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Name : Anahita
Age : 30
Hair : black
Eyes : dark brown
Favorite food: I can name some Persian local foods like Sultani kabab and Ghorme sabsi with rice ..
Favorite movie : Matrix , professional , Godfather , Romeo is bleeding and too many other great movies ..
Favorite book: war & peace , all Chekhov's books , one hundred years of loneness , all Heinrich Boll's books ( cant really choose one , all his books are so great) ..etc ..etc ..
I think I should start with my name ..like most of girls I have 2 names ..Anahita is my nickname , the one iam using in net and with close friends ,it’s a name for a Persian goddess of water , means the one who is has a pure soul.. the another one is Mandana , another symbolic Persian name , means the one whose knowledge is permanent .i raised in a family that was kind of strange type in our society .. my mom , the only one who really was looking after me , wasn’t a religious woman in her 20's but after my dad started dating another woman , she was so broke that tried to find some tranquility in religion so she changed her way of life into a very hard and isolated one and made me and my brother to follow her , no matter we liked it or not .. well .. this almost ruined me cause I was a so keen to know about god and all these issues from different POV's and every time I was trying to ask some thing she was just punishing me to make me silent ..when I became 18 I decided to change my life as the way I want .. I went to University and started studying Islamic philosophy to find my answers .. after 4 years all I found was just a big zero ..nothing ..i couldn’t find any of my answers in Islam and its bases so I decided to know the life more so maybe I could be able to find the right way .. I worked in different fields for learning more about life …like literature and Cinema ..but it was like I was looking into a wrong direction .. I was lost ..
Last year I lost my mom and it was a horrible shock cause despite her hard nature and problems we had with each other I still loved her so much .. I became so sick of being totally alone but I could found myself some how and go back to life ..
Recently I was in a middle of another horrible shock and I saw I should find the answers or I cant go on like this any more .. like a blind one who is living in darkness .. so I started to search and I found so many interesting ideas about Buddhism and how its dealing with basic questions of life .. I came here and I hope I can stay and become one of the people who are seeking for light and their heart is calm and pure ..please help me to find my answers ..
Thanks so much
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited October 2005
Well, This is where Buddhism, for me, is such a glad Path for me to follow. The core of Buddhism is to know and discover yourself, by voluntarily following the Wise words of the Buddha. He spent many years on a journey of self-discovery and eventually found what Life consisted of (The Four Noble Truths) and devised a well-tried system of being able to deal with what Life brings (The Eightfold Path.) But all this is for the individual to discover, and use in ways best known for themselves.
I can see by your post that life has not been always easy for you.... let's hope that by sharing with us, and joining in, things may become a littel easier and happier for you.
Nobody here will say to you 'You are doing this wrong,'or 'No, you must do it this way.' Everyone here guides, advises, questions, seeks and discovers. No-one is the undisputed expert or the complete ignorant novice. Wherever we all are, whoever we may be, we all contribute and walk together.
thanks so much Federica ..i just dont know what can i say .. almost so excited or even speechless .. hope this is a new beggining in my life .. i am trying to do my best ..
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
, true, true ! * giggles* my frined is operating a local restauarnt in LA and she says Sultani kabab is the most favorite food among beefs ! especially when you are serving it on a bed of fluffy basmati rice with grilled tomato !
I am Adiana and I want to say hi and welcome to the site. There are a lot of great people here with a lot of great insight. I have learned so much from reading the posts and asking questions about beliefs/viewpoints that I don't know anything about. I have been really busy with college courses as well as mid-terms, so I haven't been able to come here for a visit for some time. Anyway, welcome to the site.
Thanks folks for the welcome.
Simon - I was originally 'dragged up' in Yorkshire so I kind of think of myself as an honourary Tyke.
Recipe swapping - now thats sounds more like it - I know from past retreats that a Sangha needs food - it is one of the most enjoyable ways of sharing and caring - do you know you can imbue food with love whilst you are cooking - it works - honest
Name: Richard
Age: 40's
Sign: Leo
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 73Kg
Born:Wiltshire England
Currently: Wiltshire England
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite band: Hawkwind
Favorite food: Lancashire hotpot(beef stew)and apple pie or rice pudding.
Favorite movies: Tie between Asoka and The life of Brian.
Favorite books:Ditch Medicine(by Coffee),Learn Yoga in a weekend(the Sivanada Yoga Vedanta Centre)DK., Concise Oxford Dictionary, teach yourself "Buddhism".
Well hello no big story here,shown (christian) morals and now trying to trace where every got them from orginally. I meet a mohican who told me of "OM" & then went to stonehenge & see the Tibetan travel'in troupe which set me on a heading for (old societies)Buddhism alittle.... ..Buddhism seems to have a good way at pointing to these morals.
and thats about.com(ed) it.!
