As the sun sets on our second day in Yangon, our Senior Program Officer Nina Dutra brought us to Shwedagon Pagoda. As soon as we arrived at the front of the temple, we immediately removed our shoes. Just like the other temples in the world, it is a basic requirement to remove your shoes before entering a temple. Removing shoes were not done only for hygienic purposes but for spiritual reasons. In mythology, shoes represent your perception towards dirt and dirt in mythology basically refers to mental dirt. Taking off your shoes also symbolizes removal of negative thoughts so you can enter the temple premises with a positive state of mind. As we entered the temple, everyone of us was so amazed seeing the pagoda gleaming in gold and diamond. The rays of the sun makes the entire pagoda shine so brightly while the countless precious stones on top of it are like dazzling little stars. |
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Anneis a member of the Blaan tribe, an indigenous group in the Philippines. Inspired by the daunting challenges of her marginalized tribe, she is committed on her quest to expose the Blaan indigenous group to a wider world by improving access to education in their villages while preserving and strengthening their cultural identity. Archives
May 2014
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