Eastern Philosophies

I’m not into but I have an interest in the principles of Buddhism *shrug* does that count?

 

Yes! I am, except for the peaceloving part of buddism and or the selflessness of the taoism, or the anything of the hinduism

 

the rest of it

 

Hmm letsee, off the top of my head without actually looking at the principles... I believe in the concept of karma, you attract what you are, I believe everything is interrelated and connected by energy, this world is alive, I believe all creatures have a right to life as people do, I do not believe violence is ever a good solution. I guess for me inner peace and understanding are more important then following scripture written by man, I find the Buddhist way of looking at things the most humane and logical and most inline with my existing beliefs.

I looked into it just enough to know organised religion isn't for me but if it were that would probably be it.

What's your interest in eastern philosophies?

 

I am interested in the Taoist water meditation method. Right now I am reading about it and its very interesting.

 

Water meditation sounds lovely.


I was raised Buddhist so it's sort of an ingrained worldview that makes sense to me, however it's quite a difficult way of life to adhere to-- trying to limit analytic thought and realise non-self, detaching from desires that cause suffering and living in the moment- I'm not quite sure my personality fits that so I guess I'm more of a practising liberal Christian.

I do believe in karma, interdependence, rebirth, pacifism, acting ethically without depending on an ego-boosting result and focusing on impermanence.
I also really like the Hindu concept of Brahman.

 

Not really.

It looks like something I could see myself doing in the future though.

FTR I do meditate but I don't consider that a philosophy just a way of focusing myself.

 

Does meditation quiet the inner dialogue?

 

Yes and no, it's still there. It's very difficult to explain.

It's like you find solutions to problems quicker, and revalations come easier. More pinpoint thought processes.

It's like you're brain is a gun, without meditation it's a sawed off shotgun, with meditation it's a sniper rifle.

 

Teehee, uses guns to describe the effects of meditation

I agree though, I find it sharpens my mind in that it allows me to focus better in the here and now rather than thinking about every little thing that impacts on the big picture and that helps me see problems from a realistic, immediate perspective.

 

Then that may explain why I haven't had much success with meditation. I keep trying to silence my inner voice.

 

I find myself very much attracted to those philosophies (buddhism and taoism), much much more than to western ones. When it goes into the religious folklore and beliefs though, not that much (I'm faith over religion, etc). I am planning on really taking up meditation soon though. What's that water meditation thing? Do you guys know good books on that sort of topic by the way? I'm sure there are plenty but...

 

I've always been interested in the concepts behind the teachings, like a lot of other people here. I don't think I'd follow the actual religions, but they have a lot of good points regardless.
I'm kind of interested to see if anyone knows any good meditation techniques :B

 

The book I am reading on Taoist water meditation is called Relaxing into Your Inner Being by B.K Frantzis.

 

I've read quite a bit on Taoism. It's actually quite similar to Immanuel Kant's Transcendental Idealism or the modern social constructivism paradigm. Reflecting upon the objective reality and how each individual's perceptions of that reality results in subjective realities is a fascinating way to view the world. And Taoism is also quite neat in how it challenges people to see the reverse image of the world they perceive.