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Hello there

Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 12:33 pm
by catsquotl
I've recently found this forum and am pleased to be here.
After years of off and on new agy spirituality life sort of took over.
Married now with 6 children aging 7 to 19. Working full time with the mentally challenged autistic fellow human beings.

Wanted to break away from it all 5 years ago and intended to go a year without books, television and other distractions as much as I could In our busy home looking for the silence within. After about a month found that I didn't have enough "knowledge" to look for the silence, Break away from the obvious distractions only showed me how distracted I really was. Anyway opted to look for some guidence in structured meditation. Found daniel ingrams mastering the core teachings of the buddha. Was enthralled by the clear speech about what buddhism could offer. So I enrolled in a 15 day vipassana course at http://www.vipassana-dhammacari.com/main_eng.html

HAd a glimpse of what meditation had to offer. Lost my incentive to practise daily within months after that.
Somehow renewed my interest a few months ago and been meditation daily for the better part of 2 months now. Planning to go on another retreat coming april.

With Love
Eelco

Re: Hello there

Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 3:14 pm
by Sam Vara
Greetings, catsquotl, and welcome to DW! :hello:

Re: Hello there

Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 4:51 pm
by bodom
Welcome!

:namaste:

Re: Hello there

Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 5:03 pm
by DNS
Welcome to DW!

:buddha2:

Re: Hello there

Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:40 pm
by SarathW
Wanted to break away from it all 5 years ago and intended to go a year without books, television and other distractions as much as I could In our busy home looking for the silence within.
Wellcome to Dhamma Wheel.
It appears you are new to Buddhism and a keen learner.
So I wish to offer some suggestions, I hope you do not mind it.
Good luck with your inner happiness. What you are seeking is the second Jhana.
=============
This is my standard recommendation for beginners:
a)Read Buddhism course. (Take about 12 hours to read and give you a good idea about the teaching)
http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/

b)Print a copy of this Dhamma Chart and refer to it while studying Buddhism.
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=16785

c) Read Buddha’s Teaching by Narada. Start from chapter 15.
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/buddh ... gsurw6.pdf

d) While you reading texts please listen to the following Dhamma Talk by Joseph Goldstein.
http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/96/talk/6162/

e) Start reading Sutta.
Good starting point would be to read Bikkhu Bodhi’s “In the Buddha’s Word”
Link to the summary:
https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/in ... ic_id=6185

Then read Sutta Central. Start from Majjhima Nikaya. https://suttacentral.net/mn
or Listen to the Sutta:
http://audtip.dx.am/tipitaka/mn/mn-eng.html

f) Last but not least practice what you learn.

Re: Hello there

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:23 am
by catsquotl
Thank you for the welcome everyone.

I will definitely check out some of your recommendations SarathW.

Re: Hello there

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:34 am
by retrofuturist
Greetings,

Welcome to Dhamma Wheel.

:buddha2:

Metta,
Paul. :)