blows my mind how many people do not care!

[Mr Man]

Appoligies if my post caused offense. It was for the thread in general rather than a specific post.

[m0rl0ck]

I have been doing sitting meditation on and off for about 20 years. Currently im averaging about 30 minutes a day, just about every day. Im no longer sure that im even a buddhist really. I just do my practice and try to pay attention and it makes my life better and me less a pita to the universe at large. If you engaged me in this kind of conversation, you might be unsatisfied with my response, which would be on the order of, "i just do some practice most days and try to live my life on lifes terms and not worry too much about metaphysics or the larger picture".
I dont feel any need to articulate what i beleive or dont beleive and usually when people start these kinds of conversations, i just shut up, and smile and nod alot until i can get away from them. Unless of course they are asking advice about meditation or buddhism, in which case i direct them to some of the local and internet resources, and then i shut up about it.
IMO its better to just do ones practice, it affects ones entire environment and the people in it.

[Cittasanto]

We have two ears and one mouth, strange how much comes out one and how little comes in the rest!
we don't always guage what another is meaning accurately even when we are supposed to be on the same wave length.

[corrine]

Just a thought, but perhaps some of these people are just very private about their own spirituality, and shrug or decline to respond simply because they do not wish to have to defend their own belief systems which may be very different from one's own.

I know that I rarely feel comfortable discussing my own path with anyone not very close to me. Too often, discussion deteriorates into argument and I do not feel that there is any point to arguing about belief systems. I have found the right path for me. Many of my friends have chosen other paths. Each of us believes that our chosen path is the correct one. And I would rather not be publicly berated for my choices. It is pointless.

Just as political discussions rarely sway others views, neither do spiritual ones. Usually, it is simply an exercise to convert one another to our way of thinking.

So I keep my views private and am simply grateful that I have found a path that gives me a modicum of peace in my old age. If asked, I share my beliefs. If not, I keep them to myself. If others wish to express their beliefs, I listen politely, not responding to their insistence that I take on their beliefs.

Respectfully, corrine