Title: Frei Joyeux

Gender: Genderqueer/Fluid

Age: 54

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Chinese Sign: Wood Goat

Location: Oakland, CA

I live in Oakland, California, and I love it's hills, skies, trees and lakes.  I do a lot of karma yoga as a singer to the sick and dying through the all-women's Theshold Choir, as a hospice volunteer through Sutter/VNA Hospice, and practice Tibetan Buddhism (mainly shamatha and contemplation).  I am attending a small Tibetan Buddhist sangha in the Bay Area, and hope to find a role of service there as the sangha develops.

My primary spiritual path is through service and action, although I have been known to cut through what I perceive to be ego obstacles like a knife.  So …  I guess if I were to describe myself in the the terms of the Five Buddhas in the Mandala, I would have to say that I can self-medicate sometimes in the “spaced-out' side of the Tathagata Buddha if I meditate too much (I think that in 12-step that would be called pink cloud, or romanticize), and that when I am being helpful I swing between vajra and karma Buddhas.  My friends at times experience my cutting-through qualities a bit too often (do I enjoy this?) and I try to go to just doing too much good stuff (maybe a bit competitive at times, which I try to balance with trying to be just relaxed and setting boundaries, although the Germanic side wants lots of rational efficiency).

When I started my journey in Zaadz I was seeking a way to manifest my Buddhist values in employment and was unemployed.  My blog chronicles this journey.  This year I have been a regional representative for a cremation-plan society, and a sales/customer service professional for a green gift company.  The pre-need cremation sales job allowed me a first-hand continuous look at the second of the four thoughts – impermanence.  In all my work I meet wonderful people who are thoughtful and altruistic, I have lots of adventures, and, when the moment is right, I laugh like I haven't laughed before with some of my clients,

Member Since: Friday, January 19 2007

Last Visit: Today.

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