Hello all: Introduce yourself in this thread or just read it to meet the members

[thedublab]

Hi everyone!

My name is Dave and I am very happy to have found this little corner of the 'net     

My first exposure to Buddhism came 12 years ago through the writings of Neil Gunn while I was living in Scotland. Since then, my dharma practice has centered around the Thai forest tradition, particularly that of Ajahn Chah, who I appreciate for his simplicity and his use of the natural world as a teaching tool for many of our experiences (I'm an environmental educator). Stepping out of the Theravada on occasion, I'm also a big fan of Suzuki's and () Brad Warner's writings.

With metta,
Dave

[Matthew]

Dave

A very warm welcome to you Glad you found this little corner of the net too. Like everything it is ever changing. I look forward to experiencing the changes your participation here will bring.

Warm regards, In the Dhamma,

Matthew

[The Marvellous Omannobazong!!!]

Hi Dave!

First post, first lesson. Until now I never realised that we all are hiding our faces behind an icon ... 
... well, at least Matthew shows his chin ...

Nice to see you here & Metta,

Stefan

[thedublab]

Thanks for the warm welcomes 

@Stefan: I'm all for showing your face in forums, where possible — it makes things feel more like a "real" community (or sangha).

Avatars are pretty fun, tho' 

[Matthew]

... well, at least Matthew shows his chin ...

And an ear, my mouth, half my nose ....

It is very understandable why people like anonymity on the internet given all the scare mongering about identity theft etc, etc. Mostly this is scaremongering though. Some people have very good reasons for not showing their face.

If you want to show your face fine, if not also fine. I will be changing my pic soon to show more (of my face to be clear) ... although when I met Paul he said I was recognisable from the current picture.



Matthew

[The Marvellous Omannobazong!!!]

And an ear, my mouth, half my nose ....

... we can also make out that you don't have long blond hair ...

Metta!

[loretha]

Hello

i'm Loretha from Jeffreys Bay South Africa.  I did a 10 day Vipassana course last year and am trying to keep up with my meditation.  I hope to learn a lot from  this forum and maybe give my input every now and then too. I also do astanga yoga and lots of beach walking with my dogs.

Loretha

[thedublab]

Hi Loretha!

Welcome aboard

With metta,
Dave

[Matthew]

Hello Loretha,

Welcome to the forum. I'm sitting in a very wet part of France experiencing the desire to walk a dog on a beach now ....

I think I have to go meditate ... thanks

Matthew

[deanmw]

Hi,

I'm Dean from Berkshire in the UK. I'm a 39 year old Software Developer and I've been meditating regularly since Dec 2006. Thus far I practice alone, and have had no formal instruction, but have read quite a bit around the subject, enough I think to get a reasonable feel for what it is and isn't about. At the moment my practice is still evolving, led by my own intuition, such as it is, and to some extent limited by my fears.

I'm really glad to have found this forum - it will be good to have a resource where I can learn from other people's direct experiences and to get some validation of my own practice. I do feel a bit isolated in my practice, but at the same time am wary about joining a more formal meditation group for various reasons, so an online forum is ideal for me.

I stumbled across Vipassana on the web whilst researching a long standing problem with uncomfortable energetic disturbances in my torso (I'd like to post more about my energetic experiences, and perhaps get some feedback in a separate thread). I was immediately taken with the emphasis that Vipassana puts on felt bodily experience and it's connection with the emotions and, at the grossest level, with thoughts in the mind. It has helped me to understand what the heck is going on inside of me, and has provided not only the basis for my current practice, but also a springboard for further research to assist my own healing process.

I have always been interested in consciousness and the big questions, taking an avid interest in lucid dreaming and astral projection (out-of-body experience) in my early twenties after reading Stephen LaBerge's excellent "Lucid Dreaming". Unlike most people around me it seems, I have never grown tired of asking (and trying to answer) the question "why do I exist?" and more to the point "why does anything exist?". I never cease to be amazed that there is something rather than nothing. If I understand correctly, Buddhist psychology teaches that everything is continually reborn out of the "empty" ground of all being within the present moment. I'd like to know that experientially rather than intellectually.

So my motivation for practicing is twofold really - to create space and give healing attention to the parts of my psyche that are crying out at the moment; and secondly to explore and hopefully connect with the deepest parts of my psyche. And if I gain insight into the true nature of reality along the way, that would be a big bonus. 

[The Marvellous Omannobazong!!!]

Hi Dean .... wow, great post!

Suffering may lead to hatred in the end or it may lead to meditation (= the serious attempt to do something about it). So - you chose the right path and seem to be aware of it.

Welcome!

[thedublab]

Welcome, Dean!

[Matthew]

Hello Dean,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your experiences to date. Many of us here are "refugees" of one sort of another from formal Buddhist groups, having found that the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth has to be found for oneself. I still am a part of a very large worldwide Buddhist community (thousands strong) but actually find more real support and encouragement through this little and somewhat eclectic gathering of folk.

I hope you find the same to be true.

