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Hello my name is Emma. I'm a Texas girl I have a little one she's almost one. My hobbies are painting, hiking, anything outdoors, I love science and inspirational documentaries. And also quiet time is much appreciated when it does happen lol
Hi everyone. My name is Steve. I am an English language teacher from England. I am in a busy phase of my life with three young children under the age of 5!
I've recently had a few months off work recovering from glandular fever. Has anyone had this? It results in having very limited energy ! The silver lining - it has given me some time to reflect on life. I've started meditating each day and have felt some real benefits.
I'm looking forward to learning some tips on meditation on the message boards and discussing how Buddhist teachings can relate to the modern world.
Hi everyone. I have practiced on and off for the last 10 years. I have just started practicing again these last few days and I realise I was always too hard on myself during meditation when the mind wondered. I know see it as a gift every time I notice it wondering instead of a failure. I have suffered a great deal these last 3 years because I was not sitting. The most important reason I have joined this group is so I can have a sangha for support and to hopefully be able so support others. For the first time in 10 years I realise how important it is to be part of a sangha because this path can be very lonely!!
6
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Hello @StingRay and welcome. I moved your introductory post to the New Member's thread. Nice to meet you.
@StevieD While I don't have any experience with Glandular Fever, I have had a few severe Ulcerative Colitis attacks that resulted in hospitalization. The last one, about 3 years ago, I could barely walk up a flight of stairs... Hope you are on the road to recovery.
Thank you for accepting me!
I'm a real newby: I started a daily meditation practice only 18 months or so ago, after having taken a course in mindfulness. It was an excellent one but I wanted to dig further, and therefore I took a few Wildmind online courses. That's all I've ever done, but I'm really fascinated by the subject, and looking forward to a lot of learning!
Joining the local sangha is not practical, and I was very lucky to stumble upon this discussion forum.
I love running, hiking, cycling and X-country skiing. Meditating on the bike is a bit dangorous though...
I'm 23 and kind of new to Buddhism. I grew up in a Buddhist household but i didn't really get into it until recently. My parents didn't teach me much so i only know the basic ideals like reincarnation, karma, praying to Buddha and such. Right now I'm going through a finding phase in my life. To answer the question: What is the path to happiness? I've started the journey by researching more in detail about Buddhism. So far there's a lot of new things I'm learning that inspire me to try harder and find my inner peace. What exciting things that may lay ahead!
3
Fosdickin its eye are mirrored far off mountainsAlaska, USAVeteran
Gassho to all. I am 72 years old, living in southcentral Alaska. I have called myself a Buddhist for 40 years or so, but have had little real contact with other Buddhists - or with much of anyone else, really - and have relied largely on reading for guidance. I sat for a time with a group of Soto Zen monks, many years ago, and later with a small group led by a Tibetan expat, which I remember rather fondly for the way the meditations seemed to be directed by the cats and dogs of the household as they moved in and out among the sitters, or erupted into fits of barking and turmoil in distant parts of the house.
Although I have called myself Buddhist, it might be more accurate to say that Buddhism represents my religious preference. Alan Watts, as I recall, declined to label himself as a Buddhist because - paraphrasing here - that would be tantamount to sticking the sky into a box and tying it up with a string. I am pretty much of this mind myself.
In any case, I thought that it was high time for me to discover what other Buddhists like to talk about, and this seemed like a reasonable place to begin.
3
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Hi everyone, I'm new here too. Just to give a quick sketch of myself, I am 43 years old, from the Netherlands where I live on the beach close to Amsterdam. My professional background is in engineering and software development, with a few artistic side jaunts, I am currently taking a career break, doing a website project I deeply believe in.
As of a few years ago I have been reclaiming my spiritual past, which goes back to my childhood, and it has led me to Buddhism, and I have been very much inspired by what I have been reading over the last year. But now I am reaching a point where I feel it would be worthwhile to discuss a few things in more depth, and it's nice to have a sangha.
