My first taste of anything dharma related was through the book “Way of The Peaceful Warrior” which I read when I was 18 years old back in the year 2000. I also enjoyed reading books filled with Zen stories such as “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones” during my early 20s.
Although I later went on to do a couple of Goenka retreats and subsequently had some intermittent attempts to practice meditation, it was only by around the start of 2013 that I really began to put dedicated effort into learning the dharma (which at that point in time, to me, meant doing daily meditation sittings).
Around this time, I started wathcing a lot of YouTube videos (teachers such as Adyashanti and Shinzen Young) and then started getting into Theravada Buddhism. After listening to a bunch of online dharma talks by various teachers in the Theravada tradition (particularly Thai Forest), and doing a couple more Goenka retreats, I ended up mainly listening to and practicing in line with the teachings of Thanissaro Bhikkhu, and also Rob Burbea, (who was, at one time, a student of Thanissaro).
Before this, point in time, I had tried practicing using various dry insight methods but found that they never really worked for me.
Thanissaro Bhikkhu and Rob Burbea showed me how to develop (and the importance of) good, nourishing samadhi, alongside developing the clear seeing and discernment of vipassana through the practice of Anapanasati. Finally I started getting some real results and confidence in my practice, which by then had become more integrated into my daily life.
I'm really happy to have now found Dhammarato's teachings and to be part of a real sangha.
I appreciate how down to earth and simple Dhammarato's teachings are with his emphasis on getting satisfied and staying satisfied right here, right now.
