, ▁where ▁he ▁major ed ▁in ▁English ▁and ▁min ored ▁in ▁Philosoph y . ▁He ▁was ▁induct ed ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Ph i ▁B eta ▁K appa ▁honor ▁society ▁and ▁graduated ▁Mag na ▁C um ▁Lau de . ▁ ▁After ▁college , ▁he ▁won ▁a ▁compet itive ▁State ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁Gr adu ate ▁Council ▁Fellow ship ▁en abling ▁him ▁to ▁continue ▁his ▁studies . ▁He ▁earned ▁a ▁Master ▁of ▁Arts ▁and ▁a ▁Doctor ▁of ▁Philosoph y ▁from ▁State ▁University ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁at ▁St ony ▁Brook . ▁His ▁doctor al ▁dis sert ation ▁was ▁on ▁" The ▁E volution ▁of ▁M atter ▁and ▁Spirit ▁in ▁the ▁Po etry ▁of ▁The odore ▁Ro eth ke ". ▁ ▁Spirit ual ▁teach ings ▁L enz ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁core ▁of ▁his ▁teach ings ▁were ▁contained ▁in ▁his ▁books , ▁Snow board ing ▁to ▁N ir v ana ▁and ▁Sur f ing ▁the ▁H imal ay as , ▁the ▁latter ▁of ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁national ▁best - s eller ▁kept ▁on ▁the ▁night stand ▁of ▁singer ▁and ▁author ▁T ina ▁Turner . ▁▁▁ ▁L enz ' s ▁work , ▁including ▁his ▁teaching ▁and ▁projects , ▁focused ▁on ▁modern ▁spiritual ▁en light en ment ▁through ▁the ▁application ▁of ▁Eastern ▁religious ▁principles . ▁The ▁main ▁them es ▁of ▁his ▁teaching ▁included ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁med itation , ▁living ▁and ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁world , ▁and ▁the ▁en light en ment ▁of ▁women . ▁ ▁L enz ▁instruct ed ▁students ▁on ▁methods ▁for ▁living ▁more ▁product ive