Hello. My name is Barbara Devaney and am going by Bjean as Barbara, for a screen name, was already used. I live in San francisco and have been connected to the monestary since 1997 and feel a deep resonance with the Teravadan teachings of buddhism. My meditation practice beagn when I was 17 years old while I was in high school. I took a death and dying course and part of the curriculum was learning how to meditate. My whole being said YES! Living the 5 precepts is mostly a natural way of living for me with the exception of right speech...a challenging precept and perhaps this forum will remind me to be more mindful of such. Well, I look forward to reading and responding with you. Bjean
Hello, friends,
My name is Jean. My husband Carl and I live in Yuma, AZ. We were introduced to Abhayagiri a few years ago by our oldest son Whit, who was living in Berkeley. Now he lives at Abhayagiri as an anagarika, so we feel a very special connection with the monastery these days. It is a great joy for us that Whit has the opportunity to ordain as a Buddhist monk here in the U.S., especially since we can visit him on occasion We have two other grown children, a son who is married & living in Seattle and a daughter who lives in SF & plans to get married in May.
We have been meditating about 15 years with the last ten in the Theravadan tradition. We have a small sitting group here in Yuma that we began two years ago and are very grateful for since we do not have a monastery close by. We try to do a retreat or two a year as well as visit Abhayagiri now and then. I look forward to sharing on this forum as a support for my practice and a further connection with Abhayagiri. Peace, Jean
My name is Juan. I’m 33 and I live in Sonoma, CA with my wife and two young children. I’ve been practicing Buddhism for a few years and have visited Abhayagiri a few times to date. Not nearly as much as I’d like to, though. If anyone in the area wants to go for a visit after the winter retreat, I just might be up to it :-).
My interest in Buddhism started and continues to be with Ajahn Chah, but I’ve also listened to Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind many times. I like the part about a practitioner’s life being one long train of mistakes, one after the other. That about sums it up for me :-). But on the positive side, I once felt like a tree grown askew by the wind, but Buddhism has straightened me. It’s my foundation and truly a marvelous thing. Where there was once misanthropy, I now find the four brahmaviharas. What a relief and, still, just the beginning.
Sure I remember you! It was my pleasure to meet you during a retreat at Amaravati—must have been three or four years ago, anyway. Your son was just about to go to Abhayagiri to be an anagarika. Glad to have an upasaka join us from across the pond.
But there’s no need to bore others with our reminiscing. If you want to send me a message outside the forum, click on “Member List” at the top of this page. All the members are listed there with buttons for sending an email to them. Use the sorting fields and the search facility at the bottom of the page, in case you don’t see my name right away.
My name is Laura. I live in Portland, Oregon. I am a member of the Portland Insight Meditation Community. I have also visited Friends of the Dhamma quite a few times.
A little about myself: I am 41 years old, married, with two daughters aged 9 and 11. I work as a family physician in Portland. I began Buddhist practice in 2001. I was living in Illinois at the time, practicing with a group with Theravadan and Tibetan traditions. The Theravadan practice appealed to me right from the start. I enjoy the scientist aspect of this practice. I can stand back and ask, “Will this action cause more suffering, or less?” Sometimes it’s clear to see. Other times, it’s try and see--Ehi passeko. This method hasn’t let me down!
Since moving to Portland in 2003, it’s been great to practice with such noble friends at PIMC and Friends of the Dhamma. I especially like to hear the monastics, when they visit. I would love to spend more time learning with monastics. However, the distance from Abhayagiri and my family obligations make that hard to do. So for now, I must be content to wait for them to visit here. Meanwhile, I hope this forum will generate good discussion. I must admit, it can be a little intimidating to read posts which use a lot of Pali terms without elaboration. I am capable of looking up terms, of course. But please bear with me if I chime in and ask for clarification now and again.
I am also interested to discuss Dhamma questions on householder life, particularly on raising children. I co-teach the PIMC children’s Dhamma program. There’s not much out there on the Theravadan tradition. I might bring some questions on this topic once in awhile.
I’m glad to be part of this community.
Best Wishes,
Laura
Hello!
My name is Tony Halter and I live in England. I was delighted to read of this forum in an email and hope that I bit of water between us does not disqualify me from participating: I rather like the idea of a global sangha! (I have received the general Abhayagiri emails for ages as my son, Sam, was an an anagarika there a few years back).
I have been involved with Chithurst , the Forest Sangha monastery in West Sussex, England since the sangha moved there in 1979. My wife Kathy and I live on the coast about 20 miles from Chithurst now but for years lived on their doorstep, or at least in the nearest village. Our three children have grown up as part of a family of lay supporters - I’m proud of that.
