Saturday Service (Tai Chi, Meditation and Discussion)

24th January 2009

Together with the regular participants, nine new people took part in the morning Tai Chi, walking meditation, seated meditation and group discussion service.

For the motive meditation section, Venerable Miaoyu asked us to focus on HOPE. The Chinese New Year provides us with an opportunity to think about this and the new beginnings and changes that we hope the year of the Ox may bring. She encouraged us to be hopeful and focus on what we wish for in the future. For example she asked us to think about the beautiful flowers within the Front Shrine - we think of their beauty, colour and form; the happiness they bring; their impermanence - how they die. But then how they are reborn or replaced by other flowers and with this rejuvenation, the sense of hope this brings.

The group discussion was held under the shade of the Front Shrine veranda. Our guiding Venerable opened the discussion by talking about the Temple and how it is like a Shopping Mall or University.

When we think of it as a Shopping Mall it is a place where we can enhance our inner wealth or fortune. We can take part in meditation, Tai Chi, Dharma classes. Just like a mall it offers food -– a chance to try expertly prepared vegetarian food. It is a place where people can come for peace, beauty and calmness and take part in various activities like the cooking classes and retreats. Temple activities attract people into the Temple grounds so they can experience Buddhism for themselves - like the recently held Annual Re-union dinner. Every year the Temple invites the community in to try the vegetarian food, see the beauty of the Temple, take part in a Dharma service, experience a Buddhist environment and be with their friends and family.

In addition, it is also like a university because the Temple is a place to learn about the Dharma, Buddhist etiquette and morality and ourselves. We can learn how to meditate and do Tai Chi, and learn about another culture and so on.

The Temple is place where we can re-charge, can work on overcoming our adverse conditions and feelings that we have created for ourselves. It can make us strong like bamboo – strong, persistent, resilient and attractive. No matter what the conditions are, it still grows.

It is a place where you learn to accept and forgive yourself. Our guiding Venerable encouraged us: Like yourself, so others will like you. We are with ourselves 24/7. No matter what your form, or how you look accept it….but always without being self indulgent. We can achieve this through meditation and guidance from Buddha.

She also reminded us:
• To check the response of other people – they can be our mirror;
• To occupy ourselves in a positive way;
• To be a happy person no matter what – even if you have to force a smile - it makes a difference to your mood;
• To focus on our good points when we are feeling negative. When people are critical of you or you are critical of yourself focus on your positive aspects;
• To maintain our focus on how good we are;
• To say “I am a happy person, I love myself” and smile outwardly. You will find your confidence and self esteem grow.

If we are fragile on the inside it may be because we have poor inner fortune and our inner heart is fragile. When you have wealthy inner fortune, you are better placed to give others happiness and inner wealth.

Our Reverend ended the discussion by encouraging participants to attend the Chinese New Year celebration at the Temple on the 25th and 26th of January.