I was born "Milo North Burn" in San Francisco, California. My journey into studying suffering and its causes was sparked by an identity crisis in my teens when I came to the realization that I am gay. This exploration became all-consuming and led me to withdraw from society. I struggled to articulate this existential quest to others, except by saying that I was "following the jewel in my heart."

When I encountered my first Dharma teacher, I immediately sensed that he also recognized this jewel and had discovered a way to express it. It was later revealed to me that the archetype representing Bodhicitta—the awakened and awakening heart—is the jewel in the lotus of the heart. The challenges I faced in my late teens and early 20s led me to live as a hermit for two years and subsequently embark on an intensive Vipassana retreat for a significant part of a year. Along this path, the lotus in my own heart blossomed, initiating me into a way of life dedicated to the awakening of all beings.

For the past fifteen years, I have devoted myself full-time to practice, primarily in Insight Meditation and Soto Zen schools, as well as other immersive settings. Collectively, I have spent approximately five years in monastic communities, two years in silent intensive retreats, and several years in solitude and self-directed study. While I have had profound encounters with a diverse range of exceptional teachers, I have particularly benefited from the guidance of Joseph Goldstein, Greg Scharf, Leslie James, and Tenshin Reb Anderson Roshi.

Over the years, several spiritual elders encouraged me to teach. In 2016, I guided a monthlong retreat, and later that same year, I co-founded the Dharma Dome, a sanctuary for peace workers, at Standing Rock. After leaving monastic life in 2019, I was invited to Dharmagiri Hermitage in South Africa, where I served as the Resident Teacher, offering guidance for both the community and retreat programs.

Upon my return to the Pacific Northwest during the pandemic, I underwent a period of soul-searching, during which I clarified my aspiration to teach extended annual retreats. I also embraced my middle name, "North." This led to the birth of Boundless Refuge, and we successfully held our first three-month retreat in 2022, followed by a second retreat in 2023.

I reside in both San Francisco and the San Juan Islands, and a significant portion of my time is spent visiting spiritual communities. I sustain myself entirely through dana (generosity). When I am not teaching or organizing retreats, I devote substantial energy to meditation practice, engaging with spiritual mentors, and continuing my study of various spiritual modalities and traditions.

I am available for in-person practice meetings and provide ongoing support to practitioners. If you wish to connect with me for any reason, please reach out via email to team@boundlessness.org.