Personal Narrative: A Dharma Center

Growing up with a father in the military, you move around a lot more than you would like to. I was born just east of St. Louis in a city called Shiloh in Illinois. When I was two years old my dad got the assignment to move to Hawaii. We spent seven great years in Hawaii, we had one of the greatest churches I have ever been to name New Hope. New Hope was a lot like Olivet's atmosphere, the people were always friendly and there always something to keep someone busy. I used to dance at church, I did hip-hop and interpretive dance, but you could never tell that from the way I look now.

For this experience, I decided to explore Buddhism in order to enhance my involvement with the religion and build a strong understanding. What intrigued me about Buddhism was the social aspect and diversity that it had to offer. In order to explore this religion from a critical and analytical viewpoint, I decided to attend a weekend service offered at San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin. The San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin main temple is located in the Japantown section of Central San Jose. What made this temple stand out amongst the others was its historical standing in the community. It is one of the oldest temples established in the United States. In order to learn more about the history, environment, and community as a whole, I decided to contact the temple’s staffs. After a brief phone call, I was able to schedule a tour. In preparation, I decided to do a brief research on Buddhism to familiarize myself with the religion beforehand. With all preparations and research necessary, I was ready to visit San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin.

As a scholar taking the class ‘Introduction to World Religions”, I had the opportunity to take part in a culture that is not normally found in the western world. I entered the Mon Buddhist Monastery in Akron, Ohio on October 2nd, 2016 only to be amazed at their way of life. Going into the temple, I knew of the basic religious practices and traditions that the monks and Buddhists had participated in daily. When I was coming up to the monastery, it did not look like anything other than an old brick building, but once we were inside it looked like a recreational area. Somewhere where they would meditate, hold daily activities, and teach the younger Buddhist about their way of life. On the far back wall, there was a stunning shrine dedicated to the Buddha where one would pray. Many figurines were displayed as well as flowers and offerings along it.

I think that is an excellent thought, Lindsey. When I first read this that is what I thought as well. Whenever Ada begins to let Susan love her, and whenever Susan starts to show more affection Ada lashes out. I think that Ada lashes out because she feels like she is not deserving of love, and she is not deserving of nice things. This just tears me up inside when a person does not feel like they are worth being loved. The amount of damage that Ada has suffered is almost irreversible now and I think Susan is starting to realize that this will not be an easy fix. I am honestly surprised at how normal Jamie is because even though he was not the one who was abused, he witnessed the abuse. I am glad that he has not lost his trust in people. This

On admirable 10, 2011, my term changed for eternity. I might have been Along these lines energized What's more frightened toward those same the long haul. It might have been a critical day. I might have been entering the united states from claiming america to the verwoerd Initially period. I might have been nearing here only to a get-away on visit my family, at the same time then i chose with sit tight. My mother. Needed me should sit tight in the states, on account of she needed me should bring a greater amount chances Previously, existence What's more. Should help my gang The point when i develop up.

I’m fairly new to the adult romance genre, and after reading a few that I adored I got a blogger friend of mine to give me some recommendations. On her list of recommendations for romances that are more rom-com was Melissa Foster’s The Real Thing. This was my first Melissa Foster book and I absolutely loved it! I’m so glad I decided to pick up this one as one of my first picks. he Real Thing takes place in a small town called Sugar Lake and features Zane and Willow who have a somewhat complicated history. I loved that they technically started out as friends and kept in touch all those years before getting together as it just made their chemistry and relationship all the more steamier and swoonier. And while the fake relationship trope was used

On Saturday, rather than snooze, I jump up when the alarm on my cell phone rings loud. Straightaway, I perk coffee and prepare a bowl of oatmeal with raisins. While eating, anxiety flares in the pit of my stomach. No way, is this the way to start the day. I grab Suzuki’s book from the coffee table and read the section - “The Marrow of Zen.” He writes, “In the zazen posture, your mind and body have great power to accept things as they are, whether agreeable or disagreeable.” When I’m done eating, I put the book in my backpack and make time to sit Zazen. However, thoughts of Thom, Tracy and Bobby in the I.C.U. bombard my brain. Rather than wrestle to shut them down, I shift my awareness to my breath. Soon, the movement of each inhale and

The body I had managed to jostle awake was a latecomer to Oeste the Stalerie had labeled Makenna. It was common for farmers to sell their female children to Oeste, the males were sold to Sur, on the night they were born and given a new name under the King. It was either the tower you sold your children to, or the death of not only your Daelocke child, but it meant your death as well. My own father was an impoverished horse farmer somewhere near the south. He, his wife and four children occupied a home somewhere distant from the island. They had supplied The King and his Stalarie their horses and livestock. I was told by the Sylphen that I was the last child born, and regrettably, born under the night of a full moon. He had sold me just three

