Buddhism in America

Since Buddhisms inception in America we the people have been searching for our own unique expression of Buddhist spirituality. Just like Chinese food, Buddhism has undergone some alterations, as we have wrestled with the process of separating essential Buddhist principles from the Asian culture that incubated this great spiritual discipline for thousands of years.

In the beginning this process relied heavily upon the torch bearers from Asia, like Chogyam Trungpa and D.T. Suzuki. Then along came people such as, Alan Watts and Thomas Merton who contributed a great deal to the bridge building between east and west. Finally, we saw a crop of American born Buddhist teachers like Pema Chodron, Joseph Goldstein, and Sharon Salzberg.

One of the American born teachers that I have a great deal of respect for is Reginald Ray. He maintains the dignity of lineage, while seeking to express the living quality of that lineage in a western context. I have embedded an interview with Reginald Ray conducted by the founder of Elephant Journal and “Mindful Media” pioneer Waylon Lewis. In the interview they discuss the concept of American Buddhism. The video is both entertaining and informative. It is light-hearted, but intelligent. Enjoy!

Click here to learn more about Elephant Journal’s upcoming free online Buddhism in America and meditation workshop/ discussion group.

Or… If you haven’t read Buddhism vs. Speed by Reggie Ray on Elephant, you should! Click here to do just that…

Elephant 365 is an example of Elephant Journal’s commitment to the Mindful Life. Everyday we will offer a new reading regarding meditation practice and the spiritual path, all infused with a fresh perspective on traditional spirituality. If you would like to follow Elephant 365 on FaceBook click here and become a fan of Elephant Meditation by clicking the “Like” tab at the top of the page.