Everyday Buddhism 93 - Waking the Buddha with Clark Strand
07/26/23 • 114 min
You're in for a treat in this episode. At least it was a treat for me to have a conversation with Clark Strand. Clark is a former Zen monk, author, Haiku teacher, and communicator of all things spiritual and religious. He has studied and actually practiced within many, many spiritual and religious traditions so he speaks from actual experience.
The focus of today's conversation is on his book, Waking the Buddha: How The Most Dynamic and Empowering Buddhist Movement in History is Changing Our Concept of Religion, but Clark is also the author of Seeds From a Birch Tree: Writing Haiku and the Spiritual Journey, Now Is the Hour of Her Return: Poems In Praise of the Divine Mother Kali, co-author, with Perdita Finn, of The Way of the Rose: The Radical Path of the Divine Feminine Hidden in the Rosary, and many other books on poetry, spirituality, and ecology. He is the co-founder of an international, non-sectarian rosary fellowship with members across the world.
I invited him on the podcast to talk about Nichiren Buddhism, Soka Gakkai, and chanting, in general. It is a subject I haven't covered on this podcast and the timing was sparked by the recent passing of Tina Turner who was a very public Soka Gakkai practitioner.
Although the focus of the conversation began with the Soka Gakkai, it became a fascinating journey to many other areas, due to Clark's wide reach and his spiritual depth.
Among many other things, we talked about the folk traditions within all religions. Or, as Clark said, "there is always a religion within a religion." ...
About how the Soka Gakkai became virtually the only ethnically and racially diverse Buddhist organization religion in the world...
About why Clark states that spirituality needs to be about "ecology not theology" and that the reason the thread that runs through his spiritual experience IS ecology and the folk traditions...
And, for fellow Pure Land and Shin practitioners, about how the Pure Land tradition is the only tradition deeply grounded in ecology...
About Haiku...
About the divine feminine, the Divine Mother, and the rosary as a spiritual and NOT a religious practice ... and is, essentially, a tantric mantra practice...
About the 12-Steps program...
About chanting and how it gives voice to one's intentions, dreams, or hopes ... and is the most ancient form of spiritual practice...
Listen and enjoy the journey...
Learn more about Clark: https://wayoftherose.org/ https://tricycle.org/author/clarkstrand/ Buy the books: Waking the Buddha: How the Most Dynamic and Empowering Buddhist Movement in History Is Changing Our Concept of Religion Seeds from a Birch Tree: Writing Haiku and the Spiritual Journey: 25th Anniversary Edition: Revised & Expanded The Way of the Rose: The Radical Path of the Divine Feminine Hidden in the Rosary Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarkstrand/ https://www.instagram.com/way_of_the_rose/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clarkstrand/ Become a patron to support this podcast and get special member benefits, including a membership community and virtual sangha:https://www.patreon.com/EverydayBuddhism If this podcast has helped you understand Buddhism or help in your everyday life, consider making a one-time donation here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-donations Support the podcast through the affiliate link to buy the book, Everyday Buddhism: Real-Life Buddhist Teachings & Practices for Real Change: Buy the book, Everyday Buddhism
You're in for a treat in this episode. At least it was a treat for me to have a conversation with Clark Strand. Clark is a former Zen monk, author, Haiku teacher, and communicator of all things spiritual and religious. He has studied and actually practiced within many, many spiritual and religious traditions so he speaks from actual experience.
The focus of today's conversation is on his book, Waking the Buddha: How The Most Dynamic and Empowering Buddhist Movement in History is Changing Our Concept of Religion, but Clark is also the author of Seeds From a Birch Tree: Writing Haiku and the Spiritual Journey, Now Is the Hour of Her Return: Poems In Praise of the Divine Mother Kali, co-author, with Perdita Finn, of The Way of the Rose: The Radical Path of the Divine Feminine Hidden in the Rosary, and many other books on poetry, spirituality, and ecology. He is the co-founder of an international, non-sectarian rosary fellowship with members across the world.
I invited him on the podcast to talk about Nichiren Buddhism, Soka Gakkai, and chanting, in general. It is a subject I haven't covered on this podcast and the timing was sparked by the recent passing of Tina Turner who was a very public Soka Gakkai practitioner.
Although the focus of the conversation began with the Soka Gakkai, it became a fascinating journey to many other areas, due to Clark's wide reach and his spiritual depth.
Among many other things, we talked about the folk traditions within all religions. Or, as Clark said, "there is always a religion within a religion." ...
About how the Soka Gakkai became virtually the only ethnically and racially diverse Buddhist organization religion in the world...
About why Clark states that spirituality needs to be about "ecology not theology" and that the reason the thread that runs through his spiritual experience IS ecology and the folk traditions...
