Well, the first and most major precept of this forum is not to do good but "to keep on topic", keep closely on topic and keep returning to the topic. The purpose of this forum is to do good by helping others.
Enlightened's question was, "Is there any particular type of Buddhism (as there are many branches) that the ex-BKs you know of find particularly useful please?". I guess I just feel a little lost in all the expansion from that question.
Enlightened, if you are still with us, perhaps you can refine your question a little further.
In England, awfully nice places to go to test the waters might include Sharpham House Trust, near Totnes in Devon, which is in the wing of a beautiful old building overlooking the countryside. They have open days and retreats. Of course, a big plus is being able to just get out into the countryside.
I would say they are non-denominational, non-doctrinal and non-cultie, and at the heart of a larger network of mindful activities down in the area. However, I do not who their teachers are or what the community is like now. A lot of this stuff depends on the people who are there at the time. There is also Amaravati, based on the Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho, from the Thai "forest tradition".
I do not know what enlightenment is seeking now and so I find it little hard to make any further and specific recommendations, and I am not sure if they are still with us or have been put off by all the talk.
I think the Karuna Institute is worth mentioning or its blending of Buddhist approach and Psychotherapy which has survived and matured over a 25 year period. They also offer retreats and training. I would like to encourage ex-BKs to go on and turn their experiences into tools to help others.
I think there is a danger with ex-BKs too that even though they leave, they take a lot of Brahma Kumarism with them. It is easy to play guru with a small pack of aphorisms (and charge for it even), when one does not really know that much at all ... which we discuss often here.
And I wonder if within ex-BKs there is also a searching for a community or society to fit into ... and if ex-BK feel they ever fit back into any? To start a new religion, would invariably mean starting back at the bottom of the heap. I wonder how many are willing to do that in preference to being a self-appointed guru?
Enlightened's question was, "Is there any particular type of Buddhism (as there are many branches) that the ex-BKs you know of find particularly useful please?". I guess I just feel a little lost in all the expansion from that question.
Enlightened, if you are still with us, perhaps you can refine your question a little further.
In England, awfully nice places to go to test the waters might include Sharpham House Trust, near Totnes in Devon, which is in the wing of a beautiful old building overlooking the countryside. They have open days and retreats. Of course, a big plus is being able to just get out into the countryside.
I would say they are non-denominational, non-doctrinal and non-cultie, and at the heart of a larger network of mindful activities down in the area. However, I do not who their teachers are or what the community is like now. A lot of this stuff depends on the people who are there at the time. There is also Amaravati, based on the Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho, from the Thai "forest tradition".
I do not know what enlightenment is seeking now and so I find it little hard to make any further and specific recommendations, and I am not sure if they are still with us or have been put off by all the talk.
I think the Karuna Institute is worth mentioning or its blending of Buddhist approach and Psychotherapy which has survived and matured over a 25 year period. They also offer retreats and training. I would like to encourage ex-BKs to go on and turn their experiences into tools to help others.
I think there is a danger with ex-BKs too that even though they leave, they take a lot of Brahma Kumarism with them. It is easy to play guru with a small pack of aphorisms (and charge for it even), when one does not really know that much at all ... which we discuss often here.
And I wonder if within ex-BKs there is also a searching for a community or society to fit into ... and if ex-BK feel they ever fit back into any? To start a new religion, would invariably mean starting back at the bottom of the heap. I wonder how many are willing to do that in preference to being a self-appointed guru?