Buddhist ceremonies affect all our senses: smell— incense is burnt as an offering to the Buddha; hearing—chanting goes on the whole time; sight— candles on small goblets are lit as offerings; touch—the blankets, mats and cushion for sitting down during meditation are soft to the skin; and taste—vegetarian food is served after the ceremony.
Every encounter of mine at Ocean Sky is a lesson on being and becoming. My being is strengthened as I learn to focus on the more important matters that I have to attend to, instead of running helter-skelter, trying to search which activity or which item is more important to be confronted for the day. Because of the presence of very helpful Shifus, and volunteers, my being is now undergoing a healthy development.
In particular, my artistic bent was given a healthy outlet when I volunteered to facilitate drama classes for the Bodhi youth. The youths were so eager to learn about expressing themselves through acting. At the same time, they also learn meditation and Buddhist etiquette from Shifu Jianqiang
Now, “becoming” is the regeneration of hope in myself, and in communities—the meditation group in the Monastery, as well as in the place where I live —where now I feel relaxed and related in a humane, not obligatory, way of being a citizen of this country (a highly political view of issues of relationships), and of the world. As a human being, I hope that everyone can make a difference in this planet, so that it can be a peaceful and harmonious place for everyone, all sentient beings, including animals and plants.