Buddhist Tribe :)

[UnschoolnMa]

I did a search here and in Spirituality and wasn't finding any current Buddhism thread. Is there any interest in one? I'd enjoy it. :)  I'll check back.

 Peace,

Un

[ananas]

I am not Buddhist, but I'm very interested, so I will follow the thread :)

Is there anyone else out there who doesn't consider themselves Buddhist, but are very interested in the philosophies and teachings? Are the churches usually pretty accepting of people attending just to learn a little more?

[UnschoolnMa]

Hi there! :)  I guess we shall begin and see who comes along to join us, eh? There used to be a Buddhist mamas thread here forever ago, but it either died out or I have yet to find it.

Temples are almost always very welcoming to new folks. Colleges can be a cool way to make contact too, if they have a Buddhist student group.

 I am an eclectic Pagan/witch/Buddhist. Buddhist practices and study literally changed how I saw the world and everything else too.

 How did you come to the teachings? :)

[ananas]

Mostly just quotes I saw and enjoyed. Those led me to read a bit more, and now anytime I see books or websites related to Buddhism, I stop and read a bit. 
 

Originally Posted by UnschoolnMa 
How did you come to the teachings? :)

[Holland73]

Yay... so nice to find such a thread.  I'm surprised that there wasn't a more current thread.   

I have very strong Buddhist 'leanings.'  I would say I am becoming more and more Buddhist as times flows.    I have done some Buddhist study/meditation courses at the Shambhala Centers in San Francisco and Berkeley, which are amazing and feel so natural to me.   The community is also warm, inviting and so wonderfully supportive and accepting. 

UnschoolnMa: I also had the same experience when I first started studying Buddhism and practicing meditation.  My whole world changed (and continues to change).  It was amazing and continues to be so.

Do you have any particular favorite Buddhist writers and/or a specific branch you feel more drawn to?  

[ananas]

Ok, this thread inspired me so I looked up Buddhist churches and groups in my area. I found one that looks especially appealing, it seems like a smaller group that's almost more of a book discussion, but I will probably attend a church as well. Should I be aware of anything before I go? Is there a certain way I should dress? 

[Holland73]

I have never been to a Buddhist 'church.'  The only time I have ever heard a Buddhist place of worship called a church is with Shin Buddhism, which is not a branch of Buddhism I am familiar with.  So, I will be interested in hearing about your experience at a Buddhist church.   

In my experiences with various Buddhist temples and centers (predominantly Zen, Tibetan and Shambhala Buddhism), you spend the first 15-30 minutes meditating then have a dharma talk for the remaining time.  Additionally, beginning meditation classes are offered once or twice a week.   Meditation (and there are various types of meditation) is the key practice in Buddhism.     

As for what to be aware of, I am not sure about a Buddhist church.  I would probably wear something comfortable, as I imagine you will be doing some meditation.  And, I always err on the side of conservative when going to any church/temple/mosque/religious center.  

Have fun and please share your experience!  

[UnschoolnMa]

Do you have any particular favorite Buddhist writers and/or a specific branch you feel more drawn to?

I enjoy and benefit from the teachings of Sylvia Boorstein, Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, Thich Nhat Hanh, HH the Dalai Lama, Franz Metcalf (Buddha in Your Backpack was one of the very first books I ever read, and though intended for a teen audience, remains one of my faves to this day.) There are other names that are escaping me at the moment...

I suppose I ID more with Theravada Buddhism, but there are parts of Mahayana traditions that I respect as well. In general,  I'd be an independent Buddhist or Eclectic. :)

Quote:

Is there a certain way I should dress?

Just make sure it's comfy. Each temple of Sangha is likely a little it different, but it's likely you'll be meditating for a time and I find that clothing being tight or otherwise wonky is really distracting for that. Either way, I can't imagine anyone taking offense over your clothing choice. They'll just be happy to have ya! :)

Have fun and please share your experience! 

 Yes this definitely!

[TheSlingMama]

Oh yay!  I was most disappointed to see no Pagan or Buddhist threads on the boards (at least that I could find) so this makes me very happy!  I'm just at the beginning of this journey but I'm very interested.  I've been pagan for quite some time but I think Buddhism might be my true home, kwim?  My DD (18 months) has this wonderful little bedtime book "Buddha at Bedtime" and it touches my heart how much she loves to hear the stories read to her - she sits still for no other stories.  I've been wanting to figure it out for some time now but I'm sure a lot of mums on here can relate that my wants and needs got a little tossed in caring for my family.  After reading my DD that first story I committed to the fact that I needed to figure out my own belief system ASAP not just for my sake but for hers before she REALLY starts understanding, kwim?  Lol, so here I am, help me guide my steps!  I'm very interested in the Buddhism for Mothers books - has anyone read those?  I was a religion major in college but there's been a lot of huge life upheavals since then so I'm a little rusty on the details.  :)

[zenmommy]

Originally Posted by UnschoolnMa 

I did a search here and in Spirituality and wasn't finding any current Buddhism thread. Is there any interest in one? I'd enjoy it. :)  I'll check back.

Sure, I'll bite 
 

Originally Posted by ananas 
Are the churches usually pretty accepting of people attending just to learn a little more?

I know Zen temples are always willing to talk with people that are interested.
 

[zenmommy]

Originally Posted by UnschoolnMa 
 How did you come to the teachings? :)

hmm, i have been interested since high school but didn't seriously practice until 2001.