I have just started a study course at a nearby Tibetan Buddhist centre, and I'm really encouraged by how many people I am encountering who are beautiful inside.
Hi everyone
I am a 54 year old doctor living in rural south india. I got into mindfulness reading Thitch Nhat Hanh. He says that for the seed of mindfulness to sprout and thrive the protective environment of a Sangha is necessary. And so, after a long search, here I am.
Hello, everyone. I am Amy from Arkansas, and I come to Buddhism from a Baptist upbringing here. I practice with a sangha and am very happy.
As far as hobbies, interests, etc...well, I love to walk and am interested in yoga and natural living. I also love knitting, crochet, macrame, and other things too numerous to count.
Hi! Have practiced with the Order of Pragmatic Buddhists for a few years now. Was ordained a novice in 2012, but have backed off - my personal practice was not strong enough to last through the illness and ultimate death of my mother at the beginning of 2012 (my monkey mind and full-time job kept me from furthering myself down the path), so now I just practice on my own and occasionally with their group.
Hello all! I am new to Buddhism as a physical practice, but have fostered Buddhist theory and concept more and more over the years. It's such a relief to be able to identify with something like Buddhism... on first discovering the way in my studies earlier this year (after years of trying to make any religion make any kind sense) I can finally settle comfortably into a set of beliefs which feel natural and logical. I refuse to blindly follow a set of rules unless they can make some modicum of sense.
I am creative, a people person, deeply bonded to my husband and my shih tzu, and hoping to nurture connection to some like minded folks online here. My small town in MD, USA is a one trick pony much of the time, and it can be lonely without a community to belong to.
Love and laughter to you all. ❤
6
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
hello @RuddyDuck9 , and welcome to the forum. You'll find we're a rum bunch...just like any household, we get along, eat together, discuss stuff over the table, laugh, share jokes, wisdom, knowledge, anecdotes and we bicker sometimes too. But we all really get along, truth be told.... it's a nice 'house'. Come in, leave your jacket on the hook, and have a cup of tea!
I came to Buddhism indirectly through stress reduction meditation a few years ago. I've been to a few classes and retreats over the years, but my practice has deepened significantly over the past year, thanks in large part to practicing with my local sangha brothers and sisters. We practice in Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village tradition. I took refuge and received the Five Mindfulness Trainings a few months ago and was given the dharma name "Boundless Awakening of the Heart" - quite an aspiration to shoot for!
I've been feeling the need for more discussion, so I'm glad to have found NB!
7
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Welcome, @BoundlessAwakening ! Enjoy your stay, and pitch right in!
Please be aware that if you seek Buddhist perfection - well, we are far from that - but we do enjoy good animated discussions! Join us on the walk!
Hi! I am a newly practicing Buddhist. My journey to Buddhism was kind of complicated and still is. Anyway, I'm here to learn more about Buddhism. I've got the basics down, but I'm still very much a newbie.
3
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Hi @CrystalW - Don't worry - everyone's journey to Buddhism has complications, you're not alone! As for learning - Join the club! It never stops you know, this learning process! Enjoy!
He'll everyone Another newbie (ish) here I'm Lou. Semi-new to Buddhism, though I have already learned much. I've been exploring my religious boundaries for quite a while. When I came across Buddhism I realized it is the perfect path for me. I attempted suicide last year and my discovery of Buddhism helped me out of a very dark place. I hope to continue to work my way up the scale of life Thanks for taking the time to read this Have a Buddhaful day loves
I came across this site while researching places to learn and study Buddhism. Unfortunately the places nearest to me are quite far, making it hard to be able to make classes or discussions. So for the most part I have had to resort to reading, but that makes it hard to ask questions. I joined with the hopes of finding a group that has similar interest in learning and discussions.
A little about me:
I am fairly new to Buddhism, but somehow it seems very familiar to me.
In my early teens, a teacher of mine introduced me to meditation (breathing techniques) in order to help me “slow down” and focus. I have carried this with me ever since, and have used meditation often when I have had the need to focus or think deeply about why something is bothering me. Sometimes I incorporate journal writing into this as well.
