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Hello my name is Wathana and I am from the State of Kansas in the "state" LOL. Public speaking is what i do best, i like to speech so much my wife even gave me a nickname of "Speech-er". I look at things through many perspective to get insight, by connecting the dots every problem in the world can be resolve. My goal is to become a Enlightened, i believe through meditation i can sustain my goal. I have a son name Uriel, he is one. My Hobbies is surfing the internet, reading, listening to books, and i enjoy doing nothing(I do, really)LOL. I joined Newbuddhist because i want find insight on how other perceive the Buddha words.
Welcome to you Mr Speaker I hope you find what you are looking for here and meet some decent people. I would just like to point out, try not to make enlightment so much of a goal as it will never be reached that way, striving and grasping at it will push it further away. Quite the paradox isn't it
Hi everyone, My name is Kayla. I'm from New Orleans, Louisiana. I'm really new to Buddhism, I have no idea where to begin, but I'm excited to learn. I want to start practicing for a lot of different reasons. I want to view life from a different perspective, I want to become happier for myself and for people around me, there is a lot of stress in my life right now, so I feel I need enlightenment to deal with certain situations rationally and in a positive manner, the list goes on. I'm hoping to completely turn my life around. Any advice on where to begin?
My name is Daryl and I'm a middle-aged father of three from Chocolatetown, USA (Hershey, PA). For my entire life I have been drawn to philosophy and trying to attain a "higher level of consciousness". Considering myself a well-read and intelligent being, I have wasted many years trying to understand it all, finding only frustration when I fail. Being immersed in Christian dogma my entire life, I've been trained to fear God, his punishments, and ultimately, death and hell itself. All the while, I've made my life worthless, and this life has become the hell I've always feared. I have so much to learn, but I revel in the process. I'm a fresh ball of clay, ready to be shaped. In just a few hours of reading some of the posts on this site, I already feel the weight of the world lifted off me. I think I've found what I've been looking for,.....
Hello I am Heather, I live in the UK, I am married age 27. I am new to Buddhism, suffered a miscarriage a few months ago and began having huge panic attacks and existential depressive episodes, started chanting and practicing the basics and within a week I have noticed a vast improvement in my happiness levels and overall ability to get out of the house and do things. Like Daryl (dudelove21) I had alot of christian dogma rolling around in my head perpetuating my mental illnesses, so far so good, I want to learn more I feel like I have really found the right path.xx
Hi, I'm Maggie, and I'm from the Cincinnati area (I technically live in KY, but I'm five minutes from OH). I had a secular upbringing and didn't even think that much about religion until college where I discovered neo-paganism. However, I never really found my place in any of the pagan paths that I explored. I also looked into my Jewish roots and while I have great respect for Judaism, the theology didn't really resonate with me. I briefly started to explore Buddhism about ten years ago. However, I quickly formed the erroneous notion that I was not a good enough person to follow such a path. I decided look into Buddhism more seriously a little while back (two books I read on Zen quickly quashed the idea of not being good enough luckily), and I find that it makes a tremendous amount of sense. However, I still battle with myself when it comes to trying to develop better habits.
Hi everyone, my name is Linda from Brisbane in Australia. I'm married with a 13 year old daughter and work in education support with preparatory age kids. I'm deeply committed to practice; study, read and attend courses at a local Buddhist center. I relate strongly to the need to recognise and identify the roots of suffering and practice the dharma to benefit myself and others... and to recognise that behind that suffering, life is grand and I am very fortunate I joined this site as another way of gaining insight into teachings and practice.
No party tricks to speak of. I love collecting vintage stuff and repurposing it in different ways to give to my family and friends. Today I'm enjoying the warm spring weather and beautiful blue, cloudless sky.
Welcome @lillymac61. Another Aussie! I live down south (near Melbourne). Take care...
Hi @Bunks. I see we both lived in Auckland. I lived there on two separate occasions. The last placed I lived was at Narrow Neck but found across the bay at Ponsonby was more my speed ;-)
Hi @Bunks. I see we both lived in Auckland. I lived there on two separate occasions. The last placed I lived was at Narrow Neck but found across the bay at Ponsonby was more my speed ;-)
Nice @lillymac61 - I was in Takapuna and Hauraki the whole time. Nice part of the world. My mother in law is here from Auckland at the minute actually. Take care!
