StevenRAJ's short lineage story and his meandering curriculum vitae
Short Lineage Story
Good morning from the Valley of the Sun!
I am Steven Raymond Arne Johnson
Of fire, water, space, ground, & wind
Born by mingling Michael & Karen
Raymond, Arne, paternal Pollack & Finn
All of my Mothers are saints
Steven RA Johnson, Dharma Artist, offers this site as a resource & inspiration to fellow devotees and seekers worldwide.He abides at the center of Turtle Island, a place of spiritual retreat and personal transformation deep within North America’s Mountain West.
Writing featured here includes profound transcreations of Buddhist Scripture, original poetry, and informative articles exploring various topics from the sublime in religious experience to "outrider" perspectives in contemporary arts and culture.
Steven's Career in the Arts
Steven Raymond Arne Johnson kicked off his career as a so-called artist with the bass pedal and crash of a punk rock after-high school band. "Hurray for the high school! // THE ECHO Fool!" Instrumental prog rock, marching band, orchestra, and jazz.
He went deep into the wilderness; once a nature boy, then became a man.
A poet and transcreator, a writer with a rhythm both odd and even, StevenRAJ and his art (this top level domain) is here for the world to experience for free. His lines and phrases are for life, goodness and beauty to be. Not faint of heart; nor shy of metal or extremes. An intellectually wrathful flower in a buzzing shift of harmonies. A blind hand that struck a jewel amidst the rubbish heap.
Curriculum Vitae
Head Cook, Dharma Ocean Foundation (Crestone, CO: January 2023-Present)
Manager, Dragon Mountain Services, LLC (Crestone, CO: 2020-present)
Volunteer Firefighter, Northern Saguache County Fire Protection District (Crestone, CO: 2022-present)
Emergency Services,Baca Grande Property Owners Association (Crestone, CO: 2020-2022)
Retreat Caretaker, Yeshe Khorlo, Choying Dzong (Crestone, CO: 2019-2020)
Secretary, Cheshire TV Board of Directors (Keene, NH: 2016-2017)
Lead Paraeducator, Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center (Greenfield, NH: 2015-2017)
Caregiver, Windhorse Elder Care (Boulder, CO: 2013-2015)
Graduate, M.F.A. Writing and Poetics: Concentration in Translation (Naropa University: Boulder CO, 2014)
"Mythtime to Modernity: A Literary History of Tibet"
&
"Forest Lion in Land of Snows: The Major Poems and Selected Prose of Gendun Chophel"
Graduate Assistant, Naropa University (Boulder, CO: 2011-2012)
"I have no doubt that Steven would make an excellent classroom teacher, or educator in many forums. I would go as far to say that the rising generations needs educators with his insight, intensity and conscience. Steven is awake. He has a constant practice of introspection, of self reflection, as well as having his eye turned the the greater events of our social and political worlds. He can help instill that same concern for community and society, the orientation toward service, as well as the constant self- awareness required for life-long learning and striving so needed by human beings today. Mindfulness is the next wave in education, mainstream or otherwise. Honestly Steven is one of the finest graduates I've seen from Naropa's contemplative pedagogy. He is on the crest of the future wave of educators. Don't let this guy pass you by. He is solid already and he's just getting started."
Ramon Parish, Naropa University
Undergraduate, B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies: Tibetan, Contemplative Psychology, Writing and Literature (2011)
"Illusory Bodies: Coyote in the Bardos"
Student Groups Leader, Naropa Way of Tea & Cult of Vimalakirti (Naropa University, 2009-2014)
Mountain Man Intern, Reevis Mountain School of Self-Reliance (Roosevelt, AZ: 2006)
Drumline Instructor, Arcadia High School (Phoenix, AZ: 2003-2004)
Marketing, The Phoenix Symphony (Scottsdale, AZ: 2002-2004)
Drum Major, Arcadia High School Marching Band (Phoenix, AZ: 2002)
Scriptural Sources.
Dharma Arts.
Outrider Rationale.
Intimate letters and cutting edge creations delivered on the 10th of every lunar month.