Taiwan Buddha Memorial Center and the 2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an Day 3.

Hi guys! Si here's the continuation... Like I said in my previous post (Taiwan FGS Buddha Memorial Center Tour: A Prologue), so far, the third day of the youth camp has been the most fun of all. Aside from the usual protocol done during early morning meditation, breakfast and lunch, we did Sutra Calligraphy, listened to a talk about Life and Ch'an, witnessed Buddhist chanting, did a Dharma Hunt, watched a concert and ended the day with a Light Offering and Prayer Ceremony. So first things first...


Sutra Calligraphy

At 8am, all delegates gathered at the assembly hall. For the first time, we saw the hall filled with rows and rows of tables and chairs. We all went to our respective groups then took a seat. On our table were sheets of calligraphy and pens. At 8:00, one of the Venerable Masters explained to us what calligraphy is and what it entails to trace the different characters on the piece of parchment. It's not just about copying or tracing, but it's about meditating about the meaning of the characters as we trace them... it's about finding wisdom in the calligraphy... it's about ch'an or meditation. It's about freeing the mind from worries and other attachments and living at the moment.

Before we all started tracing the calligraphy, a little prayer ceremony was done where all delegates participated by praying through chanting. Then from 8:30 am - 9:00 am, we all traced the calligraphy.

Taiwan FGS Buddha Memorial Center Tour: A Prologue

I've been doing a lot of meditation and contemplation as of late that it made me think back to my 2-week trip to Taiwan when I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the Philippine delegates to attend the International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an. 

Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh, Vietnam

One of the amazing places Jem and I visited when we went to Vietnam was Cao Đài temple in Tay Ninh. We entered through gate # 4 after about almost 2 hours of travel from the center of Ho Chi Minh City.



Here are some videos we took both outside and inside the Cao Dai Temple:

Great Buddha Land at Fo Guang Shan Temple in Taiwan and the 2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an Day 2

Group 1 

 This blog post details the 2nd day of my two-week "EAT PRAY TRAVEL" adventure

in Taiwan. To know how I was able to join the 2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an and how you can join too in the future as this happens every year, please head to this post: 2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an: Taiwan Pre-Departure Preparations

To read about what happened on Day 1, please head to this post: 
2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an in Taiwan Day 1

If you wanna know the things that went through my mind (no holds barred) as  I did my 1-week meditation retreat, follow my Monastic Diaries.

Oh, and here's a post I did the moment I got home after two weeks... just because one of my co-delegates looks like Harry Potter. Hehehe. 
Spot the Filipino Harry Potter Look-Alike and Some Thoughts for the Coming Days

2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an in Taiwan Day 1

 

 This blog post details the start of my two-week "EAT PRAY TRAVEL" adventure in Taiwan. To know how I was able to join the 2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an and how you can join too in the future as this happens every year, please head to this post: 2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an: Taiwan Pre-Departure Preparations

Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple, the sponsor for this seminar, has an ongoing event this month which you can visit so you can also make inquiries and find out more about their other socio-cultural affairs. You can read my post about that here: One-Stroke Calligraphy Exhibition of Venerable Hsing Yun

Oh, and here's a post I did the moment I got home after two weeks... just because one of my co-delegates looks like Harry Potter. Hehehe. Spot the Filipino Harry Potter Look-Alike and Some Thoughts for the Coming Days

~~~oOo~~~

July 18, 2012

It was a little before 5 pm when I arrived at the Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Mabuhay Temple along Pablo Ocampo St. in Malate, Manila. My hubby was with me. Since there was just one other delegate who arrived earlier than we did (Jove), my hubby thought of catching an early dinner since that would be our last before I fly off to Taiwan to participate in the 2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an.

Spot the Filipino Harry Potter Look-Alike and Some Thoughts for the Coming Days

photo taken last July 19, 2012 at 11:00 at the Cloud Dwelling assembly area in Fo Guang Shan, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Quennie on my right and Ronnel on my left)

This post below was written on Aug. 1, 2012 | 11:07 pm | Inside my dormitory room in Pilgrim's Lodge, Fo Guang Shan Temple, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

I've been so behind my travel posts (not that anyone's pressuring me, it's my personal blog after all) but I feel a deep need to blog about my Taiwan Life and Ch'an experience first before I resume writing about my usual beach-related, rather light-hearted and fun travelogues. After I blog about this whole Taiwan once-in-a-lifetime experience, I will definitely find time to share with you my other travel adventures (from exploring Caramoan, to visiting the Batu Caves and other interesting spots in Kuala Lumpur, to dropping by Singapore again, visiting Apo Island and the enchanting Balinsasayao Lake in Dumaguete and Valencia, our Bohol honeymoon, to finally reaching the 7th falls in Mambukal and attending Jayvee's wedding in Bacolod, to our free trip to Misibis Bay, to my whaleshark watching and Tumalog Falls adventures in Oslob, to island hopping in Concepcion, Iloilo, plus my 2nd diving trip to Anilao, to surfing in Baler, a free trip to Bali, exploring Macau, overnight in Camsur, honeymoon in Maribago and bonding with my bes Hanz in Sumilon... whew!). 

One-Stroke Calligraphy Exhibition of Venerable Hsing Yun

I'll be leaving for Taiwan tonight for the 2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an. I haven't had much sleep yet as I finished a ton of work, packed my stuff and attended a press conference for the One-Stroke Calligraphy Exhibit of Venerable Master Hsing Yun at the Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Mabuhay Temple along Pablo Ocampo Street, Manila yesterday morning.

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