ISO My Sangha

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zakkenroller
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2021 2:11 am
Location: Napa, CA

ISO My Sangha

Post by zakkenroller »

46 yo Male
Napa, CA

Agnostic/WASP background

Began sitting virtually each day for abt 30 mins with Will Kabat Zinn or Gil Fronsdal in February. Self guided sits mostly last few months.

My interest in Buddhism started maybe twenty five or thirty years ago. Maybe twenty or so years ago started listening to lectures from Robina Courtin and Alan Watts. Over the years I've spent some time time with MBSR. Dug into mindfullness meditation on the regular in February after feeling a little more scattered than normal. (Also, I had a bit of unexpected psychological turmoil at the beginning of the pandemic last year.)

Last few months I've been reading Joseph Goldstein's book on the Satipatthana Sutta and listening to his lectures on the same subject on Dharma Seed. I read about Tonglen practice just the other day and my first attempt at a Tonglen meditation was blissful.

Recently, on Reddit, I encountered some posts that were critical of western smorgasbord buddhism as being colonialising and or orientalist, and started wondering about what I mean when I set my intention to "uncover the buddha within."

Simultaneously while setting up this account, I set one up on Dharmawheel. I'm not sure ultimately if my path will veer closer to Thai Forest, to Dzogchen, or to Zen or something else.

Right now I'm trying to learn as much Dharma as I can given a busy householder life with two young boys and a demanding job. I'd like to start hewing toward a particular branch or teacher however. That said its difficult as a humanist/quasi atheist to open myself to the possibility of reincarnation, deva realms, and supernatural phenomenon like Dipa Ma's experiences.

Anyway, as I mentioned above, looking for a Sangha. Living as I do in Northern California I feel lucky to be so close to so many resources. I don't think I will be able to take the time for a ten day retreat up at the Lake County Vipassana or anywhere any time soon. However I might be able to put three or four nights together for a visit to Abhayagiri or another like monastery, or retreat center. After looking at Tonglen, I'm also wondering about maybe signing up for a meditation class at Nyingma Institute. At this point I do think I'm looking for a teacher or group that is affiliated with a longstanding lineage of some kind. The problem is I'm not sure which one!

Any of you all explore Zen, or Dzogchen, and then end up hewing to Thai Forest Tradition or other Theravadan tradition? Or vice versa?

Nice to meet you all, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Metta.
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Aloka
Posts: 7797
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:51 pm

Re: ISO My Sangha

Post by Aloka »

zakkenroller wrote: Sat Sep 25, 2021 12:45 pm
Any of you all explore Zen, or Dzogchen, and then end up hewing to Thai Forest Tradition or other Theravadan tradition? Or vice versa?
Welcome zakkenroller ,

I used to be very involved with Tibetan Buddhism (and Mahamudra, which is very similar to Dzogchen)

However , now my interest lies mostly with the Theravada Thai Forest Tradition and reading the suttas.


:anjali:
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DNS
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Re: ISO My Sangha

Post by DNS »

Welcome to DW!

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bodom
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Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:18 pm
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Re: ISO My Sangha

Post by bodom »

Welcome!

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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zakkenroller
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2021 2:11 am
Location: Napa, CA

Re: ISO My Sangha

Post by zakkenroller »

Thank you!
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