ROBERT A. JONAS is director of a small contemplative Christian retreat center near Boston called The Empty Bell. He is an active member of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies. In the past, the Empty Bell has sponsored many Christian-Buddhist dialogues in the Northeastern U.S. As a Christian musician, Robert A. Jonas travels to Protestant, Catholic and Unitarian churches and retreat houses to play shakuhachi and to co-lead contemplative retreats with Buddhist teachers.

In what must be a high point for any Sui-Zen player, in 1998 Jonas played shakuhachi (Jimbo Sanya) at a Buddhist-Christian retreat with the Dalai Lama, held beneath the Bodhi tree where Buddha was enlightened 2500 years ago.

Website: http://www.emptybell.org
email: rbtjonas@aol.com