When we got to Philadelphia, our first stop was at a familiar place: a Quaker Meeting House. The guide welcomed us into Arch Street Meeting House, and shared a bit of history about the meeting. After we walked to Christ Church, a pivotal historical, religious landmark in Philadelphia. Many important historical figures of the...
Continue readingSacred Spaces Philly Day 4: Chenrezig Tibetan Buddhist Center of Philadelphia & Service at the DePaul House
We started off the day with a Buddhist faith encounter. At the Chenrezig Tibetan Buddhist Center of Philadelphia, our guide talked to us about the Buddha and how he lived his life. The Buddha taught people to live the concepts of Buddhism rather than simply study them. We also practiced a bit of meditation...
Continue readingSacred Spaces Philly: Day 3 – Penn Museum and Reading Terminal Market
Today we traveled to both the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Reading Terminal Market. While we were at the museum, we learned about early humans in Mesopotamia and other regions. We learned about how early human civilizations evolved and how their belief systems developed. For lunch, we went to the Reading Terminal Market. There...
Continue readingSacred Spaces Philly: Day 2 – Service in Wissinoming Park at the Mantra Lounge
Today, our group went to Wissinoming Park in Philadelphia to help them clean up to make their park a welcoming environment. Our group took on three different tasks: students weeded and mulched, students collected trash, and students prepared a garden bed for spring planting. Everyone worked hard and the park looked much better afterwards....
Continue readingSacred Spaces Philly: Day 1 – Bait-ul-Aafiyat Mosque
Today, we visited Bait-ul-Aafiyat Mosque after having an introduction workshop at the Philadelphia Interfaith Center. At the center, we first participated in ice breaker activities, such as story builders. After, the topics got more serious, as we discussed questions to ask at sacred spaces, and what makes an appropriate comment and what makes an...
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