Name: Richard
Age: 40's
Sign: Leo
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 73Kg
Born:Wiltshire England
Currently: Wiltshire England
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite band: Hawkwind
Favorite food: Lancashire hotpot(beef stew)and apple pie or rice pudding.
Favorite movies: Tie between Asoka and The life of Brian.
Favorite books:Ditch Medicine(by Coffee),Learn Yoga in a weekend(the Sivanada Yoga Vedanta Centre)DK., Concise Oxford Dictionary, teach yourself "Buddhism".
Well hello no big story here,shown (christian) morals and now trying to trace where every got them from orginally. I meet a mohican who told me of "OM" & then went to stonehenge & see the Tibetan travel'in troupe which set me on a heading for (old societies)Buddhism alittle.... ..Buddhism seems to have a good way at pointing to these morals.
and thats about.com(ed) it.!
Nice to see another member from Old Britain, the Britain that has still not quite got used to the Romans (LOL). And another 'old' hippy, too! Hawkwind, eh?
Nice to see another member from Old Britain, the Britain that has still not quite got used to the Romans (LOL). And another 'old' hippy, too! Hawkwind, eh?
Good to see you here.
I not that old you know lol.
but the love & peace message they layed down did impress me quite alot. And a lot of that era turn in to buddhist so i'm told by older respectable people.... ..:ukflag:
You may not be old enough but I am. Old enough to have heard Ginsberg read Howl at the Albert Hall. Old enough to have been a beatnik before being a hippy!
My name's Tom, i'm 19, I currently live in Salford, Manchester in the UK and i'm very new to Buddhism. After recently spending night after night researching it, i think i've uncovered my spiritual side again.
After being baptised a Catholic, and even confirmed too (sad to say, although contradictory to sacrament of confirmation, i had very little choice in the matter), i have become disillusioned with my original 'faith'.
Discovering the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path, i come across ideas that i have always believed and cherished. It may be stupid to say, but is it possible being a Buddhist without knowing it? That may be a bit of a bold statement, but it's sort of how i feel! I can't wait to share this amazing way of life with (as i found out through my internet research) so many others with the same mentality. I've already located my local Sangha (in Manchester city centre) and i visit tomorrow!
It's given me hope in a bleak world, saturated by commercialism, and plagued with hatred.
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited November 2005
Many would say that deep inside, everyone is Buddhist, without knowing it, because everyone is equipped with 'Buddha-Nature' and that everyone can realise the concept of Self and no-self.
I would add at this point that I am still struggling personally, with many of the concepts and teachings of Buddhism. but that I'm trying, and thoroughly enjoying the journey (pitfalls included - I've known a couple!) But I'm not discouraged - as it is said 'It is the Journey, not the destination'...." and as the aphorism goes: 'sometimes 'tis better to travel hopefully, than to arrive" - !!
I too was raised a good Roman Catholic girl - and I'm 48, and have been following the Buddhist path for a relatively short time. so you have the 'advantage' over me if you like, of realising things differently, a bit sooner than I did - !!
Buddhism can be as demanding and as complex as Christianity, and requires effort to follow and to understand it's teachings.
But I encourage you to enjoy your journey, to marvel at the View, and to have fun along the way!
Name: Brianna
Age: 21
Sign: Leo
Hair: Black
Eyes: Black/Brown
Height: 161cm
Weight: 46-48kg
Born: Guangdong,China
favorite color: All colors are beautiful
favorite band: Not any, Green day and simple plan are not bad.
favorite food: Durian, grape,watermelon,cantaloupe...
favorite movie: Pretty woman, Forrest Gump, Lovers' grief over the yellow river, Asoka,Sex and the city,24
favorite book: I dont read much because I have problem focusing:(
Interests: Fashion,dancing,yoga,walk,meditation,DVDs,culture,language.
I was born into a rural Chinese family in 1984. My father and my mother are typical Chinese parents whose lives revolve around me and my younger brother. My parents are not literate but down to earth. They work very hard and lead a frugal life so that they can lavish money on our education. I respect my parents who have gone through thick and thin together for 25 years heart and soul.
China is not a religious country. Students are taught about Communism and Marxism at school. Even now in college, we still have to learn Marxism, Maoism and Dengxiaoping theory. They are compulsory in every school in China. So I was a strong atheist like all of my classmates.
The second year in college was a new phase of my life. I felt strongly the call of Buddha one day and took refuge and I became a Buddhist and a vegetarian. My life was reshaped; my observation towards life was changed and I found myself a totally new world. I let go of many things that bothered me in the past. As you may know, Leo is an ambitious and aggressive sign. I always drove myself too hard and I wanted to be the number one. In the end I felt I lost more than I gained.
It is not easy to be a buddhist here. When people heard that I dont eat meat, they looked at me with eyes wide open as if I were from another planet. I told my friends that I became a buddhist. They were completely shocked. Some even thought I was out of my mind and superstitious. The idea that religion is idealistic and wrong is ingrained for generations. So,sometimes I feel very lonely on the path I am traveling. But most of the time I feel good and enjoy being different.
