join a sangha

Have really struggled to find a spiritual path that feels right to me. I’ve found that Buddhism is the only one I have any interest in, right up until the dogma of every other religion chimes in. Chant now, bow now, turn in circles. I’d like to find a sangha that upholds the pillars and 3 jewels but doesn’t harp on the man made rules. Isn’t it all about being a better person, making the world a better place, helping other people? I’m fairly well read on the philosphy of it all and went to a weekend mediatation retreat with one of my favorite writers last year. When he started talking about ghostly hell realms I wanted to run for cover.

Joined a sangha in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese peace activist and monk). Found the group simply by googling one day. Then started going every Sunday night. 2 hour sit. That was a year ago. I joined because I’d been meditating on my own for many years, and while I was getting benefits, I wasn’t getting the ones that come from being part of a community (which I wasn’t so interested in). One of which is humility. It requires humility for me to do something in front of people that I’m not really good at, or don’t know a lot about. This might seem funny to say re meditating but it’s the reason I don’t do a lot of things I want to do. I also don’t really call myself a Buddhist and didn’t know if I could sit with a sangha if I felt that way (but it turns out that’s o.k.) I also had read a passage about people who meditate to escape, or get away from the world (that was me) but, Thich Nhat Hanh says, that meditation is actually about becoming more a part of the world. I believed that, just didn’t think I could do it. I just show up, try not to take it too seriously, allow myself to be a beginner and that seems to work!