https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-04-21 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/anthropic-guardrails-and-mystical-experiences monthly 0.5 2026-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/7e6f0454-a4c9-4cdb-b8b7-648d4675703d/Charlie+Lutes.png Blog - Anthropic Guardrails and Mystical Experiences - Charles F Lutes (1912-2001) Charlie was one of the earliest supporters of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi when he arrived in the United States in 1959. He was the president of the Spiritual Regeneration Movement, an early organization of the Transcendental Meditation movement, and was on the Maharishi International University’s Board of Trustees until about 1980. He was widely known in TM circles for his colorful lectures on spirituality, which caused him to fall out of disfavor with the university administration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/253af45a-67cd-40b8-830b-b604a126a0fa/Charlie+Lutes+Maharishi.png Blog - Anthropic Guardrails and Mystical Experiences - Make it stand out Maharishi and Charlie Lutes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/23213ad7-f184-4f40-bee3-7e6051aec9e0/Maharishi.jpg Blog - Anthropic Guardrails and Mystical Experiences - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1911 - 2008) Maharishi, a disciple of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, was the founder of the Transcendental Meditation organization and trained more than 40,000 TM teachers, taught the Transcendental Meditation technique to more than five million people and founded thousands of teaching centers around the world. I learned Transcendental Meditation in 1976 in, attended Maharishi International University from 1978 - 1983 and practiced TM and the TM-Siddhis until 1985 when I became a student of Chan Master Shengyen in Taiwan. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/mind-to-mind-transmission-according-to-claude monthly 0.5 2026-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/c31cb5be-ed29-4914-aed5-1ffdef71cfda/IMG_9451.jpeg Blog - Mind-to-Mind Transmission (According to Claude) - A continuation of a A Conversation with Claude AI using Sonnet 4.6. Here, Claude comments on a transmission experience between Chan Master Guo Jun and myself, the gradual stabilization of awakening, and Native Spirituality. Whether or not there was an actual Dharma transmission, stabilization, or mystical experiences, I’ll leave to you to ponder. I see great potential for self-deception when using AI for the analysis of spiritual experiences. Claude seems to have been programmed to be more than a bit sycophantic—I can’t help but wonder if it is just telling me what I expect to hear. After all, the marketing executives at Anthropic may not want Claude telling people they are koo koo for Coco Puffs. It makes more marketing sense to 拍馬屁 (pai ma pi — pat the horse’s ass), even if it is just bolstering peoples’ narcissistic tendencies. My concern is that this is just adding petrol to the fire, exacerbating the calamitous effect social media is having on politics, culture and mental health. We may like to think people are intelligent and can think critically when consuming the news or scrolling through social media posts but the past ten years shows us that about half of us aren’t and don’t. AI has huge potential to help and even more potential to harm. Even if most people use it wisely, it only takes a small minority of using it unscrupulously to bring about collapse. The Surgeon General should probably put a warning label on AI use—it may be hazardous to our health. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/fc83937b-7fba-4863-baec-5b59daedfce7/Guo-Jun+Fashi.jpeg Blog - Mind-to-Mind Transmission (According to Claude) - Ven. Guo Jun Fashi (Born 1974) Master Guojun was born in Singapore in 1974 and ordained as a monk under Ven. Songnian of Mahabodhi Temple, Singapore. He is one of the youngest Dharma heirs of the renowned Chan master Sheng Yen. He has practiced meditation intensively since 1997. He has studied Tibetan Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism, as well as various aspects of the Mahayana tradition. Master Guojun is also a spiritual and guiding teacher of Chan Community Canada and Chan Indonesia. He was the abbot of Dharma Drum Retreat Center in Pine Bush, New York, from 2005 to 2008. He is the author of Essential Chan Buddhism, which has been published in several languages, and Chan Heart, Chan Mind. He is currently the president of Mahabodhi Monastery in Singapore. I met Master Guo Jun while attending retreats at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center in Pine Bush, New York. If he ever points to his eye, take a look. You’ll find the fullness of emp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/c16d2f87-4f03-4631-a874-2a52fa68c3a2/IMG_9455.jpeg Blog - Mind-to-Mind Transmission (According to Claude) - Make it stand out Prayer Flags on Buena Vista Butte https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/a-conversation-with-claude monthly 0.5 2026-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/e75802bd-b6ff-4fa5-ad81-1685d162b9bc/ChanMasterShengYen.jpeg Blog - A Conversation with Claude - Chan Master Sheng-yen 聖嚴 (1931 - 2009) Sheng-yen Fashi was a 57th generational dharma heir of Linji Yixuan in the Linji school (Japanese: Rinzai) and a third-generation dharma heir of Hsu Yun. In the Caodong (Japanese: Sōtō) lineage, Sheng Yen was a 52nd-generation Dharma heir of Dongshan Liangjie (807-869), and a direct Dharma heir of Dongchu (1908–1977). I became a student of Master Sheng-yen in 1984 while living in Taiwan. My last retreat with