The Year 12 Studies of Religion cohort engaged in consecutive excursions on Thursday, 16 June and Friday, 17 June, to appreciate and experience the practice of Temple Puja, an aspect of the HSC Buddhism course.
The breakfast stop, at McDonald’s Heathcote, en route, set the tone for a highly interactive day. Temple puja is a set of devotions to the Buddha, the role model of the path to Nirvana and escape from suffering. Students observed Buddhist adherents engaging in puja but also experienced and practised their own development of mindfulness.
They were actively engaged in the main courtyard during the tai chi session. Meditation, with the nuns, was another attempt to be still and cultivate the mind. The removal of shoes, bowing and silence are components of this ancient practice.
The sharing of a vegetarian meal for lunch further enhanced their understanding of this faith tradition. Overall, it was an opportunity to escape from the mundane world to the spiritual one for a few hours, and gain appreciation and understanding along the way.
Ms Martina Cooper
Head of Religion
E: mcooper@waverley.nsw.edu.au
