Amida Hawaii

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Comment by Steve Berkoff on May 1, 2009 at 8:02pm

FIRST SERVICE

This past week I had the honor of conducting our weekly Sangha service here at Amida Hawaii. It was my first time to lead the meeting, and I was very nervous before our small group. I spent a lot of time preparing for it, and reverting back to my corporate days, I even prepared a set of cue cards for the presentation! There was a very small turn-out for this service, and that proved to be a mixed blessing. The attendees were good friends of mine, so I felt comfortable with their critique, but at the same time I was uncomfortable presenting to people I know. I actually felt more nervous in front of a small group of friends then I normally due making a speech to a lager audience of strangers. That was truly a new experience for me, as I have never had a problem with public speaking.

We started the meeting with a walking Nembutsu, and then moved into meditation through Nei-Quan and Chih-Quan (I always enjoy this process as it humbles me when I inevitably discover that I’ve received much more than I’ve given for the past week). For the Dharma talk, I chose to read two poems written by Dharmavidya: “Who Shall Conquer” & “Enlightened, Compassionate.” Pohaku Sharing (stone passing) came next, and then we finished with the gatha, “Celebration of Amida’s Vow.” All in all, I felt that this was a simple, but meaningful service for all of us.

Leading the service was a very uplifting experience for me. It brought me closer to the Sangha and my faith. I really felt myself being immersed in the three jewels of the Buddha, the Sangha, and the Dharma. I don’t think I flubbed it too much during any part of the service, but I was humbled by my lack of polish. I send out big Mahalos (thank you in Hawaiian) to Moshe and John for their guidance and support, especially with the Gathas. I certainly have a lot more to do before I feel comfortable with the process, but since I’m on the rotation for each month, I’m going to get that chance. Let’s see how I do in December!

Namo Amida Bu

In Gassho,
Steve