Namaste!
I am not exactly sure what to say, really. I guess I'll just tell you why I registered with this forum.
In December 2003, I had a kind of "spiritual awakening," which changed my life completely. Before it, I wasn't consciously a spiritual person and did not think about spiritual life at all. After it, my life was completely about the path. But because I had never previously considered spiritual matters before, I was like a newborn, and I was rather naive.
After it happened, I basically would read everything and anything that smelled slightly of spiritual literature. A few months later, I found advertisements for free meditation. This led me to a BKWSU centre in London, and I eventually was going at a very regular basis, moving through the courses. I was really enthusiastic there, due to my awakening. I was actually sharing my insights and talking to the teachers there, and even they sort of looked at me as if I was a nut.
Anyway, I eventually pulled out and away from them, probably just in time, as I was becoming quite involved and it did not feel right. For a while, they had been telling me about their philosophy, the endless cycle and the descension of God into Dadi Janki and that other woman (I cannot remember her name), showing me videos and so on. I was starting to accept all this and I was starting to think in a way that they wanted me to, but I suddenly snapped out of that (with help from my mother), rejected it all and would not set foot in their centre again.
It's been a long while since then. I am now a strong believer that there are as many paths as there are people, and that there is no one set, right path that leaves all others as wrong paths. I am really interested in the Buddha's teachings, but I am interested in many teachings from any religions.
Due to my experience with the BKWSU and some other experiences since then, I have thought a lot over the years about what the signs of a good, true and selfless teacher/organisation are and what the signs of a ill-motivated teacher/organisation are. I've been thinking lately about writing a book to do with how to see the signs of good teachers and how to look out for negative ones. It's something I feel very passionate about. It wasn't just brought about by my involvement with the BKWSU, it's also inspired by my investigation and mild involvement with people from ISKON (Krishna Consciousness org), by hearing a lot about my dear friend's life being split apart by an ill-motivated spiritual teacher who claimed to channel Christ, and by my recent interest in the activities of the Scientology cult (which I believe is the most dangerous cult in the world today - http://www.youfoundthecard.com).
My inspiration doesn't end with that list. I've spent a lot of time thinking about all kinds of teachers from different traditions that I have somehow come in contact with. The Buddha helped me very much to discover the markings of a good teacher, as I see him as someone who is utterly safe, someone who never made any demands or claims of authority, as well as Buddhist teachers and communities to this day who give me such a feeling of safety, respect and humbleness.
I have a drive to devote my life to the spiritual life, to insight, and, if I can, to helping others to have insight. Hopefully I don't sound arrogant there, but I find that I cannot word my feelings without sounding that way. I am trying to align my life so that I can really practise deeply, to let go of my negative habits and so on, for my sake and for everyone's. If it all works out, then I hope I can write that book!
So, hello!
~Adam
I am not exactly sure what to say, really. I guess I'll just tell you why I registered with this forum.
In December 2003, I had a kind of "spiritual awakening," which changed my life completely. Before it, I wasn't consciously a spiritual person and did not think about spiritual life at all. After it, my life was completely about the path. But because I had never previously considered spiritual matters before, I was like a newborn, and I was rather naive.
After it happened, I basically would read everything and anything that smelled slightly of spiritual literature. A few months later, I found advertisements for free meditation. This led me to a BKWSU centre in London, and I eventually was going at a very regular basis, moving through the courses. I was really enthusiastic there, due to my awakening. I was actually sharing my insights and talking to the teachers there, and even they sort of looked at me as if I was a nut.
Anyway, I eventually pulled out and away from them, probably just in time, as I was becoming quite involved and it did not feel right. For a while, they had been telling me about their philosophy, the endless cycle and the descension of God into Dadi Janki and that other woman (I cannot remember her name), showing me videos and so on. I was starting to accept all this and I was starting to think in a way that they wanted me to, but I suddenly snapped out of that (with help from my mother), rejected it all and would not set foot in their centre again.
It's been a long while since then. I am now a strong believer that there are as many paths as there are people, and that there is no one set, right path that leaves all others as wrong paths. I am really interested in the Buddha's teachings, but I am interested in many teachings from any religions.
Due to my experience with the BKWSU and some other experiences since then, I have thought a lot over the years about what the signs of a good, true and selfless teacher/organisation are and what the signs of a ill-motivated teacher/organisation are. I've been thinking lately about writing a book to do with how to see the signs of good teachers and how to look out for negative ones. It's something I feel very passionate about. It wasn't just brought about by my involvement with the BKWSU, it's also inspired by my investigation and mild involvement with people from ISKON (Krishna Consciousness org), by hearing a lot about my dear friend's life being split apart by an ill-motivated spiritual teacher who claimed to channel Christ, and by my recent interest in the activities of the Scientology cult (which I believe is the most dangerous cult in the world today - http://www.youfoundthecard.com).
My inspiration doesn't end with that list. I've spent a lot of time thinking about all kinds of teachers from different traditions that I have somehow come in contact with. The Buddha helped me very much to discover the markings of a good teacher, as I see him as someone who is utterly safe, someone who never made any demands or claims of authority, as well as Buddhist teachers and communities to this day who give me such a feeling of safety, respect and humbleness.
I have a drive to devote my life to the spiritual life, to insight, and, if I can, to helping others to have insight. Hopefully I don't sound arrogant there, but I find that I cannot word my feelings without sounding that way. I am trying to align my life so that I can really practise deeply, to let go of my negative habits and so on, for my sake and for everyone's. If it all works out, then I hope I can write that book!
So, hello!
~Adam