As a kid, it doesn't take long to see that conflict and war are a part of civilization. We also see how groups of people with diverse backgrounds can unify when a common enemy appears. With my simple child mind I remember wondering, "What if aliens attacked? Would the world unite against this common enemy?" …
Author: Ryan Shelton
While my job description is to lead the science department and teach physics at Padua Academy in Wilmington, DE, my calling is to prepare teenagers to lead their communities towards a vibrant and healthy future. This purpose has lead to the creation of Loving Lives Delaware.
Before becoming a teacher, I explored many careers and had many adventures in search of the best way to make a difference in the world. I hiked over 1700 miles, traveled to 5 continents, managed a bakery, started a meditation center, counseled troubled teens, attended Duke, UNC, and Harvard, protected forests as a wildland firefighter, volunteered thousands of hours with Americorps, rafted the Grand Canyon, and SCUBA dived on the Great Barrier Reef.
My next adventure is starting a family with my beautiful wife in our Wilmington home. I'm sure there will be many mistakes along the way, but I hope we're able to create a loving household that's a beacon of support and clarity for others in our community. Thank you for all of your support throughout our journey.
My Identity
I've come to realize that my happiness is linked to how closely I'm living my identity. I live my identity by spending time with things that I identify with. I don't identify with sitting in front of a computer. I don't identify with drinking anymore. I don't identify with seeking fame. The one thing I've …
A Dhamma Job
I would love to get paid to contribute to people's lives in a way that actually helps them. I've worked in non-profits and schools, but the most meaningful tool I know to contribute to people's lives is dhamma. So how do I make a living contributing to society in a way that helps people grow in …
A Loving Home
Meditation has helped me learn how to love myself, but how do I extend this into a loving home, a loving family, and a loving friend network. With an established meditation practice, my mind stays present, positive, and focused. It feels like every step I take is in a positive direction, even if that step …
Settling Into Conflict
There are times when my life is simply confusing. Some project may seem insurmountable, or some relationship irreconcilable, or some complication unsolvable, but I've learned not to roll in these concerns. The intellectual reality is that I can't currently see a direction. In the past this would make me extremely uncomfortable and I would continue grinding away, …
Right Friendship
When I started a regular meditation practice my social time was reduced considerably both by the 2 hours I was meditating in my free time, and by the reduction of events I was attending while attempting to follow my precepts. This reduced priority on relationships was always concerning to me at first. It seemed like …
Night Life
I basically no longer have a night life. When I first committed to meditating, it was a major struggle to force myself to stay at home rather than going out drinking with my friends. I just loved the excitement and adrenaline rush of getting a little crazy, and not doing so seemed like an empty …
What Is My Belief?
I've heard that one of the stages along the path is the point where you are 100% confident that Vipassana is the technique that will take you to the final goal of liberation. Since I'm not even sure exactly what liberation is, I am obviously a long way off from reaching this stage, but what …
Group Sitting Persistence
I started hosting a weekly group sitting 1 year ago. My simple goal was to meet other meditators in my area, and since there wasn't currently a group sitting close by, I created one. I managed to track down about 8 meditators who had completed a 10-day course and I did my best to encourage them …
A New Perspective on Leadership
I've recently accepted a new leadership role. I haven't been in a legitimate leadership role since before I started meditating so it has been interesting to observe how my perspective has changed. I feel less of a need to win over the audience. I'm not trying as hard to connect with the audience and drive them in …
Living Vipassana 