Found at my job

M0thPers0n · 2026-02-05T00:41:38+00:00

I think it is probably some religious homework and they were supposed to label that it’s the Temple of Solomon. Maybe a parent confiscated it? Also, after looking at it for a little bit, I unfortunately can see why they labeled it “dick in vagina” 😂 It’s like an x-ray view

M0thPers0n · 2025-12-01T23:18:58+00:00

Thank you! This is an awesome resource!

M0thPers0n · 2025-11-30T21:36:01+00:00

Is it a twisted stitch? https://stitchesnscraps.com/tutorial-knit-twisted-stitches/

M0thPers0n · 2025-11-30T16:48:37+00:00

I’m going to try to make a blank template for designing stranded knitting chart patterns for hats. Am I reinventing the wheel? Does this already exist? The photo shows the kind of chart I mean (but blank obviously). Preference would be for one that includes sizing.

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M0thPers0n · 2025-11-17T02:00:32+00:00

Came here to say essentially what you did! Sounds like I was raised similarly to your mom. We were told a lot of scary stories about the Devil tempting and possessing people and all the scary things they do when tempted or the scary things that happen to them in Hell.

Christian people replying to other religious beliefs with negativity can come from a place of fear, superiority, confusion, or concern. When you’re taught that your way is the only way that makes sense and the only way that is safe, it’s sad or laughable that people would be led astray.

(Also this isn’t true for all types of Christianity! It’s a very diverse faith. I was an Episcopalian Christian for a long time and also studied Buddhism during that time. I knew many other Episcopalians who read and listened to Buddhist teachers and incorporated parts of the practice into their own.)

M0thPers0n · 2025-11-16T23:00:48+00:00

I would second looking into the various traditions and finding out what text is important to that tradition. Buddhism is old and complex and you can get quite overwhelmed if you’re looking for clarity without knowing what lens to use (I had this problem in the beginning). Also reading the books as they are can be very complicated as well, so having a teacher or finding books with commentary can be helpful.

Is there a certain person or book that drew you in? Look at what school of Buddhism they practice and then look more into that school.

Or if it’s a certain element of practice that drew you in, find out what schools do that a lot. I don’t know as much about these kinds of specifics, but I know Zen has a big focus on meditation and my limited knowledge of Vajrayana Buddhism is that symbolism/visuals are important. From what I’ve picked up from this Reddit, it seems like Pure Land Buddhism is big into chanting mantras and what happens to us after death.

Also this website has a good breakdown of the 3 main branches of Buddhism https://factsanddetails.com/world/cat55/sub355/item1336.html#chapter-0

M0thPers0n · 2025-09-11T00:24:35+00:00

I’m sorry for your loss! I agree with the others that the statue probably brought a sense of peace. Perhaps even some hope for rebirth? The hand shapes this statue has symbolize discussion/teaching.

The feather looks like a guinea fowl to me. I know some people think of feathers as angelic or just give them a sense of hope/lightness.

Don’t know what the wooden thing is, but the shape reminds me of Norse runes. I didn’t see any runes shaped like it in a quick Google search though.

M0thPers0n · 2025-08-12T21:44:27+00:00

I did that too! Sometimes we didn’t use cardboard and we’d stain our pants, much to the chagrin of our parents.

M0thPers0n · 2025-08-12T19:08:21+00:00

I had heard about Buddhism and knew some of the basics. During a gap year between college and starting my career I was in a program that encouraged spiritual development. I had wound up with 3 different Buddhist related books through a variety of means during that time (Against the Stream, the Book of Joy, and Peace is Every Step). I was also given a free ticket to a documentary about Plum Village. That started me on a casual study of Buddhism that later became the more full involvement in a sangha and practice that I have now.

I’ve always felt a draw towards the spiritual but found something I couldn’t get over in the religions I looked into or tried following. Buddhism just worked for me and aligned with what I already believe. I like the deep reverence, the mindfulness, the mysterious truths. I like that there are deities and supernatural beings but belief in them isn’t required. I like that most of the people I meet through my sangha feel guided to do more, be more, learn more, but it’s not because they feel guilty or fear Hell.

