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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 January 2010
This is really great. Three new (and relatively new) members, in their teens.
Welcome guys.
We're here for you and are honoured to be considered a cool place to hang out with.
We're obviously 'Dude' material!
Hi, I'm Charlotte, I'm 14.
My parents are Christian and I was christened as a baby. I met a girl when I was 10 who questioned absolutely everything. Some people say she had a bad influence on me. She made me question Christianity, and the more I did, the more I realised that I didn't believe it.
I first started learning a bit about Buddhism in secondary school, and I got very interested. Everything sort of fell into place. My parents don't understand my interest in it, and people find it weird that I go to Christian school. It is a bit weird. I feel like everyone there is united in their faith except me (which is not actually true, I know).
So here I am, hoping to learn more about Buddhism and find others who are like me.
Oh, OK, I unnerstan. When I was in school, religious education of any kind was verboten in public schools, but that has changed. We get a lot of local high school kids coming to our temple who are taking world religion classes in high school and need to visit some weird, exotic cult! :eek:
I would definitely urge you to get out and see the world when you get old enough, Joe. There's no substitution for it really. You can't learn that kind of stuff out of a book or on the internet. But you'd better hurry with the pandas. They're having a tough time of it and may not be around much longer, unfortunately. They are dependent upon man now for survival because otherwise they would soon be hunted to extinction.
Palzang
I'd like to be an ecologist, in year 10 & 11 I need to take the subjects of, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, Maths, Geography, and Computer Science, pimps *sweats nervously*, I think they're the subjects...
HANG ON IN THERE PANDAS!!! I'll breed a kind that breathes fire and flies. Then they'll scare away poachers and fly to other reserves.
Or build something that gets them from A to B....
But lets not talk about the impossible... A to B indeed...:o
Although I don't believe in God I believe there's is more to evolution that random selection... I believe we should use our power over other species to protect them, be there protectors, with power comes responcibility, as they say
Love & Peace
Joe
Hi everyone,
I guess this is the place for introductions. I'm a grad student (in philosophy) in my late 20's and have become increasingly interested in Buddhism in the last year or so. I'm from a conservative Christian family, but have moved away from certain practices and ideas over time.
I'm fairly new to much of this, but I've read several interesting books ('In the Buddha's words' is fantastic!) and have enjoyed wading through some of the amazing resources available online (access to insight, buddhanet). I'm also fairly new to sitting (which I do in the morning), but have found the process very beneficial in the way that I approach the rest of the day.
Hello All,
I am new to the site. I am 28 and live in California. I grew up in a Catholic, but also very liberal, family. We have all slowly moved away from the Catholic church. I have been reading about buddhism for sometime and would love to talk to people who know more about it. I was drawn to Buddhism because I feel a strong connection to nature and have had challenges with anxiety disorders for several years. My goal is to find some inner peace but also to accept the other emotions as they come and go. I am excited to join the forum and look forward to discussions with you all.
Great to meet you Thomas
I hope you find what you're looking for FindingPeace trust me this place is great, you'll learn everything everything you need to know here... :wavey:
Love & Peace
Joe
I am very excited to find this site and have been reading some of the posts for the last hour or so. I am sure I will be asking some questions very soon! Thanks for the warm welcome.
Hello everyone,
Might as well give a "formal" hello here. I am ashley, 16, Colorado. I ran into a cool buddhist kid in school and since then have been studying buddhism and practicing it as well. My school is a public school, and yet is very Christian based. I live in a small town in the mountains where the closest house is a good five minute walk, and the main activity on sundays is heading to the local church or choice. I am a good student and all that silly jazz... I want to get my degree in social working, or something of the sort, not sure yet . I fully intend to run off after college and do some volunteering around the world, and eventually would like to settle down somewhere in Africa perhaps and make an orphanage there, or a relief shelter for families... that would be worth everything.
Anyway, I hope to meet some nice people here, and learn as much as I can so I can better my practice and open my eyes, perhaps.
