What: #100 Attend a service at the Zen Buddhist Temple
When: April 8th
Why: The entire complex is tucked away behind a wall, and isn't everything behind a wall something that rouses curiosity? I've always been interested in the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the ideas of Buddhism in general, and the concept of meditation has also always intrigued me. This seemed like a great way to get my feet wet - aside from a book of the Dalai Lama's that I read a few years ago. I had some trepidation about the meditation aspect because my mind does not quiet itself under any circumstances, not even sleep. So, I was a bit unnerved about how much time I knew would be spent in total silence and absolute stillness, and the silence was apparent from the moment we walked in and removed our shoes. From there, we were given a brief intro to meditation ("focus on your breathing") and sent in to begin. The first portion is total silence for almost 30 minutes. Eyes closed, no noise, sitting in one position...it's a little intimidating to do, but after the first 10-15 minutes of feeling awkward and clueless, I actually really got into it and found it relaxing. Following the first sitting, everyone gathers their cushions together to repeat some of the Korean sayings and also to chant. Honestly, I really liked the chanting! It was "ma-um" which means mind and body. The blend of everyone's voices, the rhythm of the syllables, and the overall pattern of the notes was really easy to absorb and made the process much easier than sitting in silence. And then once our chants were done, we went back for a shorter sitting, followed by a lesson. One thing I really liked from the lesson - and that honestly would have helped me in my meditation - was this: in this moment, there is nothing to worry about; in this moment, there is nothing lacking; in this moment, there is something to be grateful for in your life. I liked that, and can see using it as a sort of mantra when I get stressed or overwhelmed.
The true test is if I go back again. I'm a person that would rather be outdoors thinking spiritual thoughts than sitting in a church wishing I was outdoors, but this experience in this environment was one that just might draw me back again...Update: I've taken a few workshops now on Mindful Meditation, which has its roots in Buddhist practices. Right now, I'm reading "How To Train A Wild Elephant" that helps me to practice being more mindful. I highly recommend it!
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