Mims Buddhist Center a place for tranquility
All are welcome at this oasis of enlightenment
MIMS — Tucked away in a secluded area of Mims, a visitor enters the White Sands Buddhist Center on a wooded path that leads to a sprawling park where towering statues encircle a quiet pond.
“Every step of the journey is the journey,” a sign reads.
The 30-acre site just off Aurantia Road is near silent, except for the trickling of a nearby fountain, chirping birds and a soft breeze rustling through the trees.
The center is open daily from dawn until dusk and all are welcome, said Ron Henderson, a staff member who gives tours of the facility Wednesday through Sunday.
There are three granite statues that sit before a temple, a house for nuns and monks, a social dining hall, a gift shop and meditation areas. A fourth will be added in the coming months.
White Sands was formed in 2005, and Mims was chosen as the location for its tranquility, Henderson said. Buildings were erected in 2006 and the statues arrived in 2012.
The center has about 100 visitors a day during peak times. During the summer months, when it heats up, there are fewer guests.
But the White Sands Center is so much more than just monuments or a backdrop for pictures. It's a place for meditation and enlightenment for the more than 50 members of the Buddhist temple, many who are Vietnamese.
Members travel from all over the county and as far as Daytona Beach and Orlando to reach the grounds, which hosts a service each Sunday.
Services are announced by a monk who rings a 2,200pound bell for a half hour, calling members to the temple.
At 9:50 a.m. the services begin and run about 2 hours, including a meditation, Dharma talk and a vegetarian lunch.
Shoes must be taken off before entering the temple and members sit on the floor.
Services are led by Zen Master Khai Thien.
“There is no discrimination here. It doesn't matter your gender, your race, your education,” said Henderson, and Buddhists do not believe their practices conflict with other religions because “you're not worshiping a god.”
It's about reaching enlightenment, which he described as having “no cravings.