Yeah, yeah, yeah "Don't plan very far in the future" I am not planning everything, hehe, just... what majorly I want to accomplish. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen, only time will tell for sure.
One thing I've learned in life is that whenever I thought I had things all planned out, nothing happened like I thought it would! It caused me a lot of suffering and anxiety because of my desire to "control" my life. So I think you're very wise not to be too attached to plans.
Greetings. My current online alias is Aldrisang, which is just as meaningless as my real name in the grand scheme of things. It may as well serve as my name here.
I've contemplated life and reality since I was young, despite my parents' utter faith in the existence of God. No religion has ever given me satisfaction, as after some study they all had the same in common - this is how it is, believe it and stop asking questions (i.e., take comfort in this or that message, don't worry about trying to prove it).
Buddhism appeared differently as a tool, a path, to realizing a truth that has no basis on belief, but on experience and insight. I've studied it for only about 6 months, off and on, and achieved a state of awakening without having committed to being "Buddhist" in any sense. I've only wanted to know, to realize, the truth.
I can't speak for the validity of the entire doctrine, as to say anything is perfect or anyone is perfect (even the Buddha) may be an indication of ignorance, especially one who has not realized ultimate Nibbana. I can only say that the truths expounded by the Dhamma have been verified by this individual as far as the first stage of awakening, or stream-entry.
I would hope to find more truth, deeper meaning, in the rest of the Tathagata's teachings. Even so, I now feel content to live my life in service of the future-state of all life; indeed of all things to come.
Interesting, hello Aldrisang. :wavey:
Palzang, when I was four I made pet lists and named my unborn children... I gave up with that but it's still good to set goals for yourself, give your life a bit of meaning. I want to not be a nobody but a somebody, make a significant difference in the world, make my life be worth the supping of resources, give something back to the world. Not a likely plan, but t'would be nice... Not in an egoistical way but in a selfless way by the way...
Love & Peace
Joe
Name: Peder
Age: 17
Sign: Saggitarius i think
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 70 kg
Born: Oslo, Norway
Live: Oslo, Norway
Favorite book: For now, i read alot of Ayn rand
Favorite band: Dream theater
Favorite food: Beef with bernaise
Favorite movie: Pulp fiction, Forrest gump, The green mile
Favorite colour: All of them
Pleased to meet you all, i feel like you're the kind of circle i could learn something from. I'll expand this post once i get home.
Peace!
Name: Badger
Age: 41
Sign: probably capricorn
Hair: greying
Eyes: blue
Height: 5'7"
Weight: the machine said "one at a time please"
Born: Peak District, UK
Live: Derby, UK
Favorite book: Angry White Pyjamas
Favorite band: currently Ozric Tentacles
Favorite food: dal bhat
Favorite movie: Withnail & I
Favorite colour: Green
Hi folks, not really a new Buddhist but a returning lapsed Buddhist. I started out with the NKT back in the late eighties and learned meditation under Geshe Namgyal Wangchen at the FPMT centre in London. When the unpleasantness started I became disillusioned and turned to Druidry which I tend to practice like a Buddhist (or so I am told).
A few years ago I decided to pick up a few old threads from my youth and started to practice Karate again. Within a few months I had started to meditate regularly and gradually over the past few months I have had a nagging feeling that I need to get back into things. This time around I feel that I would like to explore Zen/Chan in line with my martial arts interests (Wado Ryu Karate and Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido). I have found sitting groups from Thich Nhat Hanh's organisation (any advice on pronouncing his name correctly would be appreciated, I have had very little exposure to Vietnamese culture) and the Western Chan Fellowship, both of which I shall be investigating soon. I found this site while doing preliminary web-vetting of both groups.
Anyhow, that should be enough for now - see you all in the forum.
Hi Peder, I have the same sign, hair, eyes, and favourite colours as you! (Although I do have a slight preference for bright orange, grassy green and aqua blue LOL). I've seen Forest Gump; Good movie :thumbsup:
Hi my name is Kieran.I'am 11 years old. My hair is dark blonde and my eyes are a dark brown. My sign is Virgo. I am 5ft 1in and weigh 5 stone. I was born in Scunthorpe,England.
