What made me to look into Buddhism

[ThatMan]

I was into Buddhism some time ago and now I am back to it, my wish to find that inner peace that stays day and night is pushing me even further.I always identified myself with Siddhartha Guatama and I've been trying to reach that stable ground, that middle path, for years, but I don't think that reaching this point is the end, but mearly the beginning, from this point on one can reach higher things.

It all started when I became aware that I am the slave of my emotions and that my emotions are triggered by external factors, things that I can't control.How can you not be angry when the situation ( the external thing ) is making you angry? Why can't I decide simply to not be angry? Why am I happy just in certain situations, why can't I be happy all the time without the need of an external factor? This is what I call the "carrousel of emotions", you are up then down, up then down, and somtimes neither up, neither down, but somewhere in the middle, but only for a certain time.Have you ever wake up feeling peaceful and remaining in that state for the whole day or even more? Then, you know, that peace goes away, this is still part of the ride in the "carrousel of emotions"; you have no real control.Well, I desire that peace that stays no matter what.The funny thing is that when I was around 5-7 years old, I noticed this thing, that I call the "carrousel of emotions" at the adults around me, I said to myself that I will never be this way and here I am.

Of course, this new awareness of mine is the result of hours of meditation,probabily the best thing that I discovered in this search for peace.

I am trying to reach that inner state where my being is not aymore affected by external factors, where I have fully control over what I feel and how I react., in simple terms, I want to achieve a state of full inner peace that will never go away.

I know that the "answers" can be found while in deep meditation for a prolonged period of time... I tried too many things from the external world and nothing worked, I have no desire in temporary peace, temporary happiness and so on; it's time to look within more than ever before.

Only one thing I want, peace that lasts forever.

What about you?

[sky]

Originally Posted by ThatMan

I was into Buddhism some time ago and now I am back to it, my wish to find that inner peace that stays day and night is pushing me even further.I always identified myself with Siddhartha Guatama and I've been trying to reach that stable ground, that middle path, for years, but I don't think that reaching this point is the end, but mearly the beginning, from this point on one can reach higher things.

It all started when I became aware that I am the slave of my emotions and that my emotions are triggered by external factors, things that I can't control.How can you not be angry when the situation ( the external thing ) is making you angry? Why can't I decide simply to not be angry? Why am I happy just in certain situations, why can't I be happy all the time without the need of an external factor? This is what I call the "carrousel of emotions", you are up then down, up then down, and somtimes neither up, neither down, but somewhere in the middle, but only for a certain time.Have you ever wake up feeling peaceful and remaining in that state for the whole day or even more? Then, you know, that peace goes away, this is still part of the ride in the "carrousel of emotions"; you have no real control.Well, I desire that peace that stays no matter what.The funny thing is that when I was around 5-7 years old, I noticed this thing, that I call the "carrousel of emotions" at the adults around me, I said to myself that I will never be this way and here I am.

Of course, this new awareness of mine is the result of hours of meditation,probabily the best thing that I discovered in this search for peace.

I am trying to reach that inner state where my being is not aymore affected by external factors, where I have fully control over what I feel and how I react., in simple terms, I want to achieve a state of full inner peace that will never go away.

I know that the "answers" can be found while in deep meditation for a prolonged period of time... I tried too many things from the external world and nothing worked, I have no desire in temporary peace, temporary happiness and so on; it's time to look within more than ever before.

Only one thing I want, peace that lasts forever.

What about you?

What is ' inner peace ' to you TM?

[ThatMan]

Originally Posted by sky123

What is ' inner peace ' to you TM?

A state of deep serenity.... mental calmness... Buddha achieved this state, to me this is the true happiness, inner peace.

What about you?

[sky]

Originally Posted by ThatMan

A state of deep serenity.... mental calmness... Buddha achieved this state, to me this is the true happiness, inner peace.

What about you?

Being content regardless of external happenings, maintaining a sense of inner calm.
I don't think peace of mind is the absence of conflict in our lives , but the ability to cope with it and to know you can control the way you react even though you can't control what life throws at you.

[ThatMan]

Originally Posted by sky123

Being content regardless of external happenings, maintaining a sense of inner calm.
I don't think peace of mind is the absence of conflict in our lives , but the ability to cope with it and to know you can control the way you react even though you can't control what life throws at you.

This is a good advice but we both know that things like this are very hard to put into practice.Buddha tried 6 years ( if I am right ) all sorts of things but when nothing worked, he did one last thing, he entered a deep meditative state with a goal in mind.You know, people say, when you meditate don't plan, just go with the flow, but from my own experience, amazing things happen if you meditate having a goal in the back of your mind.

My plan is to try what Buddha did, deep meditation for a prolonged period of time, you know, fully giving in.I tried so many things and I've made some progress but not enough.

Do you experience this serenity all the time or just some times? I only experience it very rarely... in the rest of the time I feel a state of extreme agitation ( it's like I am doing something very stressing all the time ), it's like torture, maybe I have a health problem...

[sky]

Originally Posted by ThatMan

This is a good advice but we both know that things like this are very hard to put into practice.Buddha tried 6 years ( if I am right ) all sorts of things but when nothing worked, he did one last thing, he entered a deep meditative state with a goal in mind.You know, people say, when you meditate don't plan, just go with the flow, but from my own experience, amazing things happen if you meditate having a goal in the back of your mind.

My plan is to try what Buddha did, deep meditation for a prolonged period of time, you know, fully giving in.I tried so many things and I've made some progress but not enough.

