Ling Jiou Mountain Temple hosts lakeside walk for 500 devotees chanting Guanyin's name

Around 500 devotees gathered at Longtan Lake in Yilan, Taiwan, for a "Guanyin Blessing Lakeside Walk" organized by the Ling Jiou Mountain Temple. The event, which commenced after the ringing of 18 ceremonial gongs, saw participants holding sunflowers, symbols of light and hope, as they embarked on a 2.8-kilometer walk around the lake.

“

The lake and the surrounding mountains and waters offer a spiritual and physical cleansing. Chanting Guanyin's name connects our steps, with each one carrying blessings and vows. We deeply realize that nature itself is the best place for practice.

During the walk, participants chanted "Namo Guanyin Bodhisattva" (Homage to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva), integrating spiritual practice with the natural surroundings. The event highlighted the temple's commitment to the coexistence of religion and ecology, and the promotion of local well-being. Participants shared that the experience offered a spiritual cleansing amidst the lake's natural beauty, with each step carrying blessings and aspirations.

“

Walking around the lake, using our thoughts to protect the environment, when people slow down and let go of their worries, they can feel the most real existence of life.

Local political figures, including gubernatorial candidates Lin Kuo-chang (DPP) and Wu Tsung-hsien (KMT), along with Yilan Mayor Chen Mei-ling, also attended the event. The temple's abbot, Master Hsin Tao, established Ling Jiou Mountain as a Guanyin center, with the Ji Guang Temple being his earliest site of religious propagation. The walk aimed to channel collective good intentions and vows to foster a sense of protection for all beings, encouraging harmony between inner peace and the external environment for the sustainability of life and land.

“

Recently, due to disasters like the earthquake in Venezuela, there have been frequent natural and man-made calamities, causing widespread anxiety. We hope that through this walking and chanting activity, combining physical action with focused mindfulness, we can gather everyone's good intentions and vows to consolidate the power to protect all beings.

Ven. Ta Liang, the temple's supervisor, noted the current global climate of anxiety due to recent disasters, such as the earthquake in Venezuela. He expressed hope that the walking meditation and chanting would unite people's positive thoughts and vows, creating a powerful force for safeguarding life. The practice encourages participants to connect with nature, cherish the environment, and find inner balance, ultimately contributing to a more harmonious coexistence and sustainable future.

“

We hope everyone can achieve inner and outer harmony through closeness to nature and cherishing the environment, for the sake of co-prosperity of life and the sustainability of the land.