Thiel College welcomes Buddhist Monk Ryuun Joriki Baker, Osho as part of Interfaith Series

GREENVILLE, Pa. - March 7, 2018 - PRLog -- Rev. Ryuun Joriki Baker, Osho, American Zen Buddhist Monk and founder of Blue Mountain Zendo, will be on campus March 15-16 as part of Thiel College's Interfaith Series and give a free lecture Thursday, March 15.

Baker will appear in classrooms throughout the day and will lead a presentation to the Thiel  (https://www.thiel.edu/)  community in the evening on Thursday, March 15. His evening presentation is titled, "Dharma Talk—A Glimpse into the Art of Zen." It is at 7 p.m. in the Lutheran Heritage Room of the Howard Miller Student Center and is free and open to the public.

On Friday, Baker will attend sociology classes in the morning in Bly Hall of the Academic Center. He will lead three separate meditation sessions in Weyers Lounge Friday afternoon and cap his day with a dinner at 5 p.m. with students, faculty and staff.

"Rev. Baker's visit is an essential part of our mission at Thiel College. We'd like to be instrumental in educating our campus community and the entire region about possibly new and unfamiliar spiritual paths. He will give our students, faculty and staff a first-hand opportunity to learn about Zen meditation," Campus Pastor Jayne Thompson said. "The public is invited to this wonderful occasion to learn more about the gifts of religious diversity and the beauty and discipline of Zen practice."

Baker's visit is part of the College's Interfaith Series--which in 2017, featured Fardosa Hassan, the first Muslim chaplain at Augsburg (Minn.) University and a celebration of Luther 500. On April 12-13, the series will feature Rev. Dr. Munib Younan, retiring bishop from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and the outgoing president of the Lutheran World Federation.

Baker is an American Zen Buddhist Monk. He resides in Andreas, Pa., about 30 miles outside of Allentown. At 13, Baker was exposed to a Native American purification ceremony, which would be the catalyst for his spiritual path. For more than 25 years, Baker has studied and practiced Japanese Nichiren Soka Gakkai,  Soto Zen, Vietnamese Thien (Vietnamese Zen), and Rinzai Zen. He was ordained by Thich Nguyen on Jan. 1, 2001. In 2014, Baker was named an Osho (Dharma Teacher) by Kokan Genjo Marinello, Osho. He is a member of the American Zen Teachers Association and Osho at Blue Mountain Zendo.

About Thiel College

Thiel College (https://www.thiel.edu/) is a private liberal arts institution founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 25 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio to more than 900 students. A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2016 and remains committed to combining tradition with innovation.