The Imperfect Community

[TheBean]

I did it and I am a mainline Conservative - no surprise there eh?

Then I am a QUAKER! how cool is that??? Just call me pilgrim girl.

How did the Belief-O-Matic do? Discuss your results on our message boards.



1. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (100%)
2. Orthodox Quaker (84%)
3. Seventh Day Adventist (84%)
4. Eastern Orthodox (83%)
5. Roman Catholic (83%)
6. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (71%)
7. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (68%)
8. Jehovah's Witness (64%)
9. Orthodox Judaism (58%)
10. Hinduism (53%)
11. Islam (51%)
12. Liberal Quakers (41%)
13. Bahá'í Faith (35%)
14. Sikhism (33%)
15. Jainism (32%)
16. Unitarian Universalism (32%)
17. Reform Judaism (25%)
18. Mahayana Buddhism (25%)
19. Theravada Buddhism (25%)
20. Neo-Pagan (18%)
21. Nontheist (18%)
22. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (14%)
23. New Age (14%)
24. Secular Humanism (9%)
25. Taoism (8%)
26. Scientology (7%)
27. New Thought (7%)

[Sewingsiren]

Wishy washingmachine.


But I did find out I'm not a complete cynic, by taking the "Are You a Cynic?" quiz on the same page.

[Jessica]

[giantteeth]

Me too! Me too!

1. Liberal Quakers (100%)
2. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (96%)
3. Unitarian Universalism (96%)
4. Neo-Pagan (86%)
5. New Age (80%)
6. Secular Humanism (78%)
7. Bahá'í Faith (68%)
8. Reform Judaism (65%)
9. Mahayana Buddhism (64%)
10. Theravada Buddhism (61%)
11. Taoism (59%)
12. New Thought (58%)
13. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (55%)
14. Orthodox Quaker (55%)
15. Scientology (54%)
16. Nontheist (52%)
17. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (45%)
18. Sikhism (43%)
19. Jainism (40%)
20. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (39%)
21. Orthodox Judaism (35%)
22. Jehovah's Witness (32%)
23. Islam (31%)
24. Hinduism (29%)
25. Seventh Day Adventist (27%)
26. Eastern Orthodox (27%)
27. Roman Catholic (27%)

Geez- last time I did this I was 100% Unitarian Universalist. I wonder if some people spend their lives religion hopping; there are so freaking many to choose from. I'm not a church goer, either.

I'm curious, though, have any of you attempted to learn to meditate?

[mommy2three]

I'm curious, though, have any of you attempted to learn to meditate?

Of course! I would not be a good parent without meditation.

[Shrimp&Grits]

My son and I meditate and do yoga together.

[Jessica]

[giantteeth]

[Shrimp&Grits]

We've just always meditated, so it's a part of our lives. It's natural. My mother meditated with myself and my sisters when we were young as well. He realizes it's about find calm within yourself. Sometimes when I get too upset he'll remind me I should take a moment to breathe and get centered. He'll even stop and take a breath or two when he gets a bit worked up. He's so darn cool. We're researching buddism right now to see if we can apply some of it's lessons to our daily lives. I'd like for him to be understanding and accepting of life as it is.

[Petulant Pixie]

They practice meditation at our church. Our priest says that prayer is when we talk to God and meditiation is when He answers. So, the kids in the school get meditative times throughout the day.

[TheBean]

[Scout]

I actually took meditation lessons from a Buddhist monk a few years ago. It was interesting, but he didn't speak English, so my Vietnamese student (whose family were members at the temple) had to translate the first few times. That really took away from the experience for me, because I'm very verbally-oriented. I wanted to be able to ask and talk about certain aspects of the process. I have had off-and-on spurts of really trying to meditate regularly, but lately I'm in an off phase. That's prpbably why I've been such an impatient bitch of late!

[giantteeth]

Id really love to learn how. I know I've read techniques in books- but..... that's just reading and thinking, huh, I should really be doing this.

There's a Buddhist Temple a few burbs away from me that has classes on Tuesday evenings- one of these days Ill get off my ass and trek over.

Fen has broken the apostrophe key on my keyboard, so I wont be using them very much. That doesnt account for the rest of my typing mistakes.

I like the idea of raising her so that Yoga and meditation are a natural part of her life- maybe she will be able to bypass the antidepressants I chew on.

[Scout]

I think as Americans we tend to over-think meditation. It's basically just making your mind be quiet. I know at first I had some unrealistic expectations about what a meditative state would be like. Of course, I'm sure there are levels of the meditative state that someone very practiced can achieve, but as a beginner, you just try to master putting thoughts out of your mind and being still.

OM, the Stephen Mitchell translation of the Tao te Ching is a very simple, poetic version that might play nicely into what you are working on with Atticus. Taoism and Buddhism are not the same thing, but they are similar philosophically. I think he would be very able to understand and relate to the way this Tao is written. It says things like "When water is still, the mud can settle to the bottom" and talks about how a master does her work and then steps back knowing she has done a good job, without the need to hang on and be praised for the outcome. There's a lot about dichotomies and how they are dependent upon each other. I used to read it every day and that in itself was very meditative for me. In fact, I think I need to do that again! My mud is not very settled right now, lol.

[Shrimp&Grits]

Scout, I think I might actually have that translation. I'll have to pour over my bookshelves tonight.

Totally off topic here, but what's the name of the silicone menstrual cup you mentioned?