[UD News] This Weekend - Remembering & Renewing
Join us for an evening of remembrance and festivities!Saturday 11/1, 6:00-9:00 PM November 1st is traditionally known as “All Saints’ Day” and the eve of “All Souls’ Day” in Christendom. The timing of these two days harkens to pre-Christian celebrations honoring the dead such as Samhain. In Mexico, November 1st is also part of “Day of the Dead” observations. This year, we will observe this season to honor our ancestors, our dearly departed, and all those who have passed with prayers and offerings for the deceased grounded in the Buddhist tradition. We will also be hosting a “night market” at Urban Dharma to feature the festive nature of remembering the past as we prepare for the future. The “night market” will feature craft vendors, performers (music, fortune-telling, face & henna painting, etc.) and food sellers from our community. Online AuctionAs part of our "Remembering & Renewing" program, we are having a hybrid silent auction featuring art, Buddhist statues, jewelry, services and experiences generously offered by members of the Urban Dharma community. YOU are invited to view what's on offer and make a bid! All proceeds from this auction go towards the Temple. Items will be shipped worldwide, services will require coordination with the provider. Bidding is open now! Click here to see what all is on offer. This event is open to all. We hope to see you there! Ancestor ShrineBring photos of your loved ones who have passed on for the ancestor shrine. Members of the DDIS Sangha setup this special shrine at their meeting last night. |
Urban Dharma
The Walk For Peace in North Carolina On January 17th, Dr. Lye and members of Urban Dharma joined many others in Salisbury & Spencer, North Carolina, to pay respects to the monks undertaking the Walk for Peace from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, DC. Dr. Lye shares some explanations of the tradition these monks are practicing: “Thudong” is Thai/Lao for “dhutanga” – a set of 13 ascetic practices that the historical Buddha recommended and allowed for his disciples. Dhutanga practices include...
Happy 2026! We had a full house during our "Endings, Beginnings" New Year's event, preparing for the end of 2025 by chanting the Vajrasattva Hundred Syllable Mantra to clear and leave behind all that we do not wish to take with us into 2026. In Asian Buddhist traditions, cleaning and clearing the negatives of the year coming to a close is a more common emphasis than making new resolutions for the new year per se. Thus, every year on New Year’s Eve, Urban Dharma hosts and karmic cleansing...
Endings, Beginnings: A Candlelight Vigil of Release & Renewal Mark your calendars for our annual New Year's Eve service, "Endings, Beginnings." As the year comes to an end, let us gather to purify the past year's negativities through chanting the Vajrasattva purification mantra. The Buddhist tradition recognizes the power of examining our past actions. Recalling those which brought happiness to us and others can help us to repeat those beneficial activities, and conversely reflecting on our...