Also as a member of the I.D. Project, I have to say this article misses the boat on what we do. We are a serious activism, arts, and meditation organization rooted in Buddhist philosophy and contemplative education. If you're interested in activism, ecology, writing, visual arts, film, a great community, and you also want to learn about meditation, then check us out.

http://www.theidproject.com

Ethan does use some pop culture references to discuss philosophy, but that's because he's a geek and he wants to be funny.

He is also, despite his age, one of the most intelligent, articulate, and well studied Buddhist teachers around. He doesn't like to view himself as a teacher, rather as a community organizer (and it is an amazing multifaceted community we have started to organize), but I hope he teaches for a long long time, because he's a truly important teacher.

I was a 20-year-old college drop out and peace activist when I wandered into Boulder, Colorado in winter 1971 and fell into the open crocodile mouth of the vajra guru Trungpa Rinpoche. As one of the younger members of his Buddhist community I felt awkward and ignorant about the spiritual path of which my elders seemed so knowledgeable. Like Whitney, Noah, and Ethan I was looking for a teacher free of Eastern mystical trappings and cultural baggage who could relate to my world, emotional angst, and social concerns. Even though he was a greatly venerated Tibetan meditation master Trungpa Rinpoche spoke our American vernacular(hippie slang), wore casual clothes, and "hung out" with us to gain our trust, love, and devotion. Sometimes the more things change the more they stay the same.