Palzang, when I was four I made pet lists and named my unborn children... I gave up with that but it's still good to set goals for yourself, give your life a bit of meaning. I want to not be a nobody but a somebody, make a significant difference in the world, make my life be worth the supping of resources, give something back to the world. Not a likely plan, but t'would be nice... Not in an egoistical way but in a selfless way by the way...
Love & Peace
Joe
I didn't mean to say that having goals was a bad thing. Not at all. But just don't be too attached them because things may work out quite differently than you think they will.
Name: Joe
Age: 12
Sign: Saggitarius
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5 ft 2 in
Weight: 7 st 9 lb (but I've just eaten)
Born: Scunthorpe, England
Live: North Lincolnshire, England
Favourite Book: The Secret of Platform 13
Favourite Music: Pink, Katy Perry, The Ting Tings, (and lots of other feminine music LOL) and R&B stuff
Favourite Meal(s): Mashed potatoes, broccoli, yorkshire puddings, quorn meayballs with gravy and mintsauce OR New potatoes, fishfingers, broccoli, butter and mintsauce OR Spicy salmon OR Jacket potatoe with grated cheese and diced cucumber LOL
Favourite Drink(s): Chocolate milkshake OR J2O orange & passionfruit
Favourite Movie: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Epic Movie, The Harry Potter Movies
Favourite Colour(s): Bright orange, grassy green, aqua blue
Pets: 1 dog, 1 budgie, 2 rabbits, some tropical fish
Hobbies: Tenor horn playing, trampolining, reading, writing my novel, talking, watching telly, and chatting to people here
Love & Peace
Joe
Name: Mike
Age: 42
Sign: Cancer
Hair: Bald (by choice)
Eyes: Brown
Height: 6Ft
Weight: 225
Born: Washington, DC
Live: Woodbridge, Va.
Favorite book: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Favorite band: I'm a DJ so too many to list
Favorite food: Salmon
Favorite movie: Anything Mel Brooks
Favorite colour: No favorite
Hello!
My name is Amanda. I am nearly 18 years old. I am a high school student, and I will be going to college next year to study veterinary medicine.
In my sophomore year of high school, I learned a bit about Buddhism in my World History class and automatically, I loved the ideas of Buddhism. Since then, I have casually off and on studied a bit of the Buddhist ideas--like reading "Buddhism for Dummies" and such.
I am here to learn more.
Sign: Pisces
Hair: Brunette
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5' 5''
Live: Michigan, USA
Favorite book: too hard to choose
Favorite band: Journey
Favorite food: vegan stir-fry
Favorite movie: I like "chick-flicks" and comedies
Favorite colour: pink
You can learn some things here, but this is more a place to come to discuss what you're learning elsewhere and find answers to questions, or simply to find common ground to fire up a dialogue. Two good sites for learning more about Buddhism are AccessToInsight.org and BuddhaNet.net (there are more sites, but those have been useful to me).
He he. Why would you expect an orangutang to remember who you are?
Palzang
Get back in your tree
Honestly though, I think apes have it figured out. Wake up. Stuff your face with natural fruit. Do some fun excersice. Attempt to make a baby in public. Make your bed. Then go back to sleep again. Not a bad day. No running off to work.
Love & Peace
Joe
Hello.
My name is Paul and I live in Central Scotland; not the pretty part, but close enough if I feel the need to escape.
I'm 48 years old, work in a mail sorting office and am just about to be presented with my third grandchild.
I've had a lot of problems (not health related) which at the time seemed insurmountable, but I'm getting by and content with my lot.
A few years ago, I stopped drinking after many years of abusing it and discovered that I have a spiritual side to my nature that has lain undeveloped for years. I'm trying to nurture this aspect of myself and have been 'studying' the Buddhist way for sometime. However, I'm finding it difficult to meet anyone locally who can teach me what I need to know, or even discuss the merits and philosophies of my chosen path. I work weird shifts and can't attend anything in the evenings so I'm having to take most of what I learn from books and the internet.
