[Buddha-l] Request for help from learned members of this list

[Curt Steinmetz]

Just to add what Jack and Joanna (which is almost, but not quite, a John 
Mellenkamp song...) already said, go with your own personal strengths 
and/or inclinations.

If you happen to be artistic, use your art to investigate Buddhism. If 
you are a potato farmer, use potato farming. Etc.

If you happen to be a bookish and/or scholarly type, then don't hold 
back on that end. That is, do not deprive humanity of your gifts - the 
world needs more Buddhist scholars, not fewer (but the pay is lousy and 
prospects for advancement rather dim). But do beware of those 
occupational hazards of that "personality type", especially melancholy, 
egotism, ungroundedness, lack of physical exercise, and social 
isolation. The same goes for those hazards common among artistic types 
and potato farmer types - but I have less direct personal experience 
with those.

Curt

mburch5717 at aol.com wrote:
> I've been a lurker on this site for some time and have been enormously impressed by the vast erudition of its various members.
>
> As someone who is relatively new to the study of Buddhism but who has a great desire to study it more deeply I wanted to request your help.
>
> Thus far all my knowledge of Buddhism has derived directly from reading books about it on my own but as anyone who has ever studied any subject independently knows there are significant problems with being an autodidact.
>
> I would like to undertake a broad and in-depth study of Buddhism including Buddhist practice with the goal of becoming a better Buddhist but am at a loss?as to what to do.
>
> In giving me your advice on what to do it may help you to realize that I'm a married man, 56 years of age who lives approximately an hour south of Los Angeles, CA.
>
> I would welcome any and all advice.
>
> Many thanks for your help.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Mike
>
>
>
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