Bio from Cory:

I have always had a strong sense of spiritual purpose.

I have been a devoted mediator for 15 years, the last couple years involved in Indigenous medicine ceremonies, but Buddhism is my spiritual home. I have a propensity/desire for visionary experiences. Previously a hard drinker and intravenous drug user, but have always considered myself a seeker, psychonaut, philosopher.

I lived on the road aged 18-30, hitchhiking/hopping freight trains spending time on communes and at activist camps. I have always been a dabbling artist, carpenter, and currently teaching construction at a high school but otherwise always have been independently employed. My Father died around age 4, alcohol related. We then left the North Dakota farm, and I grew up in Florida.

There was a problematic stepfather age 6-12, we moved somewhat regularly through school districts, so there were no long-term childhood friendships. Never any people I looked up to as "father figures" Born again Christian from 13-14, started using drugs at 16, LSD made it difficult to "buy in" to societal path and had to find other ways of living when I left home.

I've always made strong bonds in my friendship groups but also let go when things run their course. Mostly longer-term sexual relationships interspersed with casual flings. Long term relationships are always unstable, a history of having a hard time communicating effectively. Luckily, I was a cute kid always with a tale to tell, occasionally amusing enough to be attractive to the opposite sex. 

One of my gifts has been to understand how things fit together in the material world- I can build/fix just about anything.  I am teaching now because of a community expert program that allows people who have worked 20 years in their field to teach and help kids be interested in the trades- I didn't go to school for teaching. I have a 2-year degree in Art and spent most of that time in the ceramics studio which was a great pleasure for me. I am considering finishing an art degree and desire to go on longer retreats within the Thai Forest Buddhist tradition.

Any insight into my chart is welcome!