Kids are the awesomest

I just devoured the most recent issue of Tricycle magazine tonight which has a great section speaking of the next generation of Buddhists and how we can help to encourage them. In the special section, “Bringing up Buddhists” examples are given to various programs out there to inspire and challenge kids on the Buddhist path.

I particularly appreciate the approach taken in that the groups featured in this series of articles all allow for children to engage in self-discovery and inquiry, rather than a “the Buddha taught this so therefore it’s true”- method of indoctrination.

Also particularly interesting in this issue of Tricycle is the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life’s “2008 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey” which paints a portrait of an America in which “the 18-to-29 age group is one of the smallest among Buddhist respondents, second only to the 65+ group (7%).”

I’ve been toying around the notion of writing more material for this young group as I see the efforts of Noah Levine, Ethan Nichtern and Brad Warner and commend them on their work. Again, I appreciate their lack of talking down to this audience or over-selling the dharma in a manner which comes off too ‘car salesman like’

We’ll see… We’ll see.

Oh the photo you ask? That’s just me… being awesome in my cozy terrycloth one piece. They don’t make ‘em like they used to.