Colleen
In Colleen's quest for spiritual fulfillment, the path she embarked upon was marked by unexpected twists and profound encounters. Initially drawn to meditation as a means of relaxation, she found herself inexplicably captivated by the rich tapestry of Buddhist teachings. Her journey took a remarkable turn when she stumbled upon a Tibetan temple, a kaleidoscope of colors and imagery unlike anything she had encountered before. There, she encountered a high-level teacher whose gaze seemed to penetrate her very soul, igniting a sense of familiarity and comfort she couldn't explain.
David M
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.
George
But I went to this bookstore, I got there and I was soaking wet with sweat, and I went to the bathroom and I’m standing in the stall and I’m take off my clothes and I’m flapping my clothes trying to dry them off, you know, and and I was like, God, this is just not a way to live, you know? And and the reason I was going to this, bookstores, I love books, but also they had a Starbucks and I was going to get my Frappuccino and my chocolate chip cookie, you know, and as I came out of the bathroom and headed for that Starbucks there, as I passed by an end cap of books, and there was this white cover book with a slice of an orange on it, and it just said, savor mindful eating, mindful living. And I don’t know why that caught my attention. I don’t know why I even bothered picking it up. And, you know, I don’t know. But I picked up that book and I saw it was by this Buddhist monk and a Harvard nutritionist.
Donovan
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.
Amber
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.