Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #5: Bongwonsa Temple and Nature Walk

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #5: Bongwonsa Temple and Nature Walk: "After visiting the Zen Buddhist Temple, Bongwonsa and attempting to see nature as a Taoist, answer this question: What is it about creation,..."

As I was looking and walking around the Zen Buddhist Temple, Bongwonsa, I was amazed at what humans could create. Every craving, painting, statues, and scriptures were perfectly made, without any mistakes. This then lead me to think that people seek out religion to find out the true meaning of life. Our lives are full of mystery that cannot be unraveled. We have so little answer to the meaning of our world. Scientists have been researching about this topic, and some do say that God has made Earth. By researching, many scientists who used to be an atheist began to follow a religion. I think people spend time looking for an answer to this question because everything here on this Earth and in space is too extravagant for a human being to make. There probably was nothing in the beginning, because everything gets built from scratch. As a Christian, I believe that God has made everything to begin with. Also like how Buddhists and Hindus believe that they get reincarnated, I believe that I will get sent to heaven if I follow God, and his son, Jesus Christ. Although not enough information shows proof about what happens after one's death, this is what I believe. This is the only answer to death. Similar to death, life is confusing too. Why are we still breathing right now? Why are we still awake? How is it that we can learn so quickly? My answer to this is, our brain. The brain that God has made. The brain is a beautiful creation by God. Without this, we would be nothing. By following a religion, I start questioning myself, and then it gets answered through God. I think this is why we seek out religion, because it is like Google, a source that gives us many answers.

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #4: Buddhist Meditation

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #4: Buddhist Meditation: "Spend 20 mintues in a silent meditation; a place you won't be disturbed, your own 'fig tree' as was Buddha's inspiration. In those 20 mintue..."

As I was walking up to my attic to meditate in my own "fig tree," My mind was already full of thoughts, "How will I survive 20 minutes without doing ANYTHING...How am I going to sit still..Will I do this correctly?" Because I am someone who cannot stay still with complete silence, I wasn't sure if I could meditate correctly. Before I officially started my meditation, I told myself, "You are not going to think about anything. Just focus on your breathing and have a positive mind set." This time, I wanted to go through at least 5% of what Buddha had; because in class, I wasn't fully devoted into meditating because my surroundings distracted me. I sat down on the floor and crossed my legs, then closed my eyes and slowly breathed in and then out. As I kept repeating this, I thought to myself what are some positive or right thoughts. I thought about my family, and what I could do better to help them. Then I started to go into a different stream of thought. I noticed how I was losing my concentration already. It felt like it was only 4 minutes into my meditation and I was thinking about what I am going to do after this. I kept reminding myself, "NO, concentrate." However, I lacked the ability to control my mind. Time to time during my meditation, I kept thinking about other things, and even day dreamed. After trying to meditate for just 20 minutes, nothing compared to Buddha's I thought I was going to die from boredom. I have never experienced a time where I had to think about nothing, and just right thought, mind, and concentration. This meditation inspired me to try to sacrifice something of myself when I have to.