I'm surprised that it has taken me so long to find this place. I'm constantly 'Googling' for Buddhist websites and this is the first time your site has popped up.
I look forward to talking with you.
Hi, I'm Nhan, I'm 30 years old.
I'm from Autralia, South Australia.
I really want to become a member of a meditation group, pactising and doing something.
It's great to meet you all! Welcome. Make yourselves at home.
Hi, Ashley.
Your aspirations are wonderful and it sounds like you're going to do great work in the world. You go, girl! Remember, slow and steady wins the race and also helps prevent
burnout. Lovely to meet you!
Hi, Badger.
I'm still laughing at your weight joke. Good one!
Hi, Kieran.
Lovely to see you.
Hi, Mike.
I love the book (and film) 'To Kill a Mockingbird' too. One of the best books ever written, in my humble opinion.
It's lovely to meet all you newcomers. I hope you find the site as friendly and helpful as I have and I hope you all stick around for a while.
My name is Danny and I currently live in Indianapolis, Indiana. I'm really interested in learning more about Buddhism, and have really thought about the Four Noble Truths lately. There are still some things I really want to ponder on, but I feel ready to start practicing Buddhism in my daily life. My dilemma is, I am not completely sure how to introduce practice. I have looked for groups in Indianapolis, but most are associated with different sects and I really have no interest in the cultural aspect of Buddhism (or I should say, practicing the cultural aspects...it is interesting too!). Hopefully I can make some good friends here who can help me on my path, and if I am very lucky I may be of benefit to somebody as well.
I look forward to meeting you all! Please do not hesitate to message me!
Hello Danny, welcome to the forum. If you can't find a "group" (I'm not sure if you mean meditation group or what here), there's no reason you can't practice all aspects of the Dhamma on your own. Would you clarify what you mean exactly?
You can learn a lot just reading some of the posts here.
If you was looking for a guide to practising Buddhism, I would recommend two books. One is 'Awakening the Buddha Within', which takes you step-by-step through the Four Noble Truths & the Eight-Fold path to enlightenment. I have read it a few times and it is excellent!
The second book is "the Art of Happiness" which is a shrink's investigation of why the Dalai lama is one of the most content, peaceful humans currently on this little planet.
Hello Danny, welcome to the forum. If you can't find a "group" (I'm not sure if you mean meditation group or what here), there's no reason you can't practice all aspects of the Dhamma on your own. Would you clarify what you mean exactly?
Hello, nice to meet you! Sorry for being ambiguous, I just mean a group of people I can interact with for meditation and discussion. I keep finding great resources, but sometimes it would be great to just sit down and talk to somebody who has more knowledge than myself.
Also, Geoff...thank you for the suggestions! I will be sure to check those out.
Ah okay. Well, I had the same problem. There's nothing "Buddhist" around where I'm at, and most people are Christians here. I'd have to go hours out of my way for any kind of Buddhist interaction. I did everything by self-study, and here on the forum is where I come for questions, discussion and to help other people out.
As for meditation... I'm not sure that's so much a group thing. I'm sure there are classes that teach it and such, but meditation is really an internal thing. It might help to learn meditation techniques from a teacher, but most of your meditation would be done alone.
Comments
.
Welcome guys.
We're here for you and are honoured to be considered a cool place to hang out with.
We're obviously 'Dude' material!
Cool Buddha-Dudes!!
Palzang
My parents are Christian and I was christened as a baby. I met a girl when I was 10 who questioned absolutely everything. Some people say she had a bad influence on me. She made me question Christianity, and the more I did, the more I realised that I didn't believe it.
I first started learning a bit about Buddhism in secondary school, and I got very interested. Everything sort of fell into place. My parents don't understand my interest in it, and people find it weird that I go to Christian school. It is a bit weird. I feel like everyone there is united in their faith except me (which is not actually true, I know).
So here I am, hoping to learn more about Buddhism and find others who are like me.
Wow!! This is fantastic! So great to see so many young people thinking for themselves.
