1. Temple Rave?

          I went to a temple near the Kathmandu Museum, expecting quiet meditation. Nope. It was LOUD. Monks chanting, drums thumping, bells ringing and people chatting. It was like a temple rave! Not exactly the peaceful vibe I was hoping for, but definitely memorable.

          I stood at the gate, this gorgeous red door, a high step......  Should I go in? The drums felt like a super loud wake-up call, a “get your act together!" message. The bells were more like, “Hey, chill out, there's a whole other world out there."

2. Monk on a Journey

          Another day, I bumped into a Chinese monk at a Tibetan temple in Kathmandu. He saw me, another Asian face, and we got chatting. He told me the CRAZIEST stories about trekking across the Himalayas. People in his group froze, got lost, starved, even got attacked by wild animals! He was the only one who made it to Kathmandu.

          Why would anyone do that?! He said, “For Buddha! And to see the world!" Seriously, that's dedication. He missed his family terribly, but he couldn't go home. Yet, he was so peaceful.

          We exchanged names, and he kept walking around the temple, saying he'd pray for me. Later, after a rain shower, a rainbow appeared. My friend freaked out, “That's a sign from heaven!"

3. Zen for Regular People

          Lumbini, Buddha's birthplace! Flags with Buddhist sayings everywhere, a gentle breeze through this giant Bodhi tree......  I looked at the pond where the mother of Buddha bathed, and this ancient pillar...... Suddenly, I was thinking about all these incredible religious stories:

          The man who paved the way for Buddha with his own body!

          Prince Siddhartha taming an elephant with kindness.

          Makhanama, who sacrificed himself to save his people. Seriously, these are some intense stories!

          But Lumbini isn't just about the past. You can actually try monk life there, even if you're not a monk. Countries all over have built temples there, and there's even a Zen centre. It's not just for monks.  It's for regular people like you and me! They have rooms, teach meditation, even how to walk mindfully. It's all about paying attention to your thoughts and actions. The guy running the place said, “If we all learned to control ourselves, there'd be way less drama in the world."

          I used to think temples were all about incense and prayers. But in Nepal, I didn't do any of that, and I still felt this amazing connection. It was all about the striving, the big dreams people have.

          Meditation, self-control, facing temptation...… It's all part of Zen, but it's also about life itself.

          Walking those quiet paths in Lumbini, I had so many thoughts, way beyond just religion. It was a great trip!