Everyday Dharma Challenge: The Introduction

After completing “The Colbert Healthcare Challenge“, where I read the now horribly irrelevant 1018 page House healthcare bill and shared what little I learned with Buffet readers, many asked what was next. I had never received so much feedback and support as I did when I undertook the challenge of reading that monster. This caused me to realize that much like when reading a book, watching a television show, or seeing a movie, people liked it when the main character actually does something. Since I’m the closest thing to a main character that The Magical Buffet has, I thought, well I better not just rest on my laurels, I had better do something. Thankfully, a package from Quest Books arrived with just the thing I was looking for.

“Everyday Dharma: Seven Weeks to Finding the Buddha in You” by Lama Willa Miller. I’m always interested in learning more about different spiritualities, I had already been struggling to develop some sort of meditation practice, and it took me more than seven weeks to read the House healthcare bill. Sold! I decided that the next thing I was going to tackle would be going through Lama Willa’s book day by day, and sharing the results of each week with everyone here on The Magical Buffet.

I’m extra excited about this project because by some incredible luck the author, Lama Willa Miller, has agreed to offer her thoughts about each of my weeks! How does a Lama respond to references to Kathy Griffin’s suck it philosophy? We’ll soon find out.

Now I should take a moment for full disclosure. First, I have actually already completed all seven weeks. It made more sense, and makes things more convenient for a busy author (That would be Lama Willa, not me.) to have it all at once to look at. So I’ll be publishing one a week, but yes, this won’t be in “real time”. Also, I feel I should point out that I am fairly familiar with Buddhism. I’m by no means an expert, but I know more than some. Lama Willa comes from a Tibetan Buddhist background, I’m more knowledgeable about Zen Buddhism. I have more of a preference for Japan’s Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism than Tibetan Buddhism. Lastly, I am horrible at meditating. Just awful. This makes my affection for Zen extra especially funny and wrong.

With all that out of the way, there is nothing else left to say but to stay tuned for Rebecca’s “Everyday Dharma” challenge! Buddhism may never be the same!