July 4th is the anniersary to celebrate the American spirits, independence, equality, and freedom. Based on the Buddhist practice, we can realize that the true freedom is to liberate from our vexations and the equality is to understand that everyone has the same pure nature. Through the celebration, we reflect inwardly that we are independent because each of us has the Buddha nature and we are interdependent because we have to be responsible for ourselves and the world we live.

This workshop offers the basics of flower arranging and provides an overview of flower offerings in Buddhist ceremonies.The reward for offerings of flowers is that you will have perfect features and be beautiful or magnificent in your next life.

Buddha Gate Monastery held the Buddha Bathing Ceremony and bathed the Buddha, symbolizing the cleansing of our minds.

This gratitude ceremony was held in order to honor and show appreciation to our parents of this life and past lives, in the hope that they will find true happiness within and attain the greatest wisdom. And also to give thanks to our parents for raising us, supporting us, and educating us.

By chanting the sutra, we purify our mind to welcome a new year and strengthen our practice.