St. Anne's Belfield School Intensive, December 2015
Welcome to the World Religions in Central Virginia Intensive's Website!
Thank you for visiting our website! The "World Religions in Central Virginia" intensive class consists of two dedicated and brilliant teachers, Mr. Clark and Mr. Tate, with twenty amazing and energetic students, who have developed their global sympathy and knowledge of religious diversity throughout the course. We went to five religious centers from five different religions to gain a more comprehensive view of religious life in Charlottesville, Virginia: Ligmincha Buddhist Institute; Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue (Judaism); Satchidananda Ashram Yogaville (Hinduism); Christ Episcopal Church (Christianity) and Islamic Society of Central Virginia (Islam) . We have also discovered how different religions interpret joy during these field trips. The intensive practiced daily mindfulness and yoga, as they are incorporated in many of the religions studied, and for the joyful benefits of shavasana. These videos include the opinions of the students and teachers, as well as a brief overview of what happened during this intensive. We hope you enjoy them!
The best dynamic of the World Religions in Central Virginia was the opportunity to experience all five religions that we studied in person. All five trips were absolutely stunning and eye-opening experiences. The first thing I would notice while on a trip was the stimulation of all the senses; a great example of this is Ligmincha International. Walking into the shrine room I felt the soft carpet give at my feet; the aroma of incense flowed freely throughout the room and into my nose. I witnessed bright colors that encompassed the room. I heard Geshe La recite prayers and use instruments to connect himself to Buddhaand I tasted sweet, warm tea. During every trip, almost all five senses were stimulated; and this was quite an experience. In religions, the senses are employed to lessen the distance between the earth and the divine. Another impactful lesson taught by “going out in the field” was seeing the actual application of religion. While we learned much in the classroom there still was a missing piece. In the classroom one can only learn so much about Salat prayer, but seeing it teaches one much more. Nevertheless, actually seeing traditions and customs of the religion filled that void. The experiential learning really finalized our study of a religion; it gave us real context and a deeper understanding. The final element to the field trips was how we had the ability to meet community members and religious leaders. It was fascinating meeting people who had devoted their entire life to their religion. The knowledge, passion, and understanding of their religion were astonishing. Also, we got the opportunity to ask the leaders questions about the religion. The leaders gave us a new perspective and taught us a great deal. ' ------Patrick '17
Buddhism was the first topic we studied, and after learning about it in the classroom, we travelled to Ligmincha Bon Buddhist Institute in Nelson County. There we spent the day with a monk addressed as Geshe-la, practiced yoga and breathing exercises, and then learned Tibetan calligraphy.
For the study of Hinduism, we ventured to Satchidananda Ashram Yogaville and gained a deeper practice of yoga meditation. We also had a chance to visit the LOTUS Shrine, where multiple religions are displayed (and the weather was great!)
Lastly, the field trip for the study of Islam took us to Islamic Society of Central Virginia, where we attended a sermon called "Khutbah" and met with an Imam. We gained a more profound understanding as we sat with devout Muslims and were able to watch the religious practice in person.
After our study of Buddhism came our field trip for the study of Judaism, which included traveling to Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue here in Charlottesville. We met and spoke with a rabbi named Tom, baked challah bread, and learned traditional Jewish dances.
As for the study of Christianity, which most of us were familiar with, the trip took place in Christ Episcopal Church (where Mr. Tate is a youth minister), and joined in a short prayer service and helped to serve in the church’s soup kitchen.
We also had the chance to do yoga as a daily part of this intensive. The yoga that we practiced includes Hatha Yoga and Tibetan Tsa Lung Yoga. It serves as a good opportunity for us to take a break and have a deeper understanding of Buddhism and Hinduism (in which practicing yoga and meditation is encouraged).