The University of Lynchburg welcomed Buddhist spiritual care provider and writer Chenxing Han on Thursday, Sept. 25, as the keynote speaker for the 74th Annual Clifton L. Snidow Lecture, in conjunction with the Zaidee Creel Williams Memorial Lectureship.
Han’s lecture, titled “The Karma of Friendship: A Buddhist Approach to Writing & Spiritual Care,” explored how spirituality, friendship, and grief intersect, with a surprising nod to Taylor Swift.
Han, the author of Be the Refuge: Raising the Voices of Asian American Buddhists and One Long Listening: A Memoir of Grief, Friendship, and Spiritual Care, opened her lecture by reflecting on Swift’s 2022 hit, “Karma.”
Sharing lyrics from the song like, “Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend” and “Karma is a cat purring in my lap,” Han highlighted how karma has become ingrained in popular culture, even if imperfectly.
For Han, however, karma is much more than the title to a catchy song. In Buddhism, she explained, the Sanskrit word for karma, कर्मन्, translates to “action,” and rather than referring to retribution for one’s actions, it relates to intentional thoughts, deeds, and actions.
“If all of our actions have consequences, then we are far from powerless,” Han said. “Karma reminds us that even in the most difficult situations, we always have a choice.”
Han’s belief in choice and connection deeply affected her reflections on friendship. Throughout the lecture, she spoke movingly about her late college roommate and best friend, Amy, whose resilience and love for life continued even as she faced a terminal illness.
Han illustrated through letters to Amy and stories of their times together that friendship itself can be karmic, shaping lives in ways that reach far beyond oneself.
She also connected everyday life to Buddhist practices and ideals, emphasizing that spirituality is intertwined with culture and community.
Imploring the audience to see themselves as cups of tea steeping and jewels reflecting one another, Han described friendship as both a responsibility and a refuge.
“Hopefully, as we age, our tea grows more fragrant and complex,” she said, urging those in attendance to consider how they care for others and what friendships they are cultivating.
Han encouraged the audience to view spirituality not as a solemn, distant tradition, but as a living practice woven into every aspect of one’s life, from grief to joy, to resilience, and to friendship.
As she closed, Han invited the audience to reflect: “What flavor is your tea? What friendships are you seeking? And how are you a friend to others?”
For more information about Chenxing Han, visit https://www.chenxinghan.com/
To learn more about The Clifton L. Snidow Endowment and The Zaidee Creel Williams Memorial Lectureship, visit https://www.lynchburg.edu/student-life/belonging/spiritual-life/
