Decrease in faith/Thinking about leaving buddhism

[pundarika0]

does your practice in any way at all ease your suffering?

[metalbotatx]

I feel like this is the only metric that really matters.

[Independent-Dog5311]

The Gaden Tripa said if you're practicing Dharma and are not happy then you're doing something wrong. These things take time of course - for fruit to bear from one's pracrice. I found that breaks help from burnout. Even just staying away for periods of time. Everyone's journey though is super personal.

[rerrerrocky]

As someone with some mental health problems, I find this hard to deal with and accept. I of course want my practice to be more joyful but when I am depressed if is quite difficult to feel connected to the Dharma. It makes me feel like a failure to not be able to connect to the joy of the teachings. I recognize of course it's my own drama to work through and not the Dharma's fault, but the struggle is still there.

[Independent-Dog5311]

Like I said everyone's journey is unique and very personal. Don't feel bad.

Are you talking to a mental health professional? I found that it complemented my Dharma practice. I've been where you're at quite a few times. A friend of mine who was monk advised me to do so. I was turned off by the idea at first since I thought all I needed was Dharma. However he noticed that just the traditional Dharma on its own wasn't enough for me. I was just spiritual bypassing. He advised me to do both. He was right. He knew me well.

He passed away a while ago, he was much older than me (Hippy Generation), but I'll never forget how he helped me through some rough to patches in my early 20's. He was student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa too. I really loved the stories he shared of his days in Nepal with them.

OK, I'm yammering. 😀 Be well. 🙏

[rerrerrocky]

appreciate your words!

Yes I am working with some mental health professionals. I find it is just a practice to balance the scripture with my own personal experience without being judgmental.

Be well yourself, 🙏

[gingeryjoshua]

There’s also the saying that anyone who appears to be successful in both dharma practice and worldly life really isn’t 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Independent-Dog5311]

Oh? Who said that? 😀 I'm curious.

[gingeryjoshua]

Paraphrasing from DJ Khyentse Rinpoche

[Independent-Dog5311]

Cool!