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Most people have heard about the benefits of meditation. It can improve sleep, diminish anxiety, soften depression, anger, and fear. People who meditate regularly report sharper focus, more patience, improved memory and relationships. As a daily practice meditation can truly change your life (even creating new neural pathways in the brain) and is widely known to help many mental illnesses.
My name is Sam and I've been studying Buddhism and meditation for about 4 years. I first discovered Buddhism when I was in high school and I read Brad Warner's Hardcore Zen on a long ride to Vermont for family vacation. The book changed my life and I was able to heal many of my issues with anger and resentment at an early age because of Warner's straightforward introduction to Zen practice. I first tried my hand at meditating during this time but I never fully committed to daily practice until I reached college
During my first year of college I experienced a crippling depressive episode that landed me in therapy as I sought relief from my relentless anxiety and emotional numbness. Although talk therapy was helpful, I found true relief when I met my first Zen teacher, Ryan Joo. Ryan was a Buddhist monk from Korea, and I took his class as an elective. Through his teaching and instruction I gained an even deeper understanding of Buddhism and the different schools of Zen. I began to come out of my shell of anxiety, panic, and sadness when I embraced meditation as a daily practice. I left college after a year but remained grateful for the tools I had gained from therapy and from Ryan's class. I took my meditation practice with me and through it was able to treat my ongoing panic attacks and survived many painful experiences through daily meditation and reflective practice.
Now I live in New York City and have been very lucky to find the DharmaPunx community sangha. Meditating with DharmaPunx gave me my first opportunity to meet other practitioners and learn different forms of meditation. As my practice and understanding has grown, I've learned more about the Thervavada tradition of Buddhism which is the school of Buddhism DharmaPunx's teacher, Josh Korda, is empowered in. I've found a great deal of fulfillment, healing, and joy in the weekly DharmaPunx meetings and have committed even more deeply to meditation. For many years I knew I would like to someday attend a meditation retreat, but I wanted to wait until I was ready and felt I was skilled enough in my practice. I feel that time has finally come, and it's a very exciting time for me as a practitioner!
With DharmaPunx's springtime retreat at the Garrison Institute approaching this May, I'm excited and thankful to say I received a scholarship to participate in the retreat. However, the scholarship will not fully cover the cost and so I am asking for help in paying the remainder of the cost of attendence. 300 dollars may not sound like much, but as a hairstylist assistant living on my own, paying back student loans as well as all of my bills at 22 years old, finding that total chunk of money in one payment will be challenging. All the money I recieve will go towards the remaining cost of room/board and meals. I am asking for your help in sending me to the Garrison Institute to meditate this May so I can deepen my spiritual practice without causing myself stress and anxiety during a time that is meant to be focused on balance and reflective practices.
As I continue down my path with meditation I hope to eventually start my own casual mediation group where I can teach other people my age about Buddhism, meditation, and contemplative practices so that they too can live happier, more balanced lives that are free from excess suffering and anxiety.
Meditation is a practice that not only benefits the individual sitting but every individual that the practitioner might meet in their daily life. Meditation makes us more compassionate, more patient, and more forgiving with others. Meditation does not harm others or the practitioner, it does not use up resources, nor does it exploit, demand, or compete. Meditation is a blameless practice that can bring hope, peace, and healing to all beings.
Please donate to my fund and help me experience this important step in my path.
Thank you!
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