Hi everybody, my name is Bob. I am a middle aged man trying to find my place in the scheme of things. I first read about Buddhism in my early teens and it has kept popping up ever since, finally taking root about a year ago.
I have long been deeply interested in that which is spiritual and mystical. I have a strong liking for wicca as it's reverence for nature strikes something powerful within me.
I have been a member for a day or two and very much like what I see. I am very happy to be here with you all.
I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Daiva, I live in Los Angeles, am 46 and my passion is climbing mountains, both spiritually and literally. Am also clean and sober 24 years. Was born and raised Catholic (tho my family never made it a priority and are fine with my chosen spiritual path), however I started learning and studying Buddhism as a teenager. I've never formally been a part of a sangha or anything, though I did take refuge vows in 1991. Have sort of practiced on my own since. Am currently interested in making a greater commitment and being a part of a sangha and to take guidance from a teacher to create a solid daily practice. Although I am well versed in the Dharma, i feel i am pretty new and don't know what i am doing when it comes to practice (meditation, mantra, ritual, etc) - and i have sort of lost focus with all the teachings. Therefore, i am considering myself new to Buddhism in all ways. I look forward to learning from everyone here.
Hi from Victoria BC, CA. I practice community acupuncture at a clinic I opened last year. I truly feel that this is the highest form of Right Livelihood I am capable of right now. Although I have been practicing Soto for a number of years, it was only yesterday that I took the precepts with my teacher, RM Meiten McGuire, here at the Vancouver Island Zen Sangha. It was a moving (and not a little nerve-wracking) ceremony. Thank you for having me here. Jean-Paul
I signed up a while back but this is my first post!.I'm hoping to learn more and to share my experiences with fellow Buddhists. I've been a practicing buddhist for about a year but have been interested in Buddhisim and eastern philosophy for several years previous. I am not affiliated with any particular traditions but have ties to the Triratna community because i have always had a good experience with them in the past. Hope to make some of yours aquintence. Namaste x
Craig here from the North East of England (Durham area). I've just joined the forum after a week of lurking. I've been a student of various spiritual paths, having began exploring spirituality in my teens, but without ever really committing to any particular path.
The teachings of The Buddha have always appealed to me, and due to a 'spiritual crisis' following some mental health problems that have worsened recently, I had began exploring what Buddhism has to offer at a more in-depth level. So much of what I've read resonates with my own long-held beliefs and I now feel ready to truly commit to a path having been moved by the beauty and profoundness of these teachings.
Having been looking into the myriad of schools and traditions within Buddhism, as well as establishing what is being taught local to me, I have found myself particularly drawn to Soto Zen. I intend to begin spending some time at Throssel Hole Abbey in Northumberland so that I may receive instruction around improving, or altogether altering, my meditation practice, as well as opening up to the teachings offered.
As far as work is concerned, I currently work 4 days per week as a stop smoking advisor but have also just qualified as a counsellor, and am attending university one day a week to add to my qualification in this area. I intend to get a full-time job as a counsellor within the next year, and am specifically interested in mindfulness-based treatments and models.
I'm not sure how much detail people want with these introductions, but I'm 26, single, and live alone (as far as humans are concerned - I share my house with my wonderful cat and a couple of snakes). Hobbies, aside from spiritual reading, include exercise (calisthenics and mountain climbing), cinema, wildlife watching, and reading (fantasy fiction mainly - I'm a big Lord of the Rings fan).
I'll end this here before it becomes a dissertation! I'd just like to say how pleased I am to have found this wonderful community and how much I look forward to learning and connecting with others.
Hello Craig A large number of the early Throssel Hole crew stayed at my log house when visa issues arose for them on a journey to Rev Jiyu Kennent. When they cleaned up to leave, some of the novices among them mistook my English silverware for what they had brought and took it all with them. It was a challenge to convince my girlfriend at the time when we returned that we hadn't just been "Taken by a bunch Buddhist Robes?". Of course they immediately shipped my stuff back when they discovered the mix up.
