The Monastery
“Apply yourself both now and in the next life. Without effort, you cannot be prosperous. Though the land be good, You cannot have an abundant crop without cultivation.” —Plato
What does it take to commit your life to the spiritual journey? Learn insights from those who breathe, walk, and embody the teachings of Buddhism. Here, you’ll find reflections from monks and nuns, as they share perspectives from the path.
About thirty students from Humboldt State University came to visit the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas last weekend, to participate in the monastic lifestyle as an educational experience. I was asked to guide the group around campus, and I also sat in on the Q&A sessions that the Ciity held for them, so I had [...]
Last week, I had the honor of joining a class with 2nd and 3rd graders at the Instilling Goodness Elementary School. They had put on a bake sale earlier in the day and wanted to donate their earnings towards our high school’s Community Service Trip to Mexico over spring break this April. Gathered in a [...]
[Admin’s note: This spring, volunteers and staff participated in a 7-day Guan Yin Practice Retreat. During the Guan Yin session, participants recite the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. In our Chan tradition, meditation brings the mind back to whatever method of practice we are doing, whether it’s mental awareness, reciting, bowing, etc… Inevitably, the mind [...]
[Admin’s note: This spring, volunteers and staff participated in a 7-day Guan Yin Practice Retreat. During the Guan Yin session, participants recite the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. In our Chan tradition, meditation brings the mind back to whatever method of practice we are doing, whether it’s mental awareness, reciting, bowing, etc… Inevitably, the mind [...]
[Admin’s note: This spring, volunteers and staff participated in a 7-day Guan Yin Practice Retreat. During the Guan Yin session, participants recite the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. In our Chan tradition, meditation brings the mind back to whatever method of practice we are doing, whether it’s mental awareness, reciting, bowing, etc… Inevitably, the mind [...]
A few weekends ago, I left the monastery for the first time. The shock wasn’t as great as I thought it would be. In fact, the differences I noticed were mostly in myself, and subtly in the environment around me. Some distinctions were obvious. Like sound. Driving through the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB) gate [...]
The more I settle into life here, the more I become aware of my inner patterns—my fluctuating thoughts, emotions, and reactions. Living at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB), I’ve become much more aware of how my perceptions of my surroundings are a reflection of my mental state at the time. Living in a [...]
When I was a kid, I loved to hide. Playing in my bedroom, I’d sneakily dive under the covers and sit there, a smiling, smug child, thinking I was invisible. “Audrey’s hiding again,” my older sister would proclaim, in a rolling-her-eyes type tone. “That’s okay. Let her hide,” my mother would respond, allowing me to [...]