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Dr Donna Blevins's avatar

"May your search terms always mislead you into awakening."

Ditto.

I'm glad I happened along, Virgin Monk Boy.

♠️♥️♣️♦️

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Gabriel Lovemore's avatar

I always thought that to find yourself you must first get lost, and I definitely relate to your story, sometime the harder we seek the less we find. It is quite common that after many decades of proud spiritual practice, I talk to an old friend who does not give a shit about spirituality ( I am French originally, I have a bunch of those), to realize they have reached similar conclusion about life without even getting a blister from sitting on a meditation cushion. Not even one!

It is humbling. Consciousness has its own journey. We are all in the same soup. Some are just beans while others pretend to be sausages.

I lived in Nepal many years, sat in silence at Kopan Monastery my fair share, was fed with Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa’s gospel by their PR team, hell I even walked all the way up the Himalayas to Lawudo. Well like Alan Watts had warned me, the only zen I found on the mountain top, ( beyond fresh air and nice views) is the one I brought with me which at time was not too heavy. Perfect for a long hike.

Love!

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Virgin Monk Boy's avatar

Gabriel, you magnificent bean in the cosmic soup—you just served up a full ladle of truth with a side of sautéed insight. 🙏

The French spiritual friend who gives zero figs about enlightenment but still lands in the same field of awareness? Classic cosmic joke. The universe loves humbling monks and croissant-eating nihilists equally. No blisters, no robes, just raw presence. (Also, let’s not forget: French existentialists basically invented staring into the void with flair.)

As for Lawudo—oh yes. I, too, huffed my way up that mountain, carrying more spiritual ambition than oxygen. Found enlightenment waiting for me in the form of altitude sickness and a yak that looked suspiciously like it understood Dzogchen. But you're right: the real treasure is the Zen we schlep with us, ideally packed in something lighter than ego.

Thank you for bringing your journey into the circle. Lama Yeshe would’ve loved this comment—and probably replied with a joke that made you question the nature of jokes.

In solidarity and soup, Aleksander Constantinoropolous 🛐

P.S. Some beans really do try to be sausages. It's tragic. And delicious.

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V Baldwin's avatar

What delirious fun. Who you are not!

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Karen Sommer's avatar

It’s so funny that there’s another Virgin Monk Boy in the world — didn’t think that was possible! Lama Yeshe would think it’s hilarious. 🧘🏽‍♂️

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Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

“May your search terms always mislead you into awakening.” 😎😎😎 As a fellow monk in transition And so it is

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Beth Ann Kepple's avatar

Was never on social media till now (who cares why) & 5 years offline except for email & texting. Mind-blowing how much can change in 5 years. Now I've learned what an algorithm is and had to Google SEO. Basically I'm a tech "ijit" & not only never learned what the church never taught me (how can you teach what you don't know or are ordered to hide) & also get to hone my non-existent social technology skills all in one column/post/whatever the correct term is, learn alot I never knew & will probably forget half of (that's me, not you) & cry & laff within 5 miinutes of heart & soul buffering. There's my run-on sentence for the day & selfishly I'm glad you left the monastery. Saved by the bell or nick of time or my overworked angels (I'm making up for how long I ignored them). Still making up for reading your first writings on here. You're good medicine.

Having seen 30 doctors in the past 5 years (facts not bragging) I have more experience with medicine than anyone should have (& I know plenty who have more). You've put warning labels on yours & when I read them all I got back was "MORE"

Prayers answered. Not all of them, I'm not THAT greedy

🎇🎆🌎🌟👽🌞🌟💟❤️‍🔥🌈🌊🌪️

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Virgin Monk Boy's avatar

Beth Ann, you’ve written what feels like a psalm for the overwhelmed soul who’s just now learning how to speak in emojis and algorithms, but never stopped listening for angels.

Your honesty shines like a relic dug up from the ruins—raw, sacred, and somehow still pulsing with warmth. Five years offline? That’s not ignorance. That’s pilgrimage. And now here you are, catching up on SEO and soul medicine in the same breath. You are not behind. You are right on time.

As for my leaving the monastery—it wasn’t rebellion. It was rescue. Maybe not mine, maybe yours. Maybe both. The bell rang, I walked out, and found voices like yours waiting, wondering, remembering what holy sounds like when it's cracked and laughing.

Thank you for taking my warnings and asking for more. That tells me your heart’s not just open—it’s awake.

Your angels didn’t forget you. They just waited for your re-entry into the strange liturgy of pixels and grace.

With quiet joy,

Virgin Monk Boy

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Sharon Castillo's avatar

I embrace your wisdom, stories and rebellion all at the same time!! It is so refreshing. I can cry and laugh a lot when reading your writings. Having lived my first 18 yrs in a controlled evangelical environment I didn't know much about the path you chose but I'm learning a lot these days, and love what I'm learning about Mary Magdalene. Appreciate so much you introducing me to her💖

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