Robert R. Abbott, Ph.D.
Bud, as he prefers to be called, had a long, rewarding career as a marine biologist, living and working in countries all over the world. The adventure of learning a new language, culture, and religion was always a major draw upon accepting an assignment. He has been a seeker, a student, and a teacher on a spiritual journey that provides him solace and growth and excitement, even if at times he has felt a bit like the dog who almost died of thirst running between wells. The culmination of his journey came through the study of Mu-i with Zochi Young that led to TRANSFORMATION.
Bud’s first teacher was his mother, who studied with Paramahansa Yogananda in the 1950s. He eventually became a certified yoga instructor, teaching at the Prison Yoga Project in San Quentin, California and elsewhere. He does asanas and Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation learned at the Mahasi International Meditation Center in Burma virtually daily.
As a young man Bud left the Presbyterian Church, and was struck by the similarities between what he saw at a Jewish temples and Christian denominations. Once, he walked down the aisle at a football stadium to be saved by none other than Billy Graham! He has read the Bible cover to cover, twice. Further studies include the Book of Changes, the Baha’i teachings, the Book of Mormon, and A Course in Miracles, in which he was a leader for many years.
In the 1970s, while in Hawaii Bud was exposed to Tai Chi. Subsequently, he sought out teachers in Washington, Thailand, Burma, and China. Most of his study has been in Yang Form, but also in Sun, Wu, and Po. Most recently he studied the 108-Long Form and Mu-i under Zochi.
While working in Oman, Egypt, and Morocco, Bud went on his own to mosques, and studied translations of the Qur’an. He also delved into Coptic Christianity and the Sufi tradition, and learned the dance of the Whirling Dervishes. He keeps a bedside copy of Rumi to this day.
