Every summer, the Gardena Buddhist Church transforms into a lively street party for the Obon…read moreFestival -- and I never miss it. The entire block shuts down for colorful Obon dancing under the glow of paper lanterns, while the air fills with the sizzling aroma of chicken and beef teriyaki. Rows of food stalls tempt you with chewy dango, fresh musubi, fluffy shaved ice, and ice-cold drinks -- the ultimate fuel for dancing the night away. This year, Labubu even showed up to hang out and dance with us, and it made the night extra fun and unforgettable. Between the music, the laughter, and the mouthwatering food, it's a joyful way to celebrate tradition and community, one bite and one dance step at a time.

I have been trying to attend the services at the Pure Land Buddhist center for awhile now…read more Apparently the hours of operation have changed from what is posted on this page. However, I keep returning as this feels like a perfect fit...after decades of searching. So, once I gain entrance to, and attend some services and dharma classes, I will be sure to write an article. Namaste

I highly recommend this group to people who are spiritually searching…read more The people at this center are incredibly friendly, welcoming and genuinely care about even first-timers. The service is in Japanese, but this doesn't matter because it is a chanting meditation using a book which is easily followed. After the chant there is a short lesson in English. Then there is a 30 minute break before dharma talks separately in English and Japanese. During the break member socialize and talk to all. I can only speak for the English dharma talks, which are very good. Yuichi is very well organized, and is adept at answering questions, even if they don't necessarily relate to the topic. It's obvious his knowledge is broad and his understanding is deep. If you can't make it to Gardena, he and Bita (the manager) conduct meetups throughout the region.

I've been going to this temple almost five years now and am so excited about all the changes we've…read moremade to our temple this year. We just had an amazing remodel of the interior with vibrant red carpet and freshly-painted white walls! After a lot of hard work and donations, we were able to plant a lot of flowers and trees around the building as well. Our temple is now a beautiful little refuge providing a peaceful atmosphere to reflect on our purpose of life. This Pure Land Temple (Jodo Shinshu Shinrankai) has a broad range of lessons and topics spanning from simple kindnesses we can do to improve our daily life to tackling life's biggest questions in our advanced lectures. The staff and translation team is warm and friendly, and you can ask them questions anytime. We also have many round-table discussions which encourage participation, deep questions, and sharing about our experiences. We also have chanting service available if you would like to join or just observe. Our chanting is a meditation on gratitude toward Amida Buddha. You can learn more about this and what Pure Land means at the temple though. At our center you can seek refuge from modern life and learn the teachings of Buddha. They also have a wide assortment of inspirational books and even Japanese Animes on Buddhism as well. In fact, if you were ever interested in learning Japanese language or culture, this is a great place to come to explore. Yokoso! Our temple also visits local libraries, Starbucks, and hold events at people's homes. For fellowship, we go out on hikes, karaoke, visit museums, and have potluck parties. However, the purpose of our temple is solely aimed at helping you discover your purpose of life. It's to find out who you are and discover absolute happiness in this lifetime! I hope you drop by and check us out!

I love this temple. I always feel welcomed here, and the food is amazing. We recently celebrated…read moreLunar New Year, and every year the temple is beautifully decorated with festive backdrops for photos and celebration. It's such a special time when the community gathers for food, entertainment, and connection. This year, we stopped by for New Year prayers and photos. The décor was so cute, and we really appreciate that the temple stays open late for those of us who can't make it during the day. The head monk is always so kind and caring. He looks after my late grandparents' ashes, which are stored at the temple. Every year, we visit to participate in prayers for them. The chanting during the ceremony is comforting and deeply meaningful. We are grateful for this space, the traditions it preserves, and the sense of peace it brings our family.

