Morgan Riley

Student

“SMC is a very sunny, gentle place where I think you find a real atmosphere of freedom.”

“When I was 16, I moved into a Zen mediation center, and I’ve continued my training for about five years now,” says Morgan Riley of San Francisco. “I’ve seen a lot of destructive relationships in my own family and I’ve watched the effects of them spread out from me to my own friends. What I’m searching for,” he continues, “is a way to cut through those circles of influence and improve my own health, psyche and spirits.”

Morgan’s search for health and inner peace has led him to the study of oriental medicine as well as philosophy. “I’m planning to go to acupuncture college, so the classes I’m taking are those you would need to become a doctor: anatomy, physiology and chemistry. But I’m also studying Chinese as well,” he says. “Since the Chinese Revolution, the medicine there has become westernized. There are only a few teachers left who still teach the true kinds of oriental healing. And many of them speak only Chinese.”

Morgan says that there are about 15 accredited acupuncture schools in the U.S. now. “But there are also still some very good ones in China too. So I may end up going there to learn.” To pay his way, Morgan employs some traditional Chinese body/mind/energy therapies for clients. He even found romance through his practice of the healing arts. “I was doing t’ai chi on campus one day when my girlfriend, Yoshi, stopped by to talk. She does yoga and we’ve basically been together ever since.” Morgan reports that “SMC is a place that I think everyone can feel comfortable. Even with ‘non-traditional’ students like myself,” he continues, “there are so many open-minded teachers here that, eventually, everyone can find their own place.”

Back