In December 1999, I visited the Holy Land. Even though I studied a lot about this area for many years before my visit, I was still mesmerized by what I saw, heard and sensed. I went with a group of Christians who would be kneeling and praying every hundred yards or so because we were literally tracing the footprints of Jesus, seeing what Jesus must have seen a couple thousand years ago. Many of the sites were just ruins and yet visitors were frequently overwhelmed by the surreal ambiance. For instance, while we were riding on a boat modeled after a traditional fishing boat, sailing on the Sea of Galilee, it was drizzling softly. We could easily envision Jesus walking on water in the mist, calling out to us just like he did to his disciples.
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| Sea of Galilee |
Bodh Gaya is the place where Sakyamuni became enlightened during a long meditation under a Bodhi tree. It was 105 degrees in the shade when I visited the Mahabodhi Temple in September 2003. Yet it was surprisingly cool and breezy when I walked by the offspring of that very tree. On the same trip, I also went to Tibet. I observed an unusual occurrence. No matter what kind of weather it was in the morning and early afternoon, it would always rain at 5 p.m. in Lhasa. In the early morning, the land was once again pristine. It was as though the unceasing veneration of the prostrating believers touched the Gods who in turn sent the rain to wash away the impurities and dirt every afternoon.
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| Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya |
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| Bakhor Square, Lhasa |
Machu Picchu is merely 2430 meters above sea level; yet clouds linger around the site constantly. Llamas roamed all over the place. It is commonly known as the Lost City of the Incas. I managed to have a picnic at a quiet corner in the lower part of the site. While eating my sandwich, I noticed a tiny bird perching on a rock not too far away. I threw a small piece of bread at him. He chirped for me. I threw another piece and he was singing away. Before I knew, I was in the middle of an ad hoc symphony performed by dozens of small birds all around me. The miracle part is that I am normally scared of birds. But I did not experience any fear or discomfort even when the number of birds got to be uncountable.
The magical moments of these sacred places captured my heart and mind. The indescribable peace that I encountered made me surrender to the higher power totally. I was united with my environment, and everything else was not important.
In March 2016, I visited the rock hewn churches in Lalibela, Ethopia. The churches are amazing engineering feat to bear witness to. What I experienced there made it a sacred place. One early morning, I attended a dawn service on top of St. George. Normally I would be too afraid to walk on uneven rock surface without holding onto some railings. There are no safety installations at the site but somehow that fear was lifted from my heart. I was very much at ease with the environment and hundreds of devotees.
