Welcome back to our study abroad experience! My name is Solara Key, and I’m very excited to tell you all about our day. We visited Kamakura and saw the great Buddha and two other temples there. This was a particularly awe inspiring experience for me, because I actually visited this enormous Buddha when I was just nine years old. On my way here this time, I kept wondering to myself, “Will I remember anything? Will anything look familiar? Is it going to be as big now that I’m an adult as I remember it as a nine-year-old child?” My head was swimming. When we arrived, I will not lie, nothing rang a bell until I turned a corner and BOOM. It hit me harder than I expected. It was most definitely as big as I remembered. Although, so much greater. I stood in total awe wearing sandals that slightly reminded me of adult versions of the sandals I wore during my first time there. Pretty soon after that thought, the tears became difficult to swallow, but I managed. Moreover, the tranquility involved in the essence of the structure is just about enough to bring tears of stress-release anyway. I proceeded to walk around the structure, not taking my eyes off of the grandeur of it. I felt a connection with this great entity of honor, peace, and knowing. Then, we got to walk inside of the structure! I have to say that this felt like an explosion of vibrations to me. I ran my hand along the inside walls, enjoying the warmth it provided, and thought about how much effort went into creating such a divine presence for such a revered reason.
The next temple we went to was in honor of the goddess Hasedera. This temple was set in a beautifully ornate zen garden. As we explored the grounds, I felt as though I was becomin
g one with the crisp air and was experiencing a spiritual cleanse of sorts. We climbed up a fair amount of natural stone stairs within a hill in order to get a breathtaking view of the oceanside. There were so many structures se
t up to honor the deities. One of them was an enormous golden statue of Kannon within a temple. I bought a white candle there that read “for prayers to come true.” So I lit the candle and prayed that we could all find the way, the truth and to be happy and healthy. I thought of everyone that needed healing and guidance before clapping twice to seal the deal.
This day was by far the most purifying days I have had in a very long time. I feel as though I have gained a new strength and calm to walk the path with.
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