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Where to start?
Hi all.first post go easy on me:)
I've been reading quite a bit about buddhism recently and a lot of it rings true,but not really sure how to begin practicing it in a meaningful way.
Should I concentrate on the 8th fold path or just 1 part of it and then keep adding more to my practice as time goes by?
there is a local temple that offers free meditation classes/talks etc but due to work commitments I cant attend for the forseeable future and I dont want to pick up or do anything wrong from the start.I have enough bad habits as it is:)
For the last while I've been attempting to just pay attention to mindfulness and right thought/speech(which has been tougher than I thought as I work in a customer services job and I deal with all sorts:) )
any help or tips much appreciated
I've been reading quite a bit about buddhism recently and a lot of it rings true,but not really sure how to begin practicing it in a meaningful way.
Should I concentrate on the 8th fold path or just 1 part of it and then keep adding more to my practice as time goes by?
there is a local temple that offers free meditation classes/talks etc but due to work commitments I cant attend for the forseeable future and I dont want to pick up or do anything wrong from the start.I have enough bad habits as it is:)
For the last while I've been attempting to just pay attention to mindfulness and right thought/speech(which has been tougher than I thought as I work in a customer services job and I deal with all sorts:) )
any help or tips much appreciated
0
Comments
Relax.
It's not a race, and it's not a competition.
there are no "Do" or "Do Not" matters in Buddhism.
Just read, comment, watch, listen, absorb, consider, agree, disagree, enjoy.
where do you think you need to start?
Edit:
where are my manners?
Welcome!
on the plus side,when I practice mindfulness 100% I feel alot more relaxed and I find my job a little bit easier and Im more laid back with angry people and have noticed situations that could explode into a row end up a lot more peaceful.
I suppose basically should I just keep at mindfulness,right thought and speech til I have a basic enough grasp of it that it all most becomes 2nd nature before I try and take on board the rest of the buddha's teachings?
oh, i said that, already! the 8FP is not sequential... the 8 spokes of the wheel are mutually supporting and all work together to embrace the whole.... it's not a question on focussing on one (or two) and then perfecting them before moving onto the next one....it's a question of keeping yourself rolling along the path, by using all of the wheel to carry you along.
Simple.
(Which is not the same as 'easy').....
And yes while it reads simple its by no means easy:)
having said that the other day I was walking along and noticed 3 snails that were on the concrete path after a heavy rain and was picking them up and putting them into a bush.An old lady walked by and just smiled at me:)Probably thought I was on day release
Besides reading and snooping the Internet and trying to pay attention to things as best you may, you might try a little meditation each day ... or maybe just once a week. Five or ten minutes should suffice.
Don't worry about doing it 'wrong.' What counts is actually doing it. Do what? Well, sit down in a quiet, clean space. Erect your spine. Breathe through your nose. Let your open eyes rest on the floor. Fold your hands in your lap. Once seated in some steady posture, just count your exhalations mentally -- from one to ten and begin again. If you find your mind wandering, just begin again with one. Set a timer to the amount of time you wish to sit. When the timer goes off ... get up and do whatever you want or need to do. Don't overdo it. Just do what you promised ... five or ten minutes, for example. Try not to expect a sudden shower of lights or some shazzam experience. Just do what you do when you promised to do it. That is enough. See what happens.
Best wishes.
http://www.plumvillage.org/mindfulness-trainings/32-14-mindfulness-trainings.html
Yes, you can try some meditation without instruction for now. Breath counting is best. You'll find it's the most boring thing you've ever attempted, sitting and doing nothing. We all do. That's why we try to find groups to motivate us.
I'd suggest you dig through the huge amount of information on the internet and read the various articles and watch some youtube videos for inspiration. Make note of what seems to speak to you, and don't worry about stuff that seems off the wall. There is a huge differences in teaching and practice among the various schools. You'll begin to get a feel for the ones you want to concentrate on.
As a newcomer to Buddhism, all might seem a bit overwhelming. There is so much information to be found. But actually Buddhism is really simple. The Buddha once said he only taught insatisfactoriness (dukkha) and the ending of it. Be kind to yourself and others, and learn about yourself through meditation/mindfulness. This is already a good start and will be your basis for the rest of your life. More detailed teachings can always come later, when you feel ready. But you will find they always come down to the basic practice.
For example, the eightfold path is a general description of how one would develop in Buddhism. However, you don't have to keep in mind all its parts the entire day or develop them one by one. You can only develop them in tandem. When you practice mindfulness, all other parths of the path are practiced as well.
I wish you much joy on the path; this path is meant to give much happiness.
With loving kindness,
Reflection
@justshea thanks for the link