Dreaming of a Temple

My second venture to a Buddhist temple was two nights ago, where the doors are open once per week for community meditations. My meditation practice has gone from weekly to daily over the last two years, and the goodness it has brought me is notable. This pulled me toward a book called, The Science of Enlightenment – How Meditation Works by Shinzen Young. To my understanding, Shinzen was a PhD candidate in Japanese studies in California, and his thesis took him to Japan to study a specific type of Buddhism. He was only allowed into the temple under the condition that he would train to become a monk, which he eventually agreed to do. This book came following more than 50 years of him teaching meditation.

By the end of the book, I found myself inspired. Not only had he explicitly noted many things that I’d experienced during my meditative practices, but he also explained how Buddhism addresses two very real things that I’ve found difficult to help others face: suffering and impermanence.

Within a few days of finishing the book I had a notable dream.

I was spending time with a friend and stepped outside for a moment to find myself immediately within a Buddhist temple. The congregation was full of people, and a girl looked at me with mild concern. She asked, “what are you doing here?” I replied, “I think I’m supposed to be here. I’m looking for a teacher.”

Then a tall woman walked into the building dressed in traditional clothing before motioning me over. She began speaking to me in many different languages, none of which sounded familiar. It seemed she was sometimes speaking too quiet, sometimes too fast, and never in a language that I’d heard before. I kept telling her that I couldn’t understand anything she was saying, and then something fell into place. She landed on English, with an American accent. She said, “I recognized you as soon as I saw you. You are welcome here.” She then walked into the congregation, and I woke up.

The next day I visited a Theravada Buddhist temple for the first time.