I have always had a very active mind, and a desire to understand things around me. In particular I have always found people and their reactions to others, and how this plays a larger role in society to be a great fascination. I decided long ago from my own life experiences, that my wants and expectations were the cause of many unhappy times in my life. The greater the expectation the greater the disappointment when things went wrong etc.
I have typically tried to live a life based around integrity, honesty, and virtue. Whenever I have stepped away from those fundamentals, life has had a way of slapping me in the face. I was recently led to Buddhism (without telling the whole story), after a series of realizations in my life which led me to the Four Noble Truths. So here I am.
Welcome @Richdawson - hope you're staying cool their in Arizona!
I can relate to your I am fairly new to Buddhism, but somehow it seems very familiar to me - I felt the same way. It was like I'd always been a Buddhist but didn't realise it.
0
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Hello @Richdawson, nice to meet you and thank you for dropping in! Stick around, read, peruse, and ask whatever you want!
I am a husband and father of 4 with no current hobbies. I am a Safety professional in the construction industry and am trying to practice the dharma in my interactions between the upper management and our field crews.
I am trying to integrate my current life,my time spent freely drifting across the States during my 20's, and the amazing insights that the Buddhism has brought out in both.
I look forward to learning from and sharing this experience with the group.
Hi Searn.
I work in facilities management. Your job is one of the toughest -- constant clash of cultures -- but also one of the most critically important. Never let up!
Oh, and welcome!
0
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Hello, @Searn, nice to meet you. Settle right down, and join in wherever you may wish.
Greetings,
It took me a while to find the introduction for new members thread. Even now perhaps I am not on the correct one. I looked for “ Member introductions” and got bits and pieces. Finally I found this. Please move if this is not correct placement.
I am Shi Fa Chuan ( Buddhist name) I was recently ordained as a Chan priest ( monk) at the Lohan Buddhist Temple by the Abbot Dai Shi Chuan Sheng a student of Grandmaster Jy Din Shakya, late Abbot of the Hsu Yun Temple and Founder of the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun.
.
I first started Zen practice in Berkeley, Ca at the Berkeley Zen Center, I visited the S.F. Zen center as well. I found it did not resonate with my spirit and began to seek another path. I happen upon a practitioner from the Rinzai ( Lin Chi) linage, who taught Shaolin Temple Chan, under the leadership of the 85th patriarch, Wu Jue Miao-Tian of Taiwan.
I practiced with this group for the next 8 years, helping with instruction at UC Berkeley on meditation classes, and Tai Chi at the Chan retreats. In 2013 I moved to Osaka Japan and was given permission to establish a “Heart Chan”:mediation group in Osaka.
I also had further Zen practice at Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, in California.
I had additional Chan guidance from a Rinzai Master in Osaka, Yoh Aoki and also Guohan William Tsao senior teacher at Cosmos Chan/Zen Community under the linage of Sheng-yen, 57th patriarch of Linji Chan.
I was fortunate via ZBOHY ( http://zatma.org/) to make the acquaintance of Ming Zhen Shakya who offered me further guidance on meditation.
I am a certified teacher ( Shifu/Sensei) of Northern Shaolin Temple Tai Chi Praying Mantis Kung Fu and Shotokan Karate. I also hold a 3rd dan ( Black Belt ) in the Japanese Art of Kyudo, sometimes called Zen Archery. I currently study the Japanese Shakuhachi flute. This was at one time considered solely a tool of Zen for an enlightenment aid and not a musical instrument. There is still today a branch of Rinzai that follows this tradition ( see Kumoso monks/Fuke school of Zen Buddhism ) . I started this study purely as a musician seeking to learn another instrument, which I enjoyed the sound of and did not know about the Zen/Chan background until after I started the study.
My additional studies included, Feng Shui, certified at teacher level under Master Larry Sang of Ca, American Feng Shui Institute and Master Joseph Yu the Feng Shui Research Center of Canada, as well as Herbalist and Reflexology certification.
