On the Missouri - Gateway to Purgatory
I am a Zen Buddhist practitioner from the humble stretches of the South Jersey lowlands who is currently an expatriate to the Great Plains of South Dakota – Buddhist Purgatory. In reality, Purgatory isn’t all that bad. I strive in my practice from day to day. Some days it is a success and other days it is a failure. The best days, though, is when isn’t viewed as either good or bad.
I suppose that this blog is an expression of that growing practice. Sometimes it is pretty and inspiring, spreading warm feelings, sunflowers and free puppies, and at times it is the exact opposite, ugly, biting and cold. Oh, well that is life – random and impermanent – Beautiful and Ugly. I rant and sometimes I think I may inspire but for the most part I just talk too much.
I am not a monk, lay-ordained, or even affiliated in any way. I am not even a particularly good Buddhist but I strive. And in that striving I walk the path. And that path is taking me through this life fairly well. Any of these posts that I make here are my opinions on people, religion, belief and the Dharma. The last thing I want you to think is that I am trying to convert you. I honestly don’t care what you are or what you practice – as long as you take a moment to stop and think.
Although when asked for a quick two-line bio from a friend this is what I received – John is a failing and stumbling Zen asshole that drinks far too much, engages in pagan rituals, reads the Necronomicon (in the original Arabic), yells at Jehovah’s Witnesses and spends too much time on dharma-drama and on his stupid blog. He is a dipshit and you should tell him so at zendirtzendust[at]gmail[dot]com.
I think that sums it up well enough.
Cheers,
John
Hi, John.
I like your site, and I’m sure it will help me learn more about Buddhism.
Thanks,
Bob Weisenberg
http://YogaDemystified.com
I like your site because, as Ginsberg once said about Kerouac, he was closest to earth life.
oh my gosh, i am so happy i read your post on shambhala sun and then found your blog! i feel like we are ‘unaffiliated’ sangha mates LOL. I was feeling pretty lonely about the whole thing until i saw that new discussion topic.
i am putting you in my google reader so i can keep up with you and i would love to keep in regular touch.
as i said in my post on shambhala sun (and it echoes your thoughts as well) sangha is a verb…a very rich verb that cannot be limited to one place and one set of four walls.
again i’m grateful to have come across you in the cyber world.
deep bow buddy!
Hey zenfant! Nice to meet you. I hope you enjoy the blog and you join our unaffiliated “ungroup”. There are plenty of us out there.
Deep bows in return,
John
Hi, John.
If you would like to simplify your web address to
“http://zendirtzendust.com”
you can do so for about $20 a year by clicking on “Domains” under “Settings” on your dashboard and following the directions there. I think this works better in a signature line.
You can also use this feature to create any other available name you’d like to link to your site.
As you probably already know, you can also capitalize letters to make them more readable without affecting the address, as in:
http://ZenDirtZenDust.com
Bob W.
Consider it done!
dipshit!
Gee. Thanks, Ana! Didn’t think anyone was going to do that.
you are welcome!!
Thanks for your input on Twitter! I deleted my account and moved on, its ‘On To the Next One’. I hope you enjoy the ‘Old Path White Clouds’ book! You can still catch up me with on my blog. Many Blessings!
Dig your blawg. I put yours on my “Friends and Folks You Might Dig” list of blogs. Maybe I can be on your blogroll? Together, we can take over the dharma-internet. Don’t worry. My blog is pretty boring, so I doubt folks will stop reading yours in order to spend more time on mine.
All the best,
Trevor.
No worries, brother! Always looking for another Dharma brat to wreck up the Buddhobloggosphere! I am surprised at how many practitioners that I know in Texas now! I will have to swing by next time I am down that way.
Cheers,
John
omg trevor, you are spittin distance from me. i’m near houston. i saw your pic in one of the dharma mags recently. welcome to texas…i mean sorry it had to be texas but i’m sure you brighten the place up a bit. i’m headed over to your blog now.
zenfant/Shane
Damn you Trevor! You stole one from me already!
[...] Me [...]
Cool site Jack I’ve added you over at Desolation Alley….
-Shindo
http://thewritingofjacobthomas.blogspot.com/
yo — you wanted to know about mujaku. check out the Dark Zen website. :::::smile:::::
a dead turkey wing flaps in the silent breeze
Hello, dipshit!