Reclining Buddha.
I went and saw this Buddha in Shanghai in 2006. I don’t know why, but it was honestly one of the most wonderful religious experiences I have ever had. Outside the temple where this Buddha lives, people were praying in the streets and lighting candles in floating bright-pink lilies in tubs of water. It was the most active, bustling, open practice of religion I’ve ever seen. Everyone was joyful and alive. They were exclaiming their prayers out-loud and sharing their candles with one another, smiling at me as I took their pictures. There was no script here, just action. It was then that I decided I wanted spirituality and religion to be like that for me. Gone were the days of me forcing myself into a religious practice because I felt like I should be doing it, or because I wanted to so badly feel something that I should go through the motions hoping to attain a inkling of that joy that I witnessed on the streets of Shanghai. I honestly feel like I need a little more of the eastern ideas of religion in my life….they are very serious about their practices, but goodness they’re having a lot more fun at it then we are!
I mean, just look at how laid-back their buddha is…I hope one day I can get that comfortable with my spirituality.
