Posted: Friday, October 31, 2014 12:30 am

Service to celebrate 125 years of Buddhism The Garden Island The Garden Island Newspaper |

The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii will celebrate 125 years of Shin Buddhism in Hawaii with two events for the Kauai District.

A free movie, Dolphin Tale, will start at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the West Kauai Hongwanji, Hanapepe Temple.

People are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets or straw mats to sit on. Snacks will be provided.

The Kauai District Commemorative Service will be held at the Kapaa Hongwanji Mission on Nov. 16. The Affirmation Rites will be at 8 a.m., followed by the Commemorative Service at 10. Lunch follows at noon. The public is welcome.

Anyone interested in getting a Buddhist name should contact Rev. Kazunori Takahashi at the Lihue Hongwanji Mission at 245-6262.

Info: Elaine Saiki, 651-4089

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Posted in Local on Friday, October 31, 2014 12:30 am.

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Service to celebrate 125 years of Buddhism

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Boy George

Culture Club singer Boy George discussed his spirituality in an intimate interview published Wednesday.

The singer-songwriter was raised in the Catholic faith but says he embraced Buddhism a few years ago.

"I've been practising Nichiren Buddhism for about four years," he told Huffpost Live. "What it does is it gives me a period in the morning and in the evening to really focus on what I want to do, and how I want the day to go."

One of the main practices of Nichiren Buddhism is chanting mantras, primarily "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo," or "I devote myself to the Lotus Sutra."

"One of the most important things about chanting is that you're constantly praying for peace, and you're praying for the happiness of other people even people that you're in conflict with," Boy George explained. "If there's anyone that you have a problem with, put them in your prayers. It's amazing what it does. It kind of dissipates any of that kind of negativity."

The Grammy Award-winner said that spiritual people have had a strong influence on his life through his 53 years.

"I've always been fascinated with spirituality, religion... I always say I'm Catholic in my complications, and Buddhist in my aspirations. I was raised a Catholic, so I have a Catholic sensibility..."

"Catholic guilt," host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani interjected.

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Boy George: I've always been fascinated with spirituality and religion

President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday released a commemorative postage stamp on Anagarika Dharmapala, a Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist and writer, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

"The release of the commemorative postage stamp on Anagarika Dharmapala will contribute towards further strengthening the bilateral ties between India and Sri Lanka and bring the two nations closer," said President Mukherjee.

He was confident that the relations between the two countries will continue to further strengthen in the coming years to the mutual benefit of our two peoples.

"This stamp release on one of the apostles of Buddhism, once again reminds us to work relentlessly and collectively to ensure an era of peace, stability and friendly bilateral and multilateral ties in order to create an enabling environment for the rapid socio-economic development of the people," he added.

The President paid his humble homage to Anagarika Dharmapala on the occasion and congratulated the Department of Posts for bringing out the Commemorative Postage Stamp on Anagarika Dharmapala.

Anagarika Dharmapala was born on September 17, 1864 and died on April 29, 1933. He was a Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist and writer. He was one of the founding contributors of non-violent Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalism and Buddhism. He was also a pioneer in the revival of Buddhism in India after it had been virtually extinct there for several centuries, and he was the first Buddhist in modern times to preach the Dharma in three continents: Asia, North America, and Europe.

Along with Henry Steel Olcott and Helena Blavatsky, the creators of the Theosophical Society, he was a major reformer and revivalist of Ceylonese Buddhism and an important figure in its western transmission.

In the latter stages of his life, he entered the order of Buddhist monks and was known as the Venerable Sri Devamitta Dharmapala. He worked selflessly all his life with a missionary zeal to propagate Buddhist ideals and to restore the glory of Buddhism.

(Posted on 25-10-2014)

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Mukherjee releases stamp on Lanka Buddhist revivalist Angararika Dharmapala

Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) October 31, 2014

The Zen Cruise, a powerful transformational journey celebrating mindfulness and self-discovery, announces its second annual lineup of esteemed yoga and healing arts presenters, celebrated musicians, and self-development programming. Returning to Royal Caribbeans newly renovated Liberty of the Seas, this explorative yoga retreat at sea will depart from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and sail to Jamaica and Haiti, February 9-14, 2015. The Zen Cruise will be joyously offering a portion of the proceeds to fund the I Love Yoga Foundations support of the Bhatti Mines School in New Delhi.

