Artist:   American Zen
Author:   Richard Del Connor
Project Format:   mp3 song downloads individually, or as album
Price:   $8.88 album, 0.88 song
Record Producer:  Richard Del Connor
Record Label:   Shaolin Records
Release Date:   7-24-2024

Get the BOOK:  Pipe Carrier:  LEVEL 5 of American Zen.  It tells the whole story of Richard Del Connor "The Coyote" becoming a Pipe Carrier "Holy Man" of the Lakota Sioux.  In 1993 Richard Del Connor was "Master Zhen" who founded Shaolin Chi Mantis traditional Buddhist Kung Fu and Taoist Tai Chi Chuan in 1992.  Richard was teaching at Decker Lake Maximum Security Youth Prison receiving weekly paychecks directly from the Governor of Utah.   

Richard arrived at the YWCA in Salt Lake City to teach his Shaolin Chi Mantis class.  A poster announced a "PIPE CEREMONY" upstairs.  Richard announced the class was going to take a field trip.  The dozen students attended the Pipe Ceremony of Chief Richard Swallow.  Floyd Westerman was there.

At the end of the Pipe Ceremony Chief Swallow approached Richard and told him he'd had a Vision that he would him.  Richard was invited to attend his first "Inipi" (Sweat Lodge Purification) that evening.  The song "First Inipi" explains what happened that night.  Chief Swallow invited Richard back for another Inipi the next night to play flute for the Sweat Lode.  The song "The Blessing" tells the story of becoming a Pipe Carrier that evening.    

In 1994 "Richard Coyote" is invited to the Pine Ridge Reservation for a "Hanblechia" (Vision Quest). 
This spiritual adventure is detailed in the 1994 BOOK:  Vision Quest.    

 Get the BOOK:  Pipe Carrier: LEVEL 5 of American Zen by Richard Del Connor.