I do a couple of retreats each year at Amaravati ( which is the main U.K. Ajahn Sumedho monastery) - I wonder if you remember me Dorothy, we have met there?- and take part in a weekly Forest Sangha group in our nearest city, Chichester which discusses, after a some chanting and a meditation session, aspects of practice.
I like to sit every day, sorry if that sounds smug, and overall I am very much into practice, Buddhism, keeping the 5 precepts, getting liberated and being less grumpy.
Not sure what else to tell you. I’m 54, work as a social work manager in child care, dealing with therapy and child protection. I like running, yoga and travel. Beginning to sound like a dating agency, so think I’ll stop there.
I’ve got a number of ideas about threads for the forum but will see how it develops. I like to explore “what works in practice “ particularly for lay people so might pitch in there if it seems right.
With best wishes to this new forum and lots of metta to you all,
Tony.
Welcome to all the new folks. It’s a pleasure to read your introductions. I look forward to getting some topics going as well. Though I haven’t settled on any particular topic yet, I’m getting close. And I invite any of you, if you have a particular thread you’d like to share and converse about, to begin a topic yourself.
Bob, it was a delight to see your post this morning as it came while I was meditating. How lovely to know that someone I’ve never met had joined this emerging community and was typing away a message of greeting while I was upstairs in meditaiton. It is a sweet way to begin my day, thank you very much.
I am grateful for this forum and would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Ajahn Sudanto for all his support in getting this together, up and running and his offer of continued help along the way.
Bob - 18 January 2007 06:47 AM
My name is Bob. I have studied Buddhism for years, and everyday it almost feels like it is my first day of study. The New Year reminded me how fast time goes by. I have a new increased desire to be serious about my practice and my physical health.
I work and live in Marin, but this Spring and Summer I will be cutting back on my work schedule this year and will be taking long weekend retreats off in Garberville area and hope to find a community to sit with in that area.
I look forward to learning from you all, getting to know who is who and growing within my practice and becoming more and more of a serious student.
My name is Bob. I have studied Buddhism for years, and everyday it almost feels like it is my first day of study. The New Year reminded me how fast time goes by. I have a new increased desire to be serious about my practice and my physical health.
I work and live in Marin, but this Spring and Summer I will be cutting back on my work schedule this year and will be taking long weekend retreats off in Garberville area and hope to find a community to sit with in that area.
I look forward to learning from you all, getting to know who is who and growing within my practice and becoming more and more of a serious student.
Hi. I’m feeling a bit shy as my Dad’s computer crashed and it wasn’t fully backed up. I’m Antony from Sydney, Australia. On some forums I have given myself the name “dhammapal” to remind myself to be friendly and compassionate, although it is embarrassing in a chatroom.
I became a Buddhist in 1993 at age 22 after a 2 year spiritual search, when I read Ajahn Sumedho’s “Four Noble Truths”. Initial attractions to Theravada Buddhism included that I wouldn’t have to spend much money and wouldn’t need to get a girlfriend.
I have suffered (and caused) a lot of dukkha over the years and am finally getting better and finding forgiveness.
Over the last year my main inspiration has been the teachings of Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Right now I am inspired by Ajahn Amaro’s audio Dhamma Talk “The Eight Worldly Winds”. I look forward to starting a thread about that.
I look forward to participating in this community.
Hello everyone, my name is Paul, and I am a member of the group of Upasikas who live in Portland, Oregon and meditate at Friends of the Dhamma. I began meditating in May, 2003 with Rodney Smith at Seattle Insight Meditation Society. I moved to Portland in fall of 2004 and began to sit with Portland Insight Meditation Community. I subsequently found Friends of the Dhamma in the summer of 2005, and I greatly enjoyed the closeness of the group. I am 26 years old, and am in graduate school earning a PhD in microbiology. I love the Buddha’s message, and right now I am learning how to appreciate simplicity . . .
Pleased to make your aquaintence. Interesting coincidence - how many of us share upbringing in the Catholic Church; I left that
institution after my ‘Confirmation’ and during the Viet Nam war - after disagreeing with our local priest (memories).
Also as a geology major (now a father of two, fifty years of age) I purchased poetry of Gary Snyder - loved the Beats, backpacking, geology, and
his writing - another input for me of Buddhism, which I now see abundantly connected to ALL. Then, my naive mind only saw environmental expoitation, not my love of Earth - so I veered, no Geology degree, moved over to City Planning. Used to work in Space Planning at OHSU, though now on disability (car crash): and just started a Buddhist library http://www.portlandinsight.org/library and I am a docent at Portland’s Japanese Garden http://www.japanesegarden.com
I too experience the benefits of freedom from suffering, being with things as they are, and bouyancy of delight in this ever deepening practice.
Wishing you all the best in your practice.
