Azusa Candlelight Meditation & Vigil

Summary

This unique event will give you the opportunity to both cultivate inner peace with a meditation guided by Buddhist monks and honor your departed loved ones by sharing this positive energy with them during this special outdoor candlelight meditation and vigil. This combination of activities is very powerful to help process grief and loss amongst a supportive community and also just witness and be a part of a beautiful enchanted evening of peace and healing. Although not mandatory, you have the option to place a picture of a departed loved one on our memorial structure. This event is free and open to all ages. For more details, see the schedule below.

Special Announcements:

Please dress in warm clothes (especially hats, scarves and gloves) since usually the temperature in March is still a bit chilly (keep an eye on forecast in case this changes).

Schedule

6:30 PM - people should try to arrive around this point in order to socialize, have some complimentary snacks/refreshments, and start to find their seats on the lawn while we have some peaceful music playing in the background. During this time will give everyone the opportunity who wants to place a picture or write the name of their departed loved ones on our memorial structure. As it gets closer to 7pm, the emcee will invite everyone to be seated as the Buddhist monks take their seats on the stage in order to officially start the candle lighting and meditation.

7:00 PM - everyone will light their candles and be guided in meditation followed by spreading of loving-kindness, prayers, and positive energy to departed loved ones and to the whole world in order to promote world peace through inner peace.

8:00 PM - after the end of the meditation, there will be some parting words shared before the end of the program at 8PM or a little bit earlier. At this point, everyone will be given the opportunity to make a wish or pray for their departed loved ones and then light a floating lotus candle that they will be able to place in the pool of water that will be situated in front of the memorial structure to honor the departed. Everyone is welcome to stay a little bit longer to socialize, have some refreshments, and enjoy the peaceful music and magical atmosphere of the candlelight and decorated trees under the night sky.

(Optional) Bringing a Picture of a Departed Loved One

If you have a loved one who has passed away and you would like to commemorate them during the candlelight vigil/meditation, then you may bring a picture of them to place upon the shrine that we will create. We will have 4x6 picture frames stands that you can borrow in the event that you would like to print your photo and do not have a frame. If you have a framed photo, you can place that on the memorial structure as well. However, if you would just prefer to write the name of your loved one on a slip of paper and place it on the shrine, this is also an option.

The pictures below are from candlelight meditation and vigil events