Yamadera (Mountain Temple)

Today I went for a bike tour and landed up at a gorgeous temple at the foot of the mountains that enclose our small town. The grounds are immaculate, centuries old cedar trees loom at the entrance and weather worn stone sculptures and old wooden structures nestled between the sculpted foliage. I was moved by the peacefulness of the place, a veritable refuge from all that our days demand. Hesitant to enter the building yet drawn in by its friendly atmosphere, I drew some money out of my pocket for the donation box. As I entered a staff person saw me and called out a welcome. On the other side of the donation box was a floor cushion at a small table ready with incense and a ringing bowl. Unsure of what to do, I asked the woman to guide me. We lit the incense, placed it in the middle of the ash bowl, struck the ringing bowl three times and prayed. The resonance of the bowl seemed to expand with my heart and at once I felt...nothingness, in a good way.
They invited me in to have some tea. My usual hesitant self was about to decline politely when the ridiculousness of such a refusal began to come clear. Why not open myself up to whatever may come of the experience, instead of always being afraid to trouble others? So down the wooden hallway I pattered behind the woman in her work apron. The high wooden beams of the roof stretched from the place of the altar all the way to where we now sat, tatami mats running the length of the great, open structure. As we made small talk over tea, the priest came to greet me as well. It turns out the building is 200 years old, making it a national heritage site. He gifted me a scented wooden bead bracelet for prayer, a pamphlet of proverbs and a pair of `his and hers` chopsticks along with an invitation to come and visit the temple anytime. A few years ago an English teacher from Canada also befriended him and I think he is looking forward to striking up a similar friendship. I hope to be able to take him up on his hospitality and to viscariously learn more about the subtlties that hold this culture together. Besides that, I want to explore the gardens. I hear there are lots of snakes!