Young Adult Retreat 2011

Above is Jake attempting to fly while we were at the Pali lookout on the second full day of Young Adult Retreat.

So as mentioned in an earlier post. Young Adult Retreat took on August 12- 15 at Camp Kokokahi in Kaneohe, Oahu. This year Rev. Thomas Okano was the guest speaker and discussed the meaning of some of the main sutras we chant at the Hongwanji. Some of the other activities at the Retreat were the meaning of Obon along with bon dance lessons from Miss Cara Tsutsuse, and a hike on the Likeke Waterfall trail. There was also a mini bon dance without our instructor so we all kind of failed. We had a campfire and did the first ever chanting of Shoshinge by campfire light that we know of. It was all very cool!

*Note the photographs are not in any order

After the hike

With Rev. Thomas Okano, our guest speaker

Before we chanted Shoshinge with Bishop by campfire light

What some of the guys did at the end of the hike. Not shown is what Ken Oyadomari did. I don't have a picture of that...

Some of us posing at the Pali Lookout sign

The view at the Pali lookout

Bon Dance Lessons with Miss Cara Tsutsuse. They are not the same dance!

If any of the above interest you check out the Young Adult Retreat site here which should be updated with new information as it gets closer to the next Retreat. Also Dr. Toshikazu Arai did a nice blog on Obon and it's meaning here.

Hope that we see more of you soon!

The Races

On July 16 Sugi organized a trip to Podium Raceway, the go-cart track at Kaleloa, for those who are unfamiliar. We met when the doors open at about 10 and got registered. You get to pick your own racer name and give them statistics for their database. They also do printouts and email you your race results :)

We decided to pay for the minimum package of 3 races. When they called out first race they took us into the Pit Area and gave us a general orientation on racing and the cars. They said that up until that day that had not had any accidents since December or something. The accidents weren't on our races, I swear! Marice and I got booster seats and foot boosters cause we're so short :( We're past the minimum height requirement, but still! We were lucky enough to have the track to ourselves for the most part for the first 2 races, but on the 3rd race they put in a bunch of random people, so it was a very busy track.

And now the long picture trail...

The Track

Sugi showing off how to properly wear the hair sock for hygeine

Getting helmets and heading to the cars

Jake being dramatic

Meditating or strategizing before the race

Action shot!

Heading out to the race from top to bottom: Ryne, Cara, and Abby

Thanks again for coming out you guys. Much thanks to Sugi for organizing, so when's our next trip? Wayde, Lacy, and Casey you actually gonna come next time?!?

A few recommended reads...

Like many young adults we're always looking on how to relate Buddhism in our everyday lives and how we can help other people understand Buddhism. Here's a few recommended Dharma in the media places:

Tiny Buddha: a website featuring simple wisdom and how to apply it to our everyday lives. Lori Deschene was featured in Tricycle for her advice on how to use social media specifically twitter to enhance your relationships. Follow @TinyBuddha

Here's a few good articles for Young Adults:

Stop Waiting to Live: Scare Yourself Alive

5 Questions: When You Aren’t Sure What You Want in Life

How to Carve Time for Yourself and Pursue Your Dreams

Buddha in Your Backpack: A survival book mainly for teens on living Buddhism in everyday life

Teachings of Buddha

WareHouse 13 on Syfy: The new character Jinx is Buddhist, but the show is about a team of "treasure hunters" finding artifacts from famous people that have special powers and bringing them back so they don't cause anymore damage to society.

Breakfast with the Buddha

Do you have any sites/ books you would recommend for Young Buddhists?

It's been quite a Summer

SO....It's been a crazy summer!

Dr. Matsumoto was here for the 2011 Summer Session. It was really awesome. The topic for this year's session was Shin Buddhist Theology: Questions of Good & Evil, Humanness, and salvation. Thank You Wayde Toyama and Mike Lum for helping with the taping of Summer Session!!!! Also you can begin to watch some lectures on youtube here Right now there's only George Tanabe's lecture from the Lay Convention, but I'm assured there are more videos coming soon!

Sugi organized a trip to Podium Raceway "The Races" This was all that could make it that day minus Abby who is taking the picture. Oh this is just an overview of summer highlights more on some of the events coming soon :)

Thanks for coming out Cara, Ryne, Jake, Abby, and Marcie. Thanks for organizing Sugi! It was really fun!

This past weekend the 3rd Annual Young Adult Retreat was held at Camp Kokokahi in Kaneohe,Oahu. We apparently have to call it by the full name since Y.A.R. sounds strange to some ;) A more detailed blog will be coming later, but here is a picture at Pali Lookout after the hike. Thanks for the picture Alan Matsumoto!

Today is move- in day at UH-Manoa and so we've had several students stopping by and visiting. I wanted to personally all invite incoming freshman, people interested in Buddhism, young Buddhists, and not quite old Buddhists to come out to Manoaphobia on August 31st 530pm-10pm We would SERIOUSLY like to start a Young Adult Buddhists Association there will be more info when you get there, but there has been some nasty talk going around.