Perhaps in a past life I was a well-off Englishman. I love this country (England), but I must say that to live here -at least in London- is to almost literally bleed money. Fortunately, the older I get the richer my friends seem to be. And whatever good Karma I might have allows me to get around okay on a student/part-time professor budget. Right now I’m staying with Sjors, one of the very few remaining housemates from my time here... Read more

What percentage of your life is spent trying to manipulate the future or rationalize the past? How often and how deeply do you simply sit back and appreciate the now? It is these moments, often spent in silence and wonder, that create memories that fill a lifetime. I think of this as I pause all-too-briefly at home in Montana (currently spending my last hours in Missoula at my ex-girlfriend’s apartment). It’s been a busy summer of work and travels and... Read more

How to describe Woodenfish? (Woodenfish is the name for the Humanistic Buddhism Monastic Life Program (HBMLP), based at Fo Guang Shan Monastery in southern Taiwan.) It is something like a process of controlled chaos on the outside and -hopefully- a deepening calm and peace internally. The program itself was broken into roughly four segments: Classes for a few days Seven-day retreat (5 full days, plus an evening at the start and a morning at the end) Youth Summit on Life... Read more

Quickly, as usual, some photos. Giacomo Ezra Tim Jizo Bodhisattva  Some contemporary art from the gallery. Guanyin / the Thousand Armed Avalokiteshvara Hao Ran, my Chinese name. The name was given to me by a Chinese girl I met at a library in China last year during my tour there, but I lost it. Quite amazingly, I ran into her again here. Paiwan Dance; the aboriginal people of Taiwan, as part of our opening program. More reflections to come, with... Read more

That was this morning’s high moment for me. They are definitely trying hard to keep us comfortable in these new surroundings. Then came a scoop of strawberry Special K on the plate. To be eaten with chopsticks. Our tour leader at the Women’s College. The original main temple. Today it is the Avalokiteshvara shrine and part of the Women’s College. Obligatory touristy pic at the Women’s College Library. OK, time to run (which is most of the time!).  More after... Read more

Still no time for a substantive post, but here are some pictures, 3 from Taipei and the last of Ven. Master Hsing Yun here at Fo Guang Shan. (time to run!) Read more

No time for a lengthy post unfortunately, or at least I don’t have the patience in this heat (sitting outside a bookstore with wifi because it’s so packed inside). I’m at Fo Guang Shan now, in the south of the country, enjoying the sounds of chanting on one side and Taiwanese tourists chatting and eating iced cream on the other. A man with a heavily panting Chihuahua sits in front of me, seemingly impervious to the heat and humidity that... Read more

Nevermind: see here or comments 🙂 I can’t say it better than my friend and fellow award winner, Danny, so here’s what he said: I learned today that I received a 2010 Top 50 Buddhism Blogs Award.  I think the fabulous Peter Clothier at Digital Dharma (who also received one of these awards) put it best–about this and other blog awards in general: We’re not sure just how much of an honor this might be, but we get a cool medallion to put... Read more

Three words: Tired, sweaty, and… I forget the third. It’s about 11:30 pm here now and 10:30 am in Montana, putting me at 13 hours ahead. I’ve been awake now for just over 25 hours, so further details and emails will come after a long snooze. But for those dying to know: I made it. My thanks to my sister Eve for hosting me in LA/Catalina Island and to Gina who came all the way out to the Taipei airport... Read more

How to pack for back-to-back Asian adventures: Dig out $25 Chinese suitcase purchased on last Asian adventure Locate A4 binders from England from 5 years ago Toss in 10 year old Birkenstocks Add a book with a Buddha on the cover and some coat hangers, just in case…  Luckily this isn’t my actual bag – which is in many ways much worse off – just a casualty of my last-minute packing to get out of Missoula. Friday, my last day... Read more