""""This Is What We Do" another page added to the book. Marcus Mud & Quaide: http://ning.it/IDp4BQ""
... the other Black experience
Buddhism and Black People
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Stephen Morrison on -
I think it's okay, you can practice what ever you like.
-
Permalink Reply by Ryan Jarmon on -
I do it.
-
Permalink Reply by Craig on -
I also believe one can practice whatever they like, but it seems to me that one would gravitate to that which comes from their own culture. Practicing Buddhism is no more peculiar to me than worshipping. Michelangelo's Jesus.
-
Permalink Reply by Caliph Gibran Ali on -
i have to say i agree with craig. hopefully i'm not taking his statement too far out of context... but i feel black people have this notion of african beliefs as somehow barbaric/ if not satanic. which is unfortunate. the people that created this myth were the same people promoting the belief that blacks were somehow less than human. i think it's unfortunate that few people even question this. in my study of youruba tradtions i've found the belief system to be particularly sophisticated and enlightened with few theologies of the world even comparing to the wealth of these traditions... spiritual exploration should be a central focus of anyone's life i believe; i mean you can loose an arm or leg, but your soul is essentially "you".. i also believe that the religons of the world are practised for a reason. there's a wealth of one kind another to be found in most religons probably. but we must also be aware of why me make the choices we do.... we must investigate what makes us comfortable with some choices over others.
-
Permalink Reply by Stephen Morrison on
-
Hmmmm, that got me thinking...
Caliph Gibran Ali said:i have to say i agree with craig. hopefully i'm not taking his statement too far out of context... but i feel black people have this notion of african beliefs as somehow barbaric/ if not satanic. which is unfortunate. the people that created this myth were the same people promoting the belief that blacks were somehow less than human. i think it's unfortunate that few people even question this. in my study of youruba tradtions i've found the belief system to be particularly sophisticated and enlightened with few theologies of the world even comparing to the wealth of these traditions... spiritual exploration should be a central focus of anyone's life i believe; i mean you can loose an arm or leg, but your soul is essentially "you".. i also believe that the religons of the world are practised for a reason. there's a wealth of one kind another to be found in most religons probably. but we must also be aware of why me make the choices we do.... we must investigate what makes us comfortable with some choices over others.
-
Permalink Reply by Lord Q on -
I've been practicing Buddhism for almost 15 years, and it is definitely enhancing my understanding of self and the world around me. I peronaly don't see how Black people can be Christian, until all churches remove the white Jesus from their walls and replace them with mre accurate portrayals of what the dude looked like. BTW, ever hear of a Buddhist pedeophile?
-
Permalink Reply by Rosenda on -
And LQ, did you start reading about Buddhism on your own? If so, what books did you read that you'd recommend to others?
-
Permalink Reply by leisuresuede on -
I practice Soto Zen. However,I keep this in mind:
"Every kind of teaching is transmitted through the culture and knowledge of human beings. But is important not to confuse any culture or tradition with the teachings themselves because the essence of the teachings is knowledge of the nature of the individual. Any given culture can be of great value because it is the means which enables people to receive the message of the teaching,but it is not the teaching itself."
Chogyal Namkai Norbu
-
Permalink Reply by PolarVibez on -
I see absoulutely nothing wrong with a Black person or any non-asian ethnicity for that matter practicing Buddhism. People gravite towards the belief systems that seem to fulfill their lives in ways that other sytems have failed to do so or simply ones that make the most sense to them. That paticular belief system might not always be one that originated in their culture or upbringing and with Buddhism the concepts are pretty universal in my opinion. I think many of the concepts can be applied to your life even if you practice a different faith such as Christianity for example. Philosophically, I don't really consider Buddhism a religion because it's not about following a God per se. It's more about mastery of self and understanding your connection with the essensce of life that continues to be regardless of transient ideas such as material things and even emotions. And in recognising that connection and remebering it constantly you always have stasis or peace in your life even when there is suffering which there will inevitably be from time to time.That being said, I don't really consider myself a buddhist or or any thing for that matter. I do belive in a creator but I mediate daily and study different aspects of zen when I can because to me it's very simple to understand and and one's relationship with anything spirtual should'nt be overly complex or esoteric.
-
Permalink Reply by Spookycreep on
-
Hello. I am a Satanist but my expression of the Dark Faith is largly influenced by Eastern thought. I think Eastern spirituality is more advanced than the Western expression but more than this, I have had first-hand experience of some of the altered states of consciousness that Eastern thought talks about, so I know BEYOND ALL DOUBT that there is a great deal of truth there. The two experiences I had_in my mid 20s_ happened within days of each other and seemed to have occuered for no reason at all.
Prior to their occurance, on two separate occasions I experienced the start of them but was able to shake them off. The first time I was on a city bus. I was just sort of looking around inside the bus when this odd thought occured to me that there was something behind all I was seeing. When I thought this, a strange sensation came over me as if some one or something had been listening to my thoughts and was about to answer them. I shook the sensation off, it was scary not having ever felt anything like that before. This experience repeated itself a few days later one night while I was at a bus stop waiting on a bus. Again, I was just looking around at the city-scape at night, sort of taking it all in when the crazy thought occured again that there was more to reality than met the eye.
The third time this odd feeling came over me I was at home. Maybe I was in an expermental mood or something but I decied to let the sensation I was beginning to feel run it's course. I laid down on my bed and I remember holding a fist on my chest_a nervious reaction as this totally unknown sensation began to grow stronger. It seemed to come like a wave coming from my lower body upward_ Just like the books claim with spiritual centers located in the body from the sex organs to the top of the head. The rising sensation really freaked me out but I remained calm and just let it happen. Once the wave of invisble enrgy reached the top of my head_all fear and concerned vanished to be replaced by a feeling of euphora. I looked around my room and was dumbfounded: everything I looked at gave me the strong impression that I was seeing myself. It was like one minute I identifed with my body and the next minute that sense of "this is me" multiplied to include every where I looked. No street high could touch this. The experience seemed to last for a couple of hours but I'm only guessing at this now.
The second experience,which happened a couple days later_and again, for no apparent reason I could figure). It began like the first but when the enrgy reached the top of my head I didn't experience the oneness of the first experience. I felt strongly that tiny lights were dancing about my head and I felt joy beyond words. At one point I rushed into the bathroom to look in the mirrior (didn't have one in my room at the time) to see if I could actually see anything different going on. All I saw was my blissed-out face looking back at me but as I stood there looking in the mirrior an odd thing began to happen: began to leave my body and head toward the still open bathroom door. Once I realized this was actually happening it scared the living shit out of me. The second I felt that fear, my consciousness, my soul or whatever quickly shot back into my body. I have regreted that fear ever since but given the circumstance I'm not too hard on myself about it.
I am inclined to believe that this type of thing probably happens more often to people than one might think. I suppose some people don't talk about it for fear others will think they're nuts or balled-faced liars. I never felt any reluctance to talk about these experiences for one simple reason: THE SHIT REALLY HAPPENED. No disbelief on the part of others will ever change that. Furthermore, I want people to know about this, if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone.
And to those who feel black people should seek a faith within their own culture, I'm glad the universe disagrees with you. Like the Lakota holy man Wallace Black Elk says. Red, the color of blood_that is the color we all are. There is no racism or race consciousness in the heavens. Earth has a lot of catching up to do.
Any way, I've been a mystic ever since.
Lianne La Havas - Is Your Love...?
Featured
From The Community
Afro-Punk Merchandise
Davi
Latest Activity
© 2012 Created by Matthew.
Powered by
