To make a long story short... I sat there in front of the Tibetan Lama, wearing my maroon robes after years of studying Buddhism. “With all due respect,” I said, “I don’t believe the Buddha ever intended for his teachings to get thIs complicated!” My teacher looked around at all the statues of deities with multiple arms and chuckled, “the Buddha didn’t do this! the Tibetan culture did; this is their way. Why don’t you try Zen? I think you’d like it!” So I bowed out of the temple, took off my robes, and moved into a Zen monastery far from home. Zen was simpler; that much was true (the walls were blank and I loved it), but the teachings were still filled with all the dogma that sent me running from religion in the first place. There are many incredible books out there that cover all aspects of religion, philosophy, psychology and physics, but I was looking for something less “academic,” so to speak. I was looking for something inspirational that people today would not only have the attention span to read all the way through, but actually understand and also implement in their daily lives. I pictured a simple guide to being happy, and in it just two words: “Be Grateful.” Gratitude has a way of turning what we have into enough, and that is the basic idea behind Buddhist Boot Camp. The short chapters convey everything I have learned over the years in a way that is easy to understand, without you needing to know anything about Buddhism ahead of time. In fact, this book is not about being a Buddhist; it’s about being a Buddha. Each chapter is either a journal entry or a personal email that I had shared with my friends as a way to document my observations and realizations. The name of the book is what I would title my diary if I had to give it a heading. It is very possible (and perfectly okay) for someone who is Catholic, Muslim, atheist or Jewish, for example, to still find the Buddha’s teachings inspirational. You can love Jesus, repeat a hindu mantra, and still go to temple after morning meditation. Buddhism is not a threat to any religion, it actually strengthens your existing faith by expanding your love to include all beings. “Boot Camp” is a training method, and Buddhism is all about training the mind. Many people claim they don’t have time to meditate every morning, but still want spiritual guidance without any dogma or rituals attached. that is exactly what Buddhist Boot Camp provides in this quick and easy-to digest format. You are now a soldier of peace in the army of love; welcome to Buddhist Boot Camp! Your brother, Timber Hawkeye
Posted on: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 13:00:01 +0000
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