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

[Avo86]

Ivana: Thanks! I wish I had known about even sooner. How my life would be different!
Mathew: Thank you Matthew, this is a great forum. Glad I found it by accident

[lente]

Hello from holland.

I'm lente (obviously not my real name). A little about myself. I'm male, 26 years old. I still live at home with my mother. I'm studying (going to school) biology and medical laboratory research. I just started this year and it's going well.

This is part of my ongoing effort to change my life around. My life story is nothing dramatic, but can be easily summarized in one word: unsatisfying. Nothing really bad has happened, but I don't feel really happy. I feel so so, not really satisfied with my life.

For that reason the buddha's teaching really resonate with me. The buddha talked about this unsatisfactoriness and gave a solution. I'm trying to put that solution into practice. I have been trying to do this for years. My relationship with buddhism is on and off. I think that this time it will stay on, but who knows.

This on and off things probably isn't smart of me, but that is what it is or was. I have read a lot about buddhism and many other spiritual traditions. Unfortunately I have practiced little. I hope to really get my practice going this time around. I'm trying to scrape together enough motivation to meditate. I think soon I will have enough scraps of motivation to give it a go.

I joined this forum, because from what I read people on this forum are honest and earnest in their practice.

Greetings,
lente (means spring (season) in dutch)

[Avo86]

Welcome lente  Hope you find your way here

[Morning Dew]

Hi lante and welcome aboard my friend 

Unfortunately I have practiced little. I hope to really get my practice going this time around. I'm trying to scrape together enough motivation to meditate. I think soon I will have enough scraps of motivation to give it a go.

Yes, the sitting practice is the actual important part not the reading    I started a Shamatha journal on this forum to help me keep a consistant daily practice which it did for the last 10-11 month. Daily practice is the key. There is no much to it by doing it or rather letting go into it   
The practice of Calm-abiding is a very good starting point to relax into the body.

Feel free to start a new thread or read around the boards.

Friendly Che

[ivana]

Hi Lente
It is fine to know other languages, Spring In Dutch welcome.
Take care
Ivana

[lente]

Yes, the sitting practice is the actual important part not the reading    I started a Shamatha journal on this forum to help me keep a consistant daily practice which it did for the last 10-11 month. Daily practice is the key. There is no much to it by doing it or rather letting go into it   
The practice of Calm-abiding is a very good starting point to relax into the body.

Do you still keep a journal? I couldn't find it here on the forum. I like the idea of a journal, I might do that.

[Morning Dew]

Hi lente,
sorry for not replying. for some reason I missed your reply, sorry again.

EDIT by ModDus will PM you this bit instead

Yes journal-ing is very helpful for your self and others who come after you can find great inspiration on their path.

Che

[Perley]

For the last few months I have been reading posts and am finally up to a short introduction. For most my life I was Catholic and a meditator as in discursive or later more contemplative. Several years ago someone introduced me to Heartwork which uses awareness meditation and other tools. I attended some of their retreats and benefitted greatly. My husband died 5 years ago and for the first time I found the courage to step outside the Church and religion. Heartwork was my first taste of Buddhist practice so I decided to look at Buddhism but did not want the supernatural so have looked at sources on The Secular Buddhist. I am new to agnostic thought and Buddhism since I was 65 when I left religion and am 68 now so experiencing a great change in my 'sprituality' and a bit of withdrawal. I lived in Texas when all this change transpired. I moved to Sitka, AK a little over a year ago which brings me to why I have come to this forum. There are no Sanghas here in Sitka and only 2 Nicheren Buddhists which are too religious for me. This forum seems like a good community and source of support to learn and practice meditation. Already I have learned and am encouraged to regularly practice meditation and start from the beginning again. I have been in and out of many forms of meditation but never persevered in any. So back to the other threads now that the introduction is done and thanks to all who make this forum possible. Maryann

[Andrew]

Welcome Maryann,
You have alot of courage in you, I admire your ability to look at life the way you have especially after such a great loss. You will find this forum very supportive and  diverse and I look forward to reading about your experiences, I get the feeling you will add   alot to this place. See you around the treads

welcome

&

love

andy

[Perley]

Thank you Andy.
Letting Go is Hearwork's theme this year...

[Andrew]

Haha , well I guess you have come at the right time then, Maryann. I was wondering who would teach me to Let Go!!

love

andy

[Morning Dew]

Welcome aboard of vipassanaforum Perley 

I admire your ability to look at life the way you have especially after such a great loss

I second Andy. 

which are too religious for me

I know exactly of what you are talking about. I too felt to find a community where I live and there is a Zen Centre near by but they scared me away with all the chanting and prostrating stuff which I find useless in a meditator's practice. I ask this?! Did the Buddha chant and prostrate to some altar with a statue? I bet he didn't 

This Sangha is mostly about ACTUAL practicing and supporting one another to do so. I am sure you will find this community welcoming and supportive as I did. I came to this forum totally lost and now life seems to be more colorful for me then before 

Friendly Che

[DerDomi]

Hi everyone,

my name is Dominik, I am from Germany. I'm 23 and a student of Green Business Management. I have been Meditating for about a year now. My teacher is Shinzen Young, I was very happy to discover him very soon when I was reading up on meditation. I like his teaching a lot, since it is very clear and to-the-point and without the religious background which doesnt speak to me that much. I usually do one hour of "Focus In" in the morning plus I use times when its feasible like walking to class, driving my car, shopping etc. to practice "Focus Out".

Best to all of you
Dominik

[Andrew]

Welcome Dominik!

love

andy

[Morning Dew]

Welcome aboard of vipassanaforum my friend

I wish to hear more about that practice of yours. Maybe you could start a thread about we all might learn something new

Friendly Dusko

[Matthew]

Welcome Dominik,

Shinzen Young's writings are very precise. I have not read much but like some of what I have read a great deal.

All mindfulness practice has elements of insight and calming. I'd like to hear more of your practice too.

Warmly,

Matthew

[Vivek]

Welcome aboard, Dominik. Shinzen Young's teachings are just great. Hoping to hear more from you.

[DZA]

Hi everyone

Really looking forward to learning some new things about meditation and I'm very happy to have the chance to be a part of a welcoming community

Peace from Brighton UK

[DerDomi]

hi, welcome

[Morning Dew]

Welcome aboard David.

Looking forward to get to know you mate.

Be well

[Vivek]

Welcome aboard, David.

[DZA]

Hi DerDomi, Che Guebuddha, and Vivek

Hope it's all good at the mo, thanks for replying