Hi everyone, I hail from Malaysia, just a hop across the causeway from Singapore: some of you may recall that both countries were once British colonies.
I first got interested in Buddhist ideas when I spotted - at twelve years of age - books in the high school library by popularizers of Buddhism in the west, Alan Watts and Christmas Humphreys.
They wrote in a simple yet engaging style about such practices as meditation and life in Chinese and Japanese monasteries, and stories about monks and their zany koans got me intrigued about such a spartan way of life. But it took all of another twelve years before I managed to understand what was at stake: more perhaps later.
Hey guys, my name is Matt, I'm 21 and from Toronto, Canada. I am fairly new to Buddhism but I have always felt a strong connection to its ideas and lifestyle. I chose to start with this community because it feels sincere and knowledgeable. I love music, philosophy, chai tea, and my dog. I am fairly anti-social and have been struggling with depression and anxiety for a few years now. I was raised as a Christian, but in truth my family only practices their faith one day a year. For this I believe I am fortunate because it has given me the room to think for myself and decide what I might chose to believe or not believe.
I would really like to find some resources to get me started in my journey. I haven't read any specifically Buddhist texts, but I've read Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse that I really enjoyed. I would also like to start practicing meditation daily, but I am unsure of how to approach it and would like to do some reading on this as well. Anyway, I hope to get more involved with the community soon and hearing more of your stories and experiences. Thanks for reading and best wishes,
@SunOrganz Welcome! This place has some amazing minds that you can learn a lot from. It can seem intimidating at first but if this path really is for you, you'll be rolling along in no time.
I am kinda following Brian's path, after helping to set him on it unwittingly about 30+ years ago by encouraging him to explore Indian philosophy as I put it. Now I find my self following along behind him, wishing I had not misunderstood what he meant back then and had asked him more about what he was exploring.
I am kinda following Brian's path, after helping to set him on it unwittingly about 20+ years ago by encouraging him to explore Indian philosophy as I put it. Now I find my self following along behind him, wishing I had not misunderstood what he meant back then and had asked him more about what he was exploring.
Oh, well, "better late than never!"
John, 59+, from Punta Gorda, FL right now.
Fixed the typo'd years by quoting since the editing here is kinda Buddhisticly short.
Hi everybody. I am very new to Buddhism. I am taking in as much info as I can and am starting to learn meditation. It is quite frustrating not having any immediate guidance on this path but, then that is why I am here. I find so much depth and wisdom in the Buddha's teachings. For me that makes this worth pursuing. Oh yes, hobbies and interests: reading, music, knitting, computer, etc. I am so glad I found this group! :-)
Hello my name is mettanando. I am unlikely to be an active member long. I am at the moment able to post as I recover from surgery. But once recovered will not have the time. But it is good to be passing through, and look forward to the discussions.
Hello, My name is Renata, and I have been practicing Buddhism since 2007. However, maybe the last part of that statement is not fully correct, because when I first came across basic Buddhist concepts, I realized that this is what I had believed (and wanted to pursue) all my life- I just didn't know it was 'called' Buddhism!
After reading many books about Buddhism and interacting with fellow Buddhists at my university, I realized that there might be many others out there just like me, who had stumbled across Buddhism, realized it was for them, and were wondering what to do next. So I started a blog, called ByChanceBuddhism, and have been working on it since then.
The main purpose of my blog is to help those who are new to Buddhism, and also to reach out to long-time Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike (and also try to discuss some interesting spiritual/social/ethical stuff along the way). In this mission, I feel that my blog is a kindred spirit to this forum, and so I am very excited to have come across it- and look forward to communicating with all kinds of people here!
And just to tell you all a little about myself, I am a recent graduate with a degree in Plant Biology, and live on the east coast of the United States with my husband. I enjoy cooking, yoga, walking, reading, dancing, gardening, and talking about science/culture/religion.
Thanks so much for reading this, and I look forward to meeting lots of new friends here at New Buddhist!
