Need Advice On Starting A Taoist/Buddhist Center/Group.

[Thunder_Gooch]

Hello Bums,

 

This afternoon I am in a better mood, after much contemplation I envisioned a possible solution to my problem. I would like your input, advice and idea's. Please feel free to shoot my idea down, or tell me what you think even if it is negative.

 

In my area there are no Buddhist or Taoist temples for a 100 mile radius. So here is my game plan. Run newspaper ads in all the local papers for all the neighboring counties for a taoist/buddhist/qigong/meditation meetup and discussion group. I plan on having us meet every other Sunday at my counties community center, maybe even creating a group on meetup.com I am sure that it would attract a large number of people as it would cover at least 4-5 counties.

 

If all goes well, and I can attract a large following then perhaps we can start placing donation cups at all the local gas stations, and doing fund raisers. Local churches and forming churches use the same methods to pay for their expenses. I am thinking I could form some sort of nonprofit org and keep all the funds raised in a savings account. Eventually I am sure we would have enough money to buy land and build a temple.

 

I am not sure if it would be legal to have the land in my name or not, but if so then I would be guaranteed a home, and a livelyhood for the rest of my life. Even if this may take many years, it would still be faster than me working alone full time to afford a land and build a home.

Edited April 8, 2009 by More_Pie_Guy

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Are you a taoist or a buddhist?

[goldisheavy]

Hello Bums,

 

This afternoon I am in a better mood, after much contemplation I envisioned a possible solution to my problem. I would like your input, advice and idea's. Please feel free to shoot my idea down, or tell me what you think even if it is negative.

 

I don't think negatively of you. So, have you looked up Richard Rose yet? You know, you don't have to call it "Taoist" or "Buddhist". You can call it what you want. Richard Rose did exactly like what you are suggesting. He created a place for people of like mind to contemplate and meditate and work together. He did all that in the wild and wooly West Virginia before Buddhism became the "hot" commodity it is now. He actually had shootouts with the Hare Krishnas over the land too. If anything, it's one hell of a story and you should read it. You should read how Richard Rose behaved too. It may be instructive to you.

[Thunder_Gooch]

Are you a taoist or a buddhist?

 

 

I do not believe in all the Taoist and Buddhist rituals and superstitions, so in a religious sense I am neither. Philosophically however I guess I would be both. I don't see any inherent contradictions in the two philosophies.

Edited April 8, 2009 by More_Pie_Guy

[Mal]

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Good Luck on your journey.

 

Our temple was fully of challenges, sufferings, and many many rain and thunderings on the way. It can never e easy to open a "temple". It does takes much more than you can think of.

 

Opening is easy, closing is also easy. Running is hard.

 

Temple is a temple, not a business.

 

By the way, in our system (chi in nature system) of leanring, you can learn to become a taoist master and open a temple, but the whole process may take you over 30yrs. Just to get you "qualified" with the amount of exp, skills and trainings.

[Thunder_Gooch]

Edited April 8, 2009 by More_Pie_Guy

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Maybe then call it a Taoism & Buddhism Center? Or a Taoism & Buddhism Group? something like a more recreational feeling?

 

That would be better than calling it a "temple" which means it have to hold rituals, ceremonies, and do things for people etc,. Which for sure is religious based. Which is not what you are looking for.

[Thunder_Gooch]

Maybe then call it a Taoism & Buddhism Center? Or a Taoism & Buddhism Group? something like a more recreational feeling?

 

That would be better than calling it a "temple" which means it have to hold rituals, ceremonies, and do things for people etc,. Which for sure is religious based. Which is not what you are looking for.

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

Also perhaps I could get certified in some simple qigong system like spring forest and offer classes a few days a week, if the center ever gets built

[Aetherous]

All of this just to leave the world and seek liberation? It's starting to sound like liberation isn't the actual goal here, and it's more of a laziness thing.

 

Why not just work a normal job, instead of conning people into giving you money for doing nothing? That way you will make money in an honest way with which you could buy land and build your retreat place. It'll probably be quicker and less troublesome, too.

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Just a note- if you build a "center" you can do anything you want.

 

If you build a temple, you can never take the money from it. it's not "yours".

[fizix]

Just a note- if you build a "center" you can do anything you want.

 

If you build a temple, you can never take the money from it. it's not "yours".

I guess that's why Christians call it Church

[gendao]

I think more Taoist/Buddhist centers would be GREAT!

 

Every small town is cluster-fuct with churches. They got very nice and plentiful spaces to do any sort of organized activity.

 

But you could probably count the number of Taoist centers on one hand in this entire continent.

 

Which amounts to a Microsoft-like monopoly on spirituality in this country. If anyone wants to explore Taoism locally, they would be lucky to even meet another Taoist within 20 miles.

 

So, I think you have a good idea and I wish you much luck and success with it! Not to say it would be easy...but good.

Edited April 8, 2009 by vortex

[phore]

meetup.com would probably help you trying to organise it.

[YMWong]

I am not sure if it would be legal to have the land in my name or not, but if so then I would be guaranteed a home, and a livelyhood for the rest of my life.

 

Funny how you openly admit being lazy.

Actually more sad than funny ...

 

Move your ass and get yourself a job like everybody else instead of wasting people's time

 

YM

 

PS: as an option, since you seem to be young, find and old and rich lady to marry

[Fire Dragon]

Hello

 

I think your energy have taken another turn. In the other thread, excuse me, you did not realy want to see any opurtunities, I stoped reading it after a while though. In this you have found something that for the moment looks like a solution. To work on this plane will give you much. You will be connecting to people with similar goals and intterests as yourself. You will be doing things in the world that you like.

