It’s being so long since I decided to become a Buddhist. I still remember when I made the decision, it was alomost life changing and then life just sort of went backto normal...the excited feeling was no longer around...and all the Dhama has pretty much gone out of my head.
Recently though I am constantly thinking about it...I feel like I should be doing more about my religion and also for my spiritual self (this all sound very new age doesn’t it...lol)
I am Chinese, but my parents are not Buddhist..actually they are Chirstians. They do accept my choice (along with being gay), and my father & I have had many conversations about the religion..It surprised me how much he knew and understood, but yet wont make the choice.
I live in Sydney Australia and for alot of people that means absolutely nothing..
But in Sydney there is the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere - Nan Tien Temple (Wollongong, south of Sydney, about 2 hours away).
Almost 10 years ago..I was in another relationship, and I was miserable and didn’t know what is going on in my life. I happened to go to the temple on a weekend to get away...I ended up staying there for 3 months. I lived with the Reverends (tis is an all female temple) and operated as part of them.
I woke at 5 to go and do morning prayers (should I say read the Dhama!!) and then meditation and then some light exercise to loosen the muscles and then its breakfast (this is about 8am) and then it’s cleaning for everyone in the temple to have it ready to open at 9am.
There was no radio, TV, no mobile (I switched it off and left it in my bag for 3 months), no newspaper or magazine. I thought I would miss it, but guess what? I didn’t at all. I’m pretty tired by the time the temple closed at 5pm, and then all the cleaning has being done and then evening prayers. I didn’t even realise that I didn’t miss it.
I felt that I was able to put my life in to perspective..I ended the relationship, found a new job and never looked back ..until now.
Once again I feel detached from the people around me, I feel like I’m in the rat race for all the wrong reasons..I once again need some perspective..and I know just how to do that. But isn’t it shameful of me to have abandon my religion and what is important to me, just so I can have creature comforts??
