocal Qigong, breathing techniques, guided meditation, and laughter. She is active in the international interfaith community and is a leading Korean-to-English translator of dharma teachings, serving as a spiritual bridge between East and West.
Rev. WonGong is a master of integrating Buddhist concepts in daily practice. She loves gardening and singing. In 2018, she released an album, Chants of Samadhi for Daily Practice. In 2020, she released her second album, Chants for Healing.
Rev. Shaun Song grew up in Youngsan, the spiritual birthplace of Won Buddhism. His parents were teachers at Won Buddhist schools there. Immersed in the heart of Won Buddhism, Rev. Shaun’s affinity with kyomunims and Won Buddhism naturally developed. To pursue this path, he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Won Buddhist Studies from WonKwang University and his master’s degree in Won Buddhist Studies.
After ordination in 2016, Rev. Shaun Song served as an assistant minister at North Gwangju Temple in Korea for five years; he taught mind practice, traditional Korean drumming, and English to children at the Temple’s childcare center, as well as mentoring the teen group. In August 2022, Rev. Shaun joined the North Carolina Temple community, where he enjoys living with, learning from, and supporting our sangha.