Well...I am always a bad writer. Good to hear your beautiful stories tho. Thank you so much. :winkc:
Brianna
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited November 2005
Brianna,
A very warm and heartfelt welcome to you! Very nice to meet you, and wonderful to hear your story.
Pleasing also to know how much you respect your parents - other cultures do not hold such connections quite as dearly.
Good to meet you. It feels good to meet a new member who takes us into lands less visited till now.
I am glad that the work of the Great Helmsman is not neglected now. He will, I believe, come to be recognised as one of the great philosophers of the 20th century - this is not a view shared by many of my Western friends, however.
Thank you for joining us and for your beautiful introduction.
Name: Jesse
Age: 35
Sign: Virgo
Chinese zodiac sign: Dog
Hair: Brown/Grey
Eyes: Blue
Height: 6'2"
Weight: slightly overweight
Born: Seattle, Wa
Currently: See Above
Favorite color: Black
Favorite band: ???
Favorite food: Pizza always sounds good.
Favorite movie: Ooo... The Omega Man would be up there
Favorite book: ???
I found this site a few days ago and figured that I could find help with any questions that pop into my head.
As for me...where to start... I grew up in a family with a smattering of Morman backgroud, but it was never pushed on me. So I grew up calling myself Atheist/Agnostic and switched sometime between them and sometimes both.
A little over a year ago, my wife (at the time, of almost 7 yrs) came to me and threw me out of the house and told me the marriage was over. THE END! go away, get out! I was destroyed and lost. I spent several days in a zombie state, not eating or sleeping well. The only thing that was keeping me going was my work, so I kept going.
One night a friend (who lives in the apt. building I work in) asked to see a set of rune stones of mine. I brought them in the next night to show them off, and I had forgotten the reading I did some years before on my marriage on a slip of paper I left in the book. Well, the reading fell out and showed me that the reading was true. I at that moment decided to follow the rune reading and go into an unknowable future.
So, to start I started to read up on the various Pagan paths and to look for help where ever I could. One place was a Pagan website that was just starting up and so was small and friendly. I ended up becoming close friends with the site owners and was soon Demoted to an Admin/Moderator.
Everywhere I looked, it was suggested that meditation was good for helping with issues like anger and depression. So, I started to look around my area and the closest group was being ran by the New Kadampa Tradition.
I went for the help in learning how to do meditation. Almost weekly the classes and the meditation worked for me.
Due to the various incidents of coincidences that have taken me from where I was a year ago to now, I have a better sence of faith. So now I am looking into trying to understand if Buddhism is the way for me to go.
Now I'm going to go have a better look at the site and come up with questions!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited November 2005
Hello Ejoty, and welcome to our sangha.....
let me know if you find all the answers you're looking for. I've been 'looking' for around a decade now, and I'm still asking questions.....!
Hi and welcome, I hope you enjoy your time with us!....I have had a brief scan of the front page of your Pagan site...."Beautifully" put together!...I will recommend my Step Mother to take a look, as she is a practising Wicca.
Thank You Abraham.
I think I will enjoy it here.
Oh, please do recommend it. There is always room for more.
I'll pass on the comment to the owner, it's bound to make his day.
I'm nothing more then a lackey (Moderator) there, with way to many interests in things.
Thank you all. Ive got a little disturbed these few days. Your kind words brighten my day. Federica, I do miss my parents. Their love for us is no less than Buddha's love: so unconditional.
A beautiful song 'The Long Way Home' by Norah Jones . Please allow me.
Well I stumbled in the darkness
I'm lost and alone
Though I said I'd go before us
And show the way back home
IS there a light up ahead
I can't hold onto very long
Forgive me pretty baby but I always take the long way home
Money's just something you throw
Off the back of a train
Got a handful of lightening
A hat full of rain
And I know that I said
I'd never do it again
And I love you sweet baby but I always take the long way home
I put food on the table
And roof overhead
But I'd trade it all tomorrow
For The highway instead
Watch your back if I should tell you
Loves the only thing I've ever known
One thing for sure sweet baby I always take the long way home
You know I love you baby
More than the whole wide world
You are my woman
I know you are my pearl
Let's go out past the party lights
We can finally be alone
Come with me and we can take the long way home
Come with me, together we can take the long way home
Come with me, together we can take the long way home
I was looking through the past posts and I noticed that I had been saying hello and welcome to everyone that has recently decided to join the sangha but have been remiss in posting my own information! YIKES! Sorry about that! Oh well! Here is my personal information:
Name: Adiana
Age: 48
Sign: Aries
Hair: Dark brown when I dye it, otherwise it is salt and pepper! LOL!
