Growing up in a country where Buddhism is the main religion, I know how to make myself calm and release my stress effectively when I am alone even though I am not really a true believer. I think most Vietnamese kids are taken to the temples by their parents to meditate or simply pray for luck. Some temples, for me, were the places where I could find peace and relax after a long tiring day in school or after suffering something that made me feel hurt.

When I was in primary school, every night I saw my grandfather did meditate in over an hour before going to bed. his face at that time looked so calm and peaceful. In the beginning, I had no idea what he was doing, but I was so curious. Therefore, I began to sit and meditate like him. It was hard for a kid like me because I got bored easily. However, then I slept so well even though at that time there were many problems happening in my family.

And there was a time when I dreamed about Buddha, peacefully and vividly…

Getting into middle school, my school was next to a small shrine which was built over 100 years ago. Instead of gathering with other friends after school, most of the time I would go to that shrine to meditate and pray alone. The atmosphere at that place somehow made me seek peace of mind. Even though it was so noisy outside, but when I stepped inside the shrine, everything around me was so quiet.

There were many statues of Buddha and trees around me and a little pond with tortoises and carps. The sounds of chant and the smell of incense made me feel comfortable and relieved even though a few hours ago, I was so stressed about my exams, homework or troubles in my life. Sometimes, I came there before exams to pray, and sometimes I came there alone for meditation. I still remember there was a cute yellow dog kept barking at me whenever I came, and there was a white tortoise and a white frog which I was so surprised and excited to look at.

When I was in high school, my mom and I went to a Hinduism temple once a week to pray, and it was also a great place. I still visited a temple near my house whenever I felt stressed. However, I did not meditate often since I couldn't stay focus well like before, and I didn't have enough time to stay there to do that. I was so crazy and busy with school-work.

But since I came to the U.S., it's never easy for me to find peace in my mind. There is no temple in Ithaca even though there are lots of beautiful churches. Also, I cannot meditate anymore because my mind is messed up. I was trying many times, but it didn't work well. There was someone telling me that he meditated with music, but I couldn't. I even feel it is weird to do that because music can distract my mind.

I used to visit a big temple near New York City two years ago, and I like it. I felt a little peaceful and comfortable, but it was too far away. I cannot take any bus to go there because, in my memory, the temple locates on a mountain or inside a forest.

So what is meditation? I usually close my eyes and let my mind focus on something. Sometimes I will concentrate on the sounds of nature like the bird note or a leaf moving or the gurgling brook. I also prefer to meditate and enjoy the smell of the incense and the sound from the bell in the temple.

Meditation will help you stay calm, and in some cases, it also helps people to rethink events they have had in their lives, and then they may feel appreciate that because they may realize and gain great things from those lessons.