Buddhists at Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, I’m sure a lot of you budding Buddhists are wondering what to do with your holiday, given your faith. Obviously, at the heart of Buddhist teachings we know not to seek happiness within material gifts and objects which, let’s face it, Christmas has become all about.

Now don’t get me wrong, it’s still about love, kindness and family (and Jesus obviously, depending on your outlook), and where love and kindness exist, Buddhists thrive like bees in a honey factory. Just because our faith isn’t designed to celebrate Christmas in the same way as others that doesn’t mean we have to spend all twenty-four hours of December 25^th hiding in the shadows of our Bodhi trees. This is on opportunity for us to make a difference for people. Whilst Christmas may not be as strong a force in our lives as others, we can still make it count.

For those of you who are a little unsure on how to address Christmas, here’s some pointers.

1.       Buddhists can still give gifts

There’s nothing stopping you, as a Buddhist, from giving or even receiving gifts. Sure, you might not go for something as lavish or expensive as others, but the real beauty in a Christmas gift is making it something meaningful or sentimental. Don’t just grab some flowers from the gas station or pass on some chocolates you won at bingo. Use this as an opportunity to be creative, and show someone how much they mean to you without having to resort to binge buying on Amazon.

2.       Not everyone has a Merry Christmas

Whilst Christmas is obviously a time to be happy, merry etc. remember that some people aren’t having such a great time. Some people are homeless, in hospital or grieving for those they may have lost. Some people aren’t so well off that they can give their loved ones what they want. So if you really want to make it a Merry Christmas, help somebody in need. I promise you that it will make your Christmas merry as well.

               

This also, is not just limited to people. Make sure to be hot on the case of animal mistreatment over the holidays. This is the time of year that people forget that animals need as much care as we do. They aren’t, and never will be, just a ‘Christmas gift’.

3.       You might confuse people

Please be aware that for most people, Buddhism isn’t the norm, especially in Western countries. Try not to lose your mind with people asking you why you aren’t celebrating Christmas the same way they are. Be patient, and try to be informative about what you believe and why you believe it.

Other than that folks, have a very Merry Christmas! Spread as much cheer as you can! (That goes for the rest of the year as well though)

~Avazen

What's a Buddhist's typical day? [by anekspekted]

anekspekted asked:

I was never near a buddhist culture, so I would like to know what a typical day of buddhists are. And also, given that buddhists respect all living beings, I presume buddhists are vegan. Is that so? Thank you for answering, it means a lot to me.

It would be too general a statement to say that all Buddhists are vegan. I myself eat meat, although I try to limit it, purely because it was something I was brought up on and it’s not an easy thing to shake.
But it’s completely up to the individual person how rigidly they follow their Buddhist practises. You’ll find that some monks wear masks over their mouths to prevent them eating flies or small bugs accidentally. Is this a practise that most Buddhists follow? No chance. But does that mean those who don’t are evil for allowing these small bugs to die in such I way? I don’t think so, not personally.

As for the typical day of a Buddhist, again it is down to the individual. I’d say the majority try to incorporate a good portion of (generally) the morning or the evening to meditation and then whatever else they involve in their practise. Whether it be yoga, or something similar. Most Buddhists, especially western ones, will just apply Buddhist teachings to their normal, everyday lives.

As for monks, that’s a whole different kettle of fish.
Here’s a couple of links which show the average day for a Tibetan and Thai monk, which I found very interesting:

http://tibetansponsorship.org/sera-jey-monastry/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-monk/

http://www.thaiworldview.com/bouddha/bouddha3.htm

  I hope this has been of some help to you :)

~Avazen

How do you practice Buddhism? [Asked by Anonymous]

Anonymous asked:

How do you practice Buddhism? Are there certain diets? Prayer times? Medatation? Etc. Just a basic understanding. New follower. Thanks ~H

Hey there!

The strange thing about Buddhism is there’s no ‘right way’ to practise it. It’s all dependant on what results you want from it.

If we were to look at a pretty average lay Buddhist, a western Buddhist with an interest in the faith, there would probably be about 45 minutes of meditation a day maximum. Many will exceed this, but most will undercut it and meditate perhaps 5-15 minutes in the morning and at night and nothing more. That’s mainly because Buddhism is trying to integrate itself in a life already take up with jobs, children, pets etc.
If we were to look at a Tibetan Monk’s daily schedule however, the meditation and prayer times are well in the hours.

Here’s a link to a Thai monk’s average day:
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/wat_m5.htm

As for a Buddhist diet, this ranges anywhere from steaks, to hardcore veganism. There are plenty of Buddhists in the world who eat meat, and it doesn’t mean they’re bad Buddhists. It’s all down to your moral compass and what you feel comfortable doing. Most monks will be vegetarian or vegan, but that doesn’t mean you m suddenly have to overhaul your life and ditch all the milk and eggs in your fridge. However, if that is what you want to do to achieve your goals, then be my guest! You’ll probably feel better for it!
I’m sorry if this has been a bit vague, if you have anymore questions for me don’t hesitate to ask :)
 
This link also might help you!

http://m.wikihow.com/Become-a-Buddhist

Metta,

~Avazen