Beyond the Cushion

Mindfulness as a practice has proven its effectiveness in many aspects of modern life. Explore the rich tradition where this practice is a foundation to true liberation and global relevance. Through real life stories from lay practitioners, learn why Buddhism is so effective in this degenerate age.

A WORK IN PROGRESS.
For the benefit for all beings.

This long term multimedia project started as a photography book concept and has evolved since 2016. How people digest information today warranted a different way of presenting this subject manner. Apologies for errors as the website should not be shared with the general public yet. It is intended to invite people to participate and to demonstrate the scope of the project.

Spiritual Friends

ORDINARY LAY PRACTITIONERS.
MODERN CHALLENGES.
THE POSSIBILITY OF TRUE LIBERATION.

Instead of just reading books and listening to teachers expound the teachings, consider the rare spiritual friend on the path. As much as monastics and teachers can be a model what an embodied practice can look like, committed lay practitioners will be more common to living expression of the dharma. Through unscripted interviews, they share how the practice has influenced and transformed their relationship with friends and family, their profession and global challenges. May their stories enrich your understanding of the path in a different way and demonstrate the possibility of true liberation.

Lennell

Lennell is a professor and have explored many different spiritual traditions before committing to the Buddhist path within the Won lineage. She recalls how she overcame her intellectual propensity to make the dharma a living experience.

Learn about her story.

Mark

Mark is Ngagpa (ordained non-monastic practitioner) in the Tibetan Lineage. Early in his journey, he recognized the importance of formal teacher and has evolved to becoming a teacher himself within 20 years.

Learn about his path.

Rigzin

Rigzin's journey into the dharma is particularly interesting considering the intimacy she has had with Tibetan lineage masters. Her experience runs the gamut of having completed the traditional 3 year retreat, marrying a Tibetan lama and living as a modern day yogi with wolves.

Listen to her journey.

Alex

Alex is the CEO of a bio tech company in the Bay Area. His upbringing had the 'typical' Asian immigrant narrative and he dutifully fulfilled those expectations. As he practice deepened in the Zen lineage, he brings his practice into his work environment in many ways.

Learn about his story.

Cythnia

Cythnia's journey into the dharma was through AA's 12 step program. Like others that achieved 'success' from the western perspective and recognized its limitation, she pivoted her life into finding true liberation through the teachings.

Listen to her story.

Kim

Kim was fortunate to be born into a family of Buddhist practitioners. Even so, her journey was not without it's twist and turns. From the implosion of Against the Stream sangha to incorporating other traditions, she makes the path her own.

Watch her interview.

Christoper

Christopher was drawn to a spiritual path since his teenage years and explored a number of traditions including Mormonism. Even though he was interested in Zen and Jodo Shinshu lineages, he ultimately crafted own practice and founded the Salt Lake City Buddhist Fellowship.

Hear his story.

To explore such a rich subject in a non linear format is a continuous exercise in redrawing boundaries. To cater to the curious and enrich those already on the path through arbitrary groups of themes is the current iteration.

Explore.

Explore how people are discovering buddhism in modern times and the impact in their lives. From personal relationships to global challenges, learn how the teachings and practice transform their daily experience.

Explore Now

Deepen the experience.

Beyond formal practices, the richness of the Buddhist experience has manifest in many ways in modern times.. Beyond the jettisoning of the cultural artifacts of the east, the opportunity to redefined Buddhism for a new generation of practitioners is an exciting time to be part this tried and true tradition.

Go Deeper.

Dive In

Artifacts & Places

A visual tour of Buddhism through objects and places.

Participate

Support spreading the dharma by sharing your practice and stories to educate others on its relevance in today's world.

Learn How

Representation

The practitioners in this project spans across many lineages and social economic backgrounds. This sample is not necessarily indictive of how Buddhism is the West per say.

Learn Why.

What started as a passion project has evolved into a never ending practice. As my own spiritual journey matures it will undoubtedly inform the narrative of this project. Since I neither a scholar nor journalist, the project is merely a means to gather merit and wisdom for the benefit of all beings.

About this time last year, I was the road for about a month and half and little did I know how different it would be from the pandemic days. I suspected that it would be my 'last' significant roadtrip given that my day job was finally returning with the pandemic subsiding. I felt pretty good...

2023 Winter Update

February 12, 2023