Mingo 2
Nashville, NC
Mingo’s spiritual journey began during their teenage years, driven by a curiosity that extended beyond their Christian upbringing. In search of answers, they explored various religions, ultimately finding a connection with Buddhism and alternative spiritual paths. This exploration led them through phases of atheism and anastism before settling into a belief system rooted in Buddhism.
Background
Mingo’s spiritual journey began during their teenage years, driven by a curiosity that extended beyond their Christian upbringing. In search of answers, they explored various religions, ultimately finding a connection with Buddhism and alternative spiritual paths. This exploration led them through phases of atheism and anastism before settling into a belief system rooted in Buddhism.
Alongside their brother, Mingo embraced practices such as meditation, yoga, and Tibetan Buddhism. The study of mindfulness, guided by influential figures like Lisa, significantly influenced Mingo’s worldview. This exploration not only alleviated anxiety but also transformed their relationship with thoughts and emotions. The resulting detachment allowed Mingo to adopt a fresh perspective on themselves and their interactions with the world.
Voice & Presence
On Dealing with Anxiety
Mingo, reflecting on their teenage years, recalls experimenting with Kundalini-style meditation, discovering an intense ability to concentrate but experiencing overwhelming trauma due to the activation of Kundalini energy. They temporarily abandoned meditation, spending years readjusting to the world and seeking solace in therapy to cope with grief and loss.
Rediscovering meditation while simultaneously undergoing therapy, Mingo finds crucial support from their therapist, who offers a Western perspective on trauma. The therapist, also an advocate for meditation, encourages Mingo to reintegrate it into their life. With newfound stability, maturity, and a reconnection to their body, Mingo successfully incorporates meditation into their routine without adverse effects.
On Compassion
Mingo reflects on their journey into writing, shaped significantly by their past life as an actor. They delve into the connection between emptiness and compassion, drawing from their experience of fully embodying diverse characters during their time in the acting world.
On Deepening
Mingo embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery and spiritual enlightenment through meditation retreats. These immersive experiences played a pivotal role in shaping his communication skills, fostering deeper connections with others, and strengthening his commitment to the Buddhist path.
Refuge
Mingo recounts their spiritual journey, initially transitioning from Christianity to agnosticism during their teenage years. Curious about various religions, they explored different belief systems, including Islam, Hinduism, and others. Buddha’s renunciation of yoga and Hinduism intrigued Mingo, prompting a deeper exploration of Buddhism.
Engaging in practices like meditation and yoga, Mingo found a unique connection to Buddhism, appreciating its down-to-earth approach compared to other religions. Their mindfulness training from martial arts contributed to managing anger and eventually led them to examine alternative spiritualities like hermetic thought and pagan traditions. Mingo sought to understand diverse communities, challenging preconceptions shaped by their Christian upbringing.
The concept of unity and the pursuit of the highest good resonated with Mingo, solidifying their return to Buddhism. The Three Jewels, particularly the missing element of community, became a crucial factor in Mingo’s spiritual journey. Embracing Buddhism for its inclusive and compassionate community, Mingo emphasizes the open-mindedness and acceptance within the Buddhist circles they participate in.
Integration
Mingo reflects on the diverse ways mindfulness and Buddhist teachings have impacted their life, including navigating a past relationship with grace and maintaining peace in the household. They attribute their ability to handle the breakup amicably to mindfulness, emphasizing the rarity of such an approach. Despite facing challenges, Mingo finds that mindfulness has not held them back, allowing them to smile daily and maintain emotional balance.
The narrative then expands to Mingo’s experiences applying mindfulness in various contexts. They share instances of incorporating mindfulness and meditation into fitness classes for churches, adapting practices to align with Christian beliefs. Mingo also discusses their role as a writer, infusing creative think tanks with Buddhist philosophies and yoga breath practices. Their collection of poetry, informed by mindfulness, explores themes of suffering and emotional experiences.
Mingo extends their mindfulness practices to engage with different spiritual communities, emphasizing a non-conversion approach. Instead of imposing beliefs, they choose to live out their values and find common ground with others. Mingo expresses the transformative impact of these experiences, enabling them not only to share the Dharma but also to integrate and grow within their own spiritual journey.
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