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There are a few things I would say one needs to be aware of if you are new to buddhism. One thing is, there are a lot of "meditation teachers" out there who are saying meditation alone can make you reach enlightenment. But this is not the case according to the suttas. You have to have an understanding of the four noble truths and the cause of suffering, which will lead you to right view. Having right view is the first step in following the 8 fold path, and following the 8 fold path is what will lead you to enlightenment. The Buddha himself became enlightened durring meditation ONLY because he recalled a past life and saw he was at one time a student of a previous Buddha, and remembered the 4 noble truths. Once he understood them clearly, he pushed further until he understood the 12 links of dependant origination, and then the way to stop suffering by way of the 8 fold path.
So unless you do the same, and remember a past life in which you happened to be a student of the buddha and remember the teachings, there is no reason to just meditate. We have everything available to us in books, online, etc so we need to understand the dhamma. The Buddha laid out the road map for us.
So in short, dont get caught up in this new age "buddhist-ish" way of thinking and putting meditation at the forefront of your practice.
1. Study the suttas/suttras 2. take the 5 precepts seriously everyday! 3. meditation.
Peace and happiness to you all. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May all beings be well and happy
May all beings be free of suffering
May all beings come to know the true Dhamma
I suppose it is the same with getting healthy. A balanced diet alone is not enough.
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