Do you experience this serenity all the time or just some times? I only experience it very rarely... in the rest of the time I feel a state of extreme agitation ( it's like I am doing something very stressing all the time ), it's like torture, maybe I have a health problem...

I thankfully don't suffer from stress, I have had times in my life and still do when I could easily resort to feeling agitated but through experience I have realized that getting stressed out and agitated makes situations even worse than what they really are.

My Motto is ' Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change '

I'm not medically qualified to say your agitation is a health problem but there are illnesses that can make you feel like that so maybe a talk with your Doctor will put your mind at rest...

I feel calm most of the time but not always, things change and you have to go with the flow and keep trying.

[ThatMan]

Originally Posted by sky123

I thankfully don't suffer from stress, I have had times in my life and still do when I could easily resort to feeling agitated but through experience I have realized that getting stressed out and agitated makes situations even worse than what they really are.

My Motto is ' Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change '

I'm not medically qualified to say your agitation is a health problem but there are illnesses that can make you feel like that so maybe a talk with your Doctor will put your mind at rest...

I feel calm most of the time but not always, things change and you have to go with the flow and keep trying.

You are right in that matter.To have such an attitude over life shows that you experienced many things and you've learnt from them.I know that to be able to learn from my life experiences I had to repeat them for several times.. in order for me to want change more than repeating the experience again.

It may be that I have a health problem, I am a very calm person,but the agitation that I feel, well, I have no idea from where it comes... I do what I love for living, I work at any time I want, no stress, I live close to nature, near some of the most beautiful mountains in the whole world...

I wish I could talk with Buddha or with Jesus, they had that peace that I am searching for... I can feel it in their words, that peace that transcends everything...

Sky, have you noticed that when you watch a movie that you like, you forget that it's actually a movie and you "get caught in it and by it"? This is how I see life, like a movie that caught all our attention, but when there's just a tiny drop of awareness that it's just a movie, well, that's when that deep serenity come in... Buddha achieved this state of deep serenity day and night, he understood the true nature of things and then nothing could ever shake that inner peace that he achieved.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by ThatMan

I was into Buddhism some time ago and now I am back to it, my wish to find that inner peace that stays day and night is pushing me even further.

I got involved with Buddhism because my wife and daughter
are Buddhist.

The Temple that I generally go to is the Temple of the Dawn.

[sky]

Originally Posted by ThatMan

You are right in that matter.To have such an attitude over life shows that you experienced many things and you've learnt from them.I know that to be able to learn from my life experiences I had to repeat them for several times.. in order for me to want change more than repeating the experience again.

It may be that I have a health problem, I am a very calm person,but the agitation that I feel, well, I have no idea from where it comes... I do what I love for living, I work at any time I want, no stress, I live close to nature, near some of the most beautiful mountains in the whole world...

I wish I could talk with Buddha or with Jesus, they had that peace that I am searching for... I can feel it in their words, that peace that transcends everything...

Sky, have you noticed that when you watch a movie that you like, you forget that it's actually a movie and you "get caught in it and by it"? This is how I see life, like a movie that caught all our attention, but when there's just a tiny drop of awareness that it's just a movie, well, that's when that deep serenity come in... Buddha achieved this state of deep serenity day and night, he understood the true nature of things and then nothing could ever shake that inner peace that he achieved.

What Meditation Practice are you using TM?
If you live close to Nature you are blessed as you could practise ' Walking Meditation ' in a beautiful environment.
If you are calm most of the time and then become agitated seemingly out of nowhere then try and pinpoint if certain situations are making the agitation arise, it can't come from nowhere, something is causing it... ' Cause and effect '
I have never watched a Movie in my entire Adult life so I can't comment.
As I said previously have a talk with your Doctor, you could have some Medical condition that is causing your symptoms and no amount of Meditation will cure it.

[ThatMan]

Originally Posted by sky123

What Meditation Practice are you using TM?
If you live close to Nature you are blessed as you could practise ' Walking Meditation ' in a beautiful environment.
If you are calm most of the time and then become agitated seemingly out of nowhere then try and pinpoint if certain situations are making the agitation arise, it can't come from nowhere, something is causing it... ' Cause and effect '
I have never watched a Movie in my entire Adult life so I can't comment.
As I said previously have a talk with your Doctor, you could have some Medical condition that is causing your symptoms and no amount of Meditation will cure it.

I just close my eyes and relax my body, I've learnt that I can do it from any posture but the best one for me is when laying on my bed, with my hands around my body, with my face pointing upwards, from this posture I experience more things and the meeditation is very deep.Sometimes I use a simple breathing technique to relax faster.From this posture I also have OBEs.I can't use to lotus posture because my back hurts and I can't relax...

You know Sky, I tried to find the cause but most of the time there's no cause, it's like my body is under heavy stress all the time, it's like I have anxiety day and night and there's no reason to have it... I know, I am sure there's a source, but I can't find it...

I do that from time to time, I go in long walks, all alone, it's amazing, sometimes I see deers, they are so beautiful to be seen in their natural environment.

I noticed that when I fast, my well being increases, I feel lighter, happier and peaceful, and when I eat, that's when the agitation increases and it feels like torture...

It may be a health problem, I think that meditation can cure anything and everything, but it has to be very deep so that you can access the deepest parts of your being, I was close to do it like two-three times but I became afraid because it was very intense, it's like the outside world disappears, you can't sense your body and there's this complete darkness that's everywhere you look.I am afraid that I can't return back into my body