the mystery of being." Unfettered Mind is structured to support this intention—as an individual on the cushion, in daily life, and in all elements of the UM network, from administration to practice and study. Cultural overlay As Buddhism penetrates the West, there are difficulties in trying to transfer the institutions, language, and terminology of a medieval, agrarian, Asian society to the post-modern, industrial, multi-cultural society of the West, with its own overlay of individualism, lack of hierarchy, and psychological preoccupations. The Western teacher must bypass the cultural overlay, go to the heart of the teachings, and find simple, transparent language and methods to elicit direct understanding in the student. Translation must be transparent "Ken McLeod is well known as a translator of texts, practices, rituals, and structures into forms suitable for this culture." The Tibetan language has terms that were specifically invented to transmit Buddhism. Because of this, it embodies understanding and it speaks to experience. However, a straight across, literal translation to English loses this resonance, and instead becomes formal and conceptual—and intellectual ideas don't have the power to penetrate to the part of ourselves that truly knows. In translation, teaching, and writing, one must use simple, direct English that's natural and non-academic; use intuitive, emotional language and accessible terms; translate for the person who's going to practice, not for the linguist or academic; and use everyday language that the practitioner can relate to from their own experience. A contemporary, Western model for Buddhist teaching and practice must integrate the traditional and the modern McLeod's traditional training immersed him in Tibetan language, texts, ritual, and technique. He realized that some practice obstacles arose because, in the context of contemporary American life, Tibetan Buddhist methods can't easily be practiced in the classical manner. So he set about reexamining everything he'd learned and practiced. As a result, Unfettered Mind is faithful to the dharma but steps beyond convention, is non-institutional, and emphasizes an individualistic approach to practice. "My aim is for Unfettered Mind to provide a rich reservoir of resources so that each of us can find our way without sacrificing faith to a set of beliefs, individual questions to institutional answers, and a practice path to a set system of meditations." Practice is individual-centered, not tradition-centered The practitioner doesn't follow a set system, but instead shapes their own, unique path of practice and development that may lie outside the curricula