Born

Ofosu Jones-Corte, also known as Born I, is a multifaceted artist and spiritual practitioner living in Rockville, Maryland. He is a musician, mindfulness and meditation teacher, Dharma practitioner, husband, father, author, fashion designer, and visual artist.

Born didn’t grow up in a strictly religious household. His family’s West African roots typically involved Christianity or Islam, but his parents weren’t overtly religious. Around the age of six to eight, his mother discovered Buddhism and began practicing in the Nichiren tradition, where they chant the mantra Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Born often accompanied his mother to the temple, immersing himself in the serene and enchanting atmosphere, which reminded him of the heroic figures he admired in kung fu movies.

Growing up, Born identified as Buddhist, influenced by his mother’s practice and the Dhammapada. During his teenage years, he explored various religious traditions while attending a Catholic military school. He delved into Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, seeking to understand how spirituality intersected with black consciousness. Influential black spiritual movements and hip-hop artists with spiritual undertones further shaped his worldview.

In college, Born’s interest in meditation deepened, partly inspired by spiritual jazz artists like John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, and Alice Coltrane. His relationship with his girlfriend, now wife, and her meditation teacher mother also played a significant role. Attending a retreat led by his mother-in-law rekindled his meditation practice.

The birth of Born’s first child, Sundara, marked a turning point, prompting a deeper dedication to the Dharma. He sought to honor the spiritual energy he felt connected to his children. This journey led him to meet a lay teacher in the Thai forest tradition, practice breath meditation, and eventually train at the Bhavana Society Monastery in West Virginia under Bante Buddharakkhita, an African monk from Uganda.

Born’s creative expressions span multiple media. He advises artists to find what is meaningful to them and express it in diverse ways. His first book, *You Are Enough*, is a children’s book meant for all ages, celebrating self-appreciation and connection to nature. His second book, *Love Your Amazing Self*, extends this message, addressing the importance of self-compassion. Accompanied by an upcoming album, these works blend lyrical writing with musical expression.

Born’s current project is a book of poetry for adults, featuring lyrics from his last two albums and reflections on how his life and Dharma practice inform his work. His creativity embodies the belief that freedom is inherent in reality, and he expresses this through various artistic forms, aiming to inspire others with the message of compassion and self-kindness.

As of the time of filming, Born considers himself a non-sectarian practitioner. His meditation practice is primarily informed by the Theravada tradition, particularly the Burmese tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw, taught to him by his teacher Bantibuddha Rakita. This practice, Vipassana, focuses on observing the rising and falling of the breath at the abdomen, based on the Satipatthana Sutta, which covers the four foundations of mindfulness: body, mind, thoughts, and phenomena.

Before meeting Bantibuddha Rakita, Born learned a form of breath meditation involving moving the breath through different body channels from a lay teacher in the Thai tradition. However, Bantibuddha Rakita advised him to keep his practice simple and focused on one technique, which he followed for many years.

Born believes that the meaningfulness of identity is deeply integrated into Buddhism. He points out that even the name “Shakyamuni Buddha” acknowledges the Buddha’s human and cultural origins, which are inseparable from his achievements. Born emphasizes the importance of recognizing and not diminishing our cultural makeup and the milieu we find ourselves in.

Born shared how hip-hop profoundly changed their life during their early teens. Around the age of 13 or 14, Born felt isolated and struggled with deep connections, facing bullying and pervasive loneliness. At one point, they considered joining the military, leading to an agreement with their parents to attend a military school.

Born explores diverse forms of creative expression to convey unified messages of self-compassion and interconnectedness across different media. His approach, rooted in his personal and Dharma practice, emphasizes the importance of loving oneself amidst broader themes of nature and freedom. Beginning with children’s books like “You Are Enough,” he expands his audience’s understanding of self-worth through accessible and lyrical prose, aiming to inspire kindness towards oneself as much as towards others.

Transitioning into more mature themes with works like “Love Your Amazing Self,” Born encourages adults to embrace self-love through poetic expressions that can be translated into music, enhancing the accessibility and impact of his messages. His forthcoming poetry book builds on this, weaving together reflections on life and Dharma practice into lyrical compositions that continue to resonate with themes of compassion and freedom. Through his varied creative outlets, Born seeks to remind individuals of their inherent freedom and ability to express themselves authentically across different forms of artistic expression.

Born believes that addressing mental health is crucial for practitioners. In his early stages of practice, he experienced undiagnosed mental health challenges and mistakenly thought these issues indicated he was a bad practitioner. This self-judgment led to more unwholesome ways of relating to himself. He now understands that these issues require more nuanced approaches than just following the breath and may need the support of a therapist or medication.

Born resisted viewing his practice difficulties from a mental health perspective because he believed a practitioner should solve all problems through meditation. He wishes he could tell his younger self to seek more support, either by clearly communicating with his teacher or consulting a professional. He recognizes that he is not alone in this experience, as the rise of trauma-informed mindfulness shows an understanding of the sensitivity of deep practice.

He encourages others experiencing intrusive thoughts, depression, or self-harm not to try to meditate these away but to seek appropriate mental health support. Born acknowledges that overcoming the stigma of receiving mental health support as a practitioner took time and made him feel embarrassed and like a failure. However, he now sees caring for his mental health as an expression of loving-kindness toward himself. This holistic approach to mental health gives him more energy to pursue the true purpose of practice: awakening to the truth.

Born emphasizes that addressing mental health does not invalidate the path but rather embodies it through compassionate self-care. Recognizing that his mental health challenges were symptomatic of trauma and chemical imbalances, not poor practice, he advocates for self-compassion and understanding that taking care of oneself is a vital part of the spiritual journey.