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From: Jo Stepaniak (jo.vegsource.com)
In Reply to: Change Your Mind Day-The Washington Buddhist Peace Fellowship posted by Claudine on June 4, 2005 at 7:47 pm:
I'm glad you had such an "enlightening" experience, heard good talks, met some terrific people, and got exposed to several groups you can explore. The fall Dharma project sounds perfect for you. Yes, I do know that Buddhism can be used to support a talk on compassion, but I prefer to not use that approach right now. Despite the universality of Buddhist philosophy, the dominant Christian religions in the West usually see it quite differently, and if I am trying to reach out to a broad spectrum of people, I would rather not inject my religion into a talk. There are ways to do it transparently, of course, and that is my preference for now. You definitely don't need to be wealthy to practice or study Buddhism. Sanghas (Buddhist communities) don't charge a fee to join -- everyone is welcome -- and you can go to all the sittings, discussions, and study groups with them that you want to. Even for retreats, virtually all offer some type of scholarship for those who need it. That should never be an issue. Enjoy the journey! :-D ~Jo
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