Neighbor News
St. Luke's Class Visits Buddhist Monastery
St. Luke's students practiced meditation and saw the largest indoor Buddha statue in the Western hemisphere on a recent field trip.
St. Luke's Upper School World Religions class students along with their teacher Kate Parker-Burgard and Head of School Mark Davis visited the Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, NY. This monastery houses the largest indoor Buddha statue in the Western hemisphere and displays heavy influences of Chinese architecture and culture. It serves as a gathering place for Buddhists from any tradition (such as Zen, Pure Land, Tibetan and Theravada). One student noted, "The giant Buddha statue with the 10,000 petite Buddhas surrounding the enlightened being had me in awe. It was the first time I ever stepped foot into a sacred building like this before."
The trip also included a meditation class, which many students found to be extremely relaxing. While brief meditative moments are used during class time, this more formal meditation class gave students a chance to engage more deeply in the practice of mindfulness.
St. Luke’s is a secular private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5-12. St. Luke's mission is an exceptional education that inspires a deep love of learning, a strong moral compass, the commitment to serve, and the confidence to lead. St. Luke's Center for Leadership advances our mission by helping students develop exceptional leadership ability. A kind, inclusive community awaits you at St. Luke's.