And, for fellow Pure Land and Shin practitioners, about how the Pure Land tradition is the only tradition deeply grounded in ecology...
About Haiku...
About the divine feminine, the Divine Mother, and the rosary as a spiritual and NOT a religious practice ... and is, essentially, a tantric mantra practice...
About the 12-Steps program...
About chanting and how it gives voice to one's intentions, dreams, or hopes ... and is the most ancient form of spiritual practice...
Listen and enjoy the journey...
Learn more about Clark: https://wayoftherose.org/ https://tricycle.org/author/clarkstrand/ Buy the books: Waking the Buddha: How the Most Dynamic and Empowering Buddhist Movement in History Is Changing Our Concept of Religion Seeds from a Birch Tree: Writing Haiku and the Spiritual Journey: 25th Anniversary Edition: Revised & Expanded The Way of the Rose: The Radical Path of the Divine Feminine Hidden in the Rosary Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarkstrand/ https://www.instagram.com/way_of_the_rose/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clarkstrand/ Become a patron to support this podcast and get special member benefits, including a membership community and virtual sangha:https://www.patreon.com/EverydayBuddhism If this podcast has helped you understand Buddhism or help in your everyday life, consider making a one-time donation here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-donations Support the podcast through the affiliate link to buy the book, Everyday Buddhism: Real-Life Buddhist Teachings & Practices for Real Change: Buy the book, Everyday Buddhism
Previous Episode
Everyday Buddhism 92 - Interdependence Day Mini Episode
A special mini episode, celebrating our interdependence. Listen as I share a reflection on what I call my "Buddhist-Born-Again moment."
I finally learned what the Buddha taught. I finally saw that one of—if not THE most important foundations of Buddhist practice—is becoming aware of your inherent ignorance and the limitations of self.
It is surprisingly freeing to realize that we are NOT really the masters of our destiny, because the choices we make about the thoughts we think and the actions we take are a product of a complex web of experiences, surroundings, and relationships—of which everyone else is a part.
It is a seeming paradox that accepting our dependence on others can provide our ultimate freedom. In that humble, yet active acceptance we embrace what my late teacher, Rev. Koyo Kubose, expresses as “acceptance IS transcendence.” In doing so, we are declaring our interdependence.
Become a patron to support this podcast and get special member benefits, including a membership community and virtual sangha:https://www.patreon.com/EverydayBuddhism If this podcast has helped you understand Buddhism or help in your everyday life, consider making a one-time donation here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-donations Support the podcast through the affiliate link to buy the book, Everyday Buddhism: Real-Life Buddhist Teachings & Practices for Real Change: Buy the book, Everyday BuddhismNext Episode
Everyday Buddhism 94 - Soul Boom with Rainn Wilson
I am thrilled to share this conversation with Rainn Wilson—Yes, that guy ... the actor best known for his role as Dwight Schrute in The Office. In the conversation we talk about his recent book, Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.
Rainn Wilson is a NY Times Bestselling author and three-time Emmy nominated actor best known for his role in NBC’s The Office. Besides his many other comedic and dramatic roles on stage and screen, he is the co-founder of the media company SoulPancake and host of the docuseries Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss. Rainn is the author of the New York Times Bestseller Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution, The Bassoon King: My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy, as well as the coauthor of SoulPancake: Chew on Life’s Big Questions.
Some of this you may already know about Rainn, I'm sure, but something you may not know—but will learn from this conversation—is that, in addition to Rainn being a practitioner of the Baha'i faith, he is deeply spiritual, has studied many religions, and has a unique ability to capture the deepest of existential philosophy and social behavior in common cultural references and everyday language.
Among many other things, we talked about what spirituality is ... what soul is ... who or what God is or isn't ...
The two aspects of spirituality as demonstrated by the 1970's TV shows, Kung Fu and Star Trek ...
What is sacred and where can we find it?
Rainn's new book took me deep into reflection but also kept me giggling. It's the same with our conversation. So, keep listening ... I promise Rainn will open your mind, open your heart, and—of course—make you laugh. The conversation starts now ...
Buy the books (Amazon affiliate links): Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution Soul Pancake: Chew on Life's Big Questions The Bassoon King: Art, Idiocy, and Other Sordid Tales from the Band Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RainnWilson/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rainnwilson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rainnwilson/ Become a patron to support this podcast and get special member benefits, including a membership community and virtual sangha:https://www.patreon.com/EverydayBuddhism If this podcast has helped you understand Buddhism or help in your everyday life, consider making a one-time donation here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-donations Support the podcast through the affiliate link to buy the book, Everyday Buddhism: Real-Life Buddhist Teachings & Practices for Real Change: Buy the book, Everyday BuddhismIf you like this episode you’ll love
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