Originally Posted by Holland73 
Do you have any particular favorite Buddhist writers and/or a specific branch you feel more drawn to?     

I am a fan of  Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood and Hand Wash Cold by Karen Maezen Miller; Buddhism for Mothers: A Calm Approach to Caring for Yourself and Your Children by Sarah Napthali.  Also, Everyday Blessings by Jack Kornfield.

[Holland73]

I am a fan of  Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood and Hand Wash Cold by Karen Maezen Miller; Buddhism for Mothers: A Calm Approach to Caring for Yourself and Your Children by Sarah Napthali.  Also, Everyday Blessings by Jack Kornfield.

I love Karen Maezen Miller.  Her blogs is one of the first Buddhist blogs I have ever come across and continued to follow.  Susan Piver is another great Buddhist blogger.  As a solo parent, I love Susan Piver's Buddhist view of relationships and love.

Buddhism for Mothers was my first introduction into Buddhism.  Seriously changed my relationship with not just my child and myself, but also with my, now former, partner and family.  I read that book in 2.5 hours - in the bookstore - and afterwards immediately grabbed Thich Nhat Hahn, "Creating True Peace" and Pema Chodron's "Comfortable with Uncertainity."  A huge turning point in my life. 

[UnschoolnMa]

Pema Chodron's "Comfortable with Uncertainity."

Ahh Pema Chodron. One of the names I was forgetting earlier for sure. Do any of you listen to Buddhist podcasts, radio, dharma talks etc?

Also just in case there were some who hadn't found it yet. http://www.tricycle.com/

[Holland73]

Originally Posted by UnschoolnMa 

Pema Chodron's "Comfortable with Uncertainity."

Ahh Pema Chodron. One of the names I was forgetting earlier for sure. Do any of you listen to Buddhist podcasts, radio, dharma talks etc?

Also just in case there were some who hadn't found it yet. http://www.tricycle.com/

I regularly listen to the Interdependence Project podcast & Dharma Classes podcast. 

[enjoythesilence]

So glad to have found this thread! I have been interested in learning about Buddhism for quite a while. I wonder if any of you Pagans will share if you feel that there is any conflict in philosophy/beliefs between Buddhism and your other beliefs? Forgive me if I sound ignorant, I have wondered this for a long time. I have a lot to learn!  I identify as an ecclectic Pagan, btw.

[UnschoolnMa]

So glad to have found this thread!

Hi there! Thanks for coming in.

I wonder if any of you Pagans will share if you feel that there is any conflict in philosophy/beliefs between Buddhism and your other beliefs? Forgive me if I sound ignorant, I have wondered this for a long time. I have a lot to learn!  I identify as an eclectic Pagan, btw.

I've been a practicing (eclectic) Pagan for several years. I came to Buddhism later, maybe about 7 or 8 years ago now. I find them to be absolutely complimentary. There are different paths in Buddhism, and some come with different traditions. Some have more ritual and some do not really. I think many people find Buddhism compatible with other traditions because it's about truth or "seeing things as they are", mindfulness, and a way of thinking that changes the way you see which changes the way you live. It's not about deity in and of itself. (Though as a Pagan I see the Buddha as a man who was very special and connected to the Divine. Not unlike Jesus, etc.)  

[enjoythesilence]

Thanks for the welcome!  :)  I have another question, for anyone who has an opinion. Is Buddhism a philosophy or a religion? I have read many conflicting answers to this question online. To me, it seems to be both, but I was just reading a website which was saying that to see Buddhism as a religion is a corruption of the original teachings. I'm confused.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by enjoythesilence 

To me, it seems to be both, but I was just reading a website which was saying that to see Buddhism as a religion is a corruption of the original teachings.

I'd go so far as to say that "saying that to see Buddhism as a religion is a corruption of the original teachings" betrays a serious failure to grasp the "original teachings" in the first place. Is ritual (here I include meditation) a substitute for comprehension? No. Is ritual used as a teaching device? You bet your sweet bippy. Does it matter? No, not really.

Thomas Merton might be a decent place to start if you want to look into this intersection, though.

[Thao]

Is Buddhism a philosophy or a religion?

I think it depends on how you define the two words. Personally I consider it a religion, because it involves rituals that are designed to help the adherent live a better life and achieve a supernatural state (nirvana), which to me are hallmarks of a religion. But if you define religion as necessarily involving a god, then it clearly it is not that.

I was in a big bookstore once, and was surprised to find that books about the 3 great Western religions (Judaism, Islam and Christianity) were in the Religion section, while books about the w major Eastern religions (Hinduism and Buddhism) were in the Philosophy section. I suppose I could understand putting Buddhism there, since it doesn't involve a god, but Hinduism? That is clearly a religion, with more gods than you can shake a stick at (and a deep undercurrent of monotheism to boot). So I wonder if there is some sort of Western/Eastern prejudices going on with this distinction? I've lived in Asia for a while, and in my experience most Eastern practitioners of Buddhism would not hesitate to call their faith a religion.

I'd love to join this thread! I practice - although badly - in the Mindfulness tradition. I'm enjoying looking through the resources given on this thread!

[georgia]

Hi! I'm going to move this to Spirituality. We've been trying to move tribes to the most relevant forum for ease of everyone finding "like-minded" individuals. Please carry on  and PM me with any questions!