Height: 5'8"
Weight: I used to weigh 300 pounds but I am now down to 245 pounds! YIPPEE!:bigclap:
Eyes: Blue
Born: Melbourne, Florida (Brevard County)
Currently: Anderson, Indiana
Favorite color: Purple
Favorite Band: AC/DC:rockon: :rocker:
Favorite Food: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese! :woowoo:
Favorite Movie: The Matrix; Kill Bill 1; Kill Bill 2; and anything considered Science Fiction.
Favorite Book: Anything Science Fiction; The Lotus Sutra; The Complete Works of Nichiren
Daishonin; The Buddha In Your Mirror.
Like a lot of others here, I started out as a Christian. I was brought up as a Baptist, had trouble accepting the doctrines that were being taught, and subsequently rebelled against anything even remotely Christian. :eek2: :nonono: :rant: After a long period of drinking and drugging, I decided to get sober and clean and have remained so for over seven years. :woowoo: However, there was this big, aching feeling of emptiness that I knew I needed to take care of or I would eventually go back out and start drinking and drugging again and I did not want that to happen! Anyway, I have a couple of close friends that introduced me to Wicca. I decided that Wicca was what I was looking for because I have always liked the Pagan way of revering Mother Earth and Father Sky. I eventually settled on following the Correllian Tradition of Wicca. Then, I was introduced to Nichiren Buddhism. I was immediately drawn to it as well. I like the feeling of empowerment that I get when I chant daimoku and do gongyo. :bigclap: I also like the idea that I know that I have the power within me to change whatever is not going right in my life. I have never been one to subscribe to the theory of some "unseen force", or whatever you want to call it, that is keeping me from accomplishing my goals. Also, when I chant daimoku and do gongyo, I feel much better and relaxed from having to deal with a very busy and sometimes stressful day. I am also a widow with three children, and my oldest two are in college and my youngest child is 9 years old. I have been a widow ever since January of 2003. Well, it seems I need to wrap up this introduction because it is a rather long post! Sorry! Anyway, welcome to all the new members here and take care!
Name: Chris
Buddhism: Yes!
Self Assement of Buddhist Practices: Entry level student showing some signs of promise
Leaning towards: Mahāyāna
Married: Yes - a Hindu
Children: 1 - a Protestant
Age: 43 (Not counting past lives )
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 220 lbs.
Born: Kansas
Currently: Missouri (Deep Deep Deep Middle America)
Favorite color: Tour de France Yellow
Favorite band: Alison Krauss & Union Station
Favorite food: KC BBQ & Indian Food
Favorite movie: Gandhi
Favorite book: The Collected Works of Jack London
International Travel: 23 Countries on four continents
Former Job: Destroyer of Places (I was good at it)
Current Job: Creator of Places (I'm even better at this)
Greetings,
I hope all is well with each of you and yours. Thank you for forming this community and I look forward to learning from each of you. I just finally convinced myself I have always been a Buddhist after somehow knowing my entire life I was not the Catholic I was programmed originally to be. Can anyone recommend a good Sangha in the North KC area, or the rest of the region as well?
Chris
Riding my bicycle towards Nibanna!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited December 2005
Welcome to our on-line sangha, Chris. I hope you'll enjoy what you find here!
Age: 23
Gender: M
location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Height: 6"3
Weight: 170lbs
Hair: Still hanging in there at least till I'm 30!
Hobbies: Average 23 year old artsy guy stuff
Fav band: hmmmm..this week I'm torn between The Postal Service and Metric
Now let's get on with it:
When I was a young roman catholic lad I would often attend the local church with friends instead of family. My mother was raised in a roman catholic school for girls and was no longer very fond of the religion. She had always let me decide for myself where to place my faith.
I always felt a longing to follow a spiritual path, even when was young. I treid real hard to conform to the RC standards but it wasn't long until I could no longer hide the fact that the RC church could not offer what I needed to fill my spritual gap. It left to much unanswered and even confused me more in some ways.
By the time i reached my teenage years I had dropped the idea of god all togetther and became an atheist, in fact I even carried a certain resent ment for the christian community. Looking back it was an resentment based out of ignorance.
Still through my teenage years I turned to many psycological texts to try to better understand myself and my perception of the world around me. Through these books I discovered a little about meditation, and from there buddhism. from there my desire to learn more about buddhism grew sronger. At the same time my need to somehow belong or classify my beleifs grew.
I then met a girl who I began dating, her father ran a prison ministry and she attended a local baptist church, she convinced me to go with her. this church was completely different from the RC church I had known, they sang, played electric guitar, rocked out to God!
But still I could not lie to myself and simply believe what I did not feel, but it strengthened my desire for spiritual pratice and showed me that it did not have to be boring and rigid.
Now me and this girl broke up and went seperate ways, I continued to follow my spirtual path still seeking for some inner enlightenment, when I went back and read some old books on buddhism for the second time. Scince I've not been able to stop wanting to keep learning more and have accepted myself for what I seem to truly be, a buddhist!
