Monday, May 7th

Sri Lakshmi Hindu Temple

Lunch in Harvard Square

Harvard Art Museum

Dinner – Harvard Square

The Humanist Hub Discussion Group with Greg Epstein

This morning we had a beautiful experience at the Sri Lakshmi Temple. Raju was our guide, and he was very welcoming. Rama, a volunteer at the temple, also was a part of that welcoming and his salt and sugar story was clever. All around the room were carefully carved shelters for each manifestation of God. It wasn’t so much the shelters that made the beauty, but the statues inside them. Each deity was clothed in silk and shimmering jewelry. Their carved expressions were of glorious victory or serenity.
-Siri

The tranquility of the Sri Lakshmi Temple was amazing. Rama had a beautiful story that made a lot of sense about how you know that God is there (sort of). If you put sugar in water, it dissolves. Then if you put salt in, it dissolves as well. But, if you taste the water, you can taste the salt and sugar. I like the notion of the mother is God and father is God. It was truly inspiring to hear that.
-Magda

After lunch we walked to the Harvard Art Museum. It was amazing, overwhelming, but also felt more serene than any museum I’ve ever been to. After looking at many of the different art pieces, I realized the irony that all the images of death and pain looked the most alive, whereas the live people portraits often have a dead look in their eyes.
-Hazel

Finally, we went to the Humanist Hub. I was overwhelmed by the distance our conversation moved. Greg Epstein had filled the place of religion with a different type of community. He spoke with the air of a preacher, but a message of a different side. Our whole conversation was filled with ideas that I had not thought about, and a new perspective from our class that I hadn’t heard.
-Anna

Line, shape, color
Is the wife grieving?
Or just paint?

Worship, care
Devoted to Devas
Small and large

Human life
Doubt, yet search for good
None are perfect.
-Julia

 

Soundscape from Sri Lakshmi