Currently, along with playing in several bands I teach Northern Shaolin, Tai Chi Praying Mantis, Kali, Hsing Yi, Tai Chi Chuan, Meditation, basic Chan Dharma, and sailing in Osaka, Japan, which is my new home with my wife.
All of which is challenging for an American of color teaching mostly Chinese Arts in Japan. If you are on Facebook please drop by my page and say hello, @ “Brown Buddha”.
I just came across this website whilst seeking other information on Zen. It is a pleasure to meet you, Dozou Yoroshiku, this means roughly in Japanese, please kindly remember me and give me your guidance.
I am still a beginner. We have a saying in Kung Fu, the more you know,
the more you know how little you know.
5
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
I bet you can't cook....
I know very little about Japanese culture, but am drawn to it, and absolutely adore the cuisine. If I could live on it, and it alone, I would be as happy as a piglet in a mud bath....
I constantly watch youtube videos of different aspects of Japan, particularly regarding its culinary 'peculiarities', like seaweed cultivation, and the making of Nukazuke...
Comments
Hi newbies and lurkers!!!
Welcome to @Komorebi and @racerska! Nice to meet you. There's quite a few of us here who were raised in Christian settings.
Hello my name is Emma. I'm a Texas girl I have a little one she's almost one. My hobbies are painting, hiking, anything outdoors, I love science and inspirational documentaries. And also quiet time is much appreciated when it does happen lol
Welcome @Emmalou
Hi everyone. My name is Steve. I am an English language teacher from England. I am in a busy phase of my life with three young children under the age of 5!
I've recently had a few months off work recovering from glandular fever. Has anyone had this? It results in having very limited energy ! The silver lining - it has given me some time to reflect on life. I've started meditating each day and have felt some real benefits.
I'm looking forward to learning some tips on meditation on the message boards and discussing how Buddhist teachings can relate to the modern world.
Hi everyone. I have practiced on and off for the last 10 years. I have just started practicing again these last few days and I realise I was always too hard on myself during meditation when the mind wondered. I know see it as a gift every time I notice it wondering instead of a failure. I have suffered a great deal these last 3 years because I was not sitting. The most important reason I have joined this group is so I can have a sangha for support and to hopefully be able so support others. For the first time in 10 years I realise how important it is to be part of a sangha because this path can be very lonely!!
Hello @StingRay and welcome. I moved your introductory post to the New Member's thread. Nice to meet you.
Welcome @StingRay I may know one of your relatives MettaRay ...
http://yinyana.tumblr.com/post/36275373549/what-is-the-metta-ray
Welcome to everyone at this festive time of sitting under the tree with presence or presents and spreading goodwill in all directions.
Thanks federica and lobster for both your warm welcomes much appreciated
Welcome to @StevieD and @StingRay
@StevieD While I don't have any experience with Glandular Fever, I have had a few severe Ulcerative Colitis attacks that resulted in hospitalization. The last one, about 3 years ago, I could barely walk up a flight of stairs... Hope you are on the road to recovery.
Hi Everybody,
Thank you for accepting me!
I'm a real newby: I started a daily meditation practice only 18 months or so ago, after having taken a course in mindfulness. It was an excellent one but I wanted to dig further, and therefore I took a few Wildmind online courses. That's all I've ever done, but I'm really fascinated by the subject, and looking forward to a lot of learning!
Joining the local sangha is not practical, and I was very lucky to stumble upon this discussion forum.
I love running, hiking, cycling and X-country skiing. Meditating on the bike is a bit dangorous though...
Welcome @littlestudent Nice to meet you.
Thank you, Walker!
Hello!
I'm 23 and kind of new to Buddhism. I grew up in a Buddhist household but i didn't really get into it until recently. My parents didn't teach me much so i only know the basic ideals like reincarnation, karma, praying to Buddha and such. Right now I'm going through a finding phase in my life. To answer the question: What is the path to happiness? I've started the journey by researching more in detail about Buddhism. So far there's a lot of new things I'm learning that inspire me to try harder and find my inner peace. What exciting things that may lay ahead!