Name: Mark
Age: Lets just say I'm younger than you! Hah! Loser!
Sign: Pisces
Hair: brown. Needs cutting.
Eyes: Sexy - lol, actually they're a horrible greeny brown colour
Height: Err... 5 foot 8"? Maybe 9?
Weight: Dunno.
Born: I hope so - lol, England
Live: " " " "
Favorite book: Darren Shan's Vampire Series
Favorite band: Errrmmm...... Whoever wrote the soundtrack to FFX.
Favorite food: Dpends on my mood... generally I like pasta and noodles
Favorite movie: The Ring II, Saw, Scary Movie, Not Another Teen Movie, The Lion King, etc.
Favorite colour: Red.
Fav. Chat-Up Line: Those supplied by Buddhafoot.
Comments
Age : 30
Hair : black
Eyes : dark brown
Favorite food: I can name some Persian local foods like Sultani kabab and Ghorme sabsi with rice ..
Favorite movie : Matrix , professional , Godfather , Romeo is bleeding and too many other great movies ..
Favorite book: war & peace , all Chekhov's books , one hundred years of loneness , all Heinrich Boll's books ( cant really choose one , all his books are so great) ..etc ..etc ..
I think I should start with my name ..like most of girls I have 2 names ..Anahita is my nickname , the one iam using in net and with close friends ,it’s a name for a Persian goddess of water , means the one who is has a pure soul.. the another one is Mandana , another symbolic Persian name , means the one whose knowledge is permanent .i raised in a family that was kind of strange type in our society .. my mom , the only one who really was looking after me , wasn’t a religious woman in her 20's but after my dad started dating another woman , she was so broke that tried to find some tranquility in religion so she changed her way of life into a very hard and isolated one and made me and my brother to follow her , no matter we liked it or not .. well .. this almost ruined me cause I was a so keen to know about god and all these issues from different POV's and every time I was trying to ask some thing she was just punishing me to make me silent ..when I became 18 I decided to change my life as the way I want .. I went to University and started studying Islamic philosophy to find my answers .. after 4 years all I found was just a big zero ..nothing ..i couldn’t find any of my answers in Islam and its bases so I decided to know the life more so maybe I could be able to find the right way .. I worked in different fields for learning more about life …like literature and Cinema ..but it was like I was looking into a wrong direction .. I was lost ..
Last year I lost my mom and it was a horrible shock cause despite her hard nature and problems we had with each other I still loved her so much .. I became so sick of being totally alone but I could found myself some how and go back to life ..
Recently I was in a middle of another horrible shock and I saw I should find the answers or I cant go on like this any more .. like a blind one who is living in darkness .. so I started to search and I found so many interesting ideas about Buddhism and how its dealing with basic questions of life .. I came here and I hope I can stay and become one of the people who are seeking for light and their heart is calm and pure ..please help me to find my answers ..
Thanks so much
I can see by your post that life has not been always easy for you.... let's hope that by sharing with us, and joining in, things may become a littel easier and happier for you.
Nobody here will say to you 'You are doing this wrong,'or 'No, you must do it this way.' Everyone here guides, advises, questions, seeks and discovers. No-one is the undisputed expert or the complete ignorant novice. Wherever we all are, whoever we may be, we all contribute and walk together.
So put on some sensible shoes, and walk with us!!
I can see we're going to have to open up a favourite recipes thread somewhere.... why do these two things sound so lush? My mouth is watering....!
I am Adiana and I want to say hi and welcome to the site. There are a lot of great people here with a lot of great insight. I have learned so much from reading the posts and asking questions about beliefs/viewpoints that I don't know anything about. I have been really busy with college courses as well as mid-terms, so I haven't been able to come here for a visit for some time. Anyway, welcome to the site.
Adiana:wavey: :wavey:
Good luck with your mid-terms Adiana!
Jason
Simon - I was originally 'dragged up' in Yorkshire so I kind of think of myself as an honourary Tyke.
Recipe swapping - now thats sounds more like it - I know from past retreats that a Sangha needs food - it is one of the most enjoyable ways of sharing and caring - do you know you can imbue food with love whilst you are cooking - it works - honest
Name: Stacey
Gender: Female
Age: 27
Sign: Gemini
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Height: 5'8.5"
Weight: Ha!
Born: New Albany, IN
Currently: Clarksville, IN
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite music: New age, Classical, World
Favorite food: Cheesecake, Mexican
Favorite movie: Whale Rider, Baraka, Winged Migration
Favorite book: Sophie's World
Hobbies and interests: Pets (2 dogs and 3 cats), spirituality (not just Buddhism), philosophy, mathematics, brain-teasers, animals, movies, blogging
So, with that said.... Hello everyone!
~Love~
Stacey
Name: Richard
Age: 40's
Sign: Leo
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 73Kg
Born:Wiltshire England
Currently: Wiltshire England
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite band: Hawkwind
Favorite food: Lancashire hotpot(beef stew)and apple pie or rice pudding.
