Hello from Paris, France.

[Anistar]

Hello everyone,

I have decided to take refuge, at the moment it is just privately and my pratice is solitary but I hope to find a physical place to pratice and take refuge soon.

I have long been called to the buddist path, but I have never been willing to commit to the 5th precept of no alochol. I am very attached to the delusion of happy contentment it brings me.

But now, for the sake of all the suffering and struggles of my past and future lives I commit to this path, so that at least I can build upon the good karma that my past selves had given me to help my future selves.

I am a mother of three and a stay at home mum and I find that being a mother and a wife is so difficult. My husband brings up a million resentments (from socks on the ground to leaving empty milk containers in the fridge). My children test my patience and pull me constantly out of the present mindfulness.

I long for a nunnery, but I know that here in this enviroment surrounded by those that you that drive me crazy, I have the chance to build my strenght of mindfulness up the most.

Love and laughter to you all
Jay

[Dechen Norbu]

You don't have to take all the precepts in all schools.
You can take refuge and still have a drink. That's not a problem.
Still, it's better for your health if you don't get drunk.

Welcome, by the way.

[deepbluehum]

Bonjour Jay,

It's better to be stuck in the mud. No mud, no lotus.

DBH

P.S. Wine's fine when drunk at the right time.

[lobster]

I long for a nunnery

Hi Jay,

Me too.
I hope to become a None at some future date.
On one of my shrines (not uncommon for us dakinis) I had a beer, in case any of the deities required
a drink. The Buddha can manifest as a bottle of wine for us to avoid or sanctify.
Who is it that said 'this is my blood'? Some deity or other . . .

Where do you think the charnel grounds and places of power reside?
That is right, as you say, amongst the husbands and children and our
whines . . .

[David N. Snyder]

Welcome to Dharma Wheel!

[Anistar]

Thank you everyone for your warm hellos!

When I drink wine, I have to step off the spiritual path. My thoughts will be (more) clouded, my feelings will be based on an intoxicant, my actions will be slowed by the drink. I can not guarantee that I will not act heedlessly.

I truely devote my life from this moment forth on helping all beings find enlightenment. I don't feel I can step off my path for a drink. What if that was my last moment, spent clouded instead of in clarity?

I know it is not wrong to drink, but I am addicted to wine, I can not only have one glass, I have to have the entire bottle. Not everynight, but everytime I decide to have a drink it has to be the entire bottle, and that is not the middle way.

Giving up wine, to me, is truely saying yes to enlightenment. I still crave wine, the sense of easy contentment, the quite of the mind it gives me. But I know within buddhism I can find a true and real contentment and quite of mind that comes from within me, instead of one built on an intoxicant.

I know this is a personal cross for me to bare and that wine is not a negative thing and it certainly has its place on the middleway.

But only when you control it, it doesn't control you.

Jay

[lobster]

but I am addicted to wine

Well said. You have confessed and acknowledged a source of suffering.
You have made a commitment.
You really are at the heart of Buddhism

[waimengwan]

Welcome Anistar.

My teacher tells me if you know the problem, why don't you fix it .

There great about tibetan buddhism is they always advise you to start exactly from where you are

[JKhedrup]

Dear Anistar,
Fortunately in Paris you have many options in terms of dharma centres. If finding a centre is what you want I am sure with a little bit of time and a sense of adventure you will eventually find your dharma "home".

[Sönam]

Hi Jay,

A warm welcome from France, recently near Paris, just moved to Ardèche ... if you need information regarding Paris, center and so on, do not hesitate to PM me.

Sönam

[Anistar]

Thanks everyone for the further warm welcomes.
I was lucky enough to take refuge with Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche a week ago during a two day retreat that was dedicated to understanding the refuge.
Taking one day at a time and really excited to see where this journey takes me.

Kindest regards
Jay

[lobster]

Taking one day at a time and really excited to see where this journey takes me.

Jay

You make me happy for you

[Sara H]

Bonjour Jay,

and welcome!

In Gassho,

Sara H