Gassho to all. I am 72 years old, living in southcentral Alaska. I have called myself a Buddhist for 40 years or so, but have had little real contact with other Buddhists - or with much of anyone else, really - and have relied largely on reading for guidance. I sat for a time with a group of Soto Zen monks, many years ago, and later with a small group led by a Tibetan expat, which I remember rather fondly for the way the meditations seemed to be directed by the cats and dogs of the household as they moved in and out among the sitters, or erupted into fits of barking and turmoil in distant parts of the house.
Although I have called myself Buddhist, it might be more accurate to say that Buddhism represents my religious preference. Alan Watts, as I recall, declined to label himself as a Buddhist because - paraphrasing here - that would be tantamount to sticking the sky into a box and tying it up with a string. I am pretty much of this mind myself.
In any case, I thought that it was high time for me to discover what other Buddhists like to talk about, and this seemed like a reasonable place to begin.
Hi everyone, I'm new here too. Just to give a quick sketch of myself, I am 43 years old, from the Netherlands where I live on the beach close to Amsterdam. My professional background is in engineering and software development, with a few artistic side jaunts, I am currently taking a career break, doing a website project I deeply believe in.
As of a few years ago I have been reclaiming my spiritual past, which goes back to my childhood, and it has led me to Buddhism, and I have been very much inspired by what I have been reading over the last year. But now I am reaching a point where I feel it would be worthwhile to discuss a few things in more depth, and it's nice to have a sangha.
I have just started a study course at a nearby Tibetan Buddhist centre, and I'm really encouraged by how many people I am encountering who are beautiful inside.
Hello and Mabuhay!
Jacob from Philippines..Glad to be here..
As for me, Im a ordinary guy, living an ordinary life that is extraordinarily great!
Peace to All.
Hi everyone
I am a 54 year old doctor living in rural south india. I got into mindfulness reading Thitch Nhat Hanh. He says that for the seed of mindfulness to sprout and thrive the protective environment of a Sangha is necessary. And so, after a long search, here I am.
Hello, everyone. I am Amy from Arkansas, and I come to Buddhism from a Baptist upbringing here. I practice with a sangha and am very happy.
As far as hobbies, interests, etc...well, I love to walk and am interested in yoga and natural living. I also love knitting, crochet, macrame, and other things too numerous to count.
Hello world.I'm Groover,I have studied and practised Buddhism for nigh on 30 years now. I take what I feel works for me from different traditions.
Welcome one and all
Funny how after a retreat ...I feel like a newbie again.
Oh well....I'll be back to chatty Cathy before we know it. 
Hi! Have practiced with the Order of Pragmatic Buddhists for a few years now. Was ordained a novice in 2012, but have backed off - my personal practice was not strong enough to last through the illness and ultimate death of my mother at the beginning of 2012 (my monkey mind and full-time job kept me from furthering myself down the path), so now I just practice on my own and occasionally with their group.
Just trying, one day at a time.
Hello all! I am new to Buddhism as a physical practice, but have fostered Buddhist theory and concept more and more over the years. It's such a relief to be able to identify with something like Buddhism... on first discovering the way in my studies earlier this year (after years of trying to make any religion make any kind sense) I can finally settle comfortably into a set of beliefs which feel natural and logical. I refuse to blindly follow a set of rules unless they can make some modicum of sense.
I am creative, a people person, deeply bonded to my husband and my shih tzu, and hoping to nurture connection to some like minded folks online here. My small town in MD, USA is a one trick pony much of the time, and it can be lonely without a community to belong to.
Love and laughter to you all. ❤
hello @RuddyDuck9 , and welcome to the forum. You'll find we're a rum bunch...just like any household, we get along, eat together, discuss stuff over the table, laugh, share jokes, wisdom, knowledge, anecdotes and we bicker sometimes too. But we all really get along, truth be told.... it's a nice 'house'. Come in, leave your jacket on the hook, and have a cup of tea!