I found Kelvin through a FB group that I joined due to thanatophobia. It was my fear of death that…read moreled me to find him & his meditation technique. I have never studied or practiced any formal meditation technique nor have taken any classes on meditation before discovering Kelvin's Turning Within technique. This is good because I did not have any pre-conceived ideas on how meditation should be. I only knew what I heard, read about or saw in movie or on TV. This is totally unique & unlike any form of meditation that I've ever known of. This meditation, to me, is simple yet perfect. As I started practicing the technique, I started feeling a shift in my mindset. I feel myself gradually evolving from focusing on the imperfections of myself and disappointments in my life, to focusing on what really matters. I spend more time enjoying life rather than dwelling on negative thoughs. I have to remind myself that although I am experiencing profound differences in my attitude & capability in handling / managing stress, I still cannot expect never to break or to revert back to my old attitude and / or stress handling capabilities. I am still on my journey. I feel like as babies and young children, we have a clean slate, naturally know this technique, but as life happens, we forget and build up baggage and soon forget how to reconnect with ourselves, our minds ( turn within ). Before I started practicing turning within, my mind felt more scattered - starting tasks but not completing them for whatever reason. Now I find it easier to focus on one task at a time from start to finish. I feel like my mind spends less time dwelling & being indecisive & more time doing & actually accomplishing. Instead of just thinking of what I want to do or get done, I just get up & do it. Sometimes it is so profound that I feel like a totally different person. So different that I don't even recognize myself. I am evolving into a calmer yet more focused & organized person. It feels like butterfly emerging from a thick cocoon. I feel like I used to spend a lot of time worrying & complaining more than actually getting things accomplished. Now I actually feel that I have purpose. I feel like my mind is coming up with answers that I could not answer before. Instead of just saying Idk, I actually stop, take a moment, think & answers come. This comes back to the part of me that reacts ( fight or flight ). Instead of giving any answer based on how I feel emotiinally ( like exploding ) at that time, I am actually pausing and thinking of what the answer actually is & am able to communicate my feelings calmly and directly. For example, my husband makes me upset because he complains about how I leave my stufff everywhere. He'll see my jacket hung on the chair & ask me 'What is this '? Usually I would get upset immediately and say ' Why, what about it' or 'this house is not a museum. I can leave stuff where I want. blah blah,' or something mean or I just give him the silent treatment. But now I can actually give him a calm answer which comes from a calm and sound mind. Not an upset emotionally charged mind's response. Overall, I love this new me. It is just like having a new lease on life. I look forward to any more positive changes in my life and my attitude. Turning Within can literally turn your life around Thank you Kelvin !

I have been meditating for a couple of years after instruction with turning within meditation. I…read morefeel it has personally helped me to find calmness and centering. The follow up is outstanding , I know that at any time I can contact Kelvin for questions or directions turning within meditation has helped so many people worldwide, I highly recommend it.

5-24-2025 Attending Buddha's Birthday and Bodhi Tree…read moreplanting ceremony . The significant of the Bodhi tree is where Buddha attained enlightenment under Bodhi tree. Due to its religious significance the tree is planted in all Buddhist temples.

A temple with best practices and friendly environment where everyone is welcom. The evening and…read moremorning chanting are enchanted. The best place to visit with your family for mindfulness and meditation to heal your mental health.

Meditation and mindfulness may not come easily to me but here, it's all so well curated, and the…read moreenvironment plus the lovely volunteers makes for a tranquil and positive experience as I explore ways to relax my busy brain. The interior is in quiet shades of pale yellows, oranges, wood and beautiful images in the meditation space. Be sure to come a bit early to settle in before the meditation, have a cup of tea. You don't have to sit on the floor there are plenty of chairs for the meditation session! There is a restroom inside, place to put your shoes (you may want some socks!), area to sit and chill before or after the meditation session. What makes this center so special are the kind and thoughtful volunteers. This is a place where you will feel the sense of community. This is a special joyful place and I highly recommend trying meditation session. Walkin is $15 so it's accessible! Street parking can be found nearby. TL/dr: come here to reach an internal awareness and inner peaceful practice

Not all meditation training is the same. There are so many places to learn meditation these days,…read moreand a lot of it is just watered down relaxation techniques and pop psychology. I chose Mahamudra KMC because it belongs to a Buddhist tradition that presents meditation in a way that is easily accessible to busy modern people. It's the real deal. Try it and see for yourself. :)