New
Buddhist Geek(ette)——Emily Horn
What
makes a Buddhist Geek? I have asked myself this question many times. Love of
technology, medium-to-high interest in Buddhism, and a mind that questions
everything? We geeks don’t buy social convention very easily and we’re always
seeking to learn more and evolve. Well, at least my inner geek is.
When
Buddhist Geeks started, I was having tea with a friend. I still remember
sitting in a Boulder coffee shop on Pearl St.–Vincent very excited–listening to
him share an idea to integrate wisdom and technology. It was clear technology
needed to be utilized in a new way, especially with Buddhist communities. There
was a palpable sense of possibility and it was just beginning to get tapped.
Over
the years, Buddhist Geeks has expanded from a virtual podcast (seeking to
understand different perspectives in Buddhism, wisdom, and technology) to a
local conference. It has also grown in team members. Trusting the process of
discovery, Hokai Sobol, Rohan Gunatillake, Kelly Bearer, Vincent Horn, and I
have pondered the question, as we’ve worked on this project together: What is
Buddhist Geeks?
That
dialogue continues to unfold today and Buddhist Geeks continues to transform,
as do many of the people in our listening community. To really take life, we
must allow evolution to re-invent the company and each other in the process.
This became even more clear as the first Life Retreat comes to a close this
weekend, and a new one begins next week. The Life Retreat is an opportunity to
deepen or begin a meditation practice with the support of teachers and peers.
During the 8 weeks, each student has a weekly session with a leader and
participates in a lightly facilitated peer group. “Awakening is a team sport”
and the Life Retreat provides a community committed to deepening in daily life.
My
experience co-leading a team of 10 amazing contemplative practitioners brought
about this new sense of community and now, my life practice begins to take the
shape of working more formally for Buddhist Geeks. What used to take the form
of volunteer coordination, countless hours of brainstorming with Vincent,
advisory team meetings, and conference design meetings– now comes together in
the role of Community Director. It is leap for me to move into a job that
doesn’t follow a “normal” structure. My past experience has been with
contemplative organizations like Sounds True, Naropa University, and InsightLA.
While each of these places has nurtured me beyond expectations, it is now
apparent that my life will help shape the structure of Buddhist Geeks and my
influence will be augmented by years of directing and managing projects in some
of our partner organizations.
Together
with you, our wonderful partners, and our amazing conference presenters,
podcast interviewees, and the Buddhist Geeks Operations team–I will begin to
help on a daily basis. I will be directing the Life Retreat program and helping
to develop additional Buddhist Geeks community offerings. To be alive and
consciously create, explore, and sit in awe of the mystery are some of the
beauties that Buddhist Geeks invites us to join. I look forward to the journey!