Hello, NB Members!
I came to Buddhism indirectly through stress reduction meditation a few years ago. I've been to a few classes and retreats over the years, but my practice has deepened significantly over the past year, thanks in large part to practicing with my local sangha brothers and sisters. We practice in Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village tradition. I took refuge and received the Five Mindfulness Trainings a few months ago and was given the dharma name "Boundless Awakening of the Heart" - quite an aspiration to shoot for!
I've been feeling the need for more discussion, so I'm glad to have found NB!
Welcome, @BoundlessAwakening ! Enjoy your stay, and pitch right in!
Please be aware that if you seek Buddhist perfection - well, we are far from that - but we do enjoy good animated discussions! Join us on the walk!
Hi! I am a newly practicing Buddhist. My journey to Buddhism was kind of complicated and still is. Anyway, I'm here to learn more about Buddhism. I've got the basics down, but I'm still very much a newbie.
Hi @CrystalW - Don't worry - everyone's journey to Buddhism has complications, you're not alone! As for learning - Join the club! It never stops you know, this learning process! Enjoy!
Welcome @CrystalW - nice to meet you.
You had complications?! Sheer luxury! We never had compli - oh, hang on a minute...
He'll everyone
Another newbie (ish) here 
I'm Lou. Semi-new to Buddhism, though I have already learned much. I've been exploring my religious boundaries for quite a while. When I came across Buddhism I realized it is the perfect path for me. I attempted suicide last year and my discovery of Buddhism helped me out of a very dark place. I hope to continue to work my way up the scale of life 
Thanks for taking the time to read this 
Have a Buddhaful day loves 
Welcome @LadyLou99 - hope you find some interesting and helpful posts on here!
Hello @LadyLou99
Nice to meet you. See you around....
Already have
There is so much to learn 
Thanks for the welcome 
I like being welcomed ;D
Nice to meet you too
Hello, my name is Rich.
I came across this site while researching places to learn and study Buddhism. Unfortunately the places nearest to me are quite far, making it hard to be able to make classes or discussions. So for the most part I have had to resort to reading, but that makes it hard to ask questions. I joined with the hopes of finding a group that has similar interest in learning and discussions.
A little about me:
I am fairly new to Buddhism, but somehow it seems very familiar to me.
In my early teens, a teacher of mine introduced me to meditation (breathing techniques) in order to help me “slow down” and focus. I have carried this with me ever since, and have used meditation often when I have had the need to focus or think deeply about why something is bothering me. Sometimes I incorporate journal writing into this as well.
I have always had a very active mind, and a desire to understand things around me. In particular I have always found people and their reactions to others, and how this plays a larger role in society to be a great fascination. I decided long ago from my own life experiences, that my wants and expectations were the cause of many unhappy times in my life. The greater the expectation the greater the disappointment when things went wrong etc.
I have typically tried to live a life based around integrity, honesty, and virtue. Whenever I have stepped away from those fundamentals, life has had a way of slapping me in the face. I was recently led to Buddhism (without telling the whole story), after a series of realizations in my life which led me to the Four Noble Truths. So here I am.
Welcome @Richdawson - hope you're staying cool their in Arizona!
I can relate to your I am fairly new to Buddhism, but somehow it seems very familiar to me - I felt the same way. It was like I'd always been a Buddhist but didn't realise it.
Hello @Richdawson, nice to meet you and thank you for dropping in! Stick around, read, peruse, and ask whatever you want!
Welcome to everyone. Eager to hear your thoughts in the forum.
Hello All,
I am a husband and father of 4 with no current hobbies. I am a Safety professional in the construction industry and am trying to practice the dharma in my interactions between the upper management and our field crews.
I am trying to integrate my current life,my time spent freely drifting across the States during my 20's, and the amazing insights that the Buddhism has brought out in both.
I look forward to learning from and sharing this experience with the group.
Searn
Hi Searn.
I work in facilities management. Your job is one of the toughest -- constant clash of cultures -- but also one of the most critically important. Never let up!
