Annual Day of Prayer Held in Westfield - "Praying for Peace in the Midst of Violence"

On Oct 7, 2015, the second annual Union County Day of Prayer was held at the First United Methodist Church in Westfield. This year's theme was "Praying for peace in the midst of violence".

The Day of Prayer is an interfaith gathering of faith-based, nonprofit and government communities intended to unite people from throughout the county. In addition, it is intended to promote awareness of the support services that are available to adults with disabilities as well as to youth served under the Department of Children and Families.

Faith leaders led prayers for unity and social justice and for the support of youth, senior citizens and elected officials. The Venerable Duk-song Sunim of So Shim Sa Zen center in Plainfield was among those who addressed the audience with a prayer. "The Buddhist teachings are based on kindness and love of all living creatures. The Buddhist view is we are all part of the larger community", he was later quoted as saying.

The event was sponsored by Community Access Unlimited, an Elizabeth-based statewide nonprofit organization providing the above services, and by the Union County Interfaith Coordinating Council.

Brazil Charter for So Shim Sa Fellowship presented to Dinair Santana

Dinair Santana recieved a charter and will be the President of the Brazil Chapter of the So Shim Sa Buddhist Fellowship. Andrea Prados will be the treasurer for this first international chapter. Dinair has been studying Buddhism under Ven. Myong Ahn Sunim for 7 years and has completed the Chapter President Course. We look forward to supporting her in this expansion and watching our Sangha grow.

Headwaters of Social Issues

Many people work in different ways towards resolving issues surrounding civil rights, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, violence, pollution, etc.. How does the Zen Center address these issues? It happens that there are many, many lakes which are polluted. Many are poisoned, making them either unsuitable or impossible for life to continue to exist in them. Many inhabitants of the lakes are sick and struggling because the waters are polluted or poisoned. The task of providing a healthy environment for the life of these lakes seems nearly impossible. We cannot seem to remedy the situation quickly enough. These polluted waters further flow into the one great ocean and it, too, becomes polluted. The way we, at the Zen Center, approach the hardships and suffering of the lakes—and ultimately the one great ocean—is by making sure the sources of water are pure. We address pollution by addressing the source. The source waters of the problems facing the LGBTQ+ community, social justice, women’s rights, raci

On Patience

Patience (In-yeok인욕(忍辱) - Patience is not only enduring but also forgiveness without resentment. To cut off anger at an entry point, at one’s own mind. To cut down anger itself, not the person or the thing outside oneself. But we are to be patient not only towards anger. We must be patient towards gain, growth, collapse, loss, honor, glory, praise, mockery, ridicule, slander, blame, hardship, difficulty, joy, pleasure, pain, discomfort…. To be patient is to deal with suffering, physical and mental, and to overcome it well and with grace. Of patience, there are 2 main kinds: Beop-In (법인) is Patience towards Nature, and Seng-In (생인) is Patience towards People. Patience towards Nature (Beop-In법인)- This means being patient towards and enduring climate, weather changes, and natural disasters. Do you grow angry when your beach day is ruined by a storm? When your walk is cut short by rain? Who do you blame when a blow-down branch falls on your car? Patience towards People (Seng-In생인)- This m

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