Why didn't you tell me?

Last October, I was on vacation in Tokyo (Tokyo/Seoul/Taipei trip) and checked my facebook account. It turns out that Noam, a college dorm-mate, who lived on 6th floor of spens black, had just come back from Shikoku! Who knew! I wish I had known earlier. Here I was thinking that nobody I knew had heard of the Shikoku pilgrimage aside from me talking about it constantly, and he had just completed the trek! I am quite impressed. This is a picture taken by Noam in his henro gear. He was really hardcore though. He camped most nights, which I am definitely not doing on my journey. I don't want the extra weight of camping gear and I figure I need some comfort after ridiculous hours of hiking every day. Yes this is an impermanent body, but even impermanent things need hot baths and warm beds.

Remember April 8, 2010

I pulled this fortune from a fortune cookie on Jan 8, 2010. April 8, 2010, I will be somewhere on Shikoku, just 1 month into my trip. I wonder what good things are in store. With any luck, I'll be enlightened on this day and will have a glowing aura around me. Well, I can wish, can't I? Here's to enlightenment!  :)

Tickets Booked!

One step closer. Tickets booked. On March 2, I leave for tpe to pick up Jean and give myself a little time to get over jet lag. On March 6, we leave for Osaka!

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2010. This should be a good year with lots of new experiences, mainly Shikoku!

This morning I went to the Zen center to do 三皈依. My dharma name for this temple is now 傳今. 傳 is the first character that everyone has. 今 is for the present, as in today, this life, etc. I like it. This now means that I'm now a disciple of Master 惟覺.

三皈依 means that you're taking the 3 refuges, with the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. You're striving to return to your true nature with the help of the 3 Jewels. Ceremonies like this are usually for new Buddhists, but people are more than welcome to take refuge with different masters. I still consider 妙蓮老和尚 to be my main 師父 and 願慈 to be my main dharma name because I know he personally gave us our names. The good things about these names are that they can be reminders for how we should practice. For me, I take these names for me to be more compassionate and to reach enlightenment in this lifetime. Here is to making 2010 a good year for my cultivation!