This humble little blog is here because of a handful of people were encouraging enough to suggest that they may find it useful. Most of these kind folks were readers of my now defunct and deceased blog, “Hitler’s Titties,” which contained some pages of my prattling on about Zen, Buddhism and a novice practitioner’s experience. Unfortunately, those pages evaporated into the ethernet. Another example of the transient nature of things and life’s impermanence.

I want to make the following very clear (a real Zen concept); I am NOT an expert, ordained priest, teacher, theologian or master of Zen, Buddhism or religion in general. I am a student of Zen teachings and try to apply its’ lessons in my everyday life. I try to sit (meditate) on a regular basis and I seek out information and teachers from various sources. My intention with this blog is to share my experience and MY understanding with fellow travelers who might be interested in such matters.

I’m very interested in pursuing, and pontificating on, what is being called “American Zen”. What that means to me is a practice that acknowledges the Japanese, Chinese, Tibetan, Malaysian, Korean and other oriental schools teachings and concepts without all the foreign trappings and with less emphasis on the ceremonial aspects of Zen Buddhism. That doesn’t mean to dismiss these qualities, it just means I prefer a less ostentatious approach. It also means that what you read here is solely based on my understanding and has been filtered through my own Philbertness. I’m just another traveler on the path and make no claim to have any special knowledge or wisdom. In fact, I hope to learn from you, so please feel free to correct, criticize, agree, teach, question or just chime in with your own experience.

I will be adding entries as often as they come to me.

Thank you,

Phil