Sunday, August 29, 2010

Changes

So why did I take a 2 year hiatus from this blog I was just starting? I don't know. Seriously. I'm not a great writer but I do feel like i have some things to share so I am going to start again. So how about a little history of the last 2 years.

I think it is true that Buddhism seems to draw people in who have looked elsewhere and found it lacking. For me I was first faced with the failure of my marriage. My wife surprised me by basically saying we were done. Or that is how I remember it. It's always different depending on the eyes that see a situation or the mouth that speaks of it. I picked up a book called When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice For Difficult Times by Pema Chödrön while looking for books on Soka Gakkai. I was hooked. It then took 2 years for my marriage to actually fall apart completely, which is where I find myself now. But this blog is only related to that, not about it so the best said directly the better. :-p

I have been self exploring Buddhism ever since. Yes I am aware that it is a hard and even treacherous path to tread alone. And I can't say that it has been easy for me. Soka Gakkai seemed so political. Pema Chödrön really inspired me but honestly Shambhala seems like a great place to find literature but between the organization itself, and all the "experts" who surround it, the obvious vast amounts of money that circulate make me leery. Oh, I am sure they are mostly good people and they have good intentions but it just worried me a little too much.

Lately I have been reading more of Noah Levine's writings, which resonate more with me than anything. Of course I am not one of the lucky ones who lives near enough to an official center to attend sessions etc but the reading is great. On a side note if you know of a group near Frederick, MD feel free to drop me a line. The DC meetings are too far.

So here I am, still on the path, still "budding" and not blooming. But maybe sharing a little as I move ahead will help me and you.

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