The purposes of this Analytical Field Report is to take what if have learned about Buddhism and apply it to the real world, focusing on the impact Buddishm has had on the United States. In addition we where asked to find a Buddhism Temple and addten a public event and report our findings and observations in addition to specking with a monk or teacher. I chosa and Shin Busddishm Temple, which had a particularly focus on Pure Land Buddhism. The temple is Midwest Buddhist Temple which is located in —- . On November twelfth I attended a Zen Shin meditation service. From my oversavtions and reproach I have conducted that this is temple has mastered preveresing BUddist tradition while not heshiting to make accommodation for AMericna and the modern world. This to me was an interesting topic that i explore throughput my report. I will began by painting an image of the temple and my experience inaction to the the hisorty of SHIn BUssuis as whole and end by making the pint that it is possible to maintain the tradisiton values in a modern American world.

My first snowboarding lesson, some 10 years ago, saw me clinging to my snowboarding instructor on a Remarkables bunny hill, sinking my nails into his jacket sleeves as if he was trying to escape. His parting words to me are still memorable to this day. “You are not cut out for this, you have no confidence, and you are too scared”. That was it for me. I refused to accept that and if they weren’t going to help me learn, I would figure it out for myself. I was determined.

When arriving to the Buddhist temple, it is not surprising for one to say that this temple looks like an ordinary house from the outside. However, one can tell that they were Buddhist because they had a gazebo looking stupa on the left side of the front yard, which contain the remaining’s of Buddha’s teeth. On the right side of the yard, they had a replica of the Bodhi tree that represented the lifetime of when Buddha achieved enlightenment. As one took off her/his shoes, the house was transformed into a magnificent place where anyone could come to chant, offer puja, and the meditation of the dharma.

I am very excited about this field experience. It has been the one I have been looking forward to all semester. I chose to attend an Introduction to Meditation session at the Vajradhara Buddhist Center. I chose this for my Religious Service because I have always wondered what the teachings of Buddhism are. The Vajradhara Center offers these introduction sessions every Wednesday at 7 p.m. I went to the Week 1 session on November 4th, the first Wednesday of the month. I found out about this session just by googling “Buddhist centers Charlotte, NC”. This center has many great reviews on various websites, so I thought it was a great fit. About to have the experience of going to a Buddhist Center, I think I am really expecting to enjoy this session, mostly because I have always been intrigued by the teachings and morals of Buddha and how they can be achieved through meditation. I have grown up non-religious, which I think makes this experience more interesting because I have nothing to compare it to. I expect this session to be sort of intimidating at first because it is a new experience. I also believe that I will not be very comfortable, at first, while meditating. Through research, I hope to find out ways to adjust and to fully understand why meditation is important in Buddhism. Most importantly, I am excited to attend this session.

Religion is an important and prominent aspect of life. There are hundreds of religions established that influence thousands of followers. Personally, I am a follower of the Christian faith. My worship experience is in a church of like-followers praising an omnipotent God. In preparation for this research paper, I visited a worshiping venue for a religion outside the comfort zone of my own. In anticipation for the day of my visit, I did some prior research to a get a bit of background knowledge on my venue of choice. After some research and deliberation on a particular religion and venue to attend, I chose the Wat Buddharangsi of Miami: a Theravada Thai Buddhist Temple. Theravada Buddhism is a type of Buddhism that places emphasis on human pain in regards to God’s permit of evil on Earth. It is summarized by the Four Noble Truths that are based on the acknowledgment of suffering, its cause, and how we overcome this law of life (Livingston 246). Many of the practices of this religion include meditation. This alone peaked my interest because I see meditation being beneficial for not only religion, and not just specific to Buddhism, but useful for everyday life. Solidarity and peace gives you the opportunity to not only affirm your thoughts and beliefs, but also gives you a chance to focus on self-control. From the information I have gathered thus far, I could tell it would be an amazing learning experience that I wouldn’t regret.

As I lay awake in my comfy cot, I start having these nauseating pains. I scatter to the washroom and chunks fly everywhere. When awake I feel the cold stone floor underneath me. I reach beneath myself to hoist myself up, but all I felt was a puddle of slimy vomit.

My fieldsite was the Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple in Hacienda Heights, California. Fo Guang Shan is a movement intended to unite the eight sects of Chinese Buddhism, and Hsi Lai is the name of the temple itself. I decided to take a self-guided cassette tour of the temple. Starting at the top of the steps leading from the parking lot at the front of the temple is the Temple’s Gateway. Painted red and gold with a flared roof, the gate introduced the ancient Chinese aesthetic of the temple. Engraved on its pillars are gold Chinese hanzi which, according to the general information pamphlet, bear the four universal vows of Buddhists: “to save all sentient beings, to eradicate delusion and stress, to study the boundless Dharma, and to attain supreme enlightenment”.