Thanks, NMAdventurer! Although I am not a Buddhist, we have friends/family who are. I do practice a daily 20 min.TaiChi Qigong routine, which includes meditation.

Also, I have found many parallel teachings of Buddha and Jesus, especially their teachings and lessons of those significant keys to life: the healing practices of kindness to all, forgiveness, and peace.

Ommmmmmmmmmmm......

I'm not sure I know.

Sorry.

I do my best to practice mindfulness and lovingkindness, meditate every day, and apply the teachings of Buddhism to my life, but I would not say "I am a Buddhist". Let's just say I haven't given up on the sex, drugs and rock and roll just yet. I still employ a flyswatter, don't exactly "relocate" rats in the basement, and love a turkey sandwich.

i've been raised as a protestant christian my entire life and now as i enter my second half century, i'm searching alternate spiritual sources. i've been dabbling in Tibetan Buddhism but got caught up in the five basic committments:

1) vow not to kill (I vow not to do this)

2) vow not to steal (I vow not to steal)

3) vow not to lie (even little white lies?)

4) vow not to engage in sexual misconduct (oops!)

5) vow to avoid intoxicants, especially alchohol (what?!? daily imbibing is a fact of life!)

maybe i'm not ready for this type of spiritual connection, but i have a sincere desire.. doesn't that count for anything? anyone please enlighten me..

Hey I'm right with ya, Monk! That's kinda why I prefer to think of myself as a student vs. a card-carrying practitioner.

My experience is that Buddhism can be incredibly complex or incredibly simple. I only take as much as I can handle, and as much as I can use. Meditation, mindfulness, lovingkindness, compassion - simple stuff! I can do that! Boozin' and chasin' women? Well, everything in moderation, right?

I subscribe to Beliefnet.com, and as a result I get a little Daily Buddhist Wisdom in my inbox every day. Here's today's:

Standing or walking, sitting or lying down, during all these waking hours, let him establish mindfulness of good will, which men call the highest state!

-Buddha

I'm happy that you are exploring Buddhism - I think you'll find the Tibetan variety very accessible and practical, especially the teachings of the Dalai Lama. i think it's okay to take what you need and leave the rest. You have my permission! :)

One of the things I've found is that Buddhists are generally pretty un-dogmatic about things. Unlike Christianity, there is really nobody saying, "do this/think this or go to hell."

I recommend a book called Buddhism is Not What You Think: Finding Freedom Beyond Beliefs by Steve Hagen.

Not a Buddhist. I do have in my library a book named "The Sayings Of the Buddha" with a forward by the late Ram Dass. One of the best books I have ever read. I do re-read this one more often than other books. I recommend it. Still not a Buddist, but that removes nothing from the book.