Buddhism with the descendant of the Buddha himself!

I am a proud Catholic and my faith is an important aspect of who I am. However, it is equally as important for me to learn about other faiths or systems of beliefs and to see how they work, so that one does not build up prejudices or false illusions of what they are like.

One belief system I recently was very fortunate to learn about was Buddhism. I was introduced to Buddhism by my flatmate Thomas, as he uses it as a way of coping with the stress of his studies at Imperial.

The first thing I was told was that Buddishm does not need to be searched for, as it finds you. Secondly, I learned that Buddhism is about breaking apart every day aspects of life and taking back control of the mind and the heart.

There are a series of techniques and teachings which help with both of these goals and having been able to learn a few of them from Thomas, I can gladly confirm that the meditations have eased my anxiety on many levels; not just in my mind but also about life.

Generally speaking, people tend to use meditation to control their worries about life. Living in London can be stressful with all the hustle and the bustle, as well as the focus on materialistic goals. Fortunately, Buddhism can be one of the tools people can use to fight the existential malaise of such a highly solipsistic world. For me it has been useful to find inner piece and a sense of calmness.

What I found most impressive was that although Christians believe in God and Buddhists have worlds of divinity, they hold many ideologies in common; they are both monastic religions and believe in putting the needs of others before your own.

Overall, it was a interesting afternoon being introduced to Thomas', mentor who is called Karuna (which means compassion in Sanskrit), who had been a monk for 22 years. He also happen descendent of the Buddha. We were shown around the lovely chapel in South Keningston . It was a great insight into Buddhism as we discussed Buddhism in great length. On reflection it is a useful for controlling anxieties and on self searching you're soul. I would highly recommend it.