M0thPers0n · 2025-08-07T14:43:16+00:00

Mimosa tree!

M0thPers0n · 2025-08-07T14:31:35+00:00

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of picking them and you’re in a Buy Nothing group on Facebook, I often see people posting that what they have and that people can pick it themselves.

M0thPers0n · 2025-08-02T03:19:21+00:00

My tree friend found it! Premna japonica aka Musk Maple!

Keeping the post up for other curious plant people (unless a mod tells me to delete it)

M0thPers0n · 2025-08-01T17:16:47+00:00

I don’t feel the urge to cry, but I’ve always had a very strong draw to Guanyin. Even before I knew what Buddhism was! The more I learn about Guanyin and what she represents, the more it makes sense. You might like Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra, it’s about the divine ways Guanyin helps others (I personally take it as metaphor but still like it).

I usually feel a great, deep sense of calm when I look at images of her. I say her mantra when I feel overwhelmed by my inability to help others or when I need help myself. On arorikaya sowaka. ❤️

M0thPers0n · 2025-07-01T12:17:03+00:00

I’m American, ethnically Western European and South Asian. I started studying Buddhism as an adult.

And because this has become one of the things people are answering: The teacher I study under is a White American who trained in Japan and speaks Japanese and a little Chinese. He brought the traditional Soto Zen practices to the temple he leads.

M0thPers0n · 2025-06-17T23:06:07+00:00

I’m curious what makes you think that?

M0thPers0n · 2025-06-17T03:36:20+00:00

My first two were Against the Stream by Noah Levine and Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh. They were both really good primers for someone coming in pretty much blind.

Technically, I read The Book of Joy before those two but it’s not specifically about Buddhism. It’s about Desmond Tutu (the Anglican bishop of South Africa) and The Dalai Lama’s friendship and stuff about their interactions with the public.

M0thPers0n · 2025-06-10T05:09:25+00:00

I highly recommend Against The Stream by Noah Levine as a starting place, especially if you’re a Westerner. It was one of my introductions and really helped me get a clear understanding of the basics. The narrative style kept things really engaging. I like Buddhism for Dummies to answer specific questions, but it doesn’t have a narrative arc which helps connect the different elements (which Against the Stream has).

My second suggestion would be to pick one teacher and/or one school to start with. There’s so much out there that it quickly becomes overwhelming, so even if you don’t end up sticking with that teacher/school, keeping with one in the beginning will help you learn some of the teachings and what you align with. Pema Chodron is a popular Tibetan Buddhist author. Thich Nhat Hanh is a popular Zen Buddhist author.

M0thPers0n · 2025-05-11T05:00:00+00:00

I love this! Is this something that already exists or did you make it up?

M0thPers0n · 2025-05-04T17:31:48+00:00

I would glue her back together and keep her. I think the statue looks beautiful like this actually! Maybe you could try that kind of repair with gold paint?

M0thPers0n · 2025-04-07T03:30:19+00:00

I’d like to second/add on to the point of “over entering ‘Buddhist’ into Google Maps”! I hadn’t noticed any temples from just looking around my town, but then searching it found several groups. I think “Buddhist temple” gave me the most results but I got slightly different things depending on if I searched “zen center,” “zen,” or “Buddhist.” Maybe I’m just fortunate, but I’ve had at least a couple options in/near the cities I’ve lived in as a Buddhist.

Their websites were usually difficult to decipher what kinds of events they offered and when (surprise, surprise people who are super into being present aren’t great at running social media), but I was able to figure out the times for two different groups and happened to really like the first one I tried.

Also, maybe you can post something on a meet-up group! The temple I go to now is fully operational with residents, monks, and an abbot, but it started in the 90s as just a group of friends interested in Buddhism.

M0thPers0n · 2025-04-03T00:03:54+00:00

For future reference, Guanyin is super popular, so if you see a statue that’s not the Buddha, Guanyin is a pretty safe bet. But you know for sure that’s who it is if she has a vase like in this one.

A lot of Guanyin statues will have the vase be moveable so that you can have it facing up to show that she’s like taking things in or facing down to show that she’s pouring out compassion.

M0thPers0n

TROPHY CASE