Hello, I'm new to this site & have only recently started learning about buddhism. I am very interested in the buddhism way of living and I have a lot to read and learn, and also change my behaviour and ways,I think there is always some improvement to be done I live in Auckland.
I have bought a couple of books on meditation and I'm eagerly awaiting their arrival.
Hello my name is mettanando. I am unlikely to be an active member long. I am at the moment able to post as I recover from surgery. But once recovered will not have the time. But it is good to be passing through, and look forward to the discussions.
Welcome. While I'll be sad to see you go, I wish you a speedy recovery.
I am kinda following Brian's path, after helping to set him on it unwittingly about 30+ years ago by encouraging him to explore Indian philosophy as I put it. Now I find my self following along behind him, wishing I had not misunderstood what he meant back then and had asked him more about what he was exploring.
Then I have you to thank as well since Brian helped to set me on this path but piquing my curiosity about meditation via his experience at the Thai Theravada temple near my parent's house.
Hi everybody. I am very new to Buddhism. I am taking in as much info as I can and am starting to learn meditation. It is quite frustrating not having any immediate guidance on this path but, then that is why I am here. I find so much depth and wisdom in the Buddha's teachings. For me that makes this worth pursuing. Oh yes, hobbies and interests: reading, music, knitting, computer, etc. I am so glad I found this group! :-)
Hello, I'm new to this site & have only recently started learning about buddhism. I am very interested in the buddhism way of living and I have a lot to read and learn, and also change my behaviour and ways,I think there is always some improvement to be done I live in Auckland.
I have bought a couple of books on meditation and I'm eagerly awaiting their arrival.
Hello my name is mettanando. I am unlikely to be an active member long. I am at the moment able to post as I recover from surgery. But once recovered will not have the time. But it is good to be passing through, and look forward to the discussions.
Welcome. While I'll be sad to see you go, I wish you a speedy recovery.
hello all new to the group just about 2 days now i am very happy to be here i read so many cool stories, i have been devoted to Buddhism for about a year now and it makes me smile allot so just a quick not to say peace and joy to all namaste Cozmic
Brian from Stamford, CT. Been steadily meditating for a month now - about 30 minutes daily. Was into Buddhism years ago, drifted away, and have been "back" for about two months. I've never felt happier and calmer since starting zazen. I look forward to it/dread it daily, and am getting better at letting thoughts, etc. slide on by...
Brian from Stamford, CT. Been steadily meditating for a month now - about 30 minutes daily. Was into Buddhism years ago, drifted away, and have been "back" for about two months. I've never felt happier and calmer since starting zazen. I look forward to it/dread it daily, and am getting better at letting thoughts, etc. slide on by...
A hearty WELCOME! to all new members!! Hope you enjoy your time here with us, and speak up- we love to hear from new folks in all the discussions! (Keeps things fresh) ;-)
Hello, I live in Northern Kentucky, just outside of Cincinnati (Ohio). I am new to Buddhism and to this site. Years ago I learned a little bit about the basic philosophy of Buddhism and felt, for once in my life, that a religion spoke to me. I've since been curious, but not had the drive to go deeper. Just recently, I started reading Thich Nhat Hanh for some self-help inspiration and soon found myself facing a major habit-of-thinking makover. I started meditating and going to a non-sectarian Buddhist Dharma Center for weekly meditation with the Sangha. I love it. I am still trying to implement daily meditation in my busy week, though. I've checked out some other forums, but this one is the one that makes me feel most at home. So happy to be here!
Hi everyone. I've introduced myself here before, but I've not been here for a time so I figured a reintroduction might be in order. I mostly lurked then and I'll most likely lurk now, but I just wanted to say a quick hello!
Hello--again! The last I frequented the New Buddhist forums was sometime in 2011, and perhaps I will be frequenting them again. I took a few detours last year (all of them ultimately good growth experiences)--but l lately I have returned to practice.
My focus is still largely within the Chan/Zen tradition, though I still do not yet participate any sangha--something that will change with time, once I move to another location. But I am so happy to finally return to Chan practice and to deepen my understanding again.
I'm looking forward to reading and participating in the conversations here again--it was an opportunity for learning and inspiration then, and I hope it will even more so now that I have returned to practising!