Oh, and welcome!
Hello, @Searn, nice to meet you. Settle right down, and join in wherever you may wish.
Steve_B and Federica,
Thank you for the welcome!
Greetings,
It took me a while to find the introduction for new members thread. Even now perhaps I am not on the correct one. I looked for “ Member introductions” and got bits and pieces. Finally I found this. Please move if this is not correct placement.
I am Shi Fa Chuan ( Buddhist name) I was recently ordained as a Chan priest ( monk) at the Lohan Buddhist Temple by the Abbot Dai Shi Chuan Sheng a student of Grandmaster Jy Din Shakya, late Abbot of the Hsu Yun Temple and Founder of the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun.
.
I first started Zen practice in Berkeley, Ca at the Berkeley Zen Center, I visited the S.F. Zen center as well. I found it did not resonate with my spirit and began to seek another path. I happen upon a practitioner from the Rinzai ( Lin Chi) linage, who taught Shaolin Temple Chan, under the leadership of the 85th patriarch, Wu Jue Miao-Tian of Taiwan.
I practiced with this group for the next 8 years, helping with instruction at UC Berkeley on meditation classes, and Tai Chi at the Chan retreats. In 2013 I moved to Osaka Japan and was given permission to establish a “Heart Chan”:mediation group in Osaka.
I also had further Zen practice at Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, in California.
I had additional Chan guidance from a Rinzai Master in Osaka, Yoh Aoki and also Guohan William Tsao senior teacher at Cosmos Chan/Zen Community under the linage of Sheng-yen, 57th patriarch of Linji Chan.
I was fortunate via ZBOHY ( http://zatma.org/) to make the acquaintance of Ming Zhen Shakya who offered me further guidance on meditation.
I am a certified teacher ( Shifu/Sensei) of Northern Shaolin Temple Tai Chi Praying Mantis Kung Fu and Shotokan Karate. I also hold a 3rd dan ( Black Belt ) in the Japanese Art of Kyudo, sometimes called Zen Archery. I currently study the Japanese Shakuhachi flute. This was at one time considered solely a tool of Zen for an enlightenment aid and not a musical instrument. There is still today a branch of Rinzai that follows this tradition ( see Kumoso monks/Fuke school of Zen Buddhism ) . I started this study purely as a musician seeking to learn another instrument, which I enjoyed the sound of and did not know about the Zen/Chan background until after I started the study.
My additional studies included, Feng Shui, certified at teacher level under Master Larry Sang of Ca, American Feng Shui Institute and Master Joseph Yu the Feng Shui Research Center of Canada, as well as Herbalist and Reflexology certification.
Currently, along with playing in several bands I teach Northern Shaolin, Tai Chi Praying Mantis, Kali, Hsing Yi, Tai Chi Chuan, Meditation, basic Chan Dharma, and sailing in Osaka, Japan, which is my new home with my wife.
All of which is challenging for an American of color teaching mostly Chinese Arts in Japan. If you are on Facebook please drop by my page and say hello, @ “Brown Buddha”.
I just came across this website whilst seeking other information on Zen. It is a pleasure to meet you, Dozou Yoroshiku, this means roughly in Japanese, please kindly remember me and give me your guidance.
I am still a beginner. We have a saying in Kung Fu, the more you know,
the more you know how little you know.
I bet you can't cook....
I know very little about Japanese culture, but am drawn to it, and absolutely adore the cuisine. If I could live on it, and it alone, I would be as happy as a piglet in a mud bath....
I constantly watch youtube videos of different aspects of Japan, particularly regarding its culinary 'peculiarities', like seaweed cultivation, and the making of Nukazuke...
It's very good to meet you, BB.
Hahaha, My wife, ex-girl friends, mates LOVE my cooking! Even more so when I add my home garden grown veggies! :-P
Hello there! It is an honor to be a part of the NewBuddhist sangha.
@Spekter, you're so right!
Welcome! Enjoy your sojourn with us!
@Spekter: welcome from one newbie to another.