Where and how should I start practising?
Dear all, I've been raised an atheist with a scientific background and I feel completely skeptical whenever it comes to reincarnation, afterlife or supernatural phenomena... However I started reading about Buddhism two years ago: Majjhima Nikaya, Walpola Rahula, In the Buddha's words and one book by the Dalai-Lama. They really convinced me that there's definitely something to the Four Noble Truths, and I also regard compassion as the highest virtue, but I still can't believe in afterlife and rebirth, and I still don't understand karma...
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Is it an obstacle to start practising? Should I read more before attempting to practice?
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Also, I feel reading is really good, but they all emphasize the importance of practice, so where should I start? I've practised a bit of mindfulness meditation (just watching my breath really), but what should I look for? Some books only talk of breath, but others say you should reflect on something? How many sessions a week/day, how long? My point is, I've always done everything "by the book", with a scientific method telling you step by step what to do, like a recipe, and I feel a bit lost without it (I guess that's one of the attachment I'll have to work on...).
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How do you manage to meditate when you have a working and family life?? 40 min to take on your own everyday is long, any advice to keep the motivation?
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Is there something else than mediating to practice?
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It is very impractical for me to get a teacher where I live (not a lot, expensive) and I don't even know which school of Buddhism I should turn to. Do you even need to pick up one school to start? Can I start without a teacher?
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My family and friends won't help, they consider Buddhism as a cult because of reincarnation and religious ceremonies... Don't really know how to explain to them, any good texts for atheist that could work?
Sorry that's a lot of questions but I hope some of them can be answered.
Thank you all for you're help and best of luck with your practice
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