5/5 james l. 3 years ago on Google • 2 reviews
I
am
not
sure
how
to
accurately
convey
my
experience
here
with
a
simple
review.
But
hopefully,
someone
will
hear
what
they
need
to
hear
in
reading
what
I
write
here.
I
started
here
in
2011,
coming
my
first
time
simply
to
learn
how
to
meditate.
I
had
no
intention
of
getting
into
Buddhism,
as
the
idea
seemed
foreign
to
me,
and
to
be
honest
I
was/am
skeptical
of
religions
as
a
whole
to
begin
with.
But
meditation
is
a
thing
that
has
nothing
to
do
with
religions.
So,
for
certain
reasons
that
I
won't
get
into,
I
wanted
to
learn.
Or
shall
I
say
rather,
that
I
felt
obligated
to
learn.
Wanting
had
really
nothing
to
do
with
it...
...at
first.
I
came
once
a
week
to
meditate,
and
slowly
at
first,
I
became
exposed
to
little
things
about
Buddhism
here
and
there.
Quite
honestly,
I
was
expecting
the
hard
sell,
or
at
least
a
soft
one
from
the
Sunim
(monk),
and
the
Abbess.
But
what
I
got
was
neither.
What
I
got
were
things
that
no
matter
how
much
I
tried,
and
threw
all
of
my
experience
and
knowledge
(and
this
was
considerable,
I
believe)
against
I
could
not
find
any
fault
with.
So
this
was
enough
to
open
the
door
wider
for
me
to
get
a
bigger
step
inside.
The
rest
(as
far
as
my
story
goes)
is
history.
Buddhism
(of
the
Korean
Zen
variety,
as
is
the
tradition
here)
gave
me
the
tools
to
change
my
life
from
that
of
an
abused
and
neglected
child
who
grew
up
angry,
disfunctional,
emotionally
scarred,
traumatized,
and
-
my
major
problem
at
the
time,
for
which
I
was
desperately
seeking
a
solution
to
-
ADDICTED
TO
FENTANYL
(as
well
as
just
about
everything
else),
to
that
of
one
who
is
at
peace,
and
who
sees
the
world
completely
different
than
I
used
to.
Not
so
terribly
deluded
as
I
was,
able
to
help
others,
able
to
find
joy
in
my
connection
with
others,
and
with
all
living
beings.
Able
to
be
fully
compassionate,
fully
empathetic,
fully
loving
as
an
individual.
I
have
this
place
to
thank
for
all
of
that.
I'd
been
to
AA,
NA,
CA,
rehab
(8
times),
detox
(15
times),
committed
(twice),
arrested
(once,
charged
but
not
convicted),
Kundalini
Yoga
for
addiction
program
($3000),
retreats
(
too
many),
seminars
(too
many),
and
odd
ball
programs
here
and
there.
Not
saying
that
it
all
didn't
work.
It's
all
part
of
my
story,
and
every
bit
of
it
has
contributed
to
my
betterment
in
some
way
or
another.
But
any
truth
to
be
found
in
all
of
the
aforementioned,
is
truth
that
the
Buddha
dharma
is
about
specifically,
almost
as
though
all
of
these
programs
were
attempts
to
convey
a
truth
that
Buddhism
states
without
any
cloud
cover,
or
misunderstanding.
I
would
not
suggest
simply
showing
up
will
solve
all
your
problems
in
life,
but
you
may
just
find
what
your
looking
for.
If
you
come,
you
will
be
most
welcome.
Who
knows,
maybe
even
by
me,
lol.
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