In the Laos culture, meditation is one of the things you can’t just miss. There are different types of meditation in Laos culture; in this post I will talk about what my family does.
Where It Take Place
Meditation can take place at a Buddhist temple, or simply just your home. Going to a Buddhist temple to meditate is just like going to church on Sundays. These meditation sessions at a temple can last up to 2 hours. To me it is really boring, but on the bright side we get to eat; and my family usually goes to meditate on special occasions or once a month.
Home Style
Another place you can meditate at is at your home. In this picture, there are different Buddha statues, candles, pictures. and flowers that are placed all around. That is really all you need to set it up. After my parents set this up, they blessed it so everybody in the house can use this area.
Difference Between Home and Temple
Meditation at home and at a temple is very different. When you do it at home, it is not as long as a session at a temple. Usually when my grandpa does meditation, it is between 15 to 30 minutes, with 45 minutes being the maximum. At the temple the sessions are longer and there are other things we do; such as giving back to the monks, give pray to our ones, and eat after the session.
Our Routine
As mentioned before, my family usually goes to a meditation session on special occasions or once a month. We usually do not meditate at home, but we do our short prayers every night. We do not do this all as a family, but separately. The steps is to sit down (with your legs to the side, or on your knees), put your hands together like you are praying, and bow down 3 times (as you go down, place your palms on the ground). During this prayer, you can say anything you want and you are done. The only person in our family who would meditate everyday was my grandpa because he was very religious.
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