About

Who am I and Why am I Doing This?

My internet handle is MettaJunkie. I am an Xennial meditator who proudly belongs to the microgeneration born between the late 70's and early 80's. Like all Xennials, I had an analog childhood followed by a digital adulthood. As such, I'm drawn to "analog" meditative approaches that draw upon ancient contemplative traditions. But I'm also attracted to "digital" paths to awakening, such as the ones championed by the (post?)-modern Pragmatic Dharma and Secular Buddhist movements. I'm also a husband, professor, and skier, who to believes that love is the only way forward.

I am very devoted to my meditation practice, which follows the samatha-vipassana approach as described in the amazing book "The Mind Illuminated" (a.k.a. "TMI"). I also love Metta meditation, Shinzen Young's see/hear/feel system of noting, and the use of non-dual glimpse practices as a counterweight to the over-efforting and striving that can sometimes result from following the more "stage-based" meditative traditions that I am partial to.

As I continue to progress along this beautiful path, I feel called to share some of the techniques and approaches that I've found supportive of my practice, in the hope that what I share can be of some benefit to others.

In addition to sharing meditative techniques and approaches, I am interested in creating meditative communities or Sanghas in unconventional spaces. As a result, I've created a companion landing page that serves as a vehicle for organizing free online all-day sittings and, eventually, free online multi-day weekend meditation retreats. You can find out more, get updates and subscribe to the mailing list here: https://mailchi.mp/8e94d4ed7560/alldaysittings.

Thanks for checking out my blog! I hope that you find some of the posts here supportive of your practice. And I look forward to virtually sitting with you soon!