 

This will be a project as good as anything else, as good as a job. It is a vision to work for. Something that might give your outer life a meaning. Since you are willing to live on low standard there is much you migth be able to accomplish if you are patient. This plane will not allow you to be free from the outer world and just meditate, you will have to work hard to accomplish this, but the hard work might be fun to!

 

I would recomend you a book. I think its name is money love by Gillies

 

 

Good luck with your ideas, look and see if they are possible to accomplish

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Just another info...

 

most people who build a "temple" in the past are taoist who are leaders of a lineage, usually. They build the temple to spread their lineage and use it as a HQ for the lineage. So what comes next after opening is that people will come and challenge the lineage all the time, like how martial arts schools are like, people come and "kick your school". I guess if you do not have any of these knowledge, you will not want people to kick your butt just like that.... it's not fun.

[松永道]

Move your ass and get yourself a job like everybody else instead of wasting people's time

 

Opening and managing a center would be a legitimate job. Anyone in their right mind aims to enjoy their work. Now the question is are you seeking to avoid a job you don't like or are you seeking to avoid responsibility altogether?

 

In any case I think finding people with similar interests in your area would do good for you and them.

[YMWong]

Opening and managing a center would be a legitimate job.

 

 

Opening a center i.e. setting up a business in a field of one's own interest is of course a legitimate thing.

 

Trying to avoid life responsibilities and doing only what one feels like by way of raising money from donations ("donations" for what, to set up a business ?) to buy lands under one's own name (but wasn't he intersted in meditating ?) and pretending to be a non-profit in buddhist/daoist fields (subjects of which he clearly has no clue) but of course maybe he will get a "Qigong certification" if necessary ...

 

LOL

 

YM

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Having the passion and interest in the subject is good already. At least it is a start with the intention and heart. Who can walk without falling first?

[Thunder_Gooch]

Funny how you openly admit being lazy.

Actually more sad than funny ...

 

Move your ass and get yourself a job like everybody else instead of wasting people's time

 

YM

 

PS: as an option, since you seem to be young, find and old and rich lady to marry

 

 

I am celibate and have been for a few years, I don't get along well with other people. If I need sex bad enough I'll drive to Nevada and pay for it.

 

Next up, I work full time at the moment. I bring home about $1500 a month of which about half is usually saved. In my bank account right now I have $900.00 I buy gold coins and keep them in my safe deposit box, as of today I own over 8 ounces of gold, in a few more months I will own over $10,000.00 in gold coins assuming prices do not fluctuate wildly. When I get home I am required to do my chores, cook some food and socialize a bit, then I head off to meditate a few hours before I sleep, and then I wake up and repeat this process.

 

I don't plan on wasting peoples time. I believe I can offer a great service to people in my community and neighboring communities. I believe it would be a symbiotic relationship, and not parasitic as you imagine.

I plan on working until I have enough to buy land and build a house which is going to be a long long time. Having volunteers help me with fundraisers and donations etc would drastically speed up this process. Of course the catch would be I would have to run a legitimate service to the community at least once a week.

 

I fail to see what your issue with this is. Most likely unless I brought in enough money from qigong classes I would still have to work a job 2 days a week after the land purchased and the building built, and every other detail taken care of.

[Thunder_Gooch]

Opening a center i.e. setting up a business in a field of one's own interest is of course a legitimate thing.

 

Trying to avoid life responsibilities and doing only what one feels like by way of raising money from donations ("donations" for what, to set up a business ?) to buy lands under one's own name (but wasn't he intersted in meditating ?) and pretending to be a non-profit in buddhist/daoist fields (subjects of which he clearly has no clue) but of course maybe he will get a "Qigong certification" if necessary ...

 

LOL

 

YM

 

My end goal of meditating all day would be realized faster if I had help, why is this a bad thing? I can see a large range things I could do to make a legitimate living. Selling books, incense, and tea. Accepted donated possessions for an ebay thrift store. Offering qigong classes. Most likely I would still need to work 2 days a week to cover my personal expenses but I find this acceptable.

 

Why do you think I have no clue in buddhist and taoist philosophy? I may be an asshole, but I don't think I am ignorant.

[YMWong]

I am celibate and have been for a few years, I don't get along well with other people. If I need sex bad enough I'll drive to Nevada and pay for it.

 

I proposed an old and rich lady not for the sex but for the money.

This, to use your words, would "speed up the process"

 

YM

[Thunder_Gooch]

All of this just to leave the world and seek liberation? It's starting to sound like liberation isn't the actual goal here, and it's more of a laziness thing.

 

Why not just work a normal job, instead of conning people into giving you money for doing nothing? That way you will make money in an honest way with which you could buy land and build your retreat place. It'll probably be quicker and less troublesome, too.

 

Well if I form a group and get them involved in fund raisers once a month or every two months or get them to help me place donation cans at gas stations and other businesses all to get a center built, I don't see how this is being lazy on my part.

 

You may call me lazy for only wanting to work 2 days a week and spend the rest of my time meditating. But the path to that goal is going to be a lot of hard work.

 

I don't see this as conning anyone out of money as long as everything is handled legitimately and legally. I plan on seeing a property lawyer about this next week. As long as I offer weekly services to the public, and I really work hard at making it worth their time, I don't see any of this as unethical.

 

Who knows this idea may not work out, I may not be able to attract a large enough number of people to make it happen. In which case I either come up with a better idea, or someone else here does, or I continue working until I can afford my own property and home.

[Thunder_Gooch]

I proposed an old and rich lady not for the sex but for the money.

This, to use your words, would "speed up the process"

 

YM

 

Couldn't do it. I really don't like the thought of being a jiggalo. Thanks for the advice however.