In the late 80’s, I was a punk rocker. I have no more pictures of those days because I burned all pictures in a large fire, but I looked a lot like Siouxsie Sioux, of whom I was a great fan.
Recently, I met Tom Scandura, drummer and founding member of “The Molecules”, a fairly famous 90’s punk band, who toured the US, Europe and Japan. He is married to Maw, Ayya Gunasari’s daughter, who herself was a drummer in a punk band. Naturally, the conversation came to the Dharma Punx movement, also because another lay supporter, who frequently comes to meditation at the monastery, is a member.
What is it about all these former punks who turn to Buddhism? I also know a few monks in Germany who used to be punkers before they became monks.
The punk movement went against the stream. It was a rebellion against the world of our parents and the unfulfilled promise of the sixties, seeing no point to the “household” life as we were told we should live, fueled by anger at the injustice and suffering we saw around us.
Noah Levine, now an author and Buddhist meditation teacher, writes about his book Dharma Punx:
Dharma Punx is not just a book it is a way of being, it is how we have come to integrate our political and spiritual beliefs. we sought a different path than our parents, the once idealistic hippie generation that had long since cut their hair, left the commune and bought in to the system. Peace and love had failed to make any real changes and in response to the despair and hopelessness we felt came the punk rock movement. Seeking to rebel against society’s fascist system of oppression and capitalist driven propaganda the kids responded in our own way, different from those before us, a new revolution for a new generation.
But the ways we used were rather destructive and Buddhism offered a natural and positive alternative. The same energy that went into our rebellion is now channeled towards the practice of Buddhism to awaken a compassionate way of being, while turning away from the mundane, “crowded and dusty”, household life we grew up in.
Noah Levine started Against The Stream and has several centers in California.
https://www.againstthestream.org/