Dear Collie

I was sent to Sunday school until my early teens so like many I had a christian background, but struggled with aspects such as going to hell for eternity or that you could be mean & hurtful all your life and then do a deathbed conversion & end up in heaven for eternity plus you were told not to do things (10 commandments) but not how to overcome emotions & hormones etc.

In my early 30’s I took stock of my life & wrote a note about how I would like to live my life ie may I walk gently upon this earth. If I have a choice between doing something positive or negative may I choose the positive action etc. May I treat all people like family.  A couple of years later I came across a book on Buddhism at our local library and as I read it things started to fall into place and I thought now I know what I am ( aspire to be).  many years later my family realised that it wasn’t a fad with me. My mum said that when I was small I met some tibetan monks and I was fascinated by them so she was not surprised at my interest. My youngest son completed a sentence for me “Now you are 18 I can “….. “go to the monastery”. In 2009 I formally took refuge in the buddha, dharma & sangha.

I would say that buddhism pervades all aspects of my life, it is a frame work and support thru which I navigate the journey of this and hopefully all my future lives.

I find  & look for the dharma in other philosophies , religions and people.

I love Thich Nat Han’s Golden rules as they are so positive & thought provoking.

May I keep sentient beings safe

May I be mild of thought, speech & manner

May everything I need be given to me freely

May I have integrity in all my relationships

May I keep my judgement clear.

I would say here in the west it is much more easier to be buddhist now. Many people have said to me ” If I had to choose a religion then it would be buddhism” The only discrimination i have been subjected to is been by a couple of persons in the church of my childhood!

Where I live we do not have party politics but if I lived elsewhere I would vote for the Green Party as I feel the environment is much sidelined in favour of short term financial gains.

I think the pandemic gave many people the time to see a different way of living and the chance to rethink their priorities.

Mindfullness/ Meditation is now mainstream, but without teachings, study & then  contemplating them & along with conscious ethical conduct it has little longterm value  ( here I am talking about future lives as much as the present one).

i wish you all the best with your course

Roberta