Tibetan Buddhism resonates so strongly with me firstly, because of karma. It is well known to me from past lives and now I am remembering. So it is very dear to me and has stirred deep emotion from my first exposure. I think it is probably this way with most practitioners, once it grabs a hold of you, it’s like welcoming a dear old friend back into your life after a long absence.

I was going through the process of 12 step, got a sponsor, did those things that we're supposed to do. But I wasn't feeling it at all. I was just going through the motions and I was not it was not working. And so I asked someone at the treatment center when I was outpatient about how to what what I could do, like what are my options. And he gave me two names and I called both of them. And the first one to call me back was Alejandro Trouble. And that was the beginning of my of my path.

But he looked at me and he said, You look so happy. He said, What happened? I’ve tried all my life to make you happy. You look so happy. What happened? I said, I have never felt so peaceful and happy and content in my entire life and it’s not a result of anything outside of me. It’s a result of of working deeply within myself and meditating.

Background Marc has spent decades designing competitive marching [...]

Liz is a Korean American who was born and raised in New York City, living bicostally between New York and LA for much of her life after the age of 15, and is now based in LA. Her parents are from South Korea, where Mahayana Buddhism has been a significant part of the culture for many centuries, although Christianity has become more prevalent in modern times.

Explore Colleen’s spiritual journey from Catholic roots to Buddhist refuge, meditation, Ngondro practice, and her calling as a death doula.

Elinore's journey through spirituality was one of exploration, introspection, and profound experiences. Raised in the Presbyterian tradition, she found herself drawn to the teachings of Jesus, particularly the essence of compassion and empathy encapsulated in the golden rule. However, she grappled with the disconnect between her religious upbringing and its application in her daily life.

Ani Palmo, the director and resident teacher of Song San Gampo Buddhist Center in Lakewood, Ohio, shares her spiritual journey from a Catholic upbringing to discovering Tibetan Buddhism. Growing up in Garfield Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, Ani Palmo navigated her Catholic education with a sense of dissatisfaction, grappling with the teachings and treatment of women within the faith.

Raised in a Catholic family, David went through the sacraments and attended a Catholic college, but his move to California after college exposed him to diverse perspectives, sparking a more intentional spiritual exploration. Professionally, David has dedicated the majority of his career to nonprofit management, focusing on contemplative and mindfulness education, environmental education, and their intersections.

Lama Thupten was always drawn to meditative practices, even before they were formally defined as such. He lived in many places throughout his life, but one of the most significant was Selma, Alabama. Thupten witnessed the brutality of racism firsthand, but he also found solace in nature and solitude. Even as a child, he spent a lot of time alone, observing the world around him.