Travelers on the Zen Cruise will share in inspirational experiences through presentations, workshops, guided meditations, ceremonies, and yoga, as well as sacred on-land excursions. In the evenings, the connection will deepen with electrifying musical performances, spoken word, ecstatic dance, private cocktail parties, late-night conscious carry-ons, sound healing and more. Nearly two dozen powerful performers and presenters have been retained, and more than 400 travelers from across the globe are expected.

The Zen Cruise is an opportunity to meet and be moved by some of the most respected teachers, authors and musicians of the moment, said co-founder Lisa Pumper, founder of the Yoga Community of South Florida. You can truly immerse yourself in a transformative journey.

Music and movement are an enormous part of The Zen Cruise experience. Celebrated musicians including the chart-topping Nahko and Medicine for the People (whom the Huffington Post recently hyped as creating a new movement in music), beat-box/soul folk singer-songwriter Dustin Thomas, the drumming-dancing-Kirtan gypsies Mayapuris, as well as lyrical sensation Ash Ruiz will be onboard performing private shows for Zen Cruise guests. The revered Wilbert Alix, founder of Trance Dance International, will also lead revelers in a once-in-a-lifetime inward journey.

Other presenters include Hay House author and radio host Jennifer Grace; shamanic journey teacher and Dance of Liberation founder Parashakti; founder and director of the Vedic Conservatory Mukti Michael Buck; founder and producer of Club Divine, Chicago's conscious dance party, DJ Taz Rashid; yoga activist, teacher and philanthropist Moses Love; and many more captivating presenters and musical performances.

Some of the programs scheduled include Sunrise Gong Meditation, Prana Exchange, Directing Your Destiny, Soul Hunting, Telling Your Truth, Invigorating Shakti Flow Yoga, Thai Yoga Massage and Liberation Breathing. The cruise ship also offers onboard healing amenities such as its H2O Zone water park, Vitality Spa, and six whirlpools.

Selected as one of the Top Five Favorite Theme Cruises of 2015 by Porthole Cruise Magazine, the Zen Cruise was created in response to the growing numbers of travelers seeking unique vacation experiences that combine fun and celebration with a deeper sense of being, community and self-development. It would take years of study, crisscrossing the globe, to experience the caliber of growth provided by these teachers," added Pumper.

As we explore ourselves through movement, wisdom classes and other transformational processes, and as we engage in deep conversation and celebration, we become stronger as individuals and as a collective, said co-founder Valerie Silidker, founder/director of Inspired Life Workshops and Expand the Love. The Zen Cruise offers a unique opportunity to come together in conscious community and celebrate the potential within each one of us. Its an opportunity to transform our lives and our world.

For the full lineup of presenters and to reserve your trip, please visit http://www.thezencruise.com. Pricing begins at $899. Daily updates and inspirations can be found at http://www.facebook.com/thezencruise and http://www.twitter.com/thezencruise.

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The Zen Cruise 2015 Offers a Spiritual Journey and Yoga Retreat at Sea

TAMPA (FOX 13) -

Do you believe in ghosts?

The owner of a south Tampa spa has no doubt about it. She says her place of business is a hotbed of supernatural sights and sounds, and they don't scare her a bit.

Donna Marie Parker is a hairdresser and owner of Zen Day Spa. She says she knew she wasn't alone from the moment she opened the business.

Parker says she smelled men's cologne and says one evening, the aroma of pot roast cooking was overwhelming.

"So pungent I thought a client dropped me off food. I opened the door, there was nothing. No smell coming from anywhere except right in my dining area and we don't even have a stove here, she recalled. I finally called my landlord and I'm like, did someone pass away in this building? Because I can really feel someone's here.' "

*****

Someone had indeed passed away in the building. In 2002, it was home to Richard Harold Adama and his wife, Pat. Richard took a nap in what is now a room for beauty treatments, and never woke up.

Parker says she wasn't surprised to learn that -- but she was stopped in her tracks by something she and a client saw under her wash basin one day.

"When I glanced over, I was in such shock. I'm like, Oh my God! A cat!' And I'm like Corinne look!' And she's like Oh my God! A cat!' " Parker said.

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The ghost cat that haunts a south Tampa spa