NBW often receives questions about where it sits within the general field of Buddhism. So for the curious here is a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ page.
Comments on the Introductory Session for beginners & Newcomers of 23rd Aug 2015, Guildford, UK.
Angela: I would just like to thank you for the beginners’ class yesterday morning. I found it very informative in a peaceful and friendly setting. I look forward to joining you soon on Sunday mornings.
Katie: I have been meaning to drop you an email all day, and your note has just prompted me to do so. I wanted to say a massive thank you for the session yesterday. I found it really useful and enjoyable … will definitely join you for the 10am session next time I am home. Thank you so much to you and all the volunteers. I feel very lucky to have such a wonderful resource right on my doorstep in Guildford.
Tom: First a big thank you to everyone involved for putting on the beginners session, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it very informative about the teachings and ideas behind Buddhism, the purpose of the group and how it runs and I also learned a few things which have already helped me in daily life, all from that first brief session. I am certainly going to endeavour to come back as much as possible..
Liz: I attended the beginners class on Sunday and since then I have felt much calmer, I have been trying to practice mindfulness for the last few years with the stumbling block being meditation so it was very helpful for me to be given the exercises and booklet and also be received in such a positive and calm manner … the course was the perfect balance of interaction and guidance … talking in groups usually troubles me but I was so amazed that I felt comfortable and confident and not judged in any way.
Risa: Thank you for last Sunday’s meeting. I enjoyed the variety of the class and have been practising mindfulness with some success. At least I am more aware of when my mind is wandering! I look forward to next Sunday.
Mark: I have been meditating using the fixed mindfulness (concentration) method everyday for the last few months and have seen real benefit but I still felt alone on the journey and was looking for some guidance. I was also seeking a community of like-minded people to share things with. This is the reason I asked to take part in this session. The class exceeded my expectations and I felt very welcome from the start. The location is great (once you find it ) and the pace of the discussion was nice and steady without heavy detail which might of scared me off! The small exercises worked well and I found the “body scan” technique really highlighted how little attention I normally pay to the tension carried in the shoulders. Geoff explained things in a way that was easy to understand which, for a complete beginner like myself is vitally important. The booklet is great and has already helped me with sitting posture and introduced me to walking mindfulness.
Paul: I really enjoyed it and felt part of something new, exciting … and something that fitted in with the way I think and feel, generally! I was surprised to meet so many nice people there, all with very different reasons to attend the session. I realised after the introduction how quick I am to judge people before I really know much about them. Everyone seemed very nice and like-minded. I learnt a lot from the session and I would like to continue with the classes.
Brendan: Thanks for putting on the beginners class last week, I found the session to be very interesting and extremely stimulating. The facilitators did an excellent job, in particular in seeking comments and thoughts from the group so the whole event was a great mixing pot of ideas … I will certainly be attending some of your community sessions as a result, so see you soon.