In the Dhamma,

Matthew

[HappyMe]

Dear meditatiors,

Hello and nice to meet you all! I am so happy to have found this forum of honest and kind people (I knew you were out there). Just browsing the forum highly lifted my spirits and I wanted to show my gratitude and contribute to the harmony, so well, here I am!

My first experience of meditation was a Vipassana 10-day course about a year ago in Sweden. It totally blew my mind and I can easily say that the happiest I've been in my life was on that last day of the retreat!

Unfortunately I have not been able to keep up my practice but I am doing anapana haphazardly. It is perhaps not so strange since I have been a conscript in the Swedish marines for 9 months and have another 2 to go. So I guess I have kind of "lost focus". I am very lonely at regiment, my values and perspectives are so different. I strongly believe in Dhamma, which (as you can imagine) don't work very well with marine corps officers and brothers in arms.   

My point is, it is great that I can have this escape to be inspired and develop!

I am from Sweden, 20-years old, male, want to become a nurse when I get out of the military to work with humanitarian organizations.

Thank you for reminding me of Vipassana and Dhamma!

It'll be a pleasure spending time here!!

HappyMe

[Matthew]

Dear HappyMe

Welcome to the forum. I am surprised they make you do military service with your attitudes. Seems fairly pointless really.

Hopefully we can help you along the way with some of the experience we have collectively gained.

In the Dhamma,

Matthew

[HappyMe]

Thank you Matthew!

I was very positive to doing the military service about two years before I began my time as a conscript. That was when I did the mandatory tests at the Swedish armed forces when I might have had a chance to ask not to do the service. I thought that it would be a quick way to make a difference and help people in conflict zones. I also thought it would fit me well but I've realized how different I am from what a soldier should be.

The Swedish military is changing from a cold-war defense force to a much smaller international peace-keeping force (also keeping a tiny defense). They are using an old system for a new purpose and it does not work so well. I thought soldiers would be more passionate about helping people in the toughest parts of the world. We have not even talked about why we should go abroad on these missions. The (for the few selected men) mandatory military service seem quite purposeless to me too if we are not even supposed to use what we learn for something.

I hope that in the future people will be recruited voluntarily directly to be trained for these peace-missions and that one can quite if it is not what one wants to do.

HappyMe

[sangha_quest]

Hello all,

I've just discovered this after returning from my third vipassana retreat on Sunday and remembering how much this meditation practice means to me. I live in the UK in Manchester and I've been practicing meditation for a couple of years now, on and off. Whenever it's an 'off' period I notice a massive difference in myself and always come back to it and I'm trying to get support in like minded people to strengthen my practice. I would call myself a Buddhist as dhamma is such a huge part of my life.

I work in admin and still looking for my ideal job

So how is everyone?

Emma

[Luna Serene]

Hello  my lovely fellow truth seekers. I am incredibly happy to find a vipassana forum as I'm new to the practice and am having a little bit of a hard time with people not understanding and having negative reactions to my meditation practice =S. So itl be nice to know theres some people out there who are probably feeling the same things as me. Introductions... Im Sarah, 21 from Wales uk... I dont really do very much but I like to travel and see what I can see. I do some art when I get inspired and just generally enjoy nature, nice people and being in nature with nice people. I dont really have much of a direction in life right now, just to keep going somewhere appears most important. I dont know what else to say! Hope you're all having a lovely day, Sarah.

[thedublab]

Sarah and Emma — welcome aboard! Great to see you both here

With metta,
Dave

[Matthew]

Emma, Sarah,

Welcome to the Sangha!

In the Dhamma,

Matthew

ps Emma do you know Patrick Browne perchance?

[Matthew]

I dont really have much of a direction in life right now, just to keep going somewhere appears most important.

Just knowing where you are is possibly more important .... and I don't mean that in a geographical sense

In the Dhamma,

Matthew

[Luna Serene]

I dont really have much of a direction in life right now, just to keep going somewhere appears most important.

Just knowing where you are is possibly more important .... and I don't mean that in a geographical sense

Hehe, this made me smile, its definately better to know where I am yes! Lets aim for that =D

[Matthew]

Smiles, like sunshine are free

[Rosalia]

Thank you for this forum and greetings. My name is Sally and I am currently located in the forest in central Oregon (US). My first Vipassana 10-day meditation starts in about a week and I am just excited to have not only the instruction, but also the solitary environment in which to practice. My Buddhist exploration began about 10 years ago with a small Zen sangha with whom I sat for years; a wonderful, devoted group of humans.

About a year ago, I saw the video of Vipassana used in Indian prisons and I became curious. So, the short story is, here I am. I am age 54 by the calendar, maybe 14 at heart, a retired therapist, and what in the US is called a "full-time RVer." (I live full time in my motorhome and move when I am so motivated).

I look forward to the opportunity to hang out with all of you and soak up both your goodness and your knowledge.

in Gassho,
Sally

[Matthew]

Dear Sally

Welcome to the forum. I like the idea of living in a motorhome

Matthew