Great to have all of you newbies here and it's lovely to meet you all.
I'd like to be an ecologist, in year 10 & 11 I need to take the subjects of, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, Maths, Geography, and Computer Science, pimps *sweats nervously*, I think they're the subjects...
HANG ON IN THERE PANDAS!!! I'll breed a kind that breathes fire and flies. Then they'll scare away poachers and fly to other reserves.
Or build something that gets them from A to B....
But lets not talk about the impossible... A to B indeed...:o
Although I don't believe in God I believe there's is more to evolution that random selection... I believe we should use our power over other species to protect them, be there protectors, with power comes responcibility, as they say
Love & Peace
Joe
Love & Peace
Joe
I guess this is the place for introductions. I'm a grad student (in philosophy) in my late 20's and have become increasingly interested in Buddhism in the last year or so. I'm from a conservative Christian family, but have moved away from certain practices and ideas over time.
I'm fairly new to much of this, but I've read several interesting books ('In the Buddha's words' is fantastic!) and have enjoyed wading through some of the amazing resources available online (access to insight, buddhanet). I'm also fairly new to sitting (which I do in the morning), but have found the process very beneficial in the way that I approach the rest of the day.
I look forward to learning with you all!
I am new to the site. I am 28 and live in California. I grew up in a Catholic, but also very liberal, family. We have all slowly moved away from the Catholic church. I have been reading about buddhism for sometime and would love to talk to people who know more about it. I was drawn to Buddhism because I feel a strong connection to nature and have had challenges with anxiety disorders for several years. My goal is to find some inner peace but also to accept the other emotions as they come and go. I am excited to join the forum and look forward to discussions with you all.
I hope you find what you're looking for FindingPeace
Love & Peace
Joe
It's lovely to meet you!
FindingPeace,
There are a few people, including me, on this board managing anxiety/panic disorders. You should feel right at home.
Might as well give a "formal" hello here. I am ashley, 16, Colorado. I ran into a cool buddhist kid in school and since then have been studying buddhism and practicing it as well. My school is a public school, and yet is very Christian based. I live in a small town in the mountains where the closest house is a good five minute walk, and the main activity on sundays is heading to the local church or choice. I am a good student and all that silly jazz... I want to get my degree in social working, or something of the sort, not sure yet
Anyway, I hope to meet some nice people here, and learn as much as I can so I can better my practice and open my eyes, perhaps.
~Ashley
.
You just like me, don't plan very far in the future
Love & Peace
Joe
Palzang
I've contemplated life and reality since I was young, despite my parents' utter faith in the existence of God. No religion has ever given me satisfaction, as after some study they all had the same in common - this is how it is, believe it and stop asking questions (i.e., take comfort in this or that message, don't worry about trying to prove it).
Buddhism appeared differently as a tool, a path, to realizing a truth that has no basis on belief, but on experience and insight. I've studied it for only about 6 months, off and on, and achieved a state of awakening without having committed to being "Buddhist" in any sense. I've only wanted to know, to realize, the truth.
I can't speak for the validity of the entire doctrine, as to say anything is perfect or anyone is perfect (even the Buddha) may be an indication of ignorance, especially one who has not realized ultimate Nibbana. I can only say that the truths expounded by the Dhamma have been verified by this individual as far as the first stage of awakening, or stream-entry.
I would hope to find more truth, deeper meaning, in the rest of the Tathagata's teachings. Even so, I now feel content to live my life in service of the future-state of all life; indeed of all things to come.
Palzang, when I was four I made pet lists and named my unborn children... I gave up with that but it's still good to set goals for yourself, give your life a bit of meaning. I want to not be a nobody but a somebody, make a significant difference in the world, make my life be worth the supping of resources, give something back to the world. Not a likely plan, but t'would be nice... Not in an egoistical way but in a selfless way by the way...
