The Star R. AGE #StandTogether SEA Zoom Party (31/7/2021)

 It's been five months since the #StandTogether expanded its kindness to the Southeast Asia region. Now we are back for a zoom party! Before I proceed with the details, let us have a memory refresher on what #StandTogether is. #StandTogether is a kindness campaign by Star Media Group's (SMG) investigation journalist team - R. AGE, to spread kindness and empathy in our communities and schools. 

I was in a middle of an online Buddhist youth camp. I took some time off from the camp and quietly sneaked into the party. I did accept the email invitation by the #StandTogether team, but I guessed it was good to make a surprise appearance. After Ian was finished, I unmuted my microphone to give a quick hello to the kindness leaders who were at the party. I could see the surprise on their faces. Whenever we are in a kindness workshop or a kindness zoom party, the breakout rooms are always my favourite because we get to know other kindness leaders. 

This time, it was finding the three common points that we have in our respective groups. For my group, we had a little struggle in the beginning as we were trying to figure out what do we have in common. Pinya, from Thailand, pointed out that we were all girls, the second point was we were from Southeast Asia and the last point, we all loved Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. After that, we went back to the main room to share the three points. 

We had a mini sharing session from four SEA countries, Kaveesha representing Malaysia, Chris representing the Philippines, Jun Shan representing Brunei and Neerzara representing Indonesia. Each of the kindness leaders shared their experiences how the campaign helped them to spread kindness in their communities and even conducting their own kindness workshops. I thought "Maybe I should do one too someday". I can't do this alone, need some help with fellow kindness leaders. 

In the middle of the sharing session, the news came in that our badminton men's doubles - Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik delivered the first-ever medal at the Tokyo Olympics - it's a bronze! Yeah, I was in the Olympics mood, I'm sure we all were. 

The party ended with a group picture and a jam board for us to put in our ideas in the next kindness workshop or zoom party. It was time for me to head back to the online camp! Looking forward to more kindness events. For more kindness information, follow #StandTogether's official social media pages. 

FB: StandTogether  

IG: @standtogethermy 

全国私立大专佛教全营：心经的智慧（2/7/2021-4/7/2021）

 “佛教全营” —— 这四个字对我来说，很遥远却很靠近。在疫情之前，就这样错过一次又一次的全营。这一次，绝对不会错过！在营长—— 姵京的鼓励下，于是报名参与第六届全国私立大专全营之《心经的智慧》。

全营的第一天，营员登入Zoom平台 “报到”，全营团队为大家简报这三天的流程以及规则。团康团队给营员们一个小小的任务，就是《小菩萨与守护神》。这活动让我想起大学的活动《Angel and Master》—— 以电邮方式来守护对方或被守护。之后，营员们被派到各自的小组进行在破冰环节。我是在利行组。

在利行组组长—— 康进和蕰莉的领导下破冰，互相认识对方。在全营的前几天，有答应他们要唱一首歌给他们听，唱一小段的《佛法的力量》。在上课程（一）一半时候，晚餐捧到自己的面前，关了摄像机一阵子。心里有点内疚，但是有在听课。课程（一）结束后，大家再次回到小组进行讨论。我记录不多，也是从组员们分享，再加上笔记。晚课，我们念诵华文版的《慈经》，也回向给所有的众生；希望疫情可以早日脱离人间，让我们回归正常生活。

第二天，大家早起出席早课。在早课的十分钟，捷盈还贴心拨电话过来问我是否已经起身了。我们以往会向佛和师父问讯，早课开始啦！原来早课是念诵《心经》、《普贤十大愿》、回向等等。副课话环节可说是有趣的话题—— 《鬼》，如何在佛教的角度看待呢？有一个小总结就是：知道鬼神的存在，互相尊重就不会惹祸上身。在团康环节，第一个联想到是：会不会跳舞啊？或者唱歌？原来动动脑筋来猜猜佛法！可是挑战的是我们完成在特定的游戏站就可以得到一个提示，猜出佛法。利行组是猜到不贪，是十善中的意，“贪” 也是三毒中的 “贪、嗔、痴” 

继续探讨《心经》的内容在课程（二）。在 “空” 的部分，其实不是 “空空洞洞什么也没有”，“空” 是肯定一切存在之存在的，否定有个永恒不变的实体。它是流动的组合。在小组讨论，我们对 ”空“ 有所的疑问，我把所记录的笔记念出来与组员们分享。利和同均嘛！我想也是利行的含义之一吧？

最后一天，可以说是法喜充满一整天。早上时段须要离营一阵子，因为有任务在身—— 教家乡的儿童佛学班；午休时候，再去上家乡的青年佛学班。上完之后，马上 “回营”。师父再给予各组总呈现的评语。我们再次分到各组时候，我们猜着谁是小菩萨和守护神。时间只是五分钟，我们回去 “大厅” 听师父的叮咛。

最大的福利是可以回到各自小组继续互相猜猜小菩萨和守护神。三天的全营短暂，可我们都打成一片了！我的守护神—— 欣仪，都成了姐妹！利行组组员们成了彼此的法侣，希望在学佛的路上可以互相知道彼此。

感谢《心经的智慧》团队，辛苦大家啦！感谢佛祖让我在疫情下参与人生的第一个线上佛教青年全营！愿大家在学佛路上继续走下去，弘扬佛法！