Tashi Delek!

Welcome! May all readers bring auspiciousness, happiness, well-being, and peace into their lives.

This is the beginning of my blog, the first post of many more to come. My name is Matt Riback, and I am a senior in high school with a passion for Buddhism. Over the next three months, I will dive into meditation, Buddhist texts, oral recordings and more. I will discover what it means to be a Buddhist in Scottsdale, my community, in 2013.

Although I may now be a student of this ancient belief system, I was not always so-- it all began with a desire to escape the heat:

Two summers ago, as I was window shopping under the blistering sun of Scottsdale, my only thought was of how to cool down. Walking past the store Hair Nirvana, I realized my at-the-time long hair only exacerbated the situation. Tempted to cool off, I took a second glance and realized this was not the typical barber shop. Tibetan flags swayed from the ceiling and large Buddha statues decorated the floor. Curious (and seeing a walk-ins welcome sign), I walked in. By the time I walked out, two things had changed: my hair was short, and within me, a seed of Buddhism was planted. That day I met Vee, a hair-styling Buddhist who spends his days not only cutting hair, but also sharing Buddhism with his customers. Hair Nirvana struck me as a unique Scottsdalian phenomenon-- where else is Buddhism and commerce mixed in such a genuine, unique way? This is one example of how Buddhism has manifested itself into my community in a modern sense. I want to further examine how Buddhism meshes with my local community, to see what makes Buddhism in Scottsdale unique from Buddhism across all other areas of the world.

Scottsdalian Buddhists do not garb themselves in crimson robes, shave their heads, or take refuge in distant mountains. So how are they special? What do they seek out of the belief system, and how do they incorporate their findings into their lives? To be specific, what is Buddhism's role and function in my community today, and how has Buddhism changed to get there? These are the questions I will attempt to answer.

Along the way I will post pictures of my experiences, personal interviews, and even a simple guide on how to meditate. Come back and see what I discover!

Ommm.....