Poll for Buddhists (& allies)

In My Humble Opinion
1

This is an offshoot of that huge thread that got moved to GD, and as such the categories have in part been inspired by some posts there (+ some things I’ve always been curious about, as a quasi-Buddhist thinker/seeker myself). Rather than blather on in there, I’ll post a poll here for the purpose of sparking discussion. I preface it by saying that I hope people don’t get too hung up on the wording of the categories.

NOTE: Anybody who votes must bubble in category one (so I have a means of tracking percentages). I didn’t put too many negative/binary choices (which would have been a bit too repetitive and space-consuming).

2

So, what would you like to talk about?

3

I’m only just beginning but I’m really feeling good about this. I’ve studied it a while and still consider myself a student, not a Buddhist, but living as a Buddhist, studying, been meditating for a month or so now. I’ve started teaching my little girl the basics (there’s a etextbook I use every day and we practice simple sitting meditation). So I guess I’m getting there. Surprises me though. I never saw myself as Buddhist until I learned the precepts.

4

http://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks_childrens.htm The link to a list of Buddhist stuff for kids in case anyone is interested.

5

Yeah, I was sitting on the poll all morning, adding categories as I thought of them, then a few things happened, and I had to be at work, and just barely got the poll in before I would have been late, before I could elaborate.

Just want to get some feedback from other adherents, a clearing house of sorts. In the other poll, some people (such as you, dear olive) identified themselves as Buddhists, but the way they approach it may be different than my path. I’m more of a Taoist/Buddhist/??? hybrid; Wu Wei is a very big thing with me, something I practice when interacting with my students, among other places. I meditate sporadically, but apply mindfulness to most everything I do (I can get myself into a very deep trance, almost on the edge of sleep but still conscious, but nothing spectacular has ever arisen). I have an ongoing dream motif involving a slowly encroaching ocean; I’m going to try to become lucid (as I’ve done before) and jump into the thing rather than inching away from it like my dream self typically does.

I’ve already described in other threads how I’ve overcome various psychological issues, starting with deep dark depression when I was a young adult. I’ve overcome many attachments, but some remain more stubbornly “stuck” than others.

Afterlife: I’ve read some of the Tibetan Book of the Dead-in parts it suggests that you incarnate once your desires eventually overwhelm you (and, as per the previous paragraph I can definitely see that, based on my own introspections). Note they really imply that such desires arise moment to moment.

I don’t consider myself an atheist, like some of you apparently do, but consider whatever It is as being ineffable, indefineable, beyond categorization, and thus ultimately fruitless as a discussion point.

I think I’ve seen karma in action: I may (emphasis on) have taught my grandfather last year, but eventually no smoking gun was forthcoming and I had to put the idea into the “intriguing but unproven” category (the boy in question said a lot of vague but curious things to me-he loves trains and my grandfather was a train engineer, but I never got any specific names or dates from him-he’d clam up when I asked him to clarify what he said. I didn’t go to my g-father’s funeral because his alcoholism upset me-he was constantly having my mom-his daughter-in-law-pick him up from bars.). Like I said not really attached to the idea. Not the only instance-perhaps you have karma with all of existence ultimately, not just specific people.

I don’t have any statues or prayer beads or such; perhaps I’m of the attitude of those who disdain all idolatry, tho it doesn’t offend me if other people do it.

Good enough? :cool:

6

I’ve just been doing it for a bit, now. A lot of the terms here are so fluid - yeah, I believe in karma in that I believe that actions have consequences, but I don’t believe in some magical force that weighs the scales.

7

I have the statues and books everywhere because as soon as I tell someone I’m interested in Buddhism they think I need another Buddha statue. It tickles me though, so it’s good. I definitely don’t use them for anything.

There is a video on Youtube with a rolling prayer wheel I used in the beginning to meditate .

8

I’ve been a Buddhist for 8 years now. Took me about a year to really confirm that was the path I wanted to go down. Have meditated off and on, at the moment am formally meditating at least semi-regularly. I’ve been to a handful of Zen temples but the group meditation thing doesn’t really work for me for some reason; it feels like group masturbation.

I try to practice ‘‘in vivo’’ mediation daily, bringing my conscious awareness to the present moment as often as possible. I find that I tolerate pain, boredom and uncomfortable situations better than I used to just as a result of becoming less attached to this idea of being pain-free.

Buddhism has been pretty crucial in helping me deal with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. The concept of impermanence is especially relevant here; I had ‘‘impermanent’’ tattooed on my left wrist in Sanskrit, and sometimes just seeing it can take me out of a dark place. I do have an altar set up in an obvious place in the home to goad me into meditating more. It seems to work.

I keep a lot of statues of Tibetan figures on my altar. I consider myself a Zen Buddhist but I love Tibetan artwork and culture. I adore the concept of the boddhisattva and consider that a role model for my life. I have a giant golden statue of Kwan Yin, the goddess of compassion. I don’t believe in Kwan Yin as a deity but I believe in Kwan Yin as a symbol of love and just her presence makes me feel more compassionate toward myself.

I don’t believe in God, don’t really believe there’s anything to my practice that mandates mysticism. It’s not mystical to me–in fact it’s the opposite of mystical. It’s the most practical, almost mundane thing. My meditation practice consists of just sitting there for 15 minutes and paying attention. I don’t try to control the experience, sometimes I get lost in thought or overwhelmed with emotion or whatever, I just try to pay attention. Whatever comes up I’m just like ‘‘This is it. Deal with it.’’ And because of Zen I have learned to do so.

