My name is Bill. I live in Long Beach Ca. with my wife, two dogs and a cat.

I was raised a Christian, but since I could never accept some basic beliefs (the Priest teaching my Confirmation group singled me out as Doubting Thomas), the tug of spiritual interest was mostly unfilled until I discovered Zen in College. It was the 60s and Buddhism fit my instincts. I read everything I could (Alan Watts was the “translator” of the day, but also Suzuki and others), sat zazen meditation at the Mt. Baldy Zen Center and meditated on and off on my own for many years. I don’t remember hearing much about the Eight Fold Path, Precepts, or even the Four Noble Truths, but it’s possible I was trying so hard to understand I wasn’t paying attention except the quest—to experience sudden enlightenment or insight that could not be grasped without losing it.  I did not have a teacher, but intuitively I knew there was some valuable truth going on yet so much was wrapped in obscure koans and non-sequiters I could never find any ground under my feet. Slowly my practice fell away entirely.

When I discovered Therevada about 10 years ago, a lot of those pieces I could only intuit earlier fell into place. Call it philosophy or intellectual foundation, (which I don’t like to do, but there it is) Theravada was the foundation that re-charged my practice. I was lucky to have discovered Ajahn Cha early on and to have visited Wat Pa Nanachat and spend a few days at Abhayagiri. My wife, who is Thai, has been a wonderful example of living the practice in both mind and behavior. I’m grateful for this site where the experience of others can be shared. We are all alone, yet we are not. I read more than I meditate, and I know I need a better balance and hope to begin a more regular meditation practice.