Today’s Dharma Talk was given by Rev. Bert Sumikawa. Rev. Sumikawa shared various ways superstition enters our lives and the difference between it and the true nature of cause-and-effect. For example, in Japan, a male’s 42nd birthday is considered unlucky because the numbers (“4” and “2”) translate into “shi” and “ni,” or death. A yakudoshi party is thrown before the male’s 41st birthday to ward off bad luck. Another example, in the U.S., the number 13 is considered unlucky, so much so that many hotels skip the 13th floor and go from 12 to 14 instead.
We also held our monthly Remembrance Day, where families remembered and offered incense for family, friends, pets, and others who passed away in the month of June.
