2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an: Taiwan Pre-Departure Preparations

July is supposed to be a more relaxing month for me since it's the rainy season and I thought Id' be staying home to just relax and work on my blog posts. But as luck would have it, I was invited last month by Quennie Mae Senador Lungay, a friend of mine on Facebook, to apply as one of our country's delegates for the upcoming 2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an (click the link to see photos from last year). Eventually I was chosen by Dave Albao (Quennie's colleague and co-organizer) to be part of this prestigious delegation. I then recommended my close friend Chito Flores and his application was also approved. Yay! 

2011 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an

If Catholics have World Youth Day, this one is organized by the Buddhists, although you don't have to be a Buddhist to join. This is open to all youth between 18-35 years old and it happens every year. In case you're interested to join next year, you can inquire at Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple. I can help in recommending you too. (^_^)


It's an almost all expense paid trip. Of course I still had to spend for my plane tickets, Taiwan Visa application fee and a refundable deposit of $100 for my meditation retreat on the second week (Chito will only be there on the first week), but still, it's a great honor to be invited to such an extraordinary event participated by about a thousand youth from all over the world. My Taiwan Visa was recently approved so I'll be flying to Taiwan on July 18 and won't be back until August 3. I'm so excited! To my recollection, I haven't been with that many people ever and considering that I'm such a loner and only bond with very few close friends, this experience will surely be an eye-opener for me. I hope to come back home with a more generous heart, a happier disposition in life and a much calmer spirit. 


The venue for the seminar will be at Fo Guang Shan Monastery in Kaohsiung, Taiwan from July 19-25, 2012 and the meditation retreat will be from July 26-August 2. Accommodations, food and transportation are free throughout the duration of the seminar and retreat.


As part of the program, all participants will go on a tour of Taiwan where visits to various Buddhist sites throughout the island will help participants develop a better understanding of Buddhist practices in different regions of Taiwan. Additionally, visits to important tourist attractions including national scenic recreational areas, cultural museums, and night markets will allow participants to not only see and experience the beauty of Taiwan, but also provide them with an overview of Taiwan's cultural and historical uniqueness as well as taste the food culture of Taiwan.  ---- WEEEE! I'm so excited!!!

Booklets on Meditation and Buddhism available for free at Mabuhay Temple

I've been doing some minor preparations for this trip. Aside from taking on a lot of work to help pay for my credit card bill which I used to pay for my tickets and Taiwan Visa application fee, I'm also back to my meditation every free time I get. I've also been reading these little booklets available for free at the Mabuhay Temple (Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple is conveniently located in downtown Malate, Manila, right across Century Hotel along Pablo Ocampo Street).

The objective of the whole seminar is to use the Three Acts of Goodness of Humanistic Buddhism as the guiding philosophy: 

1. Do good deeds.
2. Speak good words. 
3. Think good thoughts. 

>>> This is so me!!! (^_^)

Visited Mabuhay Temple 2 weeks ago to sign my Taiwan Visa application. Afterward, I took some free booklets about meditation and Buddhism.

We do this by:

1. Providing a communication platform for outstanding and talented youths worldwide.
2. Encouraging the development of an attitude of providing service, mutual assistance and benefit to others in modern day youth through discussion in various topics such as culture, education, environmental and spiritual preservation.
3. Promoting social harmony, world peace, and new social values in the new century.
4. Offering an opportunity to learn and practice Ch'an (meditation) inside a traditional Buddhist monastery, through which self-preservation, inner peace, spiritual awareness, and discovery of positive energies are achieved.   

As part of my preparation, on June 11, I've also attended One Day on Earth at Mabuhay Temple. 

One Day on Earth is the first ever film to include footage filmed in every country on earth on the same day – 10 October 2010. With the help of the United Nations and an international community of filmmakers, this full length documentary offers a unique look into humanity, including intimate access to rarely seen images from life in North Korea, Iran and Kosovo. The film beautifully captures the interconnectedness of all human beings by showing our shared triumphs and challenges.  

One Day on Earth is not available commercially and is only screened in selected venues around the world. Mabuhay Temple is honored to be one of the chosen institutions to show the film in the Philippines. 

Just before the One Day on Earth screening with my friend Ella

I surely didn't want to miss this truly unique film, a great achievement in film making and in human cooperation so I went to the Five Contemplations Hall of Mabuhay Temple, located at 656 Pablo Ocampo St., Malate, Manila on 11 June 2012 at 7:30 pm. I invited my girlfriend Ella with me and we were both astounded by the beauty of this documentary. 

Photo op after the screening of One Day on Earth at Mabuhay Temple... L-R: Quennie, me, Ella and Dave

One Day on Earth showed how interconnected we all are despite the differences in our cultures, beliefs and lifestyles. We are all men and women for others in one form or another, whether we see it or not. The film just further motivated me to be the best person I can be for as long as I live. I hope to learn more, be more and do more after my Taiwan trip. 

In the mean time, I will try to make a few more blog posts before I leave. That, and work some more to fund my future travel expenses. After all, money doesn't grow on trees but it comes to those who work hard for it. ^_^