Yes, this is a little late. In light of my eagerness to share something that I feel to be truly helpful, along with an aversion to say much about myself, it took me a full week to be able to sit down and actually write something.
So... for many years I was somewhat of a wanderer. I’ve lived in Boulder, Co, Northern California, the Florida Keys, the island of Crete among some other interesting places. I even spent a month living at the Chelsea Hotel in NYC.
I’ve been a hairdresser, a search and recovery scuba diver, a baker, construction worker, yurt renter, liquor store clerk, blogger, jobless poet, podcast host, singer/songwriter, etc.
I’ve studied/practiced Zen Buddhism, shamanic methods of healing and transformation, transpersonal psychology, yoga, aikido, tai chi, qi gong among some other things. I’m a strong proponent of indigenous shamanic plant medicines as well, and was fortunate enough to be able to spend 2 weeks working with ayahuasca plant medicine with Shipibo Indians within the Amazon Rainforest.
I’m now living, and rather settled in now it seems, in a small mountain village in the South of France. The quiet, simple ambience is rather conducive for my somewhat meditative nature and my creative urges here.
One of my main creative outlets has been music. I’ve recorded two albums and am hoping to be able to record a new EP by the end of the year with a Russian musician I met last year.
I’m currently teaching meditation through my online course, True Meditation "Navigating Challenging Times".
I'm as well, working on some new music compositions at the moment.
If I could say what my purpose is for being here, I suppose that it would be to try and share some good ideas and to do what I can to help bring some sort of stability to an increasingly chaotic world.
If there is any great realization to which I’ve arrived concerning my life, it would be that I must remain in some way, in service for others.
I'm very much looking forward to connecting with all the great souls here on Steemit.
"These are the good ol' days
Don't waste time..."
James Doshin Benton