Favorite movies: Tie between Asoka and The life of Brian.
Favorite books:Ditch Medicine(by Coffee),Learn Yoga in a weekend(the Sivanada Yoga Vedanta Centre)DK., Concise Oxford Dictionary, teach yourself "Buddhism".
Well hello no big story here,shown (christian) morals and now trying to trace where every got them from orginally. I meet a mohican who told me of "OM" & then went to stonehenge & see the Tibetan travel'in troupe which set me on a heading for (old societies)Buddhism alittle.... ..Buddhism seems to have a good way at pointing to these morals.
and thats about.com(ed) it.!
Hi Richard!
Hi Stacey!
Just thought I would say something kind before I start getting on your nerves!
-bf
Hi, Stacey,
Welcome! I am from Anderson, Indiana.
Adiana
Hi, Richard!
Welcome to the site.
Adiana:wavey:
Nice to see another member from Old Britain, the Britain that has still not quite got used to the Romans (LOL). And another 'old' hippy, too! Hawkwind, eh?
Good to see you here.
but the love & peace message they layed down did impress me quite alot. And a lot of that era turn in to buddhist so i'm told by older respectable people.... ..:ukflag:
You may not be old enough but I am. Old enough to have heard Ginsberg read Howl at the Albert Hall. Old enough to have been a beatnik before being a hippy!
My name's Tom, i'm 19, I currently live in Salford, Manchester in the UK and i'm very new to Buddhism. After recently spending night after night researching it, i think i've uncovered my spiritual side again.
After being baptised a Catholic, and even confirmed too (sad to say, although contradictory to sacrament of confirmation, i had very little choice in the matter), i have become disillusioned with my original 'faith'.
Discovering the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path, i come across ideas that i have always believed and cherished. It may be stupid to say, but is it possible being a Buddhist without knowing it? That may be a bit of a bold statement, but it's sort of how i feel! I can't wait to share this amazing way of life with (as i found out through my internet research) so many others with the same mentality. I've already located my local Sangha (in Manchester city centre) and i visit tomorrow!
It's given me hope in a bleak world, saturated by commercialism, and plagued with hatred.
Thankyou all for existing!
Good to meet you.
I would add at this point that I am still struggling personally, with many of the concepts and teachings of Buddhism. but that I'm trying, and thoroughly enjoying the journey (pitfalls included - I've known a couple!) But I'm not discouraged - as it is said 'It is the Journey, not the destination'...." and as the aphorism goes: 'sometimes 'tis better to travel hopefully, than to arrive" - !!
I too was raised a good Roman Catholic girl - and I'm 48, and have been following the Buddhist path for a relatively short time. so you have the 'advantage' over me if you like, of realising things differently, a bit sooner than I did - !!
Buddhism can be as demanding and as complex as Christianity, and requires effort to follow and to understand it's teachings.
But I encourage you to enjoy your journey, to marvel at the View, and to have fun along the way!
Welcome!:bigclap:
and "cheers" simon "Pax"
Welcome all!
Jason
(I'm Kidding!!)
Arches
Aquaducts
Binging and Purging.
-bf
Age: 21
Sign: Leo
Hair: Black
Eyes: Black/Brown
Height: 161cm
Weight: 46-48kg
Born: Guangdong,China
favorite color: All colors are beautiful
favorite band: Not any, Green day and simple plan are not bad.
favorite food: Durian, grape,watermelon,cantaloupe...
favorite movie: Pretty woman, Forrest Gump, Lovers' grief over the yellow river, Asoka,Sex and the city,24
favorite book: I dont read much because I have problem focusing:(
Interests: Fashion,dancing,yoga,walk,meditation,DVDs,culture,language.
I was born into a rural Chinese family in 1984. My father and my mother are typical Chinese parents whose lives revolve around me and my younger brother. My parents are not literate but down to earth. They work very hard and lead a frugal life so that they can lavish money on our education. I respect my parents who have gone through thick and thin together for 25 years heart and soul.
China is not a religious country. Students are taught about Communism and Marxism at school. Even now in college, we still have to learn Marxism, Maoism and Dengxiaoping theory. They are compulsory in every school in China. So I was a strong atheist like all of my classmates.
The second year in college was a new phase of my life. I felt strongly the call of Buddha one day and took refuge and I became a Buddhist and a vegetarian. My life was reshaped; my observation towards life was changed and I found myself a totally new world. I let go of many things that bothered me in the past. As you may know, Leo is an ambitious and aggressive sign. I always drove myself too hard and I wanted to be the number one. In the end I felt I lost more than I gained.
It is not easy to be a buddhist here. When people heard that I dont eat meat, they looked at me with eyes wide open as if I were from another planet. I told my friends that I became a buddhist. They were completely shocked. Some even thought I was out of my mind and superstitious. The idea that religion is idealistic and wrong is ingrained for generations. So,sometimes I feel very lonely on the path I am traveling. But most of the time I feel good and enjoy being different.
