Newfound Buddhism

== Newfoundland Buddhism ==
Newfoundland Buddhism, or Newfound Buddhism, is a form of western secular Buddhism originating in Cape Saint George, Newfoundland. It differs from many forms of Buddhism in that, like secular Buddhism, it doesn't focus on theistic or gnostic aspects of other forms, such as Tibetan Buddhism. Newfound Buddhists. With a strong focus on Buddhist spiritual teachings and mindfulness, Newfoundland Buddhism became especially popular following the Great Collapse.
== Formation by Maurus Meaux ==
Newfoundland Buddhism was created by Maurus Meaux, an American from Louisiana who was raised a strong Methodist-Christian. Meaux had separated himself from the church in his teenage years, and was active as a hippie in various communes during the mid to late 1960s. For about twenty-five years, Maurus Meaux led a regular life. He had no special event that sparked his interest in Buddhism, or a time he was "awakened". He had slowly built his knowledge over the course of his life.
Sometime in the 1990s, Meaux immigrated to Canada and formed a small community of like-minded spiritual people. Together, they purchased property in Cape Saint George, Newfoundland, Canada. The Newfoundland Buddhist monastery was built in the late 90s, expanding gradually into the 2000s, 2010s, and saw greatest growth after the Jinanvirus in the 2020s.
Meaux rejected changing his name, which is a common practice for many eastern and pseudo-eastern spiritual leaders, gurus, and yogis. His reasoning was that despite being the head of the Newfoundland Buddhist monastery, he believed that changing his name was purely superficial, only satisfying the ego. Rather, he was more interested in embracing his birth name, of which he had no control over.
== Formation of the Cape Saint George monastery ==
In the 1990s, the original twelve members and founders of Newfound Buddhism raised money together to purchase a large parcel of off-grid land in Cape Saint George, Newfoundland. By the end of the decade, it was the permanent residence of at least some of the members, including Maurus Meaux.
In the early 2000s, the monastery was supported by and also ingrained in the culture of Stephenville, Newfoundland. The members of the monastery were active in volunteer projects in the town, and vice versa. Because of this, the monastery was very well respected within the town. In the 2010s, Maurus Meaux made pushes to make the monastery self-sufficient, having a premonition of global catastrophe by the end of the decade.