Photographing people's spirituality is not an easy task - first you need to gain trust of the people you want to photograph and often even that will not be enough, as spiritual practices are for many something too personal, or sometimes sacred, to be shown. I attempted nevertheless and made a collection that shows diversity of Taiwanese spiritual and religious life, and although it is not even close to fully show the abundance of spirituality on the island, it does provide a glimpse of it. I omitted some of the biggest religious groups in Taiwan in order to show spirituality in Taiwan in a new light. Further, I treat this collection as a beginning of a bigger and long lasting project of photographing religious and spiritual life in Taiwan.
Dada Kaladharananda showing a yoga posture in Ananda Marga center in Taipei
Professor Shi Mingzong – coach of Shida basketball team talks to his players
during a yoga session in Ananda Marga center in Taipei. His son also participates in exercises
Shida basketball team doing yoga exercises
Shida basketball team doing yoga exercises
Muslims during prayer time in Grand Mosque in Taipei
Fridays are the only days when muslims can come to the Grand Mosque
to buy halal meat imported from Australia and New Zeland
The canteen in Grand Mosque also offers halal zongzi
Relaxing in the mosque after prayer
Pilgrims to Baishatun kneeling for hours to receive Mazu’s blessing
Early morning during Baishatun Mazu pilgrimage
Mourners watch how a coffin with their deceased relative is being cremated. With assistance of a buddhist monk
A collection of flower essence in a New Age bookstore next to NTU main gate
A todler with his grandmother on the grounds of the neat Mormon temple in Taipei
Postcards with pictures from the LDS temple sold in a shop near the temple in Taipei
Wednesday bible reading and experience sharing group
in the Catholic Sacred Heart Church in Taipei - lead by American nun and the parish priest
Bible in front of one of the members of the Wednesday group
Eclectic public cemetery in Taipei
Jay Caffin – a spiritual healer who now lives and practices in Kaohsiung
Photography and editing by Witold Chudy (Photo no.1: Graves of Italian missionaries to Yunnan)
Photo no. 13 (flower essence) by Cerise Phiv
