👋 Hi, I’m Mike.
Thank you for stopping by, and for taking a moment to get to know a little about me, and what I’m doing.About Me
For as long as I can remember I’ve always been drawn towards the “Zen” characters in media. Sure, they were often crude stereotypes, but I was always attracted to their seemingly imperturbable sense of calm.
Used under fair use for educational purposes.
In high school, I decided I was going to join the Navy, and about that time I also discovered Alan Watts, who was my first real introduction to Eastern Philosophy. His Anglican roots helped bridge the gap between the Christian conservatism I was raised with, and the enlightened ideas I had always secretly craved.
Used under fair use for educational purposes.
Learning and Sharing
After a couple years of technical training in the Navy (radar, radios, micro-miniature electronic repair) I was assigned to a ship, where I had the good fortune of crossing paths with, at the time, the first and only Buddhist Chaplain in any branch of the US military, Lt. Shin.
I was already doing my own meditation and studying Buddhism from books, but practicing with her guidance was my first exposure to a sense of Sangha. After she left the ship, I continued to share my practice with other sailors, with support from the chaplain’s office and the commanding officer.
“Command Buddhist Lay Leader” is the most glorious title I have ever acquired 🤣 and I enjoyed it very much, especially as we deployed to SE Asian countries like Thailand and Singapore, where I got to take some of my shipmates ashore to visit Buddhist temples.
I think that opportunity shaped me pretty profoundly, and in a way I’ve never stopped seeing myself in that role. It became a part of who I am, or gave me a way to express a part of who I always wanted to be, and it continues to be reflected in everything I do.
Finding My Family
After the Navy, I continued to share my practice with friends, family, and coworkers.
While searching for a temple, teacher, and resources to support my practice and the friends who were joining me in meditation, I discovered Phap Nguyen Temple, its abbot, Venerable Reverend Thich Tri Hoang, Sister Phap Lan, and the incredibly supportive community of Dharma Teachers and Lay Priests of their order.
They continue to support my practice to this day, and I’m currently enrolled in Dharma Teacher Ordination Training so that I can be a better servant of the Sangha.
About VirtualSangha.org
I’ve had the good fortune of being able to participate in a number of online meditation and dharma study groups throughout the years, but nothing has felt as beneficial as the connections made on Discord.
Why Discord?
On Discord, there’s no content algorithm. You will only see content made by and for members of your community. That means no political ads, no product placements, no spam bots, and no trend-manipulating influencers, unless the community administrators allow that sort of thing.
The Discord app is supported on all devices, and enables text chat and discussion forums, as well as group voice and video calling.
This distraction-free platform makes Discord the best option I’ve found for building a community focused on mindful engagement.
VirtualSangha.org Initiatives
For the reasons mentioned above, the Virtual Sangha is primarily a Discord community, but we also have other initiatives, such as a Podcast and YouTube channel, a blog, and even online courses currently in development.
Imagine a place where people can come together to offer and receive support on the path of practice among peers and friends. We host meditation events and sutra studies weekly, as well as the casual hangout in the voice and video channel. That’s what the Virtual Sangha is all about.
But Why?
I try to avoid describing things negatively, but the internet is full of dangerously bad advice, from gym-bros hawking hallucinogens to multi-level marketing scammers shilling pseudo-science snake-oil. Buddhist spaces online are no exception, and are often plagued by these and a variety of other issues. They tend to devolve into forums for snarky debates, or they are more geared towards being a spiritual influencer’s fan club than focusing on the community itself.
Success in those spaces is often measured by having a steadily increasing number of members, without actually considering if any members are really benefitting from the space. My intention is to help build something better, where the health and benefit of the community is more important than the size of the community.
In a healthy environment, supported by folks who are sincere and stable in their practice, we could have a space where newcomers bring their energy and curiosity, and seasoned members contribute their knowledge and experience, with each benefitting from the others’ contributions.
If this sounds like a space you’d like to be a part of, or just learn more, then please, connect with us on Discord.