I don’t remember which Zen teacher I got it from, but there’s a nice practice when you’re going through something to ask yourself, ‘‘What is this?’’ It’s not a question that can be answered with words. You have to directly experience it. That’s when you realize all feelings are physical sensations, that rise and fall and come and go and that’s what life is, an endlessly changing landscape.

A lot of this stuff dovetails very nicely with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, of which I am also a fan.

Wanted to add: I do consider myself ‘‘religious.’’ I feel something like faith or strong emotion toward my practice. Buddhism feels bigger than this concept of ‘‘me’’ and I find strength in it that might be compared to the strength one would find in a deity. Even the Dalai Lama has said that not all attachment is bad - it’s okay to love your religion. And I do. So it’s hard not to be a little offended when people tell me I’m not really a Buddhist since I don’t believe in literal reincarnation or whatever. But really I guess it doesn’t matter what others think.

9

I set up a little altar with a Buddha and some incense, because it helps me focus and put more into meditating because it feels “special” - it’s a cheat, in other words. I have the most ghetto-ass altar ever - it’s one of those little desktop Sterilite plastic drawer units with a scarf thrown over it. Perfect size to use with my seiza bench, cost me less than five bucks, holds incense and lighters.

10

I have a statue of Gautama Buddha. I forgot to include this in the poll.

11

This view seems really odd to me, it’s the polar opposite of my attitude… I feel more weird doing Zazen alone (I’m always afraid a room mate or a house guest will “walk in on me” and think “what is that weirdo doing”? :p)

Being in a group strengthens my sitting. There’s no way I could sit for 8 hours of meditation a day for several days unless I was in a context where everybody else was doing it too.

12

I didn’t click, “I believe in Karma.” But I do believe that you tend to reap what you sow, to borrow a phrase. I ascribe no supernatural qualities to it.

13

Six people have voted: “I’ve had at least one satori-like experience”

I would love to hear details if anyone wishes to share.

14

My selections with regard to “Karma” and “Oneness” are meaningless and subjective.

For example, I definitely believe that actions spawn immediate consequences and can sow long-term consequences (the chaos-theory butterfly effect applied to sociology, economics, etc). But I don’t believe that Karma is a literal quantifiable commodity that gets tallied, portioned, and banked. The OP pollster needs to first define Karma, then I’ll tell you whether or not I believe that a manifestation of that definition exists.

With Oneness it totally depends on how someone defines it. Every wave-particle in the Universe is all inclusive within that same universe, so the question is really meaningless. I am within that universe and experience the Oneness constantly. Why the hell even ask it? Islands in the stream, that is what we are, no one in between… ducks thrown rock

15

I think it depends on whether you’re talking about a typical sitting session or an actual meditation retreat. I’ve never done a formal retreat before, never even tried to meditate for 8 hours a day. The longest I’ve ever meditated is 2 hours and that included a break of walking meditation. I generally don’t meditate for more than 20 minutes at a time.

I’m more talking about the regular service at Zen temples - sit, ring a gong, meditate for 25 minutes, take tea, meditate a little more, and it’s over. My aversion to large groups of people might have something to do with it, but sitting in absolute silence like that with everyone is pretty maddening. Also, last time I went the whole thing was physically painful, since the master instructed me to sit a different way. Maybe someday I’ll get over it, but it just never has gone well for me.

16

Re: meditation

I’ve really only had success with moving meditation, such as kung fu / tai chi forms and exercises. Otherwise, sitting meditation creates restlessness and anxiousness in me, and is just generally unpleasant since I can never hit “the zone”. I’m a very wiggly, twiddly, pacing, fidgety can’t-sit-still person though, so I think my body needs to be fully pre-occupied with an activity before my mind can ever let go.

My last attempt several years ago in a yoga group found me, after about 15 minutes, looking about the room counting holes in the acoustic tiles while simultaneously trying to fold origami swans out of the leg cuffs of my yoga pants and trying to progressively individually wiggle each separate knuckle on my toes. I’d made it to the 3rd toe on my 2nd foot when I noticed the instructor shooting me an evil glance.

17

You know it will count the total votes for you, right? :dubious:

18

This made me giggle.

I’m actually pretty good at concentrating/absolute stillness when I’m meditating at home. Once while meditating solo at my MIL’s house her giant dog crashed into me and started licking my face and I didn’t even budge. For some reason doing the same thing while I’m around other people makes me feel like I’m trapped. I’m able to remain still, but every second becomes an eternity. I spend the entire time fighting the urge to shriek at the top of my lungs or do something disruptive.

I really think the problem is social anxiety-related, to be honest. My feelings are generally bordering on panic.

I suppose the Zen thing to do would be to show up anyway and fully experience the anxiety. But there’s this part of me that’s human and stuff, doesn’t like to feel anxious, would rather just meditate at home.

19

Yeah, I haven’t actually been to a service 'cause I’m scared of it. Which is the stupidest thing in the world, and I’m fully aware of that. It’s just that it’s hard to go and sign yourself up for two and a half hours of feeling like an idiot, is all. Even though, obviously, pretty much everybody there is an adult convert.

20

All fair questions. All I can say, from what I’ve read & gathered, is that such terms can ultimately only function as fingers pointing the way, maps, models, but they aren’t the Territory. I thus, as I said in the OP (which I admitted should have
not been so brief) leave the ultimate definition of such concepts up to the voter, and am perfectly happy with the various ways that people have outlined what they think “karma” is, for example.

No, I did not (thus I am the really not bright one)… :smack: