New Buddhist, I can't wait to learn from you all.

Introduce yourself to others at Dhamma Wheel.
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adamposey
Posts: 158
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:16 pm

New Buddhist, I can't wait to learn from you all.

Post by adamposey »

Hello All!

My name is Adam, as you can probably tell, and I have recently made the inward decision to take the three refuges and the associated precepts. I live in a small town in West Virginia, so I am attempting to learn as best as I can using the internet, books, and audio dhamma talks as much as possible. I hope to be able to attend a retreat, and find a teacher, at some point soon (in the next few years).

In my personal life I'm a student, a political activist, a reader, and a writer. I am deeply involved with the politics of my nation and the world. I am also a bit of a tattoo enthusiast as I have a large work of art on my left arm (13 hours total put into it) and a smaller symbol on my right arm.

I just recently found you all after a lot of research and I am SO looking forward to getting to know you all and learn from you.

All the best!
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Jechbi
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Re: New Buddhist, I can't wait to learn from you all.

Post by Jechbi »

Welcome. :hello:

Some discussion of politics here. Some discussions about tattoos here and here, in case it's of interest.

:smile:
Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
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DNS
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Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, Estados Unidos de América
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Re: New Buddhist, I can't wait to learn from you all.

Post by DNS »

:hello:

Hi Adam.

Welcome to Dhamma Wheel!

If you have the time and are not too far away, there is a great monastery in West Virginia:

http://www.bhavanasociety.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
adamposey
Posts: 158
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:16 pm

Re: New Buddhist, I can't wait to learn from you all.

Post by adamposey »

Thank you! That's all very relevant.

I am hoping to get some advice from you all on getting started as I have not been able to get into the things I want to do yet as a Buddhist. For instance I have not yet constructed any kind of a shrine, figured out vipassana completely, or really figured out things like buddhist days of importance, etc., I understand the concepts, but I trust that to the extent that ritual exists in buddhism it serves a function and I would like to use those functions to further myself and so I want to do all of this as much as I can.

And concerning Bhavana Society I DO intend to go on a retreat there, but it's about a couple hours from where I live (I am in Elkins, WV) and as a student who works full time my ability to take many days off to go there is limited. I'm looking at next summer/spring as a possibility for some retreats but I'll just have to see. :)
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retrofuturist
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Re: New Buddhist, I can't wait to learn from you all.

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Adam,

Welcome to Dhamma Wheel!

:buddha1:

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Ben
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Re: New Buddhist, I can't wait to learn from you all.

Post by Ben »

Hi Adam
Welcome to Dhamma Wheel!

If you haven't already discovered these resources, they maybe useful to you:
Readings in Theravada Buddhism: http://www.accesstoinsight.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Bhikkhu Bodhi's lecture series on the Majjhima Nikaya (Middle Length Discourses) http://www.bodhimonastery.net/courses/MN/MN_course.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looking forward to your contributions!

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

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zavk
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Re: New Buddhist, I can't wait to learn from you all.

Post by zavk »

Hello Adam!
With metta,
zavk
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Raga Mala
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Re: New Buddhist, I can't wait to learn from you all.

Post by Raga Mala »

Whoa! Ben! Would you believe it, but I never made the acquaintance of bodhmonastery.net !? What a great resource! Thanks for sharing, I'll be there often.

Adam: Welcome. :smile:
"It is easier to shout 'STOP!' than to do it." -Treebeard
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