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Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:03 am
by LightSeed
I'm copying my post over from "Dhamma Wheel" since I was pointed in this direction from there by retrofuturist (thanks! :) ) :
Ok, bear with me, this may be a long explanation. Thank you ahead of time for reading it!

I'm not really a Buddhist. I can explain why I'm here though:

I've lived my whole live in the province of Ontario, Canada. I grew up in a very Anglican family, parts of which have become United, Pentecostal, Presbyterian over the years. It never quite all added up to me, and like most teenagers do, when I reached that age, I lost faith in it.

Since then I've identified myself as an Agnostic, and as far as divinity goes, I still do.

I've led a troubled life, resorting to poor choices to cope with it through all of my teenage years, and well into my late 20s. After a number of crossroad moments in my life over the past few years, I resolved to "clean up my act", and believed I succeeded quite well.

I still felt adrift. I went through the motions of my job, spending the long commute home thinking about death, the afterlife, god(s), life, the universe.

Recently, maybe a month or so ago, I was wandering around a bookstore with my husband and wandered into the religion aisle. I spent an hour there, opening various books, looking for something that made sense. I ended up with two: "The Tao of Pooh" by Benjamin Hoff, and "When The Chocolate Runs Out" by Lama Yeshe. I completely expected Hoff's book to be the one I enjoyed the most. But, rather than simply enjoying it, I FELT Lama Yeshe's book. It made sense to me. There it was, on paper, THIS is what I believed, THIS was what I was looking for.

I went back for more books. Basic Teachings Of The Buddha, The Dhammapada, The Noble Eightfold Path, The Meditator's Workbook, Quiet Mind, The Quantum And The Lotus, and Bringing Home the Dharma. I downloaded all of Bhikku Bodhi's lectures from Buddhanet and listened to them on my commute, and I'm patiently waiting for the arrival of the accompanying book to his Pali course. I registered for a secular mindfulness meditation workshop.

I've devoured loads of information of various forms of Buddhism and I've come to a sort of puzzle. There are no buddhist temples in my little town and the closest ones are a bit of a drive, and seem to be very distinct lineages and forms. As an introvert, I'm not sure I'm ready to jump into something like that with both feet, so I've been searching for an online sangha, hoping to meet and chat with buddhists, learn, discover, and understand more.

Which brings me to you. :D So, HI!

Re: Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:23 am
by retrofuturist
Greetings,

:hi:

Maitri,
Retro. :)

Re: Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 4:19 am
by DNS
:hi:

Welcome to Dharma Wheel!

:buddha1:

Re: Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 3:01 pm
by LightSeed
Thank you both for welcoming me here as well! :thanks:

Re: Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 4:21 pm
by DGA
Hi, Welcome to DharmaWheel!

Re: Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 9:38 pm
by LightSeed
Thank you Jikan!

Re: Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 6:05 am
by acarefreeman
Welcome home:-), LightSeed; and this home is our Dharma Wheel forum. But we do have the same home country, though:
I am from Toronto, and I am proud to have another Canadian to be here.

By the way, have you realized that one's own body is the best Buddhist temple of all? Once you realizes this, you have taken an
important step on your way to Enlightenment.

Best wishes,

~acarefreeman

Re: Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 4:43 pm
by LightSeed
That thought had never occurred to me, but it can only be true! Thank you!

I lived in Toronto for years, and I still commute there for work. :D So we're nearly neighbours.

Re: Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 12:18 am
by Qian Zheng Yi
Image
:hi:

Re: Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:38 am
by LightSeed
That's just lovely! Thank you!

Re: Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:33 am
by Dechen Norbu
Welcome aboard! :anjali:

Love the avatar, btw. Cute squirrel!

Re: Hi everyone, from Canada!

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:43 pm
by LightSeed
Thank you! And thank you! :D I thought he looked very contemplative.