It's always been profoundly strange to me that most people I talk to seem to hold Buddhism in fairly high regard-- whether it be having a fair bit of knowledge about Buddhism and respecting it, or knowing the vague gist and saying it sounds good, or just repeating rhetoric that's at the center of Buddhist philosophy ("Can you do anything about it? Yes? Then why worry? No? Then why worry?" Comes to mind as something people often say that's extremely Buddhist)
Yet most people also seem to have the impression that Buddhism is somehow impenetrable? Like they really like everything they've heard it has to say, but THEY couldn't possibly do it, no no, they could never be Buddhist that's absurd, sure it's a very wise and good and calm way to live, but that's just a fantasy religion for bald headed monks in an Asian country they've never heard of
When, like, it's not like it's a closed practice. Not like you need to be ordained as a monk to do it.
The barrier to entry into Buddhism is your willingness to sit on a pillow.
And I've had so many people tell me that they can't possibly meditate, but that really genuinely doesn't matter - be it for two hours or two minutes, if you sit with the genuine intent to meditate, you've already achieved the same mindset as Gautama Buddha in that moment. I can't do more than 5 minutes a day, and it's not like I'm claiming to be an all wise Buddhist master, but I'll tell you this - I feel calmer. I feel more rested. It's nice.
I dunno. Look into it. Read some books, is all I'm saying. I try to follow Zen Buddhism and it's maybe the simplest thing I've ever done.