Well...I am always a bad writer. Good to hear your beautiful stories tho. Thank you so much. :winkc:
Brianna
A very warm and heartfelt welcome to you! Very nice to meet you, and wonderful to hear your story.
Pleasing also to know how much you respect your parents - other cultures do not hold such connections quite as dearly.
Thank you for joining us - !
Welcome to the site. I look forward to getting to know you as well.
Adiana:wavey:
Good to meet you. It feels good to meet a new member who takes us into lands less visited till now.
I am glad that the work of the Great Helmsman is not neglected now. He will, I believe, come to be recognised as one of the great philosophers of the 20th century - this is not a view shared by many of my Western friends, however.
Thank you for joining us and for your beautiful introduction.
Name: Jesse
Age: 35
Sign: Virgo
Chinese zodiac sign: Dog
Hair: Brown/Grey
Eyes: Blue
Height: 6'2"
Weight: slightly overweight
Born: Seattle, Wa
Currently: See Above
Favorite color: Black
Favorite band: ???
Favorite food: Pizza always sounds good.
Favorite movie: Ooo... The Omega Man would be up there
Favorite book: ???
I found this site a few days ago and figured that I could find help with any questions that pop into my head.
As for me...where to start... I grew up in a family with a smattering of Morman backgroud, but it was never pushed on me. So I grew up calling myself Atheist/Agnostic and switched sometime between them and sometimes both.
A little over a year ago, my wife (at the time, of almost 7 yrs) came to me and threw me out of the house and told me the marriage was over. THE END! go away, get out! I was destroyed and lost. I spent several days in a zombie state, not eating or sleeping well. The only thing that was keeping me going was my work, so I kept going.
One night a friend (who lives in the apt. building I work in) asked to see a set of rune stones of mine. I brought them in the next night to show them off, and I had forgotten the reading I did some years before on my marriage on a slip of paper I left in the book. Well, the reading fell out and showed me that the reading was true. I at that moment decided to follow the rune reading and go into an unknowable future.
So, to start I started to read up on the various Pagan paths and to look for help where ever I could. One place was a Pagan website that was just starting up and so was small and friendly. I ended up becoming close friends with the site owners and was soon Demoted to an Admin/Moderator.
Everywhere I looked, it was suggested that meditation was good for helping with issues like anger and depression. So, I started to look around my area and the closest group was being ran by the New Kadampa Tradition.
I went for the help in learning how to do meditation. Almost weekly the classes and the meditation worked for me.
Due to the various incidents of coincidences that have taken me from where I was a year ago to now, I have a better sence of faith. So now I am looking into trying to understand if Buddhism is the way for me to go.
Now I'm going to go have a better look at the site and come up with questions!
let me know if you find all the answers you're looking for. I've been 'looking' for around a decade now, and I'm still asking questions.....!
It's doubtfull that I'll find all the answers, due to my finding new questions to ask.
As Fede says, we are mostly questioners here rather than answerers, so you'll fit right in.
Thank You, Simon.
And I hope so!
Regards
Abraham
I think I will enjoy it here.
Oh, please do recommend it. There is always room for more.
I'll pass on the comment to the owner, it's bound to make his day.
I'm nothing more then a lackey (Moderator) there, with way to many interests in things.
A beautiful song 'The Long Way Home' by Norah Jones . Please allow me.
Well I stumbled in the darkness
I'm lost and alone
Though I said I'd go before us
And show the way back home
IS there a light up ahead
I can't hold onto very long
Forgive me pretty baby but I always take the long way home
Money's just something you throw
Off the back of a train
Got a handful of lightening
A hat full of rain
And I know that I said
I'd never do it again
And I love you sweet baby but I always take the long way home
I put food on the table
And roof overhead
But I'd trade it all tomorrow
For The highway instead
Watch your back if I should tell you
Loves the only thing I've ever known
One thing for sure sweet baby I always take the long way home
You know I love you baby
More than the whole wide world
You are my woman
I know you are my pearl
Let's go out past the party lights
We can finally be alone
Come with me and we can take the long way home
Come with me, together we can take the long way home
Come with me, together we can take the long way home
Welcome, Ejoty
I was looking through the past posts and I noticed that I had been saying hello and welcome to everyone that has recently decided to join the sangha but have been remiss in posting my own information! YIKES! Sorry about that! Oh well! Here is my personal information:
Name: Adiana
Age: 48
Sign: Aries
Hair: Dark brown when I dye it, otherwise it is salt and pepper! LOL!
