vitriol1

first off i think you should visit the temple near you. in my experience buddhist communities are very kind and accepting of anyone who wants to learn more of dharma. i came into the temple i attended in an interesting way. my boyfriend at the time was athiest and (i guess sort of selfishly) i could not understand somone not having a belief in the spiritual. him and me and our friends went to see the documentery about the beastie boys free tibet concert. after that him and my friends developed an interest in buddhism. they started reading books but found it difficult to grasp. i knew that having a teacher would help. one day while i was stacking apples at the market where i worked a monk came in to shop. i knew he was a monk by his robes. i told him of my friends who were interested in buddhism and asked him if there was a place where they could learn more. he told me of the temple where he taught dharma and that we should come. so i went home and told my boyfriend and friends and they started attending sunday services. at first i did not go. strange i know but, i was raised southern baptist and still had the fear of other religions ingrained into me. i was taught that all other religions besides christianity were wrong, ecspecialy ones who had dieties, which christians believe are aspects of satan. although i did not truley belive this myself christain brian washing still had it's fear placed in me. after about a month of my friends going i finally went one sunday. it was hard for me but i'm so glad i did. sangha my teacher was so kind and i felt the love of god flow threw him. this was when i realised all religions were saying the same thing. love and let yourself be loved. sangha taught this better than any sunday school teacher i had ever had growing up in the church. everyone was so kind, it became my safe haven, my place to recenter every week. my friends and i would listen to teachings and then we all would have a big communal lunch after. compassion is contagious and with that many buddhist together it almost felt like utopia. i still hold the teachings of jesus close to my heart, it just saddens me that the western churches have twisted them and strayed so far from the true message. love everyone as if they were your self. the most important part of that verse being "love yourself". though buddhism teaches nonattachment what i have found most usefull from dharma are the teachings of compassion towards others. attachment is a daily struggle which begins again each morning when we wake up to samsara. i could ramble on and on. feel free to ask me any questions. have you ever seen the movie "Babe (the pig)"? it's a childrens movie but it really isn't. sangha my teacher did the best teaching relating this movie to dharma one sunday. that is why i love him so, he could take the simplest most trivial things and turn them into blessings. have a beautiful day.

peace&blessings
juni