Aussie seeks teacher
Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:31 am
Hi there:)
I'm seeking a teacher/guide to help mentor and support me through my journey as I'm unable to attend a Theravada hermitage on a regular basis due to distance.
As a white aussie, i grew up with Christianity and my first introduction to buddhism was in 2011 when I attended 10 day Vipassana silent meditation retreat, in the hopes if it bringing me some instant magic cure to assist me with my anger and confusion as a newly single parent. I remember being freaked out by the chanting, thinking I was about to be converted!!
Well since this retreat I have dabbled in many other spiritual paths, new age courses/classes etc and went through periods of being a 'serious meditator' to then back to my old destructive ways and habits.
There have been times when I've tried to 'Make myself become a buddhist' and read the teachings etc, but my heart has never been in it, mostly because I'd felt like I was betraying God/Jesus (even though Christianity wasn't something I was practising anyway).
Then, just a few days ago, something really beautiful happened, I stumbled across a YouTube documentary about the possibility that Jesus was a Buddhist. Somehow this made total sense to me and explained my own questions about the why there are no references in the Bible to Jesus' life as a child/teenager (because he was possibly in India studying Buddhism). I suddenly felt this wave of peace, love, gratitude for the Buddha that I'd never felt before and now wanted more than ever for Buddha to be my teacher also just as he was for my childhood teacher, Jesus.
I have spent the last few days setting up a small shrine/meditation area and meditating and reading all that I can. I find now that my heart has a pure dedicated faith to the Buddha and his teachings and ego doesn't get in the way of my prostrating or reading.
I would love to find someone to guide me along this path to help deepen my understandings and how it can help, not only myself but ultimately how I can be more loving and kind to others too.
Or perhaps this site will do just that without needing a specific person?!
Either way, looking forward to connecting and sharing
I'm seeking a teacher/guide to help mentor and support me through my journey as I'm unable to attend a Theravada hermitage on a regular basis due to distance.
As a white aussie, i grew up with Christianity and my first introduction to buddhism was in 2011 when I attended 10 day Vipassana silent meditation retreat, in the hopes if it bringing me some instant magic cure to assist me with my anger and confusion as a newly single parent. I remember being freaked out by the chanting, thinking I was about to be converted!!
Well since this retreat I have dabbled in many other spiritual paths, new age courses/classes etc and went through periods of being a 'serious meditator' to then back to my old destructive ways and habits.
There have been times when I've tried to 'Make myself become a buddhist' and read the teachings etc, but my heart has never been in it, mostly because I'd felt like I was betraying God/Jesus (even though Christianity wasn't something I was practising anyway).
Then, just a few days ago, something really beautiful happened, I stumbled across a YouTube documentary about the possibility that Jesus was a Buddhist. Somehow this made total sense to me and explained my own questions about the why there are no references in the Bible to Jesus' life as a child/teenager (because he was possibly in India studying Buddhism). I suddenly felt this wave of peace, love, gratitude for the Buddha that I'd never felt before and now wanted more than ever for Buddha to be my teacher also just as he was for my childhood teacher, Jesus.
I have spent the last few days setting up a small shrine/meditation area and meditating and reading all that I can. I find now that my heart has a pure dedicated faith to the Buddha and his teachings and ego doesn't get in the way of my prostrating or reading.
I would love to find someone to guide me along this path to help deepen my understandings and how it can help, not only myself but ultimately how I can be more loving and kind to others too.
Or perhaps this site will do just that without needing a specific person?!
Either way, looking forward to connecting and sharing