Metta,
HadW
mtravis - 16 January 2007 07:51 PM
HI,
I’m Mark Travis. Through a long and winding path of events and things of influence, I find myself here. I was raised in Omaha, NE (a very catholic town) and went to Catholic school through high school. I went to UW in Laramie, WY for a degree in geology and obtained said degree. I now work as a geologic consultant for the gold mining industry in Elko, NV.
I’ve been interested in the Buddhist path probably for longer than I could place a date on it. I do, however, remember my introduction to meditation. It was a wonderful experience. But it wasn’t until much later after much pain and grief did I finally awaken to the truths that Ihad been stockpiling in my head and realize the true nature in things. Until that point in my life I wasn’t truly alive.
This past Fall is when I finally called for refuge and became buddhist. I picked up an anthology on the Pali canon discourses, and through several other paths found myself to this website. So, greatings to all, and thanks for this opportunity toshare a bit about myself.
I’m looking forward to sharing cyberspace with this community of upasikas. It’s great to be with others who feel a commitment to Theravada practice.
My Buddhist path began about thirty years ago, when I was trying to answer the question, “What’s worth doing?” I started practicing with Tibetan Buddhists, and moved to lay Vipassana teachers in search of a simpler practice. Then, around 1990, my son (who’s now a monk) introduced me to the Western monks and nuns in the lineage of Ajahn Chah. Since then, they’ve been my primary teachers and my spiritual friends.
I’m fortunate to live in Massachusetts, where the Insight Meditation Society invites the Sangha from Abhayagiri, Amaravati, and Cittaviveka to give a yearly retreat. This means that our small group of supporters in the Boston area are able to host monks and/or nuns each year and to organize small gatherings where we can share the presence of the monastics with others. Our group is called Buddhaparisa, and our longstanding Dhamma friendships are invaluable to me.
I’m now in my 60’s and retired from gainful employment, so I have more time to devote to Buddhist cultivation. But I see from my own experience that just having more time doesn’t directly translate to a transformed, Dhamma-centered lifestyle. Old habits die hard. I hope to learn from everyone who comes to this forum, and I look forward to walking with you on a path that we’ve all come to love.
In 1994 in a college class titled “Death and Dying,” I read a book by Philip Kaplau and found Buddhist meditation. I’ve been hooked ever since. My root teacher was in the Soto Zen lineage and in 1996 I received the 16 Great Bodhisattva Precepts (the Three Refuges, the Three Pure Precepts, and the Ten Grave Precepts). Since 2003, I have been studying with Tenshin Reb Anderson Roshi at San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC). With the blessing of my teacher, I have begun to search for a lay training program because unfortunately SFZC doesn’t currently offer one. And this search has led me to Abhayagiri and to join this forum.
I moved to Northern California in October, Comptche to be exact. So, I am close to Abhayagiri, the meditation group in Ukiah and the meditation group in Mendocino/Fort Bragg. I look forward to meeting some of you in person and others in cyberspace.
With loving-kindness and gratitude,
Jennifer McMullen
My name is Kris and I’m in Pensacola, FL. I always had an interest in Buddhism, but it wasn’t until I stumbled upon the teachings of Ajahn Chah about five years ago that this path began to come into focus. At the time I had no idea of who he was and knew next to nothing about Theravada. But something had been awakened that would forever change the course of my life.
After a year or so of practicing and studying alone, I began to seek out others in my area with similar leanings. Much easier said than done. Whatever small Buddhist presence exists in and around Pensacola is very difficult to find. What to do? I went with the “if you build it they will come” strategy. Many times over the years I’ve told myself that the idea of starting a practice group here was surely just the foolishness of a naïve and perhaps overly enthusiastic beginner. But… after three years or so of false starts and abrupt stops, many bouts of nerves and uncertainty, we have three members! Patience is a wonderful thing.
I hope to learn from those here who are much more experienced than I am, both in practice and in helping to make the Dhamma available for others.
I’m Mark Travis. Through a long and winding path of events and things of influence, I find myself here. I was raised in Omaha, NE (a very catholic town) and went to Catholic school through high school. I went to UW in Laramie, WY for a degree in geology and obtained said degree. I now work as a geologic consultant for the gold mining industry in Elko, NV.
I’ve been interested in the Buddhist path probably for longer than I could place a date on it. I do, however, remember my introduction to meditation. It was a wonderful experience. But it wasn’t until much later after much pain and grief did I finally awaken to the truths that Ihad been stockpiling in my head and realize the true nature in things. Until that point in my life I wasn’t truly alive.
This past Fall is when I finally called for refuge and became buddhist. I picked up an anthology on the Pali canon discourses, and through several other paths found myself to this website. So, greatings to all, and thanks for this opportunity toshare a bit about myself.
We have two other grown children, a son who is married & living in Seattle and a daughter who lives in SF & plans to get married in May.
