Welcome!

Hi Pejn, welcome!

Hey all,

Alex Serrano here. Some of you know me as APrioriKreuz at old KFD forums. I've been practicing vajrayana formally since 2008 and now I'm testing a pragmatic buddhist tantra approach, based on Nyingma ngondro and yidam deity practice. Villum and myself have discussing this project extensively and if time allows it, we'll have something to share soon.

I live in Mexico City, currently working in marketing and I teach every now and then in person and through skype.

If I'm not mistaken, I'm currently traversing the 1st Mahayana path in the Tibetan 5-path model.

Its good to be here and see so many familiar faces

Hello more new people!

Good to see you here, Alex and Petter

Lots of familiar faces. Welcome guys!

Welcome, Alex! I remember you as an interesting contributor to a lot of threads. Great to have you here.

Thanks everybody, I'm sure we have all wonderful things to share. I'll browse around bit all the topics to get a bit used to this new place. Talk to you soon!

Hello everyone!

Hi everyone!
I am known to some of you as meekan from good old KFD
When entering practice years I entered 23 as this is how long ago I went on a zen introduction and began meditation.
Since then it's been on and off for many years, with different practices thrown in.
But about 7-8 years ago I renewed my practice and began with a continuous meditation practice per Pema Chödrön's instructions in her books. And a couple of years later I found MCTB and bought it. Thereafter my practice has been mainly mahasi-style noting with some loud noting thrown in for good measure.
Lately I find that just watching the mind and sensations without necessarily labeling (i.e. noting without labeling) works fine.

I am not very scholarly in my approach and am afraid to say that I won't quote any suttas by heart

According to the progress of insight maps I have no idea where I am, and apart from someday looking forward to a cessation it hasn't been that much of a focus lately. But I guess I would be called pre-path.

I don't have much of a 'self' running around the mind lately though, so that's nice (now there's a paradox, ain't it . But lots of habits of course.

Nice to have found this place, and hope I may contribute in some way.
(I do occasionally throw in the good old witticism when I write, but whether that will be considered contributing I don't know)

Hey Mike, good to see more familiar faces around here.

Hi, welcome. No need to be scholarly. Wit always appreciated, lest we get too serious about ourselves.

Welcome, Mike. Good to see you here. You might know me as andymr from the Wetpaint version of KFD.

Hello,

My name is Bob. I live in Austin, Texas. Russell turned me on to this site.

I have been practicing on and off for the last couple of years. I was drawn to Buddhism through Shambhala practice. I then started following Gil Fronsdal at IMC and also got into Thanissaro Bhikkhu. I've done some online retreats with Vince Horn and a little private instruction with Ron Crouch. I've gradually moved towards a more pragmatic practice, though I cannot deny taking comfort in listening to the talks given by Gil and Ajaan Geoff. My practice has lacked consistency, but I am at a point where I happen to have a lot of free time on my hands for the foreseeable future, so I am currently endeavoring to recharge my practice in a more disciplined way and intend to use this forum as a source for feedback and enrichment. Let's see what happens!

Hi Bob!

Nice to meet you. Welcome!

Hey Bob, glad you made it here!

Hi Bob!

Greetings, Bob. Using practice to explore free time is such a luxury! I was able to spoil myself doing the same, a few years back. I have never regretted it.

Welcome aboard.

~Colleayn

Good to have you here! I look forward to reading your posts.

Bob, howdy!

Hi Bob, welcome!

Hi Bob! No need to deny anything

Hi Bob,

Good to have you out here. I too listened a lot to Gil Frondsdahl when I was starting out.

Andy

Hi,

I'm Jarno. I'm a recently graduated researcher in physics. I've been practicing daily formal meditation for about two years now.

I guess I've had a growing interest in spirituality since my childhood, it was a frequent topic of discussion in my family. I was an active member in a church youngster's group, although I found it very superficial. One day about a decade ago I realized something about the seeming continuity of individual existence. I quickly developed a fear that would come up in the evening and for a few months made it hard to sleep. I learned to sleep, but the experience left me with a different understanding of existence.

Two years ago I found Shinzen Young's site and meditation instructions. His instructions were much more clear, precise and practical than what I had encountered before, so I started doing his noting meditation daily. Later I also found the MCTB, DhO and Kenneth Folk's site (which is now gone, unfortunately), which all had a lot of useful information.

A year ago, during a sit, there was a sudden discontinuity. There was a sense of bliss and I laughed out loud a little bit. I think the way I relate to the sensations associated with self changed. There have been some large changes since then, and some more discontinuities. The latest change, one that I'm still going trough, has to do with awareness as a background in all experience. This is important to me, since I no longer have a problem with that fear that started a decade ago.

Now, I'm a little introverted and don't often seek interactions with people. I like to learn and to listen. I do hope to develop this aspect in myself, and to contribute something meaningful to this community.