How Many People Can Fit in a Temple Without Burning Each Other With Their Incense?

The other day, with sky threatening rain but thankfully hiding the sun, we took a field trip over to Longshan Temple, one of the largest temples in Taipei (and a Grade 2 Historical Site...whatever that means...). It was originally an unaffiliated Buddhist temple, but has become a site for all Chinese religions over time.

It was mad there. People everywhere. Tables were filled with plates of: fruit, flowers, candies, cookies, bottled water, Lays chips. The burning of incense made the air inside the top-open enclosure a little bit muskier, but pleasant feeling.

It was a true worship, to me. Everyone was included and did so in whatever capacity they felt necessary. Parents directed their little girls and boys around the alters to different gods, but didn't have to show them what to do when they got there. Along one side of the temple, about 20 elderly people sat and stood with prayer beads and what appeared to be Buddhist scriptures in their hands. Most chatted, laughed, and joked. A few were obviously praying, but snapped out of it when they heard a friend say something funny. At the front main alter, one woman was praying so ferociously, she was sweating visibly. A woman next to her was quietly kneeling, one hand against her chest, tears streaming down her face. Near the exit of the temple, a young monk in light blue robes sat perfectly straight with a set of prayer beads in each hand and an earbud in each ear. As I was watch him, slowly rolling the beads through his fingers, he completed his exercise, opened his eyes, sat still for a minute, then took our a thermos of tea and shared it with the boy next to him.

You could almost see the growth of a life sitting watch the people in the temple. From a young age, these people came to temples regularly for all different kinds of worship and prayer. This was routine for most, but also a place of comfort place to purposefully direct personal prayers and receive blessings.

I purchased some incense and walked around the alters with a few of my group mates. At first, I imitated the motions of the practiced worshipers. Then, as I began moving between the huge golden incense offering structures I took in my surroundings at each place, then closed my eyes and listened to the soft music that was hidden beneath the intense visuals with open eyes. Over the sounds of the crowd and busy street, I could hear myself grow closer to something sacred there. After I was content with my surroundings, I would move on and continue exploring the different parts of the sacred held in that one temple.

I'm not sure I would call it prayer, and I definitely wouldn't call it worship, but I connected to that place and something happened that resembled sacredness to me.

B