Anyone interested in Buddhism?

[Reenypip]

Since I've had life threatening illnesses and have developed multiple chronic health problems, my views of life changed.
I came across Buddhism one day out of the blue. I think it was the topic of mindfulness, and if I had a bad thought, they said to me to recognise and accept it, and just let it pass by. And also if washing dishes concentrate on doing that, how does it feel, etc. same as eating, the taste, the smell, texture. And just do that one thing.
I then decided to buy a book on Buddhism to find out more about it, and my interest has grown from their.
My motto for life is to live now in the moment. The past is gone and can't change it but can learn from it, and the future is yet to come, anything could happen. So live right now. Life is so precious.
Most people take the most basic smallest things for granted. But they are the most important.
I'm thinking of going to a local Buddhist centre sometime to find out more and meet others interested in the same thing.

Anyone have an interest in Buddhism? How did it come about?

Hi Reenypip - that is probably the best thing to do - there are lots of different flavours of buddhism that seem to suit different personalities (I sit with the samatha trust). Good luck !!

I'm really enjoying reading about all the different strands of Buddhism, and I've been researching the various local groups in my area (who knew there were so many?!) and they all seem to be from various different strands. I haven't a clue where to start, though, which group to go to or what to try first.

Hey Cat - it can be difficult - I used to live in London (hence the name!) and I went to a few sessions at a tibetan place and a few at the Chinese temple near Oxford St. I think moved up north and found the Samatha trust (loosely Thai in origin). I would pop along to a couple of different ones and see what you think. Some centres run specific courses and charge fees, some don't.

Where I go they ask for small donations for rent of the room and people are welcome to come and go as they please. I would have a good look at the websites for the different groups and see if that helps. You might just have to select a couple at random and check them out !

Well, I've been invited to my local SGI-UK meeting. Annoyingly it's tomorrow night and I already have plans, so will try to arrange to go either next week, or try another meeting nearby.

Good luck cat - you might like the chanting, or find that you prefer silent meditation on the breath, or something else!

The place I go to is breathing-based (as many methods are), but a lot of traditions also chant.

I'm giving a few places a try, there's a Buddhist centre in Glasgow (Triratna) which often runs classes as well as courses on Buddhism, yoga, meditation etc; a Diamond Way place and a couple of smaller groups from what my snooping around the internet tells me.

Hope you find something that works for you Cat - Triratna will probably be breathing-based meditation, Diamond Way is tibetan and I think will involve more visualisation.

Have to say cockneydad, breath meditation appeals to me far more than the others, simply because I was introduced to mindfulness meditation first.

Most traditions have breath-based methods and Buddha himself is reported as teaching it as a very valuable method. I have used it for the last couple of years as my primary practice and it has been life changing (for the better!)

a word of warning...

before getting too involved with any group, please please do some quick online research into their authenticity and history...

a quick google search of the name followed by 'cult' should bring up any bad history or stories about the group that you may need to read, or look up their name on rickross.com, a wonderful web resource of so many destructive groups and cults...

our spiritual journey is so precious, please please protect your heart and mind

xxx

I've just bought Buddhism for Mothers on kindle for 99p! Thanks for the recomendation

Buddhism for Mothers is such a great book, and at 99p for the Kindle version it's an absolute bargain! I ended up getting the Complete Buddhism For Mothers, all three of her books in one. I'm just starting the second book after loving the first, even just reading it helps me to feel calmer and more centred.

Looking forward to visiting the Triatna centre near me soon, they have a meditation day coming up, and then a beginners/newbies Buddhism course starts in September so that's something to look forward to.

Hey Cat - good luck with the meditation - remember - it is all about mindfulness when you are 'off cushion' and returning to the object (breath/mantra/other) when 'on the cushion'. Mindfulness and gently letting of judgement, worry, guilt, past, future and other unhelpful thought forms is the way and essence of buddhist practice.

Buddhism from within
Daizui MacPhillamy - quite cheap on Amazon

"Buddhism From Within is a common-sense introduction to Buddhism that does not rely on a lot of technical terms or foreign words, or delve too deeply into religious theory or doctrine. Instead, the book speaks to readers interested in exploring Buddhism on a general, intuitive level. It introduces the essential principles of Buddhism as they are experienced in the daily life of practising Buddhists, giving a sense of how Buddhists view the universe and what life is like for a Buddhist"

This is a very simple and straightforward book that really changed my life. I'm a Soto Zen buddhist ( Order of Buddhists Contemplative) I started to go to a meditation meeting when I was working at a F.E. College parat time. I saw that they had Buddhist meetings and wondered who the buddhists were, so I went along. I had sort of assumed there must be some Asian people at the college I'd never met, in fact there was a small group that was part black, mainly white with just one asian person. Thius type of buddhism is quite straightforward, easy to grasp the basics of, and the ceremonies they do have follow a sort of C of E template which made it very culturally accessible for me. Worth looking at is you are interested.

I'm a Nichiren Buddhist and we chant 'Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo' over and over again. You can find out more, and about a group near you if you search for 'Taplow Court', which is the HQ for Britain. I've found it's helped me so much through cancer, and caring for my mum who had dementia, and my daughter who is mentally ill. (My daughter is much better now through chanting and coming to some monthly meetings.)