Love & Peace
Joe
Age: 17
Sign: Saggitarius i think
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 70 kg
Born: Oslo, Norway
Live: Oslo, Norway
Favorite book: For now, i read alot of Ayn rand
Favorite band: Dream theater
Favorite food: Beef with bernaise
Favorite movie: Pulp fiction, Forrest gump, The green mile
Favorite colour: All of them
Pleased to meet you all, i feel like you're the kind of circle i could learn something from. I'll expand this post once i get home.
Peace!
Age: 41
Sign: probably capricorn
Hair: greying
Eyes: blue
Height: 5'7"
Weight: the machine said "one at a time please"
Born: Peak District, UK
Live: Derby, UK
Favorite book: Angry White Pyjamas
Favorite band: currently Ozric Tentacles
Favorite food: dal bhat
Favorite movie: Withnail & I
Favorite colour: Green
Hi folks, not really a new Buddhist but a returning lapsed Buddhist. I started out with the NKT back in the late eighties and learned meditation under Geshe Namgyal Wangchen at the FPMT centre in London. When the unpleasantness started I became disillusioned and turned to Druidry which I tend to practice like a Buddhist (or so I am told).
A few years ago I decided to pick up a few old threads from my youth and started to practice Karate again. Within a few months I had started to meditate regularly and gradually over the past few months I have had a nagging feeling that I need to get back into things. This time around I feel that I would like to explore Zen/Chan in line with my martial arts interests (Wado Ryu Karate and Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido). I have found sitting groups from Thich Nhat Hanh's organisation (any advice on pronouncing his name correctly would be appreciated, I have had very little exposure to Vietnamese culture) and the Western Chan Fellowship, both of which I shall be investigating soon. I found this site while doing preliminary web-vetting of both groups.
Anyhow, that should be enough for now - see you all in the forum.
Hi Peder, I have the same sign, hair, eyes, and favourite colours as you! (Although I do have a slight preference for bright orange, grassy green and aqua blue LOL). I've seen Forest Gump; Good movie :thumbsup:
Hi Badger! I like your name and I like green too
Love & Peace
Joe
I didn't mean to say that having goals was a bad thing. Not at all. But just don't be too attached them because things may work out quite differently than you think they will.
Palzang
Name: Joe
Age: 12
Sign: Saggitarius
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5 ft 2 in
Weight: 7 st 9 lb (but I've just eaten)
Born: Scunthorpe, England
Live: North Lincolnshire, England
Favourite Book: The Secret of Platform 13
Favourite Music: Pink, Katy Perry, The Ting Tings, (and lots of other feminine music LOL) and R&B stuff
Favourite Meal(s): Mashed potatoes, broccoli, yorkshire puddings, quorn meayballs with gravy and mintsauce OR New potatoes, fishfingers, broccoli, butter and mintsauce OR Spicy salmon OR Jacket potatoe with grated cheese and diced cucumber LOL
Favourite Drink(s): Chocolate milkshake OR J2O orange & passionfruit
Favourite Movie: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Epic Movie, The Harry Potter Movies
Favourite Colour(s): Bright orange, grassy green, aqua blue
Pets: 1 dog, 1 budgie, 2 rabbits, some tropical fish
Hobbies: Tenor horn playing, trampolining, reading, writing my novel, talking, watching telly, and chatting to people here
Love & Peace
Joe
Love & Peace
Joe
Palzang
Age: 42
Sign: Cancer
Hair: Bald (by choice)
Eyes: Brown
Height: 6Ft
Weight: 225
Born: Washington, DC
Live: Woodbridge, Va.
Favorite book: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Favorite band: I'm a DJ so too many to list
Favorite food: Salmon
Favorite movie: Anything Mel Brooks
Favorite colour: No favorite
Hiya Mike! :wavey:
Love & Peace
Joe
He he. Why would you expect an orangutang to remember who you are?
Palzang
My name is Amanda. I am nearly 18 years old. I am a high school student, and I will be going to college next year to study veterinary medicine.
In my sophomore year of high school, I learned a bit about Buddhism in my World History class and automatically, I loved the ideas of Buddhism. Since then, I have casually off and on studied a bit of the Buddhist ideas--like reading "Buddhism for Dummies" and such.
I am here to learn more.
