As we put the brush down to paper, we focus on the tip, as it very naturally goes through the motion of transcribing.” Eating meditationĮating can also be meditation. “And in this case, it’s going to be the tip of the brush. “The purpose of sutra calligraphy is to allow the mind to have a meditation object,” he said. To do Chinese calligraphy, think of the brush as a dancer as you write, he said. It takes about an hour to write the entire thing, he said. “We are refining the art of attention, and once we are focused on the present moment, we are afforded the opportunity to be inspired by our wisdom to act prudently and with wholesomeness.” “The moment we give our mind a task to do, we’re training it,” he said. But he reminds us to observe our thoughts and feelings without judgment - and slowly, gently focus our minds back on our breathing. For some, the barrage of unwanted thoughts and emotions may feel like a “rude awakening,” he said. It’s natural for what he calls “our monkey minds” to wander around as we try to focus. The most important thing at this particular point is now - just to become aware of the present moment.” Something that does not require speculation. Venerable Hui Cheng recites the goal of mindfulness while meditating: “What has happened in the past is history. “As we bring the focus to the top lip, we allow the mind to be aware of the sensations of breathing in and out naturally.” “We tuck in our chin and have the tips of our tongue against the palate, our eyes closed, and then we relax the body as we slowly bring our focus to the point between the nose and top lip,” Venerable Hui Cheng said. Sit up straight and put your hands in front of you in a meditation mudra: palms up, left hand on the bottom, right hand on the top with the two thumbs touching. The Hsi Lai Temple’s traditional sitting meditation sessions take place in its meditation hall, with a Buddha at the center.Īfter taking off your shoes, you are encouraged to sit in the quarter lotus position - legs crossed with one ankle on top of the other shin - if you are a beginner. Here are some tips shared by the temple’s monks. The Times visited Hsi Lai Temple to learn about the different types of meditation that are done at the mountain monastery. “And that is where sustainable happiness is allowed to grow and develop.” “We are inspired to not hold onto things that are inherently fluid and transient in nature,” said Venerable Hui Cheng, who works with the temple’s department of social education and outreach. Meditation is one way to fulfill these acts and purify the mind. It’s a practice that helps people find clarity of mind.įo Guang Shan advocates the three acts of goodness: Do good deeds, say good words, and have good thoughts. Venerable Hui Dong, the Abbot at Hsi Lai Temple, explained that the teachings of Humanistic Buddhism can benefit people of any religion and background. The temple promotes Humanistic Buddhism, a philosophy that uses Buddhist teachings to assist in day-to-day activities and relationships.

“Hsi Lai (西來)” means “coming to the West.” The headquarters is in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and the Hacienda Heights temple, which opened in 1988, was the first branch built outside of Taiwan. The Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order, which was founded by the late Venerable Master Hsing Yun, has more than 300 temples worldwide. The architecture, statues and gardens resemble the buildings and grounds of Chinese monasteries of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Hsi Lai Temple is a monastery in the hills of Hacienda Heights. JA previous version of the story stated that Hsi Lai Temple opened in 1989.

Jessica tuck pictures