One of two Sinhalese Buddhist temples in the Chicagoland area, and the only one with a monk that…read morespeaks fluent English. Like a lot of immigrant places of worship, there are two main groups who come here. There are Sri Lankan Americans like me who are here for family and ethnic reasons, and there are American converts who are here seeking. I recommend this temple for both. We don't think of a dead body as very significant, when someone dies, it's a part of life and another turn in the wheel of life, samsara. Life is essentially, impermanence. We handle grief by almsgiving in honor of the deceased, called dhanas (don-nays) which I held both here and in Sri Lanka. The head monk, Bhante Sujantha helped me understand the traditions of my people at the same time he helped me immeasurably with the complex feelings I had after my father's passing (he suffered a lot, I was unable to ease his suffering, American hospitals are not a very good place to die, and we didn't have the best of relationships). The Blue Lotus Temple is also a good place if you're searching, they have classes that will help you, whether you're looking for an alternative to American Protestantism, or you want to learn how to meditate and reduce anxiety. Unlike many other religions, Buddhism does not require you leave your original faith behind, it's more about kindness and mindfulness (in its original meaning). Find Bhante Sujantha on Tik Tok or Instagram, he's better than formal therapy or a good addition to professional sessions. If you can visit the temple, if you can afford to donate, you should also know that Bhante Sujantha is a terrible businessman, but I guess that's how the good clerics are, right? I know about the classes because I came early to my first Dhana and I listened to Sujantha teach, or rather try to teach mindfulness and compassion. Then, after they were done and politely asked to leave the chapel part of the temple for my service, about half the class stayed in and talked very loudly even after having my service started (being streamed live to relatives in Sri Lanka, England, Canada, and Australia) ironically going on about mindfulness and themselves. You can lead an elephant to water, but you can't make her drink I guess. Life is a journey, don't travel alone.

It is with profound disappointment that I write this review of the temple. A teacher there,…read moreapparently struggling with severe mental health issues, broke numerous federal laws concerning me--including alleged but witnessed poisoning of my drinks at Starbucks, destroying my paintings at Winestock, visiting my schools and illegally showing my transcripts to others, slandering me, and assisting in getting me banned from several of my downtown Crystal Lake haunts that I could sometimes afford. In addition, he appears to have worked cooperatively to end significant relationships in my life, and much more. Now I find that the head monk at Blue Lotus Temple has merely an associate's degree from McHenry Community College, yet decided to work cooperatively with this individual--August (Gus) Santo--to discredit me and call the police on me when I was polite and respectful. I hold a BA in Psychology and English from Northeastern Illinois University, an MA in Social Science from St. John's University (School of Practical Theology), two Master's degrees with interfaith ministry training in Ethics & Society and Historical Theology from Garrett Theological Seminary at Northwestern University (four academic years), and an 88-semester-hour graduate certificate from Adler University with externships from the University of Illinois Neuropsychiatric Institute in Chicago. I also hold three Bible College doctorates in Sacred Literature, Biblical Theology, and Theology. Apparently Mr. Santo was very concerned that I received a D in a class at the age of 19. I had family responsibilities, economic pressures, and a severe anxiety disorder until the age of 35 or so. I never applied for a position at that temple, and I do not understand why they would allow this. I am 70, take great care of myself, practice yoga and movement therapy (once certified in these disciplines), do not drink or smoke, meditate, and am creative. I'm frequently taken to be around 35 because of my lifestyle. Partly because I was an unpaid missionary and caregiver for decades, I have not accumulated wealth, and for reasons beyond my control, I do not have funds to date or socialize. I do not drive, and walking the 1.5 miles to downtown was peaceful--I sometimes enjoyed the company of acquaintances. I do not have family or monetary resources. While there is much more, I've been under considerable stress lately, and I do not understand these people. I was banned from Starbucks as I sat quietly reading. Feel free to evaluate at your discretion.

If interested in meditation, the shambhala center is very welcoming to learn. I took a class…read morethrough UWM here but it is very welcoming and have their own programs as well. Its locked when there are not programs going on so do not drop in or you could be disappointed. If you call ahead to have information sent, they would be more than helpful. Also they have a few resources available such as books that are easy reading and engaging on their principles.

Beautiful and serene inside. Accessbile to major bus lines, This center offers FREE meditation…read moreclasses on Tuesday nights with experienced meditation instructors to guide you through the process as a first timer. Great experience and helpfl.

Discovering Chan meditation practice a couple of years ago has been one of the main turning points…read morein my life. Chan denotes what later became "Zen" in Japan. The method at this center is taught in the tradition of Chan Master Sheng Yen (for more information please look up his wikipedia entry or check out the center's website). If you are curious to learn how to meditate please join the weekly group meditation on Sunday mornings or on Tuesday evenings. If you would like to learn more about the Buddhists teachings then you can also join the Dharma class held on Sunday mornings on a bi-weekly basis by the teacher Iris Wang.

From the owner: We are a Chan Buddhist center and offer various activities such as meditation, Yoga and Tai Chi…read moreclasses, Dharma studies. We operate as a registered non-profit organization. Chan is also known as Zen (which is the Japanese version of it). If you are interested in learning how to meditate please feel free to give it a try and come visit our center on Sunday mornings!