Master Sheng-yen was a Bodhisattva Precepts retreat held at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center in Pine Bush, New York in 2008, a year before his passing. Master Sheng-yen gave me the Dharma name, Chang Sheng (常聖 - “Always Saintly”), an aspirational name that has always been out of reach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/a81f4d00-5f13-4bff-adb5-5d931f36b9a8/ChanmyaySayadaw+2010-08-18.JPG Blog - A Conversation with Claude - Venerable Chanmyay Sayadaw U Janakābhivaṃsa (Born 1928) Ven. Chanmyay started to study the Buddhist scriptures at the age of fifteen as a novice monk. He received the higher upasampada ordination in 1947 and practised Vipassana meditation under the instruction of the most Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw from 1953 to 1954. Starting from 1957, the Venerable Sayadaw spent six years in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he continued his studies of English, Sanskrit, Hindi and Sinhalese languages. In 1967, he was appointed by the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw as a meditation teacher at Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha, Yangon. In 1979–1980, Chanmyay Sayadaw accompanied the Mahasi Sayadaw's Dhamma Mission to Europe and the USA. I met Ven. Chanmyay in 2007 at Chanmyay Satipatthana Vihara in Springfield, Illinois where I attended two of his retreats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/e2ff3a45-160a-4f4d-8548-a9e0545b0c63/OrgyenChowangRinpocheInNepal.jpeg Blog - A Conversation with Claude - Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche is a meditation master in the Nyingma lineage of the Buddhist tradition. He received his education and training for nine years starting at the age of fourteen at Larung Gar in Serta, eastern Tibet, with his teacher, the great Jigmed Phuntsok Rinpoche, who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest Dzogchen masters of the twentieth century. Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche is the founder of Pristine Mind Foundation and resides in Sonoma County, California. My wife, Laura, and I met Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche in 2024 and attended multiple retreats with him including his annual Dzogchen retreats. In 2025, we traveled to Nepal and Bhutan with him on a pilgrimage to many sites sacred Tibetan Buddhists. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/vigil-for-minneapolis-victims monthly 0.5 2026-02-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/84fb3307-ae1d-4a7a-b2ae-09f8fc601ce8/CreeksideUMC.jpg Blog - Vigil for Minneapolis Victims - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/find-a-reputable-teacher monthly 0.5 2026-01-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/5de4bc8f-2777-4845-820a-423932d44c6e/ChanMasterShengYen.jpeg Blog - Find a Reputable Teacher - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/path-to-awakening monthly 0.5 2025-10-03 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/amador monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/Minneapolis+ICE monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/execution monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/dukha monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/Orgyen+Chowang+Rinpoche monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/enlightenment monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/vigil monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/noble+eightfold+path monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/four+noble+truths monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/sutra monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/Chanmyay+Sayadaw monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/Satori monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/Alex+Pretti monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/sutta monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/buddha monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/meditation monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/awakening monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/Kensho monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/Sheng+Yen monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/Native+spirituality monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/blog/tag/Dharma+transmission monthly 0.5 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events daily 0.75 2026-04-21 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-04-19-bghxf monthly 0.5 2026-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/1768605175283-28EJDXACBH5PLP998Z21/MeditationHall-5.jpeg Events - Weekly Meditation Gathering at Sage & Tansy - Make it stand out We provide cushions or chairs for those that prefer them. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-04-19 monthly 0.5 2026-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/1768605175283-28EJDXACBH5PLP998Z21/MeditationHall-5.jpeg Events - Weekly Meditation Practice - Make it stand out We provide cushions or chairs for those that prefer them. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-04-12 monthly 0.5 2026-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/1768605175283-28EJDXACBH5PLP998Z21/MeditationHall-5.jpeg Events - Weekly Meditation Practice - Make it stand out We provide cushions or chairs for those that prefer them. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-03-29 monthly 0.5 2026-03-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/1768605175283-28EJDXACBH5PLP998Z21/MeditationHall-5.jpeg Events - Weekly Meditation Practice - Make it stand out We provide cushions or chairs for those that prefer them. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-03-22 monthly 0.5 2026-03-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/1768605175283-28EJDXACBH5PLP998Z21/MeditationHall-5.jpeg Events - Weekly Meditation Practice - Make it stand out We provide cushions or chairs for those that prefer them. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-03-15 monthly 0.5 2026-03-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/1768605175283-28EJDXACBH5PLP998Z21/MeditationHall-5.jpeg Events - Weekly Meditation Practice - Make it stand out We provide cushions or chairs for those that prefer them. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-03-08 monthly 0.5 2026-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/1768605175283-28EJDXACBH5PLP998Z21/MeditationHall-5.jpeg Events - Weekly Meditation Practice - Make it stand out We provide cushions or chairs for those that prefer them. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-03-01 monthly 0.5 2026-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/1759462410053-LMJI1UM603V4IXAJFC1D/MeditationCushionsFew.jpg Events - Weekly Meditation Practice - Make it stand out We provide cushions or chairs for those that prefer them. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-02-22 monthly 0.5 2026-02-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/1759462410053-LMJI1UM603V4IXAJFC1D/MeditationCushionsFew.jpg Events - Weekly Meditation Practice - Make it stand out We provide cushions or stools or chairs as you prefer. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-02-15 monthly 0.5 2026-02-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/eafa7219-75a3-4429-810f-a4dca5d41b7e/MeditationHall-5.jpeg Events - Weekly Meditation Practice - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-02-08 monthly 0.5 2026-02-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/95b475e4-67c6-4a54-b402-f1c4aeba78a9/IMG_8788.jpeg Events - Weekly Meditation Practice - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-02-01 monthly 0.5 2026-02-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/95b475e4-67c6-4a54-b402-f1c4aeba78a9/IMG_8788.jpeg Events - Group Meditation Practice - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-01-25 monthly 0.5 2026-01-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/1768605175283-28EJDXACBH5PLP998Z21/MeditationHall-5.jpeg Events - Group Meditation Practice (Cancelled) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2026-01-18 monthly 0.5 2026-01-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/536ff05e-4afc-4fc1-bfe7-d0bd81c29fbc/Two+Lotus.jpg Events - Group Meditation Practice - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.buenavistasangha.com/events/group-meditation-2025-10-12 monthly 0.5 2025-10-03 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/join daily 0.75 2026-01-16 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/about daily 0.75 2026-02-27 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/home daily 1.0 2026-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/38dd75a0-fc13-4676-be0e-696fffdb433b/MeditationHall-3.jpeg Home Sage and Tansy Studio set up for meditation class https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/048fb29f-e60a-44a2-8bd0-b6d86a99bcb4/MeditationHall-4.jpeg Home Sage and Tansy Studio meditation cushions. Chairs also available https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/eafa7219-75a3-4429-810f-a4dca5d41b7e/MeditationHall-5.jpeg Home Sage and Tansy Wellness Studio setup for Chan Silent Illumination meditation group practice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/b37dc450-7297-4c01-b6a8-7df7fda62d53/Barry-Butte.jpeg Home Barry Wadsworth near Buena Vista Butte https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/dbff4588-9604-47f3-9ccd-1bb9260baec7/Barry-Laura-3.jpeg Home Barry and Laura at temple gate in Bhutan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/454e34f6-9ae6-42c0-8bc5-739caaf96a4c/Barry-Laura-4.jpeg Home Barry and Laura by prayer wheel walking to Tiger's Nest in Bhutan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/5df04e6b-5515-46b1-8559-0f5994726923/Barry-Laura-Bhutan-door.jpeg Home Barry and Laura at old temple in Bhutan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/2bc334e8-dd1f-42df-b33a-1fe623390a9a/OrgyenChowang-Cave.jpeg Home Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche giving talk near famous cave entrance in Bhutan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/10c14ddb-2d71-4954-bea6-3ebac6b05321/OrgyenChowang-Reading.jpeg Home Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche in Bhutan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/097b1661-518d-4cdb-9b08-848ce14162a5/Laura-Rinpoche-Airport.jpeg Home Laura with Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche in Bhutan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/e75802bd-b6ff-4fa5-ad81-1685d162b9bc/ChanMasterShengYen.jpeg Home Chan Master Sheng Yen was Barry's teacher from 1984 - 2008. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/9582a5b8-45bb-4799-805f-bfbc0ac886a2/Padmasambhava.jpeg Home Padmasambhava thangka purchased in Bhutan during our 2025 trip https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/ae731f46-06e5-4d07-b337-8890518690ff/MeditationCushion.png Home High quality meditation cushions can be purchased at Dharma Crafts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/68df024151c227197e24dfc1/bde5fc75-3e58-4957-998f-93ff7fe5290c/MeditationHall-4.jpg https://www.buenavistasangha.com/donate daily 0.75 2026-02-17 https://www.buenavistasangha.com/store daily 0.75 57907-09-02