No point beating around the bush, I'll get straight to the point. I have always been a very angry, and sometimes hate filled person. I dislike myself very immensely as this is not what I want to be, or be like. I have always had a deep respect for Buddhism and HHDL as he and buddhism always reflected what I wanted to be...a better...nicer human being.
I don have a deep passion and love for the environment and animals, I have been involved with animal activism and environmental rights activism since I was 9 years old. My wife tells me this in itself shows I'm not all "hate"
I have started the road on Buddhism simply to try to help me be less hate filled and more compassionate in my life when dealing with people.
I thought this community looked like a great place to learn, and hopefully get support down this road.
Comments
My name is Kayla. I'm from New Orleans, Louisiana. I'm really new to Buddhism, I have no idea where to begin, but I'm excited to learn. I want to start practicing for a lot of different reasons. I want to view life from a different perspective, I want to become happier for myself and for people around me, there is a lot of stress in my life right now, so I feel I need enlightenment to deal with certain situations rationally and in a positive manner, the list goes on. I'm hoping to completely turn my life around. Any advice on where to begin?
One story in Buddhism is Sano's lute. Not too loose and not too tight. Just the right balance. Honesty but with kindness.
Small steps. Gently and with great joy.
I have long been deeply interested in that which is spiritual and mystical. I have a strong liking for wicca as it's reverence for nature strikes something powerful within me.
I have been a member for a day or two and very much like what I see. I am very happy to be here with you all.
Although I have been practicing Soto for a number of years, it was only yesterday that I took the precepts with my teacher, RM Meiten McGuire, here at the Vancouver Island Zen Sangha. It was a moving (and not a little nerve-wracking) ceremony.
Thank you for having me here.
Jean-Paul
I signed up a while back but this is my first post!.I'm hoping to learn more and to share my experiences with fellow Buddhists. I've been a practicing buddhist for about a year but have been interested in Buddhisim and eastern philosophy for several years previous. I am not affiliated with any particular traditions but have ties to the Triratna community because i have always had a good experience with them in the past. Hope to make some of yours aquintence. Namaste x
Craig here from the North East of England (Durham area). I've just joined the forum after a week of lurking. I've been a student of various spiritual paths, having began exploring spirituality in my teens, but without ever really committing to any particular path.
The teachings of The Buddha have always appealed to me, and due to a 'spiritual crisis' following some mental health problems that have worsened recently, I had began exploring what Buddhism has to offer at a more in-depth level. So much of what I've read resonates with my own long-held beliefs and I now feel ready to truly commit to a path having been moved by the beauty and profoundness of these teachings.
Having been looking into the myriad of schools and traditions within Buddhism, as well as establishing what is being taught local to me, I have found myself particularly drawn to Soto Zen. I intend to begin spending some time at Throssel Hole Abbey in Northumberland so that I may receive instruction around improving, or altogether altering, my meditation practice, as well as opening up to the teachings offered.
As far as work is concerned, I currently work 4 days per week as a stop smoking advisor but have also just qualified as a counsellor, and am attending university one day a week to add to my qualification in this area. I intend to get a full-time job as a counsellor within the next year, and am specifically interested in mindfulness-based treatments and models.
I'm not sure how much detail people want with these introductions, but I'm 26, single, and live alone (as far as humans are concerned - I share my house with my wonderful cat and a couple of snakes). Hobbies, aside from spiritual reading, include exercise (calisthenics and mountain climbing), cinema, wildlife watching, and reading (fantasy fiction mainly - I'm a big Lord of the Rings fan).
I'll end this here before it becomes a dissertation! I'd just like to say how pleased I am to have found this wonderful community and how much I look forward to learning and connecting with others.
Peace and Blessings,
Craig
A large number of the early Throssel Hole crew stayed at my log house when visa issues arose for them on a journey to Rev Jiyu Kennent. When they cleaned up to leave, some of the novices among them mistook my English silverware for what they had brought and took it all with them.
It was a challenge to convince my girlfriend at the time when we returned that we hadn't just been "Taken by a bunch Buddhist Robes?".