Height: 5'8"
Weight: I used to weigh 300 pounds but I am now down to 245 pounds! YIPPEE!:bigclap:
Eyes: Blue
Born: Melbourne, Florida (Brevard County)
Currently: Anderson, Indiana
Favorite color: Purple
Favorite Band: AC/DC:rockon: :rocker:
Favorite Food: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese! :woowoo:
Favorite Movie: The Matrix; Kill Bill 1; Kill Bill 2; and anything considered Science Fiction.
Favorite Book: Anything Science Fiction; The Lotus Sutra; The Complete Works of Nichiren
Daishonin; The Buddha In Your Mirror.
Like a lot of others here, I started out as a Christian. I was brought up as a Baptist, had trouble accepting the doctrines that were being taught, and subsequently rebelled against anything even remotely Christian. :eek2: :nonono: :rant: After a long period of drinking and drugging, I decided to get sober and clean and have remained so for over seven years. :woowoo: However, there was this big, aching feeling of emptiness
Adiana:mullet: :wavey: :rocker:
Age: 15
Sign: Scorpio
Hair: umm..Black?
Height: 1.8 m
Weight: 60 kg and rising
Eyes: Round
Born: Earth
Currently: Earth(No plans to go to space)
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite Band: OAG
Favorite Food: Everything
Favorite Movie: SpongeBob Squarepants(What?)
Favorite Book: The Da Vinci Code
Name: Chris
Buddhism: Yes!
Self Assement of Buddhist Practices: Entry level student showing some signs of promise
Leaning towards: Mahāyāna
Married: Yes - a Hindu
Children: 1 - a Protestant
Age: 43 (Not counting past lives
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 220 lbs.
Born: Kansas
Currently: Missouri (Deep Deep Deep Middle America)
Favorite color: Tour de France Yellow
Favorite band: Alison Krauss & Union Station
Favorite food: KC BBQ & Indian Food
Favorite movie: Gandhi
Favorite book: The Collected Works of Jack London
International Travel: 23 Countries on four continents
Former Job: Destroyer of Places (I was good at it)
Current Job: Creator of Places (I'm even better at this)
Greetings,
I hope all is well with each of you and yours. Thank you for forming this community and I look forward to learning from each of you. I just finally convinced myself I have always been a Buddhist after somehow knowing my entire life I was not the Catholic I was programmed originally to be. Can anyone recommend a good Sangha in the North KC area, or the rest of the region as well?
Chris
Riding my bicycle towards Nibanna!
Hi Chris, try here:
http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/Missouri
Hey here I am.....way back on pg. 15!
Age: 23
Gender: M
location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Height: 6"3
Weight: 170lbs
Hair: Still hanging in there at least till I'm 30!
Hobbies: Average 23 year old artsy guy stuff
Fav band: hmmmm..this week I'm torn between The Postal Service and Metric
Now let's get on with it:
When I was a young roman catholic lad I would often attend the local church with friends instead of family. My mother was raised in a roman catholic school for girls and was no longer very fond of the religion. She had always let me decide for myself where to place my faith.
I always felt a longing to follow a spiritual path, even when was young. I treid real hard to conform to the RC standards but it wasn't long until I could no longer hide the fact that the RC church could not offer what I needed to fill my spritual gap. It left to much unanswered and even confused me more in some ways.
By the time i reached my teenage years I had dropped the idea of god all togetther and became an atheist, in fact I even carried a certain resent ment for the christian community. Looking back it was an resentment based out of ignorance.
Still through my teenage years I turned to many psycological texts to try to better understand myself and my perception of the world around me. Through these books I discovered a little about meditation, and from there buddhism. from there my desire to learn more about buddhism grew sronger. At the same time my need to somehow belong or classify my beleifs grew.
I then met a girl who I began dating, her father ran a prison ministry and she attended a local baptist church, she convinced me to go with her. this church was completely different from the RC church I had known, they sang, played electric guitar, rocked out to God!
But still I could not lie to myself and simply believe what I did not feel, but it strengthened my desire for spiritual pratice and showed me that it did not have to be boring and rigid.
Now me and this girl broke up and went seperate ways, I continued to follow my spirtual path still seeking for some inner enlightenment, when I went back and read some old books on buddhism for the second time. Scince I've not been able to stop wanting to keep learning more and have accepted myself for what I seem to truly be, a buddhist!
Age: Lets just say I'm younger than you! Hah! Loser!
Sign: Pisces
Hair: brown. Needs cutting.
Eyes: Sexy - lol, actually they're a horrible greeny brown colour
Height: Err... 5 foot 8"? Maybe 9?
Weight: Dunno.
Born: I hope so - lol, England
Live: " " " "
Favorite book: Darren Shan's Vampire Series
Favorite band: Errrmmm...... Whoever wrote the soundtrack to FFX.
Favorite food: Dpends on my mood... generally I like pasta and noodles
Favorite movie: The Ring II, Saw, Scary Movie, Not Another Teen Movie, The Lion King, etc.
Favorite colour: Red.
Fav. Chat-Up Line: Those supplied by Buddhafoot.