Sign: Pisces
Hair: Brunette
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5' 5''
Live: Michigan, USA
Favorite book: too hard to choose
Favorite band: Journey
Favorite food: vegan stir-fry
Favorite movie: I like "chick-flicks" and comedies
Favorite colour: pink
http://newbuddhist.com/forum/showthread.php?p=82022#post820222
Hope you enjoy the forum,
Love & Peace
Joe
Get back in your tree
Honestly though, I think apes have it figured out. Wake up. Stuff your face with natural fruit. Do some fun excersice. Attempt to make a baby in public. Make your bed. Then go back to sleep again. Not a bad day. No running off to work.
Love & Peace
Joe
Planet: Earth
Dominant Species: Penguins, I mean Apes!
My name is Paul and I live in Central Scotland; not the pretty part, but close enough if I feel the need to escape.
I'm 48 years old, work in a mail sorting office and am just about to be presented with my third grandchild.
I've had a lot of problems (not health related) which at the time seemed insurmountable, but I'm getting by and content with my lot.
A few years ago, I stopped drinking after many years of abusing it and discovered that I have a spiritual side to my nature that has lain undeveloped for years. I'm trying to nurture this aspect of myself and have been 'studying' the Buddhist way for sometime. However, I'm finding it difficult to meet anyone locally who can teach me what I need to know, or even discuss the merits and philosophies of my chosen path. I work weird shifts and can't attend anything in the evenings so I'm having to take most of what I learn from books and the internet.
I'm surprised that it has taken me so long to find this place. I'm constantly 'Googling' for Buddhist websites and this is the first time your site has popped up.
I look forward to talking with you.
.
I'm from Autralia, South Australia.
I really want to become a member of a meditation group, pactising and doing something.
Hi, Ashley.
Your aspirations are wonderful and it sounds like you're going to do great work in the world. You go, girl! Remember, slow and steady wins the race and also helps prevent
burnout. Lovely to meet you!
Hi, Badger.
I'm still laughing at your weight joke. Good one!
Hi, Kieran.
Lovely to see you.
Hi, Mike.
I love the book (and film) 'To Kill a Mockingbird' too. One of the best books ever written, in my humble opinion.
It's lovely to meet all you newcomers. I hope you find the site as friendly and helpful as I have and I hope you all stick around for a while.
Wishing everyone peace and joy!
I laughed at that joke Badger
Love & Peace
Joe
My name is Danny and I currently live in Indianapolis, Indiana. I'm really interested in learning more about Buddhism, and have really thought about the Four Noble Truths lately. There are still some things I really want to ponder on, but I feel ready to start practicing Buddhism in my daily life. My dilemma is, I am not completely sure how to introduce practice. I have looked for groups in Indianapolis, but most are associated with different sects and I really have no interest in the cultural aspect of Buddhism (or I should say, practicing the cultural aspects...it is interesting too!). Hopefully I can make some good friends here who can help me on my path, and if I am very lucky I may be of benefit to somebody as well.
I look forward to meeting you all! Please do not hesitate to message me!
Welcome 2 the forum.
You can learn a lot just reading some of the posts here.
If you was looking for a guide to practising Buddhism, I would recommend two books. One is 'Awakening the Buddha Within', which takes you step-by-step through the Four Noble Truths & the Eight-Fold path to enlightenment. I have read it a few times and it is excellent!
The second book is "the Art of Happiness" which is a shrink's investigation of why the Dalai lama is one of the most content, peaceful humans currently on this little planet.
Hope this helps
Namaste
Hello, nice to meet you! Sorry for being ambiguous, I just mean a group of people I can interact with for meditation and discussion. I keep finding great resources, but sometimes it would be great to just sit down and talk to somebody who has more knowledge than myself.
Also, Geoff...thank you for the suggestions! I will be sure to check those out.
As for meditation... I'm not sure that's so much a group thing. I'm sure there are classes that teach it and such, but meditation is really an internal thing. It might help to learn meditation techniques from a teacher, but most of your meditation would be done alone.