Introductions and discussion regarding our new group

[oxymoron]

Hi All,

As the host of this group, I want to thank everyone that supported the idea of this group and helped make it a reality, and especially thank Skinner, Elad and EarlG for their support.

I thought an introduction and discussion of the group's purpose would be appropriate. I'm Oxy, I live in Seattle and practice with the Mindfulness Community of Puget Sound in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh (we call him Thay). We are fortunate to have a beautiful teacher that received the transmission directly from Thay 20 years ago. I learn something from her each time I am in her presence and fortunate enough to hear her teach the Dharma.

I am a native North-westerner. Born and raised in Portland, OR (lived there most of my life) and moved to the Seattle area about 15 years ago.

I so look forward to getting to know everyone and learn from your experience. I see the group as a non-sectarian, safe place to discuss Buddhism and perhaps a vehicle for Buddhists to have the opportunity to practice Engaged Buddhism. I believe strongly that all paths should be respected and honored.

I look forward to meeting everyone and hearing your suggestions for the group.

A lotus for you, Buddha to be. _/l\_

Oxy

[ellisonz]

1. From the Lounge Re-Introduction Thread:

I am Southern California raised, having lived in Hermosa Beach, Lawndale, and Pasadena (PHS Class of 2004).
I went to Reed College in Portland, Oregon where I majored in history in 2009, and have lived in Hawaii for probably about 4 - 5 years total.

I am now back in SoCal. I've done all kinds of jobs, but my favorite one was as a park ranger intern at Diamond Head. I've also worked as a grocery store courtesy clerk, restaurant worker, 3rd grade group leader, gardener, and civil process server in Honolulu. I am currently unemployed and back living at home due to a lack of government funding to continue my work; it's hard to come by these days.

I am a Jubu at heart: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Buddhist

I like learning new things about the world and how it all came together. I am an avid reader of books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and political cartoons.

I played trumpet and baritone in school for 7 years and was an editor of the high school newspaper.

I "have" three dogs: Shadow in Honolulu and Sunshine + Sadie in SoCal. I have twin younger brother and sister and a step-brother.

I love the outdoors, although a perforated ear drum, and lousy ear health throughout my life has prevented me from becoming a waterman entirely.

I am a Howard Dean Democrat and was the one-millionth contributor to the Barack Obama campaign in 2008. I've been on DU since May 2003. I still support the President.

My sports teams are the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Celtics (loathe Kobe), San Francisco 49ers and USC Trojan Football (you can loathe me now).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10184983

[ellisonz]

2. I think a better discussion of purpose can be taken in the near future...

Also - I think it might be a good idea to promote the group for awhile in our signatures or in Meta so that people know the it exists.

To do that use:
[link:URL|Text]
URL is without the "http://".
Example: DCScripts

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=html_table

[jberryhill]

3. A discussion of purpose

Or a discussion of intent?

[ellisonz]

4. Are they that different?

I'm not trying to be dense here, but I think at a minimum it needs to state that while all views are welcome, respectful discussion is to be accorded to all posters.

[ellisonz]

5. Anyone else?

_/l\_

[Ruby the Liberal]

7. Just an observer

here to learn!

[marasinghe]

6. Cheers, Dude; thanks for doing the heavy lifting.

Theravadhin transplant, from the jungles of Sri Lanka, to the jungle of New York City.

Metta, Sama & Subbha, to you ~ or, in 60's vernacular ~ Love, Peace & Happiness.

[toddaa]

8. Greetings all

I come to Buddhism via Zhuangzi. I don't follow any particular path and jokingly refer to my self as a Zen Daoist, but only because I don't like labels. At any given time, I am a Buddhist, Daoist, Atheist, Gnostic, Heathen, Occultist or whatever. More formally, I am a Unitarian. I am currently participating in my UU congregation's Wellspring (http://www.uuwellspring.org/), which has two other Buddhists in the group. Obviously my spiritual practice, which is a requirement of Wellspring, is meditation. I do 20-30 minutes of breath meditation and occasional walking meditation, when I struggle settling my mind. I have ADHD, so quieting the constant barrage of thought can be a bit of a challenge. I find walking meditation to be the most intense and difficult mindfulness practice, that I find it useful when I need to overcome my hyper focus.

One concern I have about Buddhism and it's something that hopefully the members of this group can help me with, is my aversion to cultural misappropriation. In college, I took a course on Native American history, to fulfill my minority studies requirement. It had a profound impact on the way I view religious practice and its cultural meaning to indigenous peoples. I am horrified by the crass assimilation of of Native American spirituality in so called new age beliefs, and I am also aware of how Eastern religions are also stripped of their cultural heritage and reduced to pop psychology, usually in the form of cheap materialism. Buddhism, like Daoism, is a wonderful tradition and has universal value across all cultures, but I try to never forget that its rich cultural heritage is something I should honor and respect.

I am new to Buddhism and its practice. As I mentioned, I come to Buddhism from Zhuangzi. I am also fond of Nietzsche, whose Zarathustra is never far from me. I've read Nietzsche for twenty five years and Zhuangzi for ten. Their philosophical views are quite similar, and their writings are so rich and varied, that I continually find new ideas within them that challenge me to reconsider what is. With my introduction to Buddhism and mindfulness, I find it to be valuable in helping me to have a greater understanding of Nietzsche's and Zhuangzi's perspectivism.

Look forward to learning more on the Way

[YankeyMCC]

9. Hello

The Westernization of Zen is a common topic in the Buddhasphere (blogs and discussion boards) as well within my own sangha.

Like many American zen groups we are overwhelmingly white and middle class. There is some diversity but one hand could count the members who grew up in a Buddhist family culture.

We look for opportunities to reach out and make contact, we also have been trying to incorporate some of the more traditional holidays and such.

It can't be unique to Buddhism yet to me it does seem different from other religions (and yes although I still consider myself atheist and Zen in no way dependent on supernatural beliefs I call it a religion) in how it has moved from culture to culture.

Each culture from India to China to Japan and now Europe and North America has taken the practice of Buddhism and like the Buddha advised used it to find their own way along the path.

In North America, and I think Europe, the existence of a lay practice is very different from the more monastic focused organizations of the East. Not wrong or right just American Buddhism.