New Teachings

Religion has been the basis of wars, crimes, and can be considered much of why the world is not at peace. Isn't that an interesting phenomenon? When much of what religious beliefs are based on are entirely unproven and an entity we know little to nothing about. When I say this it's not to judge or condemn, but it is true that we really know very little about the mysteries of a higher power. They will remain long after our generation is gone. Possibly forever. And I see this as well, on an unhealthy level religious beliefs can be used as a crutch for a person's shortcomings and fears.
I grew up without any type of religious teachings and as an adult I'm curious to study and learn more about different religions. Will an understanding of religion help me understand my purpose? I can't be sure.
I've taken on the task of discovering Buddhism, so this week I attended a Buddhist temple; a makeshift temple located in a house on a quiet suburban street just east of I-35 on Rundberg. The house is lived in by the Buddhists that run the chapter, two married couples and a single girl. I had no idea what to expect upon knocking on that door and the experience was a welcome surprise. Everyone was young, super warm and friendly, gave lots of hugs, and seemed devoted to the teachings of the Karmapa they follow. They took the time to give me some insightful background into their group, the different Buddhism styles, and we did a short guided meditation. And then it was stated, "Afterwards we usually just hang out together, do you want a beer?" And there it is...my hopeful beginnings of a beautiful Buddhist relationship.

On the *more* personal level:
What a tough week of punishing workouts. My body is talkin' some trash! To tame the fire, we did a Crossfit Total workout on Thursday. It was my friend Jarrod and myself and we maxed out on squat, shoulder press and deadlift. The two of us hit personal records with every lift we did! What a great day! Thanks to Jarrod for pushing me to go for the 210 PR on deadlift!! Otherwise I wouldn't have tried it. My new numbers: squat 170, press 65, deadlift 210 for a total of 445. My goal is to increase the total by 20 lbs. or more in the next 4 weeks.