Josh Ryan

Born and raised in Melbourne Josh is a trained high school teacher, graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (Acting), and holds a degree in Western Culture, from La Trobe University. From 2013-2019 Josh lived at Bodhivana Buddhist Monastery in Victoria, where he was ordained as a Buddhist monk in the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah in 2014. Since disrobing in 2019 Josh has moved back to Melbourne where he seeks to be more deeply involved in the exquisite messiness of life. His Catholic up-bringing, extensive training in Buddhist meditation, studies in both Eastern and Western philosophy, and appreciation of embodied perspectives gained through performance, have lead him to value the transformative powers of stillness, listening, encounter and action. It’s in this spirit that he continues to investigate and sometimes teach contemplative practices.