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BUDDHISM AS A PERSONAL PRACTICE

I seek refuge in the Buddha

I seek refuge in the Dharma

I seek refuge in the Sangha

Each time I begin sitting meditation, which is three times every day, I bow and recite those three lines.  And I mean them.  I truly desire to find refuge.

I have found that what is important is that I always make the time to meditate.  Practice, Practice, Practice!  The good thing about meditation, after all, is that at its root it is, I believe, a personal experience.  No one can force you to meditate, you must do it for yourself (as well as for the rest of the universe).  But I found that after a short time of consistent practice, I didn't feel right if I missed one of my usual sitting times.  And, like a big circle, the more practice, the more mindful you become and the more aware.  Soon even ten minutes or so practiced two or three times a day will become firmly entrenched.  This is a good starting point.

Also, thanks to the The Ratna Prison Initiative and the correspondence classes they offer, I've come to realize that I'm part of a larger Sangha.  They are always responsive and encouraging. 

B.G.

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