buddhism

i have always been curious about buddhism, and i took the opportunity to study it a little bit at the university of michigan. i tried meditation in my college days, but it made me extremely nervous — i abandoned it almost immediately. now i am very comfortable meditating and meditate every day.

years ago, when i realized that i'd taken my christian beliefs (roughly aligned with the friends meeting) and retrofitted them until they resembled some sort of mutant buddhism, i decided to study buddhism with more effort.

i received the gohonzon from the sgi and attended sgi meetings for nearly two years. they are a wonderful group that makes buddhism very accessible to newcomers. the sgi also has a comprehensive study program, and as my friend jim reitz put it, “there’s as much theory as you need.” i no longer attend group.

i was a member of the zen buddhist temple in ann arbor, where I received the precepts, and where they tame the wild ox. i miss the sangha, but i would have to move to portland or seattle (hard no) in order to join a community. so for now, i meditate in my home.