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A Dharma for the masses - a philosophy and practice
@mindatrisk- I have spent a lot of time thinking about your proposal and your challenge to the newbuddhist comunity, which is why I have reserved comment until now. and basically what I have to say is this: I don't know. I really don't know how to do what you are asking. But maybe these guys do:
The Dalai Lama and Paul Ekman, PHD
They recorded conversations that they had over the course of a year and a half, altogether almost 50 hours of intensive conversations, and then they made it into a book called Emotional Awarness: Overcoming the Obstacles to Psychological Balance and Compassion. I found it in my local library. You should read it, because its basically is trying to reconcile the gap between Western psychology and Buddhist psychology through two guys who are at the tops of their fields, The first thing that they do is deal with the what before they deal with the how. I haven't finished it yet, but I can tell that it's going down the same road that you want to travel down, but they are learning how to walk first, before they run.
Hey, maybe it can even be said that you, @mindatrisk, inspired me to find this book, though my intution tells me it was of my own desire to understand this thought gap. Either way, its a good book.
Go get the book. This might be the first step to at least clarifying the what.
Thanks for your considered reply. I'll definitely read that book, thanks. It has to be said that everything i've written here is as much to myself as it is to anyone else here, but I do feel we all need to hear it, even if that is simply to clarify our own feelings about this.
I think the easiest solution is to just get out there and do some volunteering and allow our own natural compassion to arise, and then as challenges arise that complicate our compassion then we seek wisdom through whatever means we can and we deepen our compassion practices through meditation, reflection etc.
I also think that this would be so, so much easier if there were a group of like minded individuals all working towards a similar goal, motivating each other, sharing learning and growth and wisdom, offering support and love... y'know, I would LOVE so much to meet such people and have that little tribe, because my biggest problem is motivation, and the root of that problem is self doubt... I get inspired and energised and then challenges arise and I lose belief in myself and retreat.
I guess I was hoping that by posting here that i'd find some like-minded and like-willed individuals who would partner me on this intended journey. I know I have it in me to carve this path and to lead the way, but there is work to do first, i'm just about to turn 30, I can take solace that even spiritual greats like Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi were all older than I am now before they really stepped out, but I place so much pressure on myself because internally I know I am here to make a difference, and my whole life is dedicated to doing so. I know people here have different ideas about how that can be achieved, but there are a million different ways to create a better world, and my way definitely is to take new ideas and ways out into the world, and have them all underpinned by me example and my being.
Y'know, it's hard to know what lives we have lived before and what possibilities we have within us. In 5 years time you may be enlightened... you may not imagine how right now, but i'm sure Siddhartha as a Prince had no idea that he would one day. I can't say what lives and what experiences are influencing me now, but i'm not forcing anything, i'm not trying to run before I walk, I am being completely natural to myself, and maybe there is a soul within me that has got some pretty handy chops to work with in this life that is perfectly capable of achieving my stated intentions. Who knows? I guess we'll see. But the vision is there, and I just hope that it will connect with people one day.
Comments
The Dalai Lama and Paul Ekman, PHD
They recorded conversations that they had over the course of a year and a half, altogether almost 50 hours of intensive conversations, and then they made it into a book called Emotional Awarness: Overcoming the Obstacles to Psychological Balance and Compassion. I found it in my local library. You should read it, because its basically is trying to reconcile the gap between Western psychology and Buddhist psychology through two guys who are at the tops of their fields, The first thing that they do is deal with the what before they deal with the how. I haven't finished it yet, but I can tell that it's going down the same road that you want to travel down, but they are learning how to walk first, before they run.
Hey, maybe it can even be said that you, @mindatrisk, inspired me to find this book, though my intution tells me it was of my own desire to understand this thought gap. Either way, its a good book.
Go get the book. This might be the first step to at least clarifying the what.
I think the easiest solution is to just get out there and do some volunteering and allow our own natural compassion to arise, and then as challenges arise that complicate our compassion then we seek wisdom through whatever means we can and we deepen our compassion practices through meditation, reflection etc.
I also think that this would be so, so much easier if there were a group of like minded individuals all working towards a similar goal, motivating each other, sharing learning and growth and wisdom, offering support and love... y'know, I would LOVE so much to meet such people and have that little tribe, because my biggest problem is motivation, and the root of that problem is self doubt... I get inspired and energised and then challenges arise and I lose belief in myself and retreat.
I guess I was hoping that by posting here that i'd find some like-minded and like-willed individuals who would partner me on this intended journey. I know I have it in me to carve this path and to lead the way, but there is work to do first, i'm just about to turn 30, I can take solace that even spiritual greats like Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi were all older than I am now before they really stepped out, but I place so much pressure on myself because internally I know I am here to make a difference, and my whole life is dedicated to doing so. I know people here have different ideas about how that can be achieved, but there are a million different ways to create a better world, and my way definitely is to take new ideas and ways out into the world, and have them all underpinned by me example and my being.
Y'know, it's hard to know what lives we have lived before and what possibilities we have within us. In 5 years time you may be enlightened... you may not imagine how right now, but i'm sure Siddhartha as a Prince had no idea that he would one day. I can't say what lives and what experiences are influencing me now, but i'm not forcing anything, i'm not trying to run before I walk, I am being completely natural to myself, and maybe there is a soul within me that has got some pretty handy chops to work with in this life that is perfectly capable of achieving my stated intentions. Who knows? I guess we'll see. But the vision is there, and I just hope that it will connect with people one day.