Of course they immediately shipped my stuff back when they discovered the mix up.
You're in good hands there.
Thank you - good to know :-)
Singapore: some of you may recall that both countries were once
British colonies.
I first got interested in Buddhist ideas when I spotted - at twelve years
of age - books in the high school library by popularizers of Buddhism
in the west, Alan Watts and Christmas Humphreys.
They wrote in a simple yet engaging style about such practices as
meditation and life in Chinese and Japanese monasteries, and stories
about monks and their zany koans got me intrigued about such a
spartan way of life. But it took all of another twelve years before I
managed to understand what was at stake: more perhaps later.
I would really like to find some resources to get me started in my journey. I haven't read any specifically Buddhist texts, but I've read Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse that I really enjoyed. I would also like to start practicing meditation daily, but I am unsure of how to approach it and would like to do some reading on this as well. Anyway, I hope to get more involved with the community soon and hearing more of your stories and experiences. Thanks for reading and best wishes,
Matt
@SunOrganz Welcome! This place has some amazing minds that you can learn a lot from. It can seem intimidating at first but if this path really is for you, you'll be rolling along in no time.
Oh, well, "better late than never!"
John, 59+, from Punta Gorda, FL right now.
Thank you for the welcome, will stick around.
Oh yes, hobbies and interests: reading, music, knitting, computer, etc.
I am so glad I found this group! :-)
I am unlikely to be an active member long. I am at the moment able to post as I recover from surgery. But once recovered will not have the time.
But it is good to be passing through, and look forward to the discussions.
After reading many books about Buddhism and interacting with fellow Buddhists at my university, I realized that there might be many others out there just like me, who had stumbled across Buddhism, realized it was for them, and were wondering what to do next. So I started a blog, called ByChanceBuddhism, and have been working on it since then.
The main purpose of my blog is to help those who are new to Buddhism, and also to reach out to long-time Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike (and also try to discuss some interesting spiritual/social/ethical stuff along the way). In this mission, I feel that my blog is a kindred spirit to this forum, and so I am very excited to have come across it- and look forward to communicating with all kinds of people here!
And just to tell you all a little about myself, I am a recent graduate with a degree in Plant Biology, and live on the east coast of the United States with my husband. I enjoy cooking, yoga, walking, reading, dancing, gardening, and talking about science/culture/religion.
Thanks so much for reading this, and I look forward to meeting lots of new friends here at New Buddhist!
_/|\_
I have bought a couple of books on meditation and I'm eagerly awaiting their arrival.
Looking forward to exploring this site more
' Its been.......emotional '
Toodle pip.
:wave:
new to the group just about 2 days now i am very happy to be here i read so many
cool stories, i have been devoted to Buddhism for about a year now
and it makes me smile allot so just a quick not to say
peace and joy to all
namaste
Cozmic
Brian from Stamford, CT. Been steadily meditating for a month now - about 30 minutes daily. Was into Buddhism years ago, drifted away, and have been "back" for about two months. I've never felt happier and calmer since starting zazen. I look forward to it/dread it daily, and am getting better at letting thoughts, etc. slide on by...
My focus is still largely within the Chan/Zen tradition, though I still do not yet participate any sangha--something that will change with time, once I move to another location. But I am so happy to finally return to Chan practice and to deepen my understanding again.
I'm looking forward to reading and participating in the conversations here again--it was an opportunity for learning and inspiration then, and I hope it will even more so now that I have returned to practising!
Bows to all,
~riverflow
Not an easy post but wanted to say hello.
No point beating around the bush, I'll get straight to the point. I have always been a very angry, and sometimes hate filled person. I dislike myself very immensely as this is not what I want to be, or be like. I have always had a deep respect for Buddhism and HHDL as he and buddhism always reflected what I wanted to be...a better...nicer human being.
I don have a deep passion and love for the environment and animals, I have been involved with animal activism and environmental rights activism since I was 9 years old. My wife tells me this in itself shows I'm not all "hate"
I have started the road on Buddhism simply to try to help me be less hate filled and more compassionate in my life when dealing with people.
I thought this community looked like a great place to learn, and hopefully get support down this road.