Buddhists

Hi All

I am glad to find this thread as being newly diagnosed myself this year. DCIS with 7 foci pt IDC and scheduled for surgery in a week's time. I am in Singapore and fully expose to Asian Buddhism since young but only started reading up in recent years the teachings of Thict Nhat Hanh.  The fundamentals of Buddhism is quite the same in Asia, understanding the non self, compassion, mindfulness. Like to share following with you :

Experiment with water crystals http://pureinsight.org/node/1626 . You can easily find the clip on youtube after reading this. Buddhism is beyond just a religion as in recent years there are scientific findings that demystified some of the teachings of buddhism. I am just excited to share as being exposed to Buddhism from young it was never easy to understand its great teaching.

I discovered years ago the writings of J K Zinn and have practiced mindfulness meditation for quite some time. I practiced Tai Chi for a while, and now I am learning beginners' yoga to help with developing further stillness and peace of mind as well as stamina and flexibility. I read with interest some of the recent postings on the "atheist thread," which reminded me of a book that I recently read: How to Be Sick (A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers), by Toni Bernhard. Bernhard practiced Buddhism for years prior to becoming sick with what many refer to as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I discovered this book in reading more about CFS, my diagnosis since January 2011, following a very difficult chemo experience for mets and a severe case of the flu. Quite the challenge: Three breast cancer adventures and a CFS adventure as well.

Ah, well. I found the concept of dukkha quite interesting and how the struggle to avoid suffering brings more suffering since dukkha is part of living. And how our mental suffering is often more challenging to understand and learn how to address than our physical suffering. Bernhard's questions about "Who is this 'I' who isn't sick?" and how the concept of "no-fixed-self" helped her to cope with her illness have been helpful. Cultivating compassion for myself--learning more and more about letting go of self-judgment and a lifelong effort for me--is also addressed by Bernhard, as is transforming the isolation that often is a part of living with chronic, severe illness into solitude, a very different experience.

So...I am still learning how to live this life I have been given and to grow in ways that are still open to me while letting go of the attachments to those ways of being that I have lost. I appreciate the exchange of ideas here and will check back for more.

Yeah, I certainly agree that creating a mindful, still place is helpful to the body and promotes healing. My meditation words are breathe and peace; I cultivated a habit of holding my breath or breathing in a very shallow manner when stressed early in life and often remind myself to breathe. I also want to focus on creating a space for peace within in spite of the turmoil outside. I once thought I would experience peace of mind/heart/soul when all else was under control in my life, and I learned that the experience of peace is probably most meaningful in the midst of life in chaos, turmoil, conflict, upheaval, or whatever state might be challenging at the time. Thanks for the welcome. I see that this is not a heavily visited thread, but perhaps there will be more insights shared.

BeyondMe: Meditating while sitting still has not come easy for me. Of course, I know it is not supposed to be easy, what with the mind's tendency to wander. I am challenged by pain and fatigue, so I have to be careful about my position; sitting in a chair and even lying on my back with legs elevated have become my more manageable meditation positions. And I am fine with meditating for just 15 minutes; I don't have to prove myself by sitting in a position for a l-o-n-g time. I also enjoy walking meditation. I wish you the best as you continue your journey!

om mani peme hum

odd.......that you took refuge right before you were diagnosed

odd I found this today?

I practice alone but I'm in touch, have been for 45 years with a gelugtpa monastary in nj

I am really glad there is a spirituality forum here, especially a thread for Buddhists. I've been praciticng for about eight years now. 

During my biopsy I focused on my breath, and became much calmer during the procedure.

I think I need to do some regular metta meditations and some tonglen. 

Tonglen is an ancient Tibetan practice. It's also called sending and receiving. It is breathing in all the sickness, and suffering of the world, and breathing out pure, white healing energy. 

I am going to imagine myself breathing in all of the fear and anxiety I have, and breath out compassion and healing energy. 

Hi notself. 

Naw, I'm not really into schools and such. Those texts confuse me, lol.

I just want to purify my mind and cultivate wisdom and compassion. 

Thich Naht Hahn is one of my favorites. I liked Mindfulness in plain English also.

Jon Kabbat-Zinn's "Whever you go, there you are" is a masterpiece.

I've been saying the 49 days of prayers from the evanz-wentz tibetan book of the dead for levon helm

don't know if you do beladonnas, but I've been making vegitarian chowder, leeks, mushrooms, tomato, artichoke is good if you have time to boil & cut out the meaty parts, the broth can be used for the base of the soup.  add potato, I excise the eyes so less anyway solanin, then mash the dpotatoes into the soup when they're soft, add fresh lemon juice & curry, I make my own with a spice grinder, add half & half, & re-heat, don''t boil after that is added.  not vegan but that last can be left out.

tibetans ay:  without meat there is no food.

It take3s many years to stop craving it, you need to be very motavate  tibatans hir moslems to do the butchering.

on another site when I was first on it a conversation about vegetarianism resulted in banning of one & one left forever.  I did once, but now I don't see why it should be so antithetical.  I guess the idea that ita; wrong to eat other animals, not to say disgusting, we being only 100 percent of the other 99.  I do ear fish sometimes, some dairy & eggs

In our house we leave the spiders alone in hopes that they get any stray mosquitos and the like. 

I think our meat consumption is both intentional and compassionate.  What I buy all comes from our local farmer's market--raised locally, slaughtered humanly, etc.  I pay considerably more for this type of meat and eggs but found I simply could not reconcile practicing compassion with factory farmed animals.

The harder situation comes when we eat out.   I am confident that the little Senegalese restaurant down the street is not selling me pastured chicken.  And yet, that man needs my support to raise his family.  I extend my compassion to the restaurant owner.

3monstmama: I haven't been here in a long time and happened on today, reading your post about your mother. We have mothers in common--women who shouldn't have had children. She was so hateful to me when I was diagnosed--and my sister too--I haven't spoken to them in about 10 years. I've wondered how I would handle the news--if I even got the news--that one of them had died or was very sick.

It is all so complex and difficult. I've divorced myself from the family. And only have one cousin that I still have a relationship with. The rest of the family apparently blames me, or surely they wouldn't ignore me. But there you are. I didn't make the decision haphazardly. This was a long time coming and the BC was the catalyst.

I have lit a candle for you and understand you must have ambivilent feelings. My mother is 80 and so I know there will come a day when somehow I find out that she is gone. I honestly don't know how I'll feel, but I think I will remain sad that I never had the mother I needed and that I am so broken because of it. We can only do the best we can, and sometimes it's difficult to know what that is.

Sending a hug.