Robert A. Jonas, MTS, EdD, founded The Empty Bell (emptybell.org) in 1993 as a sanctuary for Buddhist-Christian dialogue. Trained as a psychotherapist, he is now a retreat leader, video artist, musician,
environmental activist, and author (a biographer of Henri Nouwen). A
Christian in the Carmelite tradition, he also received spiritual formation with Buddhist teachers (Insight meditation and Zen). He has been a guiding teacher at the Guild for Spiritual Guidance in Ossining, NY (www.spiritualguidance.org) and a Board member of the Henri Nouwen Society. He is currently Chair of the Board of the Kestrel Land Trust in Amherst, MA (www.kestreltrust.org). He is a student of Sui-Zen, the Japanese bamboo flute (shakuhachi). He has played in many secular and spiritual contexts and has played at three Buddhist-Christian retreats with the Dalai Lama, including a performance under the Bodhi Tree in India. His
CD’s, Blowing Bamboo, New Life from Ruins, and Many Paths, One Joy are available on iTunes.
