Rick, Although I don't think you mentioned it here, I thought I'd comment on the video of you done on a similar website to Buddha At The Gas Pump. I liked it, and thought you came across better than its host, who interviewed you.
I was struck by the comparative use and non-use of the word "truth." Mr. Richards strikes me as the kind of guy who would not necessarily react gracefully to someone challenging his assumptions about "what is true" and "what is Truth." You, as far as I could tell, did not even use the word. I like that, and respect it. I thought you came across as very natural and well-spoken. I loved the part where you spoke about the occasional freakout on long rounding courses and spoke about the need to integrate your high experiences on the course by diving back into reality. Mr. Richards asked you to amplify on that, but characterized it as "relapsing." Very telling, IMO. And quite a contrast between your naturalism and comfort with both aspects of life and his (from my POV) lack of both. I watched about the first five minutes of the interview. I would have liked to have watched it all, but the feed died at that point and refused to be restarted, no matter what I did. All in all, and my reason for writing this, is that I thought you came across as someone who actually could inspire people to seek the more valuable, balanced aspects of seeking, and avoid some of the possible pitfalls of seeking. If you were still teaching meditation, I would be comfortable referring a young person to you to learn it. I cannot say that about many of the people with whom I have shared a spiritual path in the past.
