Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Ray is the Director of the Dharma Ocean Foundation, devoted to the evolution and flowering of the somatic teachings of the Practicing Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.

He teaches in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche. The author of many books, audio classes, and online collection, Reggie’s work and teachings draw from his background as a Buddhist pupil and practitioner.

With a Ph.D. within the History of Religions from the Divinity School of the University of Chicago (1973),  he was once the primary full-time college member and chair of the Buddhist Studies (later Religious Studies) Department at Naropa University.

Over just about 4 many years he grew the dept and played various leadership roles at Naropa, growing with Trungpa Rinpoche lots of the projects and tasks that changed into a part of Naropa’s distinctive identification as a Buddhist-inspired college. 

Tell us about your self?

Rudolf Nureyev, one of the vital greatest ballet dancers of the 20 th century, summarized his long and illustrious existence very just by saying “I'm a dancer.” 

Similarly, I would say, “I am a meditator.” Beginning in high school and spanning some 65 years since, I've meditated, studied meditation with lots of the great Asian masters, gained an educational Ph.D. in religion, pursued a career as a professor in numerous major universities, written books all the method from an award-winning scholarly monograph on Buddhism all the way down to “how-to” meditation books, and based a Buddhist group dedicated to transmitting meditation to fashionable people. 

But via all of it there was one steady theme, one key thread inspiring my whole life, and that has been the sitting observe of meditation.   

What makes you different from other execs on your box?

I educate meditation by grounding it firmly and deeply within the body. 

This is a “bottom-up” quite than the “top-down” approach that is the norm in meditation teaching in the modern world. 

This bottom-up, somatic method prioritizes the intuitive, holistic wisdom, the knowledge, that operates beneath our considering, discriminating, left-brain cognition; and it sets loose the subcortical, proper brain/subcortical/ego-free wisdom of our inner most stratum as humans.

What was once a very powerful part of your skilled adventure?

The lecturers that I have been blessed to study underneath, first my graduate college teachers, University of Chicago historians of faith Mircea Eliade, Charles Long, and Joe Kitagawa, after which starting in my past due 20’s the Tibetan grasp Chogyam Trungpa, other Tibetan meditation masters, and other meditation lecturers from South and Southeast Asia and East Asia.

What takes up an excessive amount of of your time?

My personal discursive mind, my incessant thinking, labeling, categorizing, judging mind that presents one of these barrier to the direct experience of lifestyles and the sort of spoiler in relationships.

Who has impressed you most with what they’ve accomplished?

The Buddha.

What drives you to stay going when it’s really tough?

The undeniable fact that inside of each and every problem, regardless of how deep, troubling, or seemingly intransigent, there's a distinctive opportunity for brand new insight, learning, and transformation, all unlocked by my meditation follow.

How should other folks connect with you?

Visit Dharma Ocean for podcasts, articles, and knowledge referring to online and in-person meditation coaching. Book titles by Reggie Ray are to